CO2-forced climate and vegetation instability during late paleozoic deglaciation

Isabel P. Montañez; Neil J. Tabor; Deb Niemeier; William A. DiMichele; Tracy D. Frank; Christopher R. Fielding; John L. Isbell; Lauren P. Birgenheier; Michael C. Rygel

doi:10.1126/science.1134207

CO₂-forced climate and vegetation instability during late paleozoic deglaciation

Isabel P. Montañez
, Neil J. Tabor
, Deb Niemeier
, William A. DiMichele
, Tracy D. Frank
, Christopher R. Fielding
, John L. Isbell
, Lauren P. Birgenheier
, Michael C. Rygel

University of California at Davis
Southern Methodist University
Smithsonian Institution
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

563 Scopus citations

Abstract

The late Paleozoic deglaciation is the vegetated Earth's only recorded icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, yet the climate dynamics remain enigmatic. By using the stable isotopic compositions of soil-formed minerals, fossil-plant matter, and shallow-water brachiopods, we estimated atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in pCO₂, temperature, and ice volume consistent with greenhouse gas forcing of climate. Major restructuring of paleotropical flora in western Euramerica occurred in step with climate and pCO₂ shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO₂-forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	87-91
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	315
Issue number	5808
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1134207
State	Published - Jan 5 2007

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10.1126/science.1134207

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title = "CO2-forced climate and vegetation instability during late paleozoic deglaciation",

abstract = "The late Paleozoic deglaciation is the vegetated Earth's only recorded icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, yet the climate dynamics remain enigmatic. By using the stable isotopic compositions of soil-formed minerals, fossil-plant matter, and shallow-water brachiopods, we estimated atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in pCO2, temperature, and ice volume consistent with greenhouse gas forcing of climate. Major restructuring of paleotropical flora in western Euramerica occurred in step with climate and pCO2 shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO2-forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.",

author = "Monta{\~n}ez, \{Isabel P.\} and Tabor, \{Neil J.\} and Deb Niemeier and DiMichele, \{William A.\} and Frank, \{Tracy D.\} and Fielding, \{Christopher R.\} and Isbell, \{John L.\} and Birgenheier, \{Lauren P.\} and Rygel, \{Michael C.\}",

year = "2007",

month = jan,

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doi = "10.1126/science.1134207",

language = "English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - CO2-forced climate and vegetation instability during late paleozoic deglaciation

AU - Montañez, Isabel P.

AU - Tabor, Neil J.

AU - Niemeier, Deb

AU - DiMichele, William A.

AU - Frank, Tracy D.

AU - Fielding, Christopher R.

AU - Isbell, John L.

AU - Birgenheier, Lauren P.

AU - Rygel, Michael C.

PY - 2007/1/5

Y1 - 2007/1/5

N2 - The late Paleozoic deglaciation is the vegetated Earth's only recorded icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, yet the climate dynamics remain enigmatic. By using the stable isotopic compositions of soil-formed minerals, fossil-plant matter, and shallow-water brachiopods, we estimated atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in pCO2, temperature, and ice volume consistent with greenhouse gas forcing of climate. Major restructuring of paleotropical flora in western Euramerica occurred in step with climate and pCO2 shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO2-forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.

AB - The late Paleozoic deglaciation is the vegetated Earth's only recorded icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, yet the climate dynamics remain enigmatic. By using the stable isotopic compositions of soil-formed minerals, fossil-plant matter, and shallow-water brachiopods, we estimated atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and tropical marine surface temperatures during this climate transition. Comparison to southern Gondwanan glacial records documents covariance between inferred shifts in pCO2, temperature, and ice volume consistent with greenhouse gas forcing of climate. Major restructuring of paleotropical flora in western Euramerica occurred in step with climate and pCO2 shifts, illustrating the biotic impact associated with past CO2-forced turnover to a permanent ice-free world.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33846674399

U2 - 10.1126/science.1134207

DO - 10.1126/science.1134207

M3 - Article

C2 - 17204648

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 315

SP - 87

EP - 91

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5808

ER -

CO₂-forced climate and vegetation instability during late paleozoic deglaciation

Abstract

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