Effects of Past Global Change on Life

What can we expect as global change progresses? Will there be thresholds that trigger sudden shifts in environmental conditions-or that cause catastrophic destruction of life? Effects of Past Global Change on Life explores what earth scientists are learning about the impact of large-scale environmental changes on ancient life-and how these findings may help us resolve today's environmental controversies. Leading authorities discuss historical climate trends and what can be learned from the mass extinctions and other critical periods about the rise and fall of plant and animal species in response to global change. The volume develops a picture of how environmental change has closed some evolutionary doors while opening others-including profound effects on the early members of the human family. An expert panel offers specific recommendations on expanding research and improving investigative tools-and targets historical periods and geological and biological patterns with the most promise of shedding light on future developments. This readable and informative book will be of special interest to professionals in the earth sciences and the environmental community as well as concerned policymakers. Table of Contents Front Matter OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION METHODS Periodic Cycles The Eocene-Oligocene Transition The Terminal Ordovician Transition RATES OF TRANSITION The Nature of Thresholds PATTERNS OF BIOTIC RESPONSE Extinction Evolutionary Turnover Delayed Recovery RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES Background INTRODUCTION Geochemical Evidence for Atmospheric Change Paleontological Evidence for Evolutionary Innovation Biological Reasons for Linkage Paleontological Data Geochemical Data CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES ABSTRACT THE TIME FRAME THE PALEOGEOGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK GEOCHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF DEEP OCEAN VENTILATION Shelly Faunas ENVIRONMENTAL-ORGANISMAL CHANGES: A SUMMARY REFERENCES ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION HIGH-RESOLUTION APPROACH TO DOCUMENTING ANCIENT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE THE CENOMANIAN-TURONIAN (C-T) MASS EXTINCTION - AN ANCIENT GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY CRISIS IN A CHAOTIC GREENHOUSE WORLD A CASE HISTORY: THE PUEBLO, COLORADO, C-T BOUNDARY SECTION ESTABLISHING A CHRONOLOGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECLINE AND MASS EXTINCTION ACROSS THE C-T BOUNDARY INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES Late Cenomanian Background Conditions Late Cenomanian Mass Extinction End Of Sampling Interval ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION HOW COMPLETE ARE K/T BOUNDARY SECTIONS? Planktic Foraminifera Calcareous Nannoplankton El Kef, Tunisia Caravaca, Spain Brazos, Texas ODP Site 738C, Indian Antarctic Ocean Calcareous Nannoplankton ARE SPECIFIC HABITATS SELECTIVELY DESTROYED? DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY REFERENCES INTRODUCTION TERMINAL PALEOCENE MASS EXTINCTION IN THE DEEP SEA ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MASS EXTINCTION AND OCEANIC WARMING CAUSE OF MASS EXTINCTION IN DEEP SEA CAUSE OF OCEANOGRAPHIC AND CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS AND SUMMARY REFERENCES INTRODUCTION OXYGEN ISOTOPIC RECORDS OF LOW LATITUDE TEMPERATURES ARGUMENTS FOR TROPICAL TEMPERATURE STABILITY MODEL-DERIVED TROPICAL TEMPERATURES SUMMARY OF TROPICAL CLIMATE EXTREMES CLIMATE TOLERANCES OF TROPICAL ORGANISMS A MID-CRETACEOUS CASE STUDY REFERENCES ABSTRACT The Pliocene Prior to 2.5 Ma Onset of the Ice Age at 2.5 to 2.4 Ma Africa Europe Marine Biotas Plateau Uplift Ice-Sheet Forcing of Climatic Change SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Peat Swamps Clastic Wetlands Resolution at 100- to 104-yr Time Scales: Habitats and Species Assemblages Resolution at the 105- to 107-yr Time Scale: Interseam Patterns Coal-Swamp Species and Ecomorphs Changes at the Landscape Level Changes in the Habitat Composition of Landscapes Changes in the Species-Level Composition of Habitats Evidence for Climatic Variability Relationships of Climatic Patterns to Vegetational Patterns SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS Hierarchical Organization Long-Term Species Replacement Dynamics: Evolutionary Implications REFERENCES INTRODUCTION Albian-Cenomanian an...