Differing Eocene floral histories in southeastern North America and Western Europe: Influence of paleogeography

Historical Biology
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Abstract

Pollen data show that in southeastern North America, the Eocene angiosperm flora attained its maximum relative diversity some 8 m.y. after the late early Eocene to earliest middle Eocene climatic maximum. Increasing diversity resulted in part from the flora's position on a large continent which allowed easy migration. In western Europe, the floral diversity began decreasing even before the climatic maximum. Paleogeography played large roles in this diversity decrease. In western Europe, terrestrial floras were on islands and peninsulas in the sea, so that the floras underwent increasing isolation and partial local extermination. Temperate plants generally did not migrate to western Europe, because of a lack of nearby uplands, lack of northern terrestrial source areas for these plants, and presence of the Turgai Straights barrier. The Eocene climate of western Europe cooled at least partly because of decreasing contact with the warm Tethys Seaway.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Differing Eocene floral histories in southeastern North America and Western Europe: Influence of paleogeography
Series title Historical Biology
DOI 10.1080/10292389509380511
Volume 10
Issue 1
Year Published 1995
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Description 11 p.
First page 13
Last page 23
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