Floral and environmental gradients on a Late Cretaceous landscape

Wing, Scott L.; Strömberg, Caroline A.E.; Hickey, Leo; Tiver, Fleur; Willis, Brian J.; Burnham, Robyn J.; Behrensmeyer, Anna K.

doi:10.1890/11-0870.1

Cited by 36 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 140 publications

(166 reference statements)

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“…One is reduced transpiration in Cretaceous vegetation, resulting from reduced vein densities in angiosperms and high abundances of gymnosperms and ferns (Boyce and Lee, 2010;Feild et al, 2011;Wing et al, 2012). Reduced transpiration can cause surface warming by increased sensible heat, and increase absorbed surface radiation through reduced liquid clouds (Boyce and Lee, 2010;Upchurch et al, 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal temperature gradients and high-latitude temperatures during the latest Cretaceous: Congruence of geologic data and climate models

Upchurch

Kiehl

Shields

et al. 2015

Geology

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A major challenge in paleoclimatology is disagreement between data and models for periods of warm climate. Data generally indicate equable conditions and reduced latitudinal temperature gradients, while models generally produce colder conditions and steeper latitudinal gradients except when using very high CO 2 . Here we show congruence between temperature indicators and climate model output for the cool greenhouse interval of the latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) using a global database of terrestrial and marine indicators and fully coupled simulations with the Community Climate System Model version 3. In these simulations we explore potential roles of greenhouse gases and properties of pre-anthropogenic liquid clouds in creating warm conditions. Our model simulations successfully reproduce warm polar temperatures and the latitudinal temperature gradient without overheating the tropics. Best fits for mean annual temperature are simulations that use 6× preindustrial levels of atmospheric CO 2 , or 2× preindustrial levels of atmospheric CO 2 and liquid cloud properties that may reflect pre-anthropogenic levels of cloud condensation nuclei. The Siberian interior is problematic, but this may relate to reconstructed elevation and the presence of lakes. Data and models together indicate tropical sea-surface temperatures ~5 °C above modern, an equator-to-pole temperature difference of 25-30 °C, and a mid-latitudinal temperature gradient of ~0.4 °C per 1° latitude, similar to the Eocene. Modified liquid cloud properties allow successful simulation of Maastrichtian climate at the relatively low levels of atmospheric CO 2 indicated by proxies and carbon cycle modeling. This supports the suggestion that altered properties of liquid clouds may be an important mechanism of warming during past greenhouse intervals. GSA,

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal temperature gradients and high-latitude temperatures during the latest Cretaceous: Congruence of geologic data and climate models

Upchurch

Kiehl

Shields

et al. 2015

Geology

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“…, ; Wing et al . ). Some other studies dealt with less meticulous procedures in data collection, only considering visual estimates in the field (Webber ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…; Wing et al . ). They came to noteworthy conclusions on plant diversity evolution during threshold stages of the Earth's history based on thorough experimental designs and intensive sampling methods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Analysing the representativeness of local‐scale palaeodiversity measurements: a case from the Lower Cretaceous plant assemblage of Hautrage (Mons Basin, Belgium)

Barral

Gómez

Zorrilla

et al. 2017

LET

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Two plant fossil‐bearing beds from the middle Barremian of Belgium were analysed to ascertain how experimental designs affect conclusions regarding palaeodiversity at a local scale. We analysed eight lateral samples per bed taken regularly every 3 m using an exhaustive sub‐sampling method. The Clench equation was used to evaluate the completeness of the taxonomic inventory of the samples and the sampling effort needed to obtain a reliable representation of diversity. The number of replicates needed to obtain the same representation of diversity from different nearby lateral samples of the same bed ranged from 5 to 19. Richness (S), Evenness (J) and the number of equiprobable taxa (2H’) greatly varied between samples from the same bed, even over short distances. Only one of the studied samples was representative of the taxonomic inventory of its bed. Our study shows that 1) the selection bias of the sampling area is reduced by increasing the number of lateral samples taken in a bed, enabling more reliable conclusions about local‐scale diversity; 2) intense sub‐sampling methods are needed to account for statistically independent observations of detailed lateral variation; and 3) sampling methods in palaeodiversity analyses must look for a similar degree of representativeness in samples rather than a homogeneous sample size. Using a sampling effort analysis provides evidence for the completeness of the data set, adjusting the amount of work required. Implementing the Clench equation in palaeodiversity analyses improves the performance of data acquisition in palaeoecological studies and provides a quality test of the data sets derived from them.

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“…Additionally, ferns and pteridophites appear to be abundant in the Late Campanian (~73 Ma) of Wyoming (Wing et al. , ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in the shape and mechanical performance of the lower jaws in ceratopsid dinosaurs (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia)

Maiorino

Farke²,

Kotsakis

et al. 2015

Journal of Anatomy

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Ceratopsidae represents a group of quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaurs that inhabited western North America and eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous. Although horns and frills of the cranium are highly variable across species, the lower jaw historically has been considered to be relatively conservative in morphology. Here, the lower jaws from 58 specimens representing 21 ceratopsoid taxa were sampled, using geometric morphometrics and 2D finite element analysis (FEA) to explore differences in morphology and mechanical performance across Ceratopsoidea (the clade including Ceratopsidae, Turanoceratops and Zuniceratops). Principal component analyses and non-parametric permuted manovas highlight Triceratopsini as a morphologically distinct clade within the sample. A relatively robust and elongate dentary, a larger and more elongated coronoid process, and a small and dorso-ventrally compressed angular characterize this clade, as well as the absolutely larger size. By contrast, non-triceratopsin chasmosaurines, Centrosaurini and Pachyrhinosaurini have similar morphologies to each other. Zuniceratops and Avaceratops are distinct from other taxa. No differences in size between Pachyrhinosaurini and Centrosaurini are recovered using non-parametric permuted anovas. Structural performance, as evaluated using a 2D FEA, is similar across all groups as measured by overall stress, with the exception of Triceratopsini. Shape, size and stress are phylogenetically constrained. A longer dentary as well as a long coronoid process result in a lower jaw that is reconstructed as relatively much more stressed in triceratopsins.

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Floral and environmental gradients on a Late Cretaceous landscape

Cited by 36 publications

References 140 publications

Latitudinal temperature gradients and high-latitude temperatures during the latest Cretaceous: Congruence of geologic data and climate models

Latitudinal temperature gradients and high-latitude temperatures during the latest Cretaceous: Congruence of geologic data and climate models

Analysing the representativeness of local‐scale palaeodiversity measurements: a case from the Lower Cretaceous plant assemblage of Hautrage (Mons Basin, Belgium)

Variation in the shape and mechanical performance of the lower jaws in ceratopsid dinosaurs (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia)

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