Indication of global deforestation at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary by New Zealand fern spike.
The devastating effect on terrestrial plant communities of a bolide impact at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary is shown in fossil pollen and spore assemblages by a diverse flora being abruptly replaced by one dominated by a few species of fern. Well documented in North America, this fern spike signals widespread deforestation due to an impact winter or massive wildfires. A Southern Hemisphere record of a fern spike, together with a large iridium anomaly, indicates that the devastation was truly global. Recovery of New Zealand plant communities followed a pattern consistent with major climatic perturbations occurring after an impact winter that was possibly preceded by global wildfires.
Vajda
V
V
Department of Geology, Lund University, Tornavägen 13, SE-223 63 Lund, Sweden. vivi.vajda@geol.lu.se
Raine
J I
JI
Hollis
C J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D003081:Cold Climate; D032462:Cycadopsida / Q000502:physiology; D004190:Disasters; D004391:Dust; D017753:Ecosystem; D029624:Ferns / Q000502:physiology*; D005390:Fires; D005580:Fossils; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000502:physiology; D019110:Meteoroids; D009520:New Zealand; D009656:North America; D011058:Pollen / Q000502:physiology; D013170:Spores / Q000502:physiology; D013472:Sunlight; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*
D004391:Dust; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon