Timing of Early Cretaceous angiosperm diversification and possible links to major paleoenvironmental change

Research Article| February 01, 2005 Timing of Early Cretaceous angiosperm diversification and possible links to major paleoenvironmental change U. Heimhofer; U. Heimhofer 1Geological Institute, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P.A. Hochuli; P.A. Hochuli 2Palaeontological Institute, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Burla; S. Burla 3Geological Institute, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J.M.L. Dinis; J.M.L. Dinis 4Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Universidade de Coimbra, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H. Weissert H. Weissert 5Geological Institute, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2005) 33 (2): 141–144. https://doi.org/10.1130/G21053.1 Article history received: 27 Jul 2004 rev-recd: 21 Oct 2004 accepted: 21 Oct 2004 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation U. Heimhofer, P.A. Hochuli, S. Burla, J.M.L. Dinis, H. Weissert; Timing of Early Cretaceous angiosperm diversification and possible links to major paleoenvironmental change. Geology 2005;; 33 (2): 141–144. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G21053.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Palynological records from the Western Portuguese and Algarve basins (Portugal) provide new insights on the timing and pattern of the early diversification of angiosperms (flowering plants) and its relationship to global environmental perturbations during the late Early Cretaceous. Angiosperm pollen displays a stepwise increase in both diversity and relative abundance during the late Barremian to middle Albian interval (ca. 124–104 Ma), reflecting the incipient radiation of flowering plants in lower midlatitude floras. Our results provide new evidence for the age interpretation of the previously described angiosperm mesofossil floras and associated in situ pollen assemblages from the Western Portuguese basin, until now interpreted as Barremian or possibly Aptian in age. Biostratigraphic and sedimentologic evidence indicates a post-Aptian age for these assemblages, hence demonstrating a major radiation phase of angiosperms during the early Albian. Correlation of the angiosperm pollen record with data on global paleoenvironmental changes suggests a link between the rapid adaptive radiation of flowering plants and major climatic and oceanographic perturbations during the late Early Cretaceous. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.