W1: L2 = Methods + Outcomes (Prof. Bamford) Flashcards

1
Q

Hypotheses proposed regarding Palaeobotany/Palaeoecology? (4)

A

● The Present is key to the Past.

● Climate has changed (geochemical, sedimentological, faunal evidence).

● Plants are adapted to their immediate environmental conditions.

● Fossil plants will reflect their living environments.

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2
Q

How do fossils plants reflect their living environments? (3)

A

If climate change is very rapid, plants might respond by:

• Adapting (minor changes or speciation).

• Migrating (shifts).

• Extinction (local only or widespread).

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3
Q

How do fossils plants reflect their living environments? (3)

A

If climate change is very rapid, plants might respond by:

• Adapting (minor changes or speciation).

• Migrating (shifts).

• Extinction (local only or widespread).

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4
Q

If climate change is very rapid, how might plants respond? (3)

A

• Adaptation.
• Migration.
• Extinction.

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5
Q

What do we use the Methods of studying fossil plants for studying? (3)

A

We use these methods for studying:

• Palaeoclimate.
• Biostratigraphy.
• Evolution.

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6
Q

Palaeoclimate attribute?

A

It has 3 broad approaches namely, taxonomic, physiognomic & biogeochemical.

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7
Q

3 Approaches for Palaeoclimate reconstruction?

A

• Taxonomic.
• Physiognomic.
• Biogeochemical.

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8
Q

Taxonomic approach?

A

= uses the Nearest Living Relative (NLR) “rule” or concept.

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9
Q

NLR stands for?

A

Nearest Living Relative.

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10
Q

NLR criteria/prerequisites needed to use the method? (5)

A

● Taxonomic identification is required.

● Fossil plants will have the same climatic tolerances as their Nearest living relatives.

● Need good modern databases (SANBI).

● Whole flora must be studied.

● Better for younger floras with living relatives.

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11
Q

Fossils used for the NLR method? (4)

A

• Leaves.
• Wood.
• Pollen.
• Phytoliths.

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12
Q

NLR method attributes in terms of Palynology? (3)

A

• Most common for climate & vegetation studies.

• Change in ratio of arboreal:non-arboreal [AP:NAP] (proportion of grass vs trees dominated).

• Zones are based on extinctions/origins or dominance.

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13
Q

Thing to note about the NLR method?

A

Compare the fossil samples/material with the modern samples/material to help with Palaeoclimate reconstruction.

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14
Q

Explain Regional habitat slide? (2)

A

• Uses pollen & vegetation to reconstruct the environment.

• Exhibits patterns of change.

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15
Q

Physiognomic approach?

A

= uses adaptations to infer climatic conditions.

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16
Q

Plant physiognomy attributes? (3)

A

• Independent of taxonomy.
• Organs are functional.
• Similar physical features are adapted to similar climates.

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17
Q

Organs/Features that Plant physiognomy focus on? (3)

A

• Leaves.
• Wood.
• Leaf stomatal index.
• Phytoliths.

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18
Q

Leaves functionality?

A

Functional for efficient photosynthesis in relation to the leaf surface area.

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19
Q

Features that Plant physiognomy considers? (4)

A

• Leaf area in relation to water loss.
• Leaf area.
• Leaf shape.
• Leaf margins.

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20
Q

Features under Leaf area? (2)

A

• CO2 uptake.
• Water conservation.

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21
Q

Leaf area in relation to water loss attributes? (2)

A

• Increased SA, increases photosynthesis BUT also increases water loss.

• Therefore, plants compensate for the water loss in various ways.

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22
Q

How do plants compensate for water loss (Leaf area in relation to water loss)? (5)

A

• More leaves.
• Smaller leaves.
• Reflective surfaces.
• Stomata below.
• Papillae (hairs).

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23
Q

Leaf area attributes? (4)

A

• Balance between SA & water retention.

• Large leaves in moist climate.

• Small leaves in cold or dry climate.

• Quantify proportions of certain size classes (calculation).

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24
Q

Leaf area equation?

A

Leaf area = length × width × ⅔

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25
Q

Some size classes? (3)

A

• Microphyll.
• Mesophyll.
• Megaphyll.

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26
Q

Leaf shapes use?

A

Used to infer possible climate that plant is/was found in.

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27
Q

Some Leaf shapes/features? (6)

A

• Lobed/peltate.
• Small compound.
• Large compound.
• Narrow.
• Drip-tips.
• Elliptic.

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28
Q

What climate does Lobed/peltate leaf shape indicate?

A

Understorey.

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29
Q

Understorey?

A

=

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30
Q

What climate does Small compound leaf shape indicate?

A

Warm.

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31
Q

What climate does large compound leaf shape indicate?

A

Deciduous.

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32
Q

What climate does narrow leaf shape indicate?

A

Riparian or disturbed.

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33
Q

What climate does narrow leaf shape indicate?

A

Riparian or disturbed.

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34
Q

What climate does Drip-tips leaf shape indicate?

A

Humid.

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35
Q

What climate does Elliptic leaf shape indicate?

A

All types.

36
Q

Leaf margins attributes? (2)

A

• Ratio of Entire:Toothed indicates climate.
• Need to quantify (LMA).

37
Q

Kinds of Leaf margins? (2)

A

• Entire leaf margins.
• Toothed leaf margins.

38
Q

What climate does Entire leaf margin indicate? (2)

A

• Warmer climate.
• Dry conditions.

39
Q

What climate does Toothed leaf margin indicate? (2)

A

• Cooler climate.
• Deciduous (often).

40
Q

Why do we need to take quantitative measurements for Leaf features?

A

It’s because it helps us to easily compare floras.

41
Q

Eg of a programme that uses quantitative Leaf measurements?

A

CLAMP.

42
Q

CLAMP stands for?

A

Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Programme.

43
Q

CLAMP attributes? (9)

A

• Uses all leaf features (margin, size, etc).

• Large modern database.

• Quantify leaf features (31 character states).

• Character states are scored, summed, %, canonical correspondent Analysis.

• Fossils compared with modern floras.

• Need large fossil flora.

• Works better with younger floras.

• Good databases for N. hem.

• S. hem is less developed, especially Africa.

44
Q

Wood functionality?

A

Composes of xylem & phloem for water uptake.

45
Q

3 Features considered under Wood?

A

• Growth rings.
• Intra-ring variability.
• Wood anatomy (vessels).

46
Q

Growth rings attributes? (6).

A

• Dendrology.
• Dendrochronology.
• Categories of wood.
• Alternate in season (summer-winter, etc).
• False rings exist.
• 1 growth ring = earlywood + latewood.

47
Q

Dendrology?

A

=

48
Q

Dendrochronology?

A

= dating historical time using growth rings.

49
Q

Dendrochronology?

A

= dating historical time using growth rings.

50
Q

Categories of wood? (2)

A

• Earlywood.
• Latewood.

51
Q

Earlywood attributes? (3)

A

• Indicates fast growth.
• Thin walls.
• Big cells.

52
Q

Latewood attributes? (3)

A

• Indicates slow growth.
• Thick walls.
• Small cells.

53
Q

Evergreen?

A

=

54
Q

False rings?

A

=

55
Q

Intra-ring variability in Wood?

A

=

56
Q

Intra-ring variability attributes? (2)

A

• Earlywood => Left skew = Deciduous.
• Latewood => Right skew = Evergreen.

57
Q

Wood anatomy (vessels) attributes? (4)

A

• Water uptake is proportional to vessel diameter.

• Few large vessels are more vulnerable to embolism than many small vessels.

• Vulnerability index.

• Wood vessels compensate for vulnerabilities in various many.

58
Q

Explain “water uptake is proportional to vessel diameter”?

A

It means that large vessels take up more water than small vessels.

59
Q

Vulnerability index equation?

A

Vulnerability index = mean vessel diameter / no. of vessels per mm²

60
Q

How do wood vessels compensate for vulnerabilities? (4)

A

• Chains of vessels.
• Tracheids.
• Libriform fibres.
• Scalariform perforation plates.

61
Q

Cuticle & Stomata attributes? (3)

A

• Rate of photosynthesis ~ number of stomata.

• Water loss ~ number of stomata.

• Plants compensate for water loss in various ways.

62
Q

How do plants compensate for water loss under Cuticle & Stomata? (6)

A

• Thick cuticles.
• Sunken stomata.
• Stomata below leaf.
• Papillae.
• Hairs.
• Shiny reflective surfaces.

63
Q

Stomatal density attributes? (3)

A

• As [CO2] increases, Stomatal density decreases.

• Stomatal density equation.

• Calculate fossil [CO2] levels from leaves.

64
Q

Stomatal density & index?

A

Calibrated using lab-controlled experiments.

65
Q

Stomatal density equation?

A

Stomatal density = Total # stomata / area

66
Q

Stomatal index equation?

A

Stomatal index = Total # stomata / [total # stomata + total # epidermal cells]

67
Q

Other factors that may affect Stomatal density & index? (4)

A

• Water stress.
• Temperature.
• Sun vs Shade leaves.
• Taxon.

68
Q

Phytoliths?

A

= silica bodies that are deposited in plant cells (epidermis).

69
Q

Phytoliths attributes? (5)

A

• Assume the shape of the cell.
• Characteristic of plant types.
• Numerous in grass.
• Resistant.
• Need modern reference collection to ID types & numbers.

70
Q

What do you mean by “Characteristic of plant types”?

A

It means that we get different morphotypes across different types of plants. For instance, in C4 grasses they are saddles, but in C3 grasses they are bilobates.

71
Q

Phytoliths use?

A

Useful for climate change.

72
Q

Why are Phytoliths useful for climate change?

A
73
Q

SC¹³ isotopes attributes? (3)

A

• Atmosphere has both C¹² & C¹³ isotopes.

• Photosynthetic pathways.

• C4 plants take up more C¹³ than C3 plants (explains the parts per million).

74
Q

Biogeochemical approach?

A

= uses traces of plants remaining in soils.

75
Q

Biogeochemistry attributes? (4)

A

• Some plant compounds are resistant to biodegradation.

• Leaf waxes, H, O2, and C isotope analysis.

• Cell membranes of single-celled microorganisms Archaea.

• Traditional C and O isotopes.

76
Q

Leaf waxes, H, O2, C isotope analysis?

A

= conducted in local habitats, particularly the density or open/closed nature of the ecosystem.

77
Q

Cell membranes of single-celled microorganisms Archaea?

A

= help indicate the terrestrial temperature & pH.

78
Q

Cell membranes of single-celled microorganisms Archaea uses? (2)

A

Help indicate:

• Terrestrial temperature.
• pH.

79
Q

Traditional C and O isotopes attributes? (2)

A

• Indicates temperatures.
• From soils, tooth enamel, bones, etc.

80
Q

Traditional C and O isotopes sources (taken from)? (3)

A

• Soils.
• Tooth enamel.
• Bones.

81
Q

Biostratigraphy?

A

= where we use index fossils to correlate sediments that cannot be radiometrically dated.

82
Q

Radiometrically?

A

=

83
Q

Biostratigraphy attributes? (4)

A

• Fossils have evolved over time.

• Use the fossils to date and correlate strata.

• Need a standard/type section to compare.

• Uses index fossils.

84
Q

Index fossils?

A

= widespread but short-lived taxa that were easily recognized.

85
Q

Egs of Biostratigraphy? (4)

A

• Permian Glossopteris flora; cycadeoids, etc.

• Spores & pollen (FAD & LAD).

• Karoo vertebrate biozones.

• Mammals/micro-mammals for Quaternary hominid sites.

86
Q

FAD & LAD stand for?

A

● FAD
= First Appearance Datum.

● LAD
= Last Appearance Datum.