Climate windows of opportunity for plant expansion during the Phanerozoic

Khushboo Gurung (), Katie J. Field, Sarah A. Batterman, Yves Goddéris, Yannick Donnadieu, Philipp Porada, Lyla L. Taylor and Benjamin J. W. Mills
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Khushboo Gurung: University of Leeds
Katie J. Field: University of Sheffield
Sarah A. Batterman: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Yves Goddéris: Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS‐Université de Toulouse III
Yannick Donnadieu: CEREGE, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France
Philipp Porada: University of Hamburg
Lyla L. Taylor: University of Sheffield
Benjamin J. W. Mills: University of Leeds

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Earth’s long-term climate may have profoundly influenced plant evolution. Local climatic factors, including water availability, light, and temperature, play a key role in plant physiology and growth, and have fluctuated substantially over geological time. However, the impact of these key climate variables on global plant biomass across the Phanerozoic has not yet been established. Linking climate and dynamic vegetation modelling, we identify two key ‘windows of opportunity’ during the Ordovician and Jurassic-Paleogene capable of supporting dramatic expansions of potential plant biomass. These conditions are driven by continental dispersion, paleolatitude of continental area and a lack of glaciation, allowing for an intense hydrological cycle and greater water availability. These windows coincide with the initial expansion of land plants and the later angiosperm radiation. Our findings suggest that the timing and expansion of habitable space for plants played an important role in plant evolution and diversification.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32077-7

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