Global vegetation change through the Miocene/Pliocene boundary

Between 8 and 6 million years ago, there was a global increase in the biomass of plants using C 4 photosynthesis as indicated by changes in the carbon isotope ratios of fossil tooth enamel in Asia, Africa, North America and South America. This abrupt and widespread increase in C 4 biomass may be rel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1997-09, Vol.389 (6647), p.153-158
Main Authors: Cerling, Thure E, Harris, John M, MacFadden, Bruce J, Leakey, Meave G, Quade, Jay, Eisenmann, Vera, Ehleringer, James R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon isotopes
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Flowers & plants
Fossils
Geology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Isotopes
Miocene
multidisciplinary
Paleobotany
Paleontology
Photosynthesis
Pliocene
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Stratigraphy
Teeth
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Summary:Between 8 and 6 million years ago, there was a global increase in the biomass of plants using C 4 photosynthesis as indicated by changes in the carbon isotope ratios of fossil tooth enamel in Asia, Africa, North America and South America. This abrupt and widespread increase in C 4 biomass may be related to a decrease in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations below a threshold that favoured C 3 -photosynthesizing plants. The change occurred earlier at lower latitudes, as the threshold for C 3 photosynthesis is higher at warmer temperatures.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/38229