Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1246
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1246
05 Dec 2022
 | 05 Dec 2022

The emergence of the tropical rainforest biome in the Cretaceous

Clément Coiffard, Haytham El Atfy, Johan Renaudie, Robert Bussert, and Dieter Uhl

Abstract. Modern tropical rain forests (TRF) are one of the most ecologically important and species-rich biomes on the planet. However, the origin of modern TRF is still debated, especially due to the incongruence between the fossil record and molecular data. Here, we are testing whether Campanian assemblages from north-eastern Africa could represent fossil TRF vegetation. In so doing, we compare the investigated assemblages with other assemblages known to represent temperate forests, subtropical forests, and TRF in terms of leaf physiognomy, species richness, and taxonomic composition. We assume that modern-looking TRF already existed about 80 Ma ago during the Campanian in north-eastern Africa based on fossil leaves in an area corresponding to 10 % of the modern Amazonian or 25 % of the Congolese TRF. The apparent conflict between the fossil record and phylogenetic evidence is due to the more or less absence of published tropical floras for the Cretaceous.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

27 Mar 2023
The emergence of the tropical rainforest biome in the Cretaceous
Clément Coiffard, Haytham El Atfy, Johan Renaudie, Robert Bussert, and Dieter Uhl
Biogeosciences, 20, 1145–1154, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1145-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1145-2023, 2023
Short summary

Clément Coiffard et al.

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1246', Salah El Beialy, 08 Jan 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Haytham El Atfy, 06 Feb 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1246', James Doyle, 09 Jan 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Haytham El Atfy, 06 Feb 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1246', Salah El Beialy, 08 Jan 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Haytham El Atfy, 06 Feb 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1246', James Doyle, 09 Jan 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Haytham El Atfy, 06 Feb 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (14 Feb 2023) by Petr Kuneš
AR by Haytham El Atfy on behalf of the Authors (16 Feb 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (17 Feb 2023) by Petr Kuneš
AR by Haytham El Atfy on behalf of the Authors (17 Feb 2023)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

27 Mar 2023
The emergence of the tropical rainforest biome in the Cretaceous
Clément Coiffard, Haytham El Atfy, Johan Renaudie, Robert Bussert, and Dieter Uhl
Biogeosciences, 20, 1145–1154, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1145-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1145-2023, 2023
Short summary

Clément Coiffard et al.

Clément Coiffard et al.

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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Eighty Ma old fossil leaf assemblages suggest a widespread distribution of tropical rainforest in north-eastern Africa.