Using Leaf Architectural Data for Phenetic Ecological Comparison of Modern and Fossil Forest Stands

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

Ecologists study ecosystems that currently appear on the planet and from this picture, essentially a single slice of geological time, they attempt to explain patterns like altitudinal and latitudinal gradients in diversity and ecosystem responses to climatic change. In contrast, paleontologists work with much lower resolution data but provide a temporal (historical) dimension. This proposal will develop and test a methodology to combine these two disciplines and examine the historical, macro-ecological patterns of forest community distribution. The proposed work would provide an ecological classification of both modern and fossil forest ecosystems based on the leaf architectural characters of the floras. This approach is justified by the fact that there is a relationship between leaf traits and ecological factors such as climate, such that modern forests ecosystems can be reasonably classified from leaf traits. The P.I.s propose to extend this approach to fossil assemblages. A substantial data set of modern and fossil leaf traits will also be created and made publicly available from this work. The results would provide a quantitative tool through which ecologists could place their research into a much longer temporal context, and through which paleontologists could begin to address significant ecological questions with their research.