reconstructing-terrestrial-paleoclimate-paleoecology-with-fossil

Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area

Climate and environment strongly influence the size, shape, and toothiness (physiognomy) of plants&#39; leaves. These relationships, particularly in woody ...

University of Washington

Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a widely used functional trait in both neobotanical and paleobotanical research that provides a window into how plants interact with their environment. Paleobotanists have used site-level measures of LMA as a proxy for climate, biome, deciduousness, and community-scale plant strategy, yet many of these relationships have not been grounded in modern data. In this study, we evaluated LMA from the paleobotanical perspective, seeking to add modern context to paleobotanical interpretations and discover what a combined modern and fossil data set can tell us about how LMA can be best applied toward interpreting plant communities.

Alexander J. Lowe

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