Global Changes in Terrestrial Vegetation and Continental Climate During the Paleocene?Eocene Thermal Maximum

Most studies of the response terrestrial vegetation to climate change during Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) have focused on individual sites and sections. To get a broader perspective we compiled published records pollen spores across transition at 38 around globe. For 10 with quantitative data PETM palynofloras were largely distinct in composition from those latest Paleocene or post-PETM early Eocene. We also inferred paleoclimatic conditions each site distributions nearest living relatives (NLRs) fossil taxa among present-day Köppen types. The NLRs high-paleolatitude palynotaxa are most diverse cooler climates, whereas more warmer, wetter climates. At middle-paleolatitudes warm, wet seasonally dry In tropics there is little NLRs. compared changes paleoclimate reconstructed simulated Community Earth System Model (version CESM1.2). Paleoclimatic palynological proxies mostly consistent modeled changes, including expansion temperate climates expense cold types high-paleolatitudes tropical middle-paleolatitudes. Despite this concordance, winter temperatures continental interiors remain colder than NLR distributions.