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Plant ecological strategies shift across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.

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.

SUBMITTER: Blonder B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4165584 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Plant ecological strategies shift across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.

Blonder Benjamin B Royer Dana L DL Johnson Kirk R KR Miller Ian I Enquist Brian J BJ

PLoS biology 20140916 9

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 ...[more]

PMID: 25225914

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