Ancient rise in CO2 was catastrophic for forests: what that means for today’s plants
Researchers found the forests thinned after an initial CO2 boost was overwhelmed by heat and drought, and recovery took more than 100,000 years.
- A study published in the journal Science found Wyoming forests lost 60% of their canopy during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a warming event roughly 56 million years ago.
- Volcanic activity released massive amounts of greenhouse gases 56 million years ago, raising global temperatures by 5 to 9 degrees Celsius and triggering heat and drought that thinned forest canopies.
- Lead author Regan Dunn and colleagues analyzed fossilized leaf cell shapes from the Hanna Basin to estimate canopy density, finding forest cover remained 35% lower for tens of thousands of years.
- Modern forests face similar risks as heat and drought stress outpace productivity benefits from rising CO2; satellite data shows a browning trend across roughly 90% of Earth's vegetated surface since around 2000.
- Although ancient forests recovered, the process took over 100,000 years; Dunn warns that human-driven carbon release is occurring 10 times faster, pushing ecosystems beyond recovery thresholds.
11 Articles
11 Articles
A sudden warming of the Earth's forests about 56 million years ago devastated the Earth for hundreds of thousands of years. Despite higher CO2 levels, the combination of heat and drought reduced forest canopy cover by more than half, a recent study suggests.
56m years ago, forests collapsed in the heat. Could it happen again?
Forests across the world could be heading towards a future of thinner canopies, widespread tree loss and browning landscapes, according to a new study that has reconstructed ancient forests from 56 million years ago. The research, published in Science, examines the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a period when a massive release of carbon dioxide caused rapid global warming. Scientists say the event offers one of the closest natural comp…
Wyoming fossils reveal ancient forests collapsed during extreme global warming and took over 100,000 years to recover: A stark warning for today’s climate
Science News: Fossils from Wyoming are revealing how forests responded when Earth experienced one of its most intense episodes of global warming around 56 million y.
A new method shows how global deforestation began 56 million years ago with many similarities to what is happening today.
The Conversation
Ancient forests took 100,000 years to recover from the last global warming period similar to today – Wyoming fossils reveal what happened
Understanding what happened in these forests 56 million years ago may help humanity recognize similar thresholds before we cross them again, the lead author of a new study writes.
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