Integrated Plant Record Vegetation Analysis Research Articles

Early Paleogene plant biomes of the Pacific side of Eurasia

Major plant biome changes in East Asia during the early Paleogene are studied using the Integrated Plant Record vegetation analysis for the first time based on paleobotanical records. The paleobotanical record employed for the reconstruction comprises 110 paleofloras covering the early Paleocene to early Eocene, a time-span of ca. 17 Myr. Our data indicate the presence of more forested conditions over East Asia during the early Paleogene than at present. The early Paleogene vegetation cover in the study area fundamentally differed from modern and was much more homogeneous compared to the modern one. Mixed mesophytic zonal vegetation dominated on the Pacific side of Eurasia during the early Paleogene. Thermophilous mixed mesophytic forests were distributed even at very high latitudes, but at the same time, ecotone between the mixed mesophytic / broadleaved evergreen forests and broadleaved evergreen forest were confined to regions south of 50°N. The proportions of sclerophyllous plants are low in general, even in the mid-latitudes. The localities with open woodlands are all located south of ca. 45°N. The observed vegetation patterns and their changes throughout the early Paleogene in many cases can be correlated with climate patterns and the overall continental paleoclimate evolution as reconstructed from the paleobotanical record. The higher-than-present spatial homogeneity of early Paleogene vegetation coincides with shallow temperature gradients and a significantly more humid regional rainfall pattern over East Asia during the early Paleogene.

A new Oligocene flora from Ludvíkovice near Děčín (České středohoří Mts., the Czech Republic)

A recently recovered site of plant macrofossils, Ludvíkovice, in the České středohoří Mts. is situated on Sokolí vrch hill, belonging to the Děčín Formation (radiometrically dated to 30.8–24.7 Ma), according to regional stratigraphy. The flora has yielded a fern, Rumohra recentior, and several angiosperms, but no conifers. The prevailing foliage is preserved without cuticles. Noteworthy are records of Daphnogene cinnamomifolia, Laurophyllum cf. acutimontanum, Platanus neptuni, Sloanea artocarpites, Carya fragiliformis / C. quadrangula, Alnus rhenana, Trigonobalanopsis rhamnoides, Eotrigonobalanus furcinervis and cf. Quercus sp. Several foliage specimens of dicots could not be identified to species level, i.e., Leguminophyllum sp., Pungiphyllum cf. cruciatum and Dicotylophyllum sp. div. The fossil plant assemblage of Ludvíkovice corresponds to zonal mesophytic vegetation accompanied by riparian elements. This is corroborated by the Integrated Plant Record vegetation analysis, which reconstructs a zonal broad-leaved evergreen forest similar to the living broad-leaved evergreen sclerophyllous forest from Southern Hunan and Northern Guangxi in SE China. The vegetation thrived under a humid climate characterized by average values of MAT (14.6–24.1 °C), WMMT (24.7–28.3 °C), CMMT (2.2–18.8 °C) and MAP (979–1724 mm). The fossil flora of Ludvíkovice is similar in composition to the floras of Markvartice, Veselíčko, also from the Oligocene Děčín Formation of the České středohoří Mts. and the Hrazený hill.

Review of The Late Oligocene Flora of Matrý Near Sebuzín (České Středohoří Mts., The Czech Republic)

The Oligocene palaeontological locality on Matrý Hill near Sebuzín in the České středohoří Mts., North Bohemia, belongs to the Děčín Formation and is dated to 30.8-24.7 Ma according to the regional stratigraphy. It has yielded, in addition to insects from the Heteroptera group, a fossil bee Apis petrefacta and palaeobatrachid frogs, also numerous plant remains. Their recovery began in 1996. The plant fossil assemblage consists mostly of leaf impressions, occasionally accompanied by casts or impressions of fruits. Noteworthy are records of a fern Woodwardia muensteriana, conifers Pinus cf. rigios, P. cf. hepios, Calocedrus suleticensis, Tetraclinis salicornioides, Torreya bilinica, cf. Cephalotaxus parvifolia and numerous angiosperms, e.g. Liriodendron haueri, Daphnogene cinnamomifolia, Platanus neptuni, Cercidiphyllum crenatum, Sloanea artocarpites, Ulmus pyramidalis, Celtis pirskenbergensis, Carya fragiliformis, C. quadrangula, Betula brongniartii, B. dryadum, Alnus rhenana, A. cf. kefersteinii, Carpinus grandis, Ostrya atlantidis, Acer crenatifolium, A. cf. palaeosaccharinum, A. integrilobum and Craigia bronnii. Several angiosperm foliage specimens of both monocots and dicots have not yet been identified to a particular genus and species. The fossil plant assemblage at Matrý corresponds to two vegetation types, i.e. a zonal riparian forest and zonal mixed mesophytic forest, as corroborated by the Integrated Plant Record vegetation analysis. The vegetation thrived under a humid climate, characterized by average values of MAT (13.4 °C), WMMT (23.8 °C), CMMT (3.6 °C) and MAP (1,117 mm). The Matry fossil flora is similar in composition to the flora of Žichov from the same Oligocene Děčín Formation in the České středohoří Mts.

The Integrated Plant Record vegetation analysis of Early Miocene assemblages from the Most Basin (Czech Republic)

The Integrated Plant Record vegetation analysis of Early Miocene assemblages from the Most Basin (Czech Republic)