An 18 million year record of vegetation and climate change in northwestern Canada and Alaska: tectonic and global climatic correlates

White, James M.; Ager, Thomas A.; Adam, David; Leopold, Estella B.; Butler, James J.; Jetté, Hélène; Schweger, Charles E.

doi:10.1016/s0031-0182(96)00146-0

Cited by 174 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…2). These preserve evidence of both global climatic trends, for example general Cenozoic cooling and the Pliocene warm interval (White et al, 1997), as well as more regional climatic effects indicative of increased seasonality and more continental -colder -drier climate since 7 Ma ago in the lee of Alaskan and St. Elias Ranges (White et al, 1997) and 11 Ma in the lee of the Canadian Coast Range (Martin and Rouse, 1966;Rouse and Mathews, 1979), consistent with the development of a significant rain shadow at this time. This view is also supported by oxygen isotope analysis.…”

Section: Topographic Evolution Of the North American Cordillerasupporting

confidence: 66%

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Mountain uplift and the glaciation of North America – a sensitivity study

2010

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Abstract. The Miocene (∼24 to ∼5 million years ago) was a period of relative global warmth compared to the Quaternary (∼2 million years ago to present; e.g. Zachos et al., 2001) and was characterised by the intermittent glaciation of Antarctica only. Paradoxically, the majority of available proxy data suggest that during the Miocene, pCO 2 was similar, or even lower, than the pre-industrial levels (280 ppmv; Pagani et al

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Section: Topographic Evolution Of the North American Cordillerasupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Paleobotanical data on Miocene-Pliocene flora (Martin and Rouse, 1966;Rouse and Mathews, 1979;White et al, 1997) has been recovered from the lee of the Alaskan Coast Range, St. Elias Mountains, and Coast Mountains of Canada (Fig. 2).…”

Section: Topographic Evolution Of the North American Cordilleramentioning

confidence: 99%

Mountain uplift and the glaciation of North America – a sensitivity study

2010

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“…A comparable, presumably coincident climate change is deduced from palynological data in northwestern Canada and Alaska, which shows that floristic elements required to form northern boreal forests and tundra ecosystems were first established in the region about 2.3 Myr (e.g., White et al, 1997, and references therein).…”

Section: Environmental Conditions Ca 2400-2354 Myr Bpmentioning

confidence: 62%

Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene vegetation history of northeastern Russian Arctic inferred from the Lake El'gygytgyn pollen record

et al. 2014

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Abstract. The 318 m thick lacustrine sediment record from Lake El'gygytgyn, northeastern Russian Arctic cored by the international El'gygytgyn Drilling Project provides unique opportunities for the time-continuous reconstruction of the regional paleoenvironmental history for the past 3.6 Myr. Pollen studies of the lower 216 m of the lacustrine sediments demonstrate their value as an excellent archive of vegetation and climate changes during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. About 3.5-3.35 Myr BP, the vegetation at Lake El'gygytgyn, now an area of tundra was dominated by spruce-larch-fir-hemlock forests. After ca. 3.35 Myr BP dark coniferous taxa gradually disappeared. A very pronounced environmental change took place ca. 3.31-3.28 Myr BP, corresponding to the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) M2, when treeless tundra-and steppe-like habitats became dominant in the regional vegetation. Climate conditions were similar to those of Late Pleistocene cold intervals. Numerous coprophilous fungi spores identified in the pollen samples suggest the presence of grazing animals around the lake. Following the MIS M2 event, larch-pine forests with some spruce mostly dominated the area until ca. 2.6 Myr BP, interrupted by colder and drier intervals ca. 3.043-3.025, 2.935-2.912, and 2.719-2.698 Myr BP. At the beginning of the Pleistocene, ca. 2.6 Myr BP, noticeable climatic deterioration occurred. Forested habitats changed to predominantly treeless and shrubby environments, which reflect a relatively cold and dry climate. Peaks in observed green algae colonies (Botryococcus) around 2.53, 2.45, 2.32-2.305, 2.20 and 2.16-2.15 Myr BP suggest a spread of shallow water environments. A few intervals (i.e., 2.55-2.53, ca. 2.37, and 2.35-2.32 Myr BP) with a higher presence of coniferous taxa (mostly pine and larch) document some relatively shortterm climate ameliorations during Early Pleistocene glacial periods.

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“…This is part of the global cooling trend of the Neogene (Zachos et al 2001). The mid and high latitudes are warmer during the Miocene than at present times (Wolfe 1994;White et al 1997;Stepphun et al 2006Stepphun et al , 2007Micheels et al 2011;Utescher et al 2011). The latitudinal temperature gradients increased during the Pliocene.…”

Section: Neogene Coolingmentioning

confidence: 94%

Neogene zonal vegetation of China and the evolution of the winter monsoon

Jacques¹,

Shi²,

Wang³

2012

Bull. Geosci.

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When considering global change in China, it is important to understand how the strength of the monsoon has responded to changes in climate in the past. Here, we use a semi-quantitative reconstruction method, the Integrated Plant Record (IPR) vegetation analysis, to reconstruct the Neogene vegetation of China. The IPR method focuses on the taxonomic, physiognomic and autecological characteristics of fossil plants, whatever the organs concerned, such as palynomorph, diaspore, leaf and wood. Our study includes 107 Neogene fossil assemblages from 74 localities. There is an increase in the broad-leaved deciduous component in the northern areas during the Neogene. This is consistent with global cooling in the Neogene. At the same time, an increase of sclerophyllous and herbaceous components in west, central and north China occurs, which is indicative of aridification. There is no noticeable change in the vegetation of south China at that time. The Pliocene is characterised by an increasing contrast in vegetation between south and north China. The aridification of north China is due to a strengthening of the winter monsoon. Because there is no major change in the vegetation of south China, the weakening of East Asian summer monsoon is improbable. The Pliocene cooling is responsible for colder winters in Siberia, and the winter high pressure over Siberia becomes higher. As a result, the winter monsoon winds are stronger. The evolution of the summer and winter monsoons is not coupled.•

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An 18 million year record of vegetation and climate change in northwestern Canada and Alaska: tectonic and global climatic correlates

Cited by 174 publications

References 49 publications

Mountain uplift and the glaciation of North America – a sensitivity study

Mountain uplift and the glaciation of North America – a sensitivity study

Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene vegetation history of northeastern Russian Arctic inferred from the Lake El'gygytgyn pollen record

Neogene zonal vegetation of China and the evolution of the winter monsoon

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