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Abstract Detail


Paleobotanical Section

Pan, Aaron [1], Currano, Ellen [2], Jacobs, Bonnie [3], Herendeen, Patrick [4].

Late Oligocene - Early Miocene moist forest legumes (Fabaceae) from northeastern Africa.

Since the late Eocene, the Fabaceae has been an important group in terms of diversity, prominence, richness, and ecological significance in tropical moist African forests. Recent discoveries from the late Oligocene and early Miocene of Ethiopia show a diverse legume record including members of the Detarieae sensu lato, Mimosoideae, and Faboideae. These fossils include the oldest confirmable records of Afzelia and Newtonia, and along with other proxies indicate that northeastern Afro-Arabia harbored luxuriant tropical moist forest vegetation during this time interval. Comparisons of the legume and palm (Arecaceae) fossil records indicate two very different evolutionary histories in Africa. The palms are diverse and abundant during the early Paleogene, but become depauperate through successive extinctions and extirpations and only play minor roles in forested communities during the Neogene. The Fabaceae appear in the Paleocene, become prevalent in the middle Eocene and are major components of forests throughout the remaining Eocene to the present.

Broader Impacts:


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1 - Fort Worth Museum Of Science & History, 1600 Gendy Street, Ft. Worth, TX, 76107, USA
2 - Miami University, Department of Geology, 501 East High Street, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
3 - Southern Methodist University, Environmental Science Program, P.O. Box 750395, Dallas, TX, 75275-0395, USA
4 - Chicago Botanic Garden, Senior Scientist, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022, USA

Keywords:
Afzelia
Ethiopa
Fabaceae
forest
Miocene
Newtonia
Oligocene.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 47
Location: Forsyth Room/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Time: 2:00 PM
Number: 47003
Abstract ID:697


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