Plant Ecological Strategies Shift Across the Cretaceous–Paleogene Boundary

42Citations
Citations of this article
136Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

The Chicxulub bolide impact caused the end-Cretaceous mass extinction of plants, but the associated selectivity and ecological effects are poorly known. Using a unique set of North Dakota leaf fossil assemblages spanning 2.2 Myr across the event, we show among angiosperms a reduction of ecological strategies and selection for fast-growth strategies consistent with a hypothesized recovery from an impact winter. Leaf mass per area (carbon investment) decreased in both mean and variance, while vein density (carbon assimilation rate) increased in mean, consistent with a shift towards “fast” growth strategies. Plant extinction from the bolide impact resulted in a shift in functional trait space that likely had broad consequences for ecosystem functioning.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Blonder, B., Royer, D. L., Johnson, K. R., Miller, I., & Enquist, B. J. (2014). Plant Ecological Strategies Shift Across the Cretaceous–Paleogene Boundary. PLoS Biology, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001949

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free