The emergence of the tropical rainforest biome in the Cretaceous
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Published:2023-03-27
Issue:6
Volume:20
Page:1145-1154
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ISSN:1726-4189
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Container-title:Biogeosciences
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Biogeosciences
Author:
Coiffard Clément, El Atfy HaythamORCID, Renaudie JohanORCID, Bussert Robert, Uhl Dieter
Abstract
Abstract. Modern tropical rainforests (TRFs) are one of the most
ecologically important and species-rich biomes on the planet. However, the
origin of modern TRFs is still debated, especially due to the incongruence
between the fossil record and molecular data. Here, we test whether
Campanian assemblages from northeastern Africa could represent fossil TRF
vegetation. In so doing, we compare the investigated assemblages with other
assemblages known to represent temperate forests, subtropical forests, and
TRF in terms of leaf physiognomy, species richness, and taxonomic
composition. We conclude based on fossil leaves that modern-looking TRFs
already existed since 80 Ma during the Campanian in northeastern Africa
in an area corresponding to 10 % of the modern Amazonian or 25 % of the
Congolese TRF. The apparent conflict between the fossil record and
phylogenetic evidence is due to the nearly complete absence of published
tropical floras for the Cretaceous.
Funder
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
Subject
Earth-Surface Processes,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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