How wet was the Arctic Eocene rain forest? Estimates of precipitation from Paleogene Arctic macrofloras

Research Article| January 01, 2010 How wet was the Arctic Eocene rain forest? Estimates of precipitation from Paleogene Arctic macrofloras David R. Greenwood; David R. Greenwood 1Department of Biology, Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6A9, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James F. Basinger; James F. Basinger 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robin Y. Smith Robin Y. Smith 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2010) 38 (1): 15–18. https://doi.org/10.1130/G30218.1 Article history received: 09 Mar 2009 rev-recd: 20 Jul 2009 accepted: 22 Jul 2009 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation David R. Greenwood, James F. Basinger, Robin Y. Smith; How wet was the Arctic Eocene rain forest? Estimates of precipitation from Paleogene Arctic macrofloras. Geology 2010;; 38 (1): 15–18. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G30218.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Eocene was the warmest part of the Cenozoic, when warm climates extended into the Arctic, and substantive paleobotanical evidence indicates broadleaf and coniferous polar forests. Paleontological temperature proxies provide a basis for understanding Arctic early Paleogene climates; however, there is a lack of corresponding proxy data on precipitation. Both leaf physiognomic analysis and quantitative analysis of nearest living relatives of an Arctic macroflora indicate upper microthermal to lower mesothermal moist climates (mean annual temperature ∼13–15 °C; cold month mean temperature ∼4 °C; mean annual precipitation >120 cm/yr) for Axel Heiberg Island in the middle Eocene. Leaf-size analysis of Paleocene and Eocene Arctic floras demonstrates high precipitation for the Paleogene western and eastern Arctic. The predicted enormous volume of freshwater entering the Arctic Ocean as a result of northward drainage of a significant region of the Northern Hemisphere under a high-precipitation regime would have strongly affected Arctic Ocean salinity, potentially supporting Arctic Ocean Azolla blooms. High Paleogene precipitation around the Arctic Basin is consistent with high atmospheric humidity, which would have contributed significantly to polar, and global, Eocene warming. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.