CO 2 -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 pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2007-01, Vol.315 (5808), p.87-91
Main Authors: Montañez, Isabel P., Tabor, Neil J., Niemeier, Deb, DiMichele, William A., Frank, Tracy D., Fielding, Christopher R., Isbell, John L., Birgenheier, Lauren P., Rygel, Michael C.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary: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 ( p CO 2 ) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in p CO 2 , 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 p CO 2 shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO 2 -forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1134207