Permian climates; evaluating model predictions using global paleobotanical data

The most recent global icehouse-hothouse climate transition in Earth history occurred in the Permian. Warmer polar conditions relative to today existed from the middle Permian through the Mesozoic and into the Cenozoic. We focus here on one particularly well-correlated middle Permian stage that post...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geology (Boulder) 1999-10, Vol.27 (10), p.891-894
Main Authors: Rees, Peter McA, Gibbs, Mark T, Ziegler, Alfred M, Kutzbach, John E, Behling, Pat J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
biomes
Calamites
Climate
data processing
digital simulation
Equisetales
Geological time
global
Glossopteridales
Glossopteris
Glossopteris flora
Guadalupian
Gymnospermae
Kazanian
leaves
Lepidodendron
Lycopsida
Middle Permian
paleoclimatology
paleoecology
paleolatitude
paleotemperature
Paleozoic
Permian
Plantae
Pteridophyta
roots
Spermatophyta
Sphenopsida
statistical analysis
Stigmaria
Stratigraphy
terrestrial environment
Upper Permian
vegetation
Vertebraria
Wordian
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Summary:The most recent global icehouse-hothouse climate transition in Earth history occurred in the Permian. Warmer polar conditions relative to today existed from the middle Permian through the Mesozoic and into the Cenozoic. We focus here on one particularly well-correlated middle Permian stage that postdated the deglaciation, the Wordian (267-264 Ma), integrating floral and lithological data to determine Wordian climates globally. Paleobotanical data provide the best means of interpreting terrestrial paleoclimates, often revealing important information in the continuum between "dry" and "wet" end-member lithological indicators such as evaporites and coals. New statistical analyses of Wordian floras worldwide have enabled a greater understanding of original vegetation patterns and prevailing climate conditions. The derived climate interpretations are compared with new Wordian atmospheric general circulation model simulations. The model matches the data well in the tropics and northern high latitudes, but predicts colder conditions in southern high latitudes. We discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy.
ISSN:0091-7613
1943-2682
DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0891:PCEMPU>2.3.CO;2