aly baumgartner geocorps intern herb meyer paleontologist florissant fossil beds nm
TRANSCRIPT
Coexistence climate analysis of the late
Eocene Florissant flora, Colorado
Aly BaumgartnerGeoCorps Intern
Herb MeyerPaleontologist Florissant Fossil Beds NM
34.07 ± 0.10 Ma◦ Late Eocene
Lake Florissant Plant fossils
◦ ~140-150 plant species 7 extinct genera, all families extant
◦ Mixed broadleaved deciduous/broadleaved evergreen/ coniferous forest
Insect, vertebrate fossils
Florissant Fossil Beds
Nearest living relative (NLR) Leaf physiognomy/CLAMP Weighted-averaging partial least-squares
regressions (WAPLS)◦ Family and genus levels
MAT range: 10°C -18°C
Previous Paleoclimate Work
(Gregory, 1994a; MacGinitie, 1953, Boyle et al., 2008)
Uses nearest living relative’s recent distribution and climatic requirements
(Mosbrugger and Utescher, 1997; palaeoflora.de)
Coexistence Approach
Which taxa?◦ Only included previously described taxa
identifiable as extant genera Eocene requires generic level (too old for species)
◦ Outlier taxa for any parameter completely removed from analysis
Which parameters?◦ Mean annual temperature (MAT) for comparison
to previous studies
Coexistence Approach
Which databases?◦ Initially, Palaeoflora Database
◦ Subsequently, obtained climate data from alternate sources
Relations Between Climatic Parameters and Distributions of Trees and Shrubs, North America. (Thompson et al., 2000)
Atlas of Woody Plants in China: Distribution and Climate Volume I (Fang et al., 2011)
Coexistence Approach
Pros◦ Can be used on any plant organ◦ Some misidentifications may be eliminated as
outliers
Cons◦ Possible misidentification of fossils◦ Possible incorrect NLR
Extinct genera
◦ Climatic tolerances changed due to evolution Especially older fossils
Coexistence Approach
The Fossils of Florissant by Herbert W. Meyer (Appendix)
Florissant Fossil Database◦ Summary of current
valid taxa Macrofossils and pollen Includes dubious
identifications◦ Fossils from all
stratigraphic units, undifferentiated
Sources
(Meyer, 2003; http://planning.nps.gov/flfo/)
Sources Evolutionary trends and ecological
differentiation in early Cenozoic Fagaceae of western North America
Johannes Bouchal, Reinhard Zetter, Fridgeir Grimsson, and Thomas Denk, 2014
Pollen sample from single stratigraphic unit
(Bouchal et al., 2014)
(Boyle et al., 2008)
Sources Higher taxa as paleoecological and
paleoclimatic indicators: A search for the modern analog of the Florissant fossil flora
Brad Boyle, Herb Meyer, Brian Enquist, Silvia Salas, 2008◦ Taxa evaluated by Estella Leopold, Steven
Manchester and Herb Meyer List of “confidently recorded” plant taxa
◦ Pollen and macrofossils Represent all stratigraphic units,
undifferentiated
Abie
s
Ailanth
us
Burs
era
Cast
anea
Cedre
la
Celt
is
Cerc
oca
rpus
Coti
nus
Cro
ton
Dodonaea
Ela
eagnus
Euco
mm
ia
Hale
sia
Hydra
ngea
Koelr
eute
ria
Lygodiu
m
Moru
s
Osm
anth
us
Part
henoci
ssus
Pic
ea
Pla
tanus
Populu
s
Pro
sopis
Pte
roca
rya
Rhus
Rosa
Salix
Sapin
dus
Sm
ilax
Tabern
aem
onta
na
Torr
eya
Ulm
us
Vit
is
Ziz
iphus
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Cedrela Colubrina Oreopanax
Outlier taxa
Fossils of Florissant: Macrofossil/Pollen
Abies
Ailant
hus
Burse
ra
Casta
nea
Cedre
la
Celtis
Cerco
carp
us
Cotin
us
Dodon
aea
Ephe
dra
Humul
us
Koelre
uter
ia
Malus
Osman
thus
Parth
enoc
issu
s
Pice
a
Plat
anus
Pota
mog
eton
Prun
usRhu
sRos
aSa
lix
Sapi
ndus
Smila
xTi
lia
Ulmus
Ziziph
us
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
CedrelaColubrina
Oreopanax
Outlier taxa
Fossils of Florissant: Macrofossil Taxa
Abies
Ailant
hus
Carya
Cham
aecy
paris
Celtis
Cerco
carp
us
Crata
egus
Dryop
teris
Hydra
ngea
Linde
ra
Morus
Parth
enoc
issu
s
Pice
a
Plat
anus
Pota
mog
eton
Prun
usRhu
sRos
aSa
lix
Sapi
ndus
Smila
xTi
lia
Ulmus
Ziziph
us
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
Fossils of Florissant: Macrofossil No Outliers
14.4-17.6°C
Abies
Acer
Carya
Casta
nea
Croto
n
Cyclo
cary
a
Elae
agnu
s
Ephe
dra
Euco
mm
ia
Fagu
s
Jugl
ans
Koelre
uter
ia
Lygo
dium
Nupha
r
Pice
aPi
nus
Plat
ycar
ya
Popu
lus
Pter
ocar
ya
Querc
usSa
lix
Sam
bucu
s
Sequ
oia
Tabe
rnae
mon
tana
Tsug
a
Vibur
num
Zelko
va
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Fossils of Florissant: Pollen
15.7-19.4°C
Abies
Acer
Alang
ium
Betul
a
Catha
ya
Casta
nea
Carya
Crata
egus
Diosp
yros
Enge
lhar
dia
Ephe
dra
Euco
mm
ia
Frax
inus
Jugl
ans
Litho
carp
us
Pice
aPi
nus
Plat
anus
Salix
Sequ
oia
Spar
gani
um
Tabe
rnae
mon
tana
Tsug
a
Ulmus
Vibur
num
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Bouchal et al.: Pollen
17-19.4°C
Abies
Acer
Ailant
hus
Alnus
Amel
anch
ier
Betul
a
Carya
Cercis
Cerco
carp
us sp.
Cham
aeoc
ypar
is
Crata
egus
Croto
n
Cyclo
cary
a
Elae
agnu
s
Ephe
dra
Euco
mm
ia
Humul
us
Hydra
ngea
Jugl
ans
Koelre
uter
ia
Parth
enoc
issu
s
Pice
aPi
nus
Plat
anus
Plat
ycar
ya
Podo
carp
us
Popu
lus
Prun
us
Pter
ocar
ya
Querc
usRos
a
Rubus
Salix
Sam
bucu
s
Sequ
oia
Smila
x
Tabe
rnae
mon
tana
Torre
ya
Tsug
aViti
s
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
15.7-17.5°C
Boyle et al.: Macrofossil and Pollen
Abies
Acer
Ailant
hus
Amel
anch
ier
Carya
Cercis
Cerco
carp
us
Cham
aeoc
ypar
is
Crata
egus
Ephe
dra
Euco
mm
ia
Humul
us
Hydra
ngea
Jugl
ans
Koelre
uter
ia
Parth
enoc
issu
s
Pice
aPi
nus
Plat
anus
Popu
lus
Prun
us
Pter
ocar
ya
Querc
usRos
a
Rubus
Salix
Sam
bucu
s
Sequ
oia
Smila
x
Torre
yaViti
s
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30Boyle et al.: Macrofossil Taxa
10.6-17.5°C
Abies
Acer
Alnus
Betul
a
Carya
Croto
n
Cyclo
cary
a
Elae
agnu
s
Ephe
dra
Euco
mm
ia
Jugl
ans
Koelre
uter
iaPi
cea
Pinu
s
Plat
ycar
ya
Podo
carp
us
Popu
lus
Pter
ocar
ya
Querc
usSa
lix
Sam
bucu
s
Sequ
oia
Tabe
rnae
mon
tana
Tsug
a
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30Boyle et al.: Pollen Taxa
15.7-19.4°C
Boyle et al.: Macrofossil Supplemental
Abies
*
Abies
**
Acer*
Acer*
*
Ailant
hus
Amel
anch
ier
Carya
*
Carya
**
Cercis
Cerco
carp
us
Cham
aeoc
ypar
is
Crata
egus
Ephe
dra*
Ephe
dra*
*
Euco
mm
ia**
Humul
us
Hydra
ngea
Jugl
ans
Koelre
uter
ia
Parth
enoc
issu
s
Pice
a*
Pice
a**
Pinu
s*
Plat
anus
Popu
lus
Prun
us
Pter
ocar
ya
Querc
usRos
a
Rubus
Salix
*
Sam
bucu
s
Sequ
oia*
*
Smila
x
Torre
yaViti
s
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
*Atlas of Woody Plants in China **Relations Between Climatic Parameters and Distributions of Trees and Shrubs, North America
10-13.2°C
High-elevation paleo pollen assemblages problematic◦ Likely to have warm, low elevation pollen influx◦ Less likely to have cool, high elevation pollen
influx◦ Taxa such as Ephedra can disperse >1,000 km
Pollen reconstructions tend to be warmer and wetter than those with macrofossils◦ Macrofossil reconstructions preferred
Pollen Problems
(Maher, 1964; Ortu et al., 2006)
Comparisons to previous studies
Supp
lem
enta
l Mac
rofo
ssil
Macro
foss
il (u
sing
FoF)
Polle
n (u
sing
FoF
)
Polle
n (u
sing
Bou
chal
et a
l.)
Macro
foss
il (u
sing
Boyle
et a
l.)
Polle
n (u
sing
Boy
le e
t al.)
Boyle
et a
l. (2
008)
Boyle
et a
l. (2
008)
Leop
old
and
Clay-
Pool
e (2
001)
Axelro
d (1
997)
Grego
ry a
nd M
cInto
sh (1
996)
Grego
ry a
nd M
cInto
sh (1
996)
Grego
ry (1
994a
)
Grego
ry (1
994b
)
Wol
fe (1
994)
Grego
ry a
nd C
hase
(199
2)
Wol
fe (1
992)
Meyer
(198
6/19
92)
MacGin
itie
(195
3)0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Current study
Macrofossils
Pollen
Comparisons to previous studies
Supp
lem
enta
l Mac
rofo
ssil
Macro
foss
il (u
sing
FoF)
Polle
n (u
sing
FoF
)
Polle
n (u
sing
Bou
chal
et a
l.)
Macro
foss
il (u
sing
Boyle
et a
l.)
Polle
n (u
sing
Boy
le e
t al.)
Boyle
et a
l. (2
008)
Boyle
et a
l. (2
008)
Leop
old
and
Clay-
Pool
e (2
001)
Axelro
d (1
997)
Grego
ry a
nd M
cInto
sh (1
996)
Grego
ry a
nd M
cInto
sh (1
996)
Grego
ry (1
994a
)
Grego
ry (1
994b
)
Wol
fe (1
994)
Grego
ry a
nd C
hase
(199
2)
Wol
fe (1
992)
Meyer
(198
6/19
92)
MacGin
itie
(195
3)0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Current study
WAPLSCLAMP/Leaf physiognomy
NLR
Precision and accuracy of climate data matter!
Demonstrated assumed precision 0.1° C inaccurate◦ Palaeoflora Database precision stated ≤ 5°C◦ Important lower limits
All roads lead to Carolina◦ 560/700 taxa at 16° C
Relict taxa◦ Sequoia, Eucommia?
Genus v. species
Coexistence Approach Critique
(Grimm and Denk, 2012)
Why use multiple sources?◦ To combat bias from single sources◦ To include more taxa, narrower climate resolution
What about outliers/taxa not included in analysis?◦ Focused on MAT, fewer outliers
Confidently identified had fewer outliers◦ Many excluded taxa relictual
Larger range in Eocene
Questions and Concerns
Pollen and macrofossil analyses differ◦ Pollen analyses give warmer results◦ At high elevation, macrofossil analyses probably
more accurate
MAT: 10-13.2°C◦ Overlaps with previous macrofossil analyses◦ Cooler than analyses including pollen
Conclusions