About the diversification and heyday of Palaeophytic flora: new data and perspectives
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A new compilation of late Palaeozoic plant families has been analysed using diversity rate metrics including for the first time a randomized time-continuous approach, and multivariate techniques including network analysis. The results reveal the major vegetation changes in Mississippian to Guadalupian times, including the Palaeophytic–Mesophytic flora transition. Palaeophytic vegetation was globally dominated by lycopsids and filicopsids, but these groups underwent high extinction rates and a globally reduced diversity towards the end of the Carboniferous. Seed plants also saw high extinction rates at this time, but global diversities were maintained by increased origination rates with the expansion of the replacing Mesophytic vegetation. Network analysis has shown how complexity of floral dynamics increased through the Carboniferous, before a dramatic decline around the Carboniferous–Permian boundary. No relationship is seen between the balance of global origination–extinction rates and major ecological changes, such as the growth and decline of the Late Palaeozoic Ice Age, or the collapse of the palaeotropical coal swamp biome that was largely responsible for the diversity of Palaeophytic vegetation. Further work is needed on the effect of palaeogeography on this Palaeophytic–Mesophytic vegetation transition.
Source: Historical Biology
Institutions: Université de Lille, University of Bristol
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: green
Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche
OpenAlex ID: W4415135421