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Palaeoenvironment and ecology of the middle Cretaceous Grebenka flora of northeastern Asia

Spicer, RA ; Ahlberg, Anders LU ; Hermana, AB ; Kelley, SP ; Raikevich, MI and Rees, PM (2002) In Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 184(1-2). p.65-105
Abstract
The Grebenka flora, from the main exposure of the Albian-Cenomanian Krivorechenskaya Formation in northeastern Russia, represents a range of plant communities from pioneer to mature forest that grew close to the mid-Cretaceous North Pole (> 72degreesN). The diversity of this flora is dominated by angiosperms followed by conifers, ferns and other plant groups. The age is constrained by Ar-40/Ar-39 analyses of associated volcaniclastics (similar to 96.5 Ma), coupled with biostratigraphic correlation of the plant-bearing non-marine beds with marine units of the Krivorechenskaya Formation and the overlying Dugovskaya Formation. Limited palaeosol development and pronounced episodic floodplain aggradation indicate that the 100-m-thick... (More)
The Grebenka flora, from the main exposure of the Albian-Cenomanian Krivorechenskaya Formation in northeastern Russia, represents a range of plant communities from pioneer to mature forest that grew close to the mid-Cretaceous North Pole (> 72degreesN). The diversity of this flora is dominated by angiosperms followed by conifers, ferns and other plant groups. The age is constrained by Ar-40/Ar-39 analyses of associated volcaniclastics (similar to 96.5 Ma), coupled with biostratigraphic correlation of the plant-bearing non-marine beds with marine units of the Krivorechenskaya Formation and the overlying Dugovskaya Formation. Limited palaeosol development and pronounced episodic floodplain aggradation indicate that the 100-m-thick plant-bearing volcaniclastic floodplain succession was deposited rapidly, resulting in excellent trapping and preservation of the plant communities, but dilution of the palynoflora. Analysis of the megaflora (> 100 foliage taxa, plus woods and fructifications) provides a 'snapshot' of the mid-Cretaceous climate, and offers reliable quantitative climatic signals of conditions near the mid-Cretaceous North Pole. Multivariate analysis of leaf physiognomy (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) on the whole flora suggests that the plants experienced a mean annual temperature of 13.0 +/- 1.8degreesC and a cold month mean temperature of 5.5 +/- 3.3degreesC. However, analyses of individual florules yield slightly different results that help constrain the uncertainties inherent in such an approach. These and other foliar physiognomic data are compared across the Arctic. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
palaeoecology, palaeoenvironment, palaeobotany, Cretaceous, northeastern Russia, palaeoclimate
in
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
volume
184
issue
1-2
pages
65 - 105
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000176723600003
  • scopus:0036681677
ISSN
1872-616X
DOI
10.1016/S0031-0182(02)00247-X
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b9b064bf-b76f-4527-8150-f6063258f3a5 (old id 333622)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:29:30
date last changed
2022-04-05 23:05:52
@article{b9b064bf-b76f-4527-8150-f6063258f3a5,
  abstract     = {{The Grebenka flora, from the main exposure of the Albian-Cenomanian Krivorechenskaya Formation in northeastern Russia, represents a range of plant communities from pioneer to mature forest that grew close to the mid-Cretaceous North Pole (> 72degreesN). The diversity of this flora is dominated by angiosperms followed by conifers, ferns and other plant groups. The age is constrained by Ar-40/Ar-39 analyses of associated volcaniclastics (similar to 96.5 Ma), coupled with biostratigraphic correlation of the plant-bearing non-marine beds with marine units of the Krivorechenskaya Formation and the overlying Dugovskaya Formation. Limited palaeosol development and pronounced episodic floodplain aggradation indicate that the 100-m-thick plant-bearing volcaniclastic floodplain succession was deposited rapidly, resulting in excellent trapping and preservation of the plant communities, but dilution of the palynoflora. Analysis of the megaflora (> 100 foliage taxa, plus woods and fructifications) provides a 'snapshot' of the mid-Cretaceous climate, and offers reliable quantitative climatic signals of conditions near the mid-Cretaceous North Pole. Multivariate analysis of leaf physiognomy (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) on the whole flora suggests that the plants experienced a mean annual temperature of 13.0 +/- 1.8degreesC and a cold month mean temperature of 5.5 +/- 3.3degreesC. However, analyses of individual florules yield slightly different results that help constrain the uncertainties inherent in such an approach. These and other foliar physiognomic data are compared across the Arctic.}},
  author       = {{Spicer, RA and Ahlberg, Anders and Hermana, AB and Kelley, SP and Raikevich, MI and Rees, PM}},
  issn         = {{1872-616X}},
  keywords     = {{palaeoecology; palaeoenvironment; palaeobotany; Cretaceous; northeastern Russia; palaeoclimate}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{65--105}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology}},
  title        = {{Palaeoenvironment and ecology of the middle Cretaceous Grebenka flora of northeastern Asia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(02)00247-X}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0031-0182(02)00247-X}},
  volume       = {{184}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}