Flowering plants outcompeted conifers

Abstract

It is commonly accepted that the burst in diversity of flowering plants, between 125 and 80 million years ago, had a negative impact on the diversity of other plant groups such as conifers (plants with cones). The diversity of conifers is strongly linked to the increasing diversity of flowering plants since 66 million years ago, thus attesting to the role of competition between plants. - submission by Fabien L. Condamine