Climatic change during the Palaeocene to Eocene based on fossil plants from Fushun, China

Abstract

By applying the Coexistence Approach (CA) to palynological data from the Laohutai, Lizigou, Guchengzi, Jijuntun and Xilutian Formations in Fushun, northeastern China, a quantitative reconstruction of the Palaeocene to Eocene climate is made. During that time, Mean Annual Temperature changed from 11.3 to 21 °C, Mean Annual Precipitation from 654 to 1540 mm, Mean Temperature of the Warmest Month from 19.4 to 28.2 °C, Mean Temperature of the Coldest Month from 3.6 to 13.9 °C, Mean Annual Range of Temperature from 12.8 to 23.5 °C, Mean Maximum Monthly Precipitation from 175 to 354 mm, and Mean Minimum Monthly Precipitation from 8 to 27 mm. All the parameters in the five formations indicate a subtropical climate. This situation is different from the current climate at the same site, a mid-temperate and continental monsoon climate, with a Mean Annual Temperature of 6.6 °C and a Mean Annual Precipitation of 804 mm. In addition, the climatic parameters obtained from megafossil data (only found in the Jijuntun Formation) were analyzed and approximate those from the palynological data. The parameters from the palynological data support the view that the Palaeogene climate of Northeast Asia and North America was similar, but unlike that of Europe.