Early Angiosperm Ecology: Evidence from the Albian-Cenomanian of Europe

Clément Coiffard (1) , Bernard Gomez (2) , J. Kvaček , Frédéric Thevenard (1)

1 PEPS - PaleoEnvironnements et PaleobioSphere
2 GR - Géosciences Rennes

• Background and Aims The mid-Cretaceous is a period of sudden turnover from gymnosperm to angiospermdominated floras. The aim was to investigate the fossil plant ecology in order to follow the spread of angiosperm taxa. • Methods Floristic lists and localities from the latest Albian-Cenomanian of Europe are analysed with Wagner's Parsimony Method, a clustering method currently used in phylogeny (cladistics). • Key Results Wagner's Parsimony Method points out that (a) gymnosperms dominated brackish water-related environments while angiosperms dominated freshwater-related environments (e.g. swamps, floodplains, levees, channels), (b) angiosperms showed the highest diversity in stable, freshwater-related environments, (c) a single angiosperm, ‘Diospyros' cretacea, is restricted to brackish water-related environments and (d) the families Lauraceae and Platanaceae were exclusive to disturbed, braided river environments, implying a opportunist strategy for early tree angiosperms. • Conclusions During the Mid-Cretaceous, European floras were characterized by (a) coastal gymnosperms, (b) highly diversified fluvial angiosperms and (c) the first European brackish water-related angiosperm.

Mots clés: Europe; Wagner's Parsimony Method; angiosperms; gymnosperms; conifers; ecology; environment; Mid-Cretaceous; Europe.

Domaines: Paléontologie

Clément Coiffard, Bernard Gomez, J. Kvaček, Frédéric Thevenard. Early Angiosperm Ecology: Evidence from the Albian-Cenomanian of Europe. Annals of Botany, 2006, 98 (3), pp.495-502. ⟨10.1093/aob/mcl125⟩. ⟨hal-00146704⟩