Plants and the K-T Boundary

A study of the fate of plants during the 'great extinction' 65 million years ago.

Douglas J. Nichols (Author), Kirk R. Johnson (Author)

9780521835756, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 May 2008

292 pages
25.5 x 18 x 2 cm, 0.73 kg

Review of the hardback: '… this book is an important contribution to the literature of both palaeobotany and palynology and is of interest to any plant scientist concerned with the capacity of the terrestrial flora to respond to major environmental change.' Annals of Botany

In this text, two of the world's leading experts in palynology and paleobotany provide a comprehensive account of the fate of land plants during the 'great extinction' about 65 million years ago. They describe how the time boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene Periods (the K–T boundary) is recognised in the geological record, and how fossil plants can be used to understand global events of that time. There are case studies from over 100 localities around the world, including North America, China, Russia and New Zealand. The book concludes with an evaluation of possible causes of the K–T boundary event and its effects on floras of the past and present. This book is written for researchers and students in paleontology, botany, geology and Earth history, and everyone who has been following the course of the extinction debate and the K–T boundary paradigm shift.

Preface
Part I. Background: 1. Introduction
2. Resolution of the K–T boundary
3. Using fossil plants to study the K–T boundary
4. Brief history of K–T boundary paleobotany and palynology
5. Overview of latest Cretaceous and early Paleocene vegetation
Part II. Regional Case Studies: 6. Williston Basin - the most complete K–T sections known
7. Other North American records
8. Eurasia
9. Remnants of Gondwana
Part III. Interpretations: 10. Assessment of the K–T boundary event
11. Evaluation of scenarios for the K–T event
12. Floral effects of the K–T boundary event
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Endangered species & extinction of species [RNKH1], Palaeontology [RBX], Earth sciences [RB], Botany & plant sciences [PST]