| Abstract: | he western interior of North America has the only known non-marine sections that contain the iridium-rich clay interpreted as the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary1-7. Because vegetation and climate can be directly inferred from physiognomy of leaves8-15 and because leaf species typically represent low taxonomic categories, studies of leaf floras in these sections provide data on the effects of a terminal Cretaceous event on the land flora, vegetation and climate. A previous study based on detailed sampling of leaves and their dispersed cuticle16 in the Raton Basin provides a framework for interpretation of other leaf sequences over 20 degrees of latitude. We conclude that at the boundary there were: (1) High levels of extinction in the south and low levels in the north; (2) major ecological disruption followed by long-term vegetational changes that mimicked normal ecological succession; (3) a major increase in precipitation; and (4) a brief, low-temperature excursion, which supports models of an ‘impact winter‘. ?? 1986 Nature Publishing Group. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70014490 |
| Citation Author: | Wolfe, J. A.; Upchurch, Jr. , G. R. |
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| Citation End Page: | 152 |
| Citation Issue: | 6093 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Nature |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 5 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Vegetation, climatic and floral changes at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary; 1986; Article; Journal; Nature; Wolfe, J. A.; Upchurch, Jr. , G. R. |
| Citation Start Page: | 148 |
| Citation Volume: | 324 |
| Citation Year: | 1986 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Vegetation, climatic and floral changes at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary; 1986; Article; Journal; Nature; Wolfe, J. A.; Upchurch, Jr. , G. R. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/324148a0 |
| Date Other: | Wed, 1 Jan 1986 00:00 -0600 |
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