CO2-forced climate and vegetation instability during Late Paleozoic deglaciation.
The late Paleozoic deglaciation is the vegetated Earth's only recorded icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, yet the climate dynamics remain enigmatic. By using the stable isotopic compositions of soil-formed minerals, fossil-plant matter, and shallow-water brachiopods, we estimated atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in pCO2, temperature, and ice volume consistent with greenhouse gas forcing of climate. Major restructuring of paleotropical flora in western Euramerica occurred in step with climate and pCO2 shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO2-forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.
Montañez
Isabel P
IP
Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. montanez@geology.ucdavis.edu
Tabor
Neil J
NJ
Niemeier
Deb
D
Dimichele
William A
WA
Frank
Tracy D
TD
Fielding
Christopher R
CR
Isbell
John L
JL
Birgenheier
Lauren P
LP
Rygel
Michael C
MC
D000818:Animals; D001272:Atmosphere; D044822:Biodiversity; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D005580:Fossils; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D046448:Ice Cover; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013995:Time
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D012987:Soil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002119:Calcium Carbonate