Palynological and lithological evidence for the miocene palaeoenvironment in the Saldanha region (South Africa)

Coetzee, Johan; Rogers, John C.

doi:10.1016/0031-0182(82)90073-6

Cited by 70 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…This suggests that the generally high species richness of Mediterranean-type vegetation (Cowling et al, 1996) could be the result of an elevated speciation rate. Alternatively, fire, which has become an important element in the CFR at least since the Middle Miocene (Bytebier et al, 2010), may have extended the heathlands at the cost of the afromontane forests (Coetzee and Rogers, 1982), and this contraction and fragmentation of forest vegetation may have increased extinction rates of forest lineages. Concordantly, newly available fynbos habitat space may have provided 'ecological opportunities' for speciation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversification rate shifts in the Cape Floristic Region: The right traits in the right place at the right time

Onstein

Carter

Xing

et al. 2014

Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversification rate shifts in the Cape Floristic Region: The right traits in the right place at the right time

Onstein

Carter

Xing

et al. 2014

Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics

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“…This is recorded offshore as prograding, delta-front, very fine quartzose sand similar to modern inner-shelf, deltafront deposits of the Orange and Olifants rivers (Birch, 1975;Rogers, 1977). The Elandsfontyn Formation, recovered onshore from the southwestern Cape coastal platform, is generally assigned a mid-Miocene age, although there is little agreement on the age of this unit in the literature (Rogers, 1980;Coetzee and Rogers, 1982;Coetzee, 1986;Pether, 1994;Cole and Roberts, 1996;Pether et al, 2000;De Villiers and Cadman, 2001;Roberts and Brink, 2002). It is proposed that the Elandsfontyn Formation most likely represents the onshore record of increased fluvial activity during the middle to late Miocene (Wigley, 2005).…”

Section: Middle/late Miocene To Early Pliocenementioning

confidence: 96%

Late Cenozoic evolution of the outer continental shelf at the head of the Cape Canyon, South Africa

Wigley

Compton

2006

Marine Geology

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“…A pollen sequence from Langebaanweg, dated to the Middle Miocene by geological and palynological correlation, indicates a rather tropical vegetation, with palms, Podocarpus, Celtis, Rauvolfia, Dissotis, and others (Coetzee & Rogers, 1982). In a later facies the palms are reduced, and swamp plants such as Typha and Sparganioceaepollinites become common, with lenses of Restionaceae.…”

Section: (A) Vegetation Changementioning

confidence: 98%

The radiation of the Cape flora, southern Africa

Linder¹

2003

Biological Reviews

487

544

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The flora of the south-western tip of southern Africa, the Cape flora, with some 9000 species in an area of 90,000 km2 is much more speciose than can be expected from its area or latitude, and is comparable to that expected from the most diverse equatorial areas. The endemism of almost 70%, on the other hand, is comparable to that found on islands. This high endemism is accounted for by the ecological and geographical isolation of the Cape Floristic Region, but explanations for the high species richness are not so easily found. The high species richness is accentuated when its taxonomic distribution is investigated: almost half of the total species richness of the area is accounted for by 33 'Cape floral clades'. These are clades which may have initially diversified in the region, and of which at least half the species are still found in the Cape Floristic Region. Such a high contribution by a very small number of clades is typical of island floras, not of mainland floras. The start of the radiation of these clades has been dated by molecular clock techniques to between 18 million years ago (Mya) (Pelargonium) and 8 Mya (Phylica), but only six radiations have been dated to date. The fossil evidence for the dating of the radiation is shown to be largely speculative. The Cenozoic environmental history of southern Africa is reviewed in search of possible triggers for the radiations, climatic changes emerge as the most likely candidate. Due to a very poor fossil record, the climatic history has to be inferred from larger scale patterns, these suggest large-scale fluctuations between summer wet (Palaeocene, Early Miocene) and summer dry climates (Oligocene, Middle Miocene to present). The massive speciation in the Cape flora might be accounted for by the diverse limitations to gene flow (dissected landscapes, pollinator specialisation, long flowering times allowing much phenological specialisation), as well as a richly complex environment providing a diversity of selective forces (geographically variable climate, much altitude variation, different soil types, rocky terrain providing many micro-niches, and regular fires providing both intermediate disturbances, as well as different ways of surviving the fires). However, much of this is based on correlation, and there is a great need for (a) experimental testing of the proposed speciation mechanisms, (b) more molecular clock estimates of the age and pattern of the radiations, and (c) more fossil evidence bearing on the past climates.

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Palynological and lithological evidence for the miocene palaeoenvironment in the Saldanha region (South Africa)

Cited by 70 publications

References 6 publications

Diversification rate shifts in the Cape Floristic Region: The right traits in the right place at the right time

Diversification rate shifts in the Cape Floristic Region: The right traits in the right place at the right time

Late Cenozoic evolution of the outer continental shelf at the head of the Cape Canyon, South Africa

The radiation of the Cape flora, southern Africa

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