Late Cainozoic Floras of Iceland (eBook)

Thomas Denk (*1969) is a palaeobotanist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm. His research focuses on diversification patterns and evolution of Northern Hemispheric plant groups, both modern and fossil. In addition, he is interested in the vegetation and climate history of the Northern Hemisphere during the Cainozoic, in particular the differentiation of modern temperate, Mediterranean, and eastern continental biota in western Eurasia.  Friðgeir Grímsson (*1976) currently holds a Senior Post-doc position at the Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Austria. He received his Ph. D. in geology/palaeontology from the University of Iceland, Reykjavík. The focus of his research has been the origin, evolution, and biogeographic affinities of Icelandic Cainozoic floras. Currently, he is studying the impact of global cooling following the Mid-Miocene climatic optimum on European palynofloras. Reinhard Zetter (*1955) is Associate Professor at the Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Austria, where he also received his Ph. D. in Palaentology/Palynology. He established new methods for studying dispersed fossil pollen (single grain method) using light and scanning electron microscopy and is a world leading expert in palaeopalynology.  Leifur A. Símonarson (*1941) is Professor of Palaeontology at the Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland. The focus of his research has been on the Cainozoic marine invertebrate fauna of Iceland and Greenland, and migration patterns and evolution of selected molluskan groups in the Northern Hemisphere.  

Foreword 8
Literature Cited 9
Acknowledgements 10
Contents 12
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Nature and Geology of Iceland 18
1.1 Geographic Position 19
1.2 Climate and Ocean Currents 20
1.2.1 Climate 20
1.2.2 Ocean Currents 21
1.3 Flora and Vegetation 24
1.3.1 Development of Modern Vegetation 27
1.4 Fauna on Land and in Adjacent Waters 27
1.5 Opening of the Northern North Atlantic and the Birth of Iceland 30
1.6 Tectonic and Mantle Plume History of Proto-Iceland 31
1.7 Tectonic and Rift Relocation History of Iceland 33
1.8 Geological Outline of Iceland 34
1.9 Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rocks 38
References 42
Chapter 2: A Brief Review of Palaeobotanical Research in Iceland 47
2.1 Introduction 47
2.2 The Emergence of Palaeobotany as a Branch of Science 49
2.3 Palaeobotanical Investigations in Iceland 50
2.4 The Future: Palaeontology Meeting Phylogeny 55
References 56
Chapter 3: Systematic Palaeobotany 60
3.1 Bryophyta 60
3.2 Lycopodiophyta 62
3.3 Pteridophyta 64
3.4 Gnetophyta 71
3.5 Ginkgophyta 72
3.6 Pinophyta 72
3.7 Magnoliophyta 82
References 180
Chapter 4: The Archaic Floras 187
4.1 Introduction 187
4.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 188
4.3 Floras, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 190
4.4 Ecological and Climatic Requirements of Modern Analogues 196
4.5 Taxonomic Affinities and Origin of the Early Icelandic Floras 199
4.6 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras 200
4.7 Early Colonization of Iceland 206
4.8 Summary 207
Appendix 4.1 208
Appendix 4.2 214
References 218
Explanation of Plates 222
Plates 226
Chapter 5: The Classic Surtarbrandur Floras 246
5.1 Introduction 246
5.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 247
5.3 Floras and Vegetation Types 253
5.3.1 Wetland Vegetation 257
5.3.2 Levée Forests, Well-Drained Lowland Forests Including Lakeshore Woodlands 257
5.3.3 Upland Forests 257
5.3.4 Other Vegetation Types 257
5.4 Changing Environment 260
5.5 Ecological and Climatic Requirements of Some Modern Analogues 261
5.6 Taxonomic Affinities and Origin of the Middle Serravallian Floras 263
5.7 Transitional Phase 15–12 Ma: Iceland, Arctic North America and Europe 264
5.8 Summary 266
Appendix 5.1 267
References 271
Explanation of Plates 273
Plates 277
Chapter 6: The Early Late Miocene Floras – First Evidence of Cool Temperate and Herbaceous Taxa 304
6.1 Introduction 304
6.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 305
6.3 Floras, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 307
6.4 Ecological and Climatic Requirements of Modern Analogues 316
6.5 Migration Routes and Taxonomic Affinities of Newcomers: Implications for Continuous Land Bridge Availability 318
6.6 Origin of Herbaceous Vegetation in Iceland 319
6.7 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras 320
6.8 Summary 321
Appendix 6.1 322
References 324
Explanation of Plates 327
Plates 334
Chapter 7: The Middle Late Miocene Floras – A Window into the Regional Vegetation Surrounding a Large Caldera 381
7.1 Introduction 381
7.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 382
7.3 Floras, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 384
7.4 Ecological and Climatic Requirements of Modern Analogues 391
7.5 Taxonomic Affinities and Origin of Newcomers 392
7.6 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras 394
7.7 Summary 395
Appendix 7.1 396
References 399
Explanation of Plates 401
Plates 404
Chapter 8: A Lakeland Area in the Late Miocene 427
8.1 Introduction 427
8.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 428
8.3 Floras, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 430
8.4 Ecological and Climatic Requirements of Modern Analogues 433
8.5 Taxonomic Affinities and Origin of Newcomers 437
8.6 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras 437
8.7 Summary 438
Appendix 8.1 439
References 440
Explanation of Plates 443
Plates 445
Chapter 9: A Late Messinian Palynoflora with a Distinct Taphonomy 462
9.1 Introduction 462
9.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 463
9.3 Flora, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 465
9.4 Climatic Requirements of Some Potential Modern Analogues 472
9.5 Taxonomic Affinities and Origin of Newcomers 473
9.6 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras 474
9.7 Summary 474
Appendix 9.1 475
References 477
Explanation of Plates 478
Plates 482
Chapter 10: Pliocene Terrestrial and Marine Biota of the Tjörnes Peninsula: Warm Climates and Biogeographic Re-arrangements 502
10.1 Introduction 502
10.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 507
10.3 Faunas, Floras, Vegetation, and Palaeoenvironments 508
10.3.1 Marine Faunas and Depositional Environments 508
10.3.2 Floras and Palaeolandscapes 509
10.4 Climate of the Tjörnes Area During the Pliocene 516
10.4.1 Evidence from Marine Molluscs – Climatic Versus Biogeographic Signals 516
10.4.2 Plant Evidence 521
10.5 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras and Faunas 523
10.6 Summary 524
Appendix 10.1 525
References 528
Explanation of Plates 531
Plates 535
Chapter 11: The Pleistocene Floras (2.4–0.8 Ma) – Shaping the Modern Vegetation of Iceland 566
11.1 Introduction 566
11.2 Geological Setting and Taphonomy 568
11.2.1 Brekkukambur Formation, Gljúfurdalur (2.4–2.1 Ma) 568
11.2.2 Víðidalur Formation, Bakkabrúnir (ca 1.7 Ma) 571
11.2.3 Búlandshöfði Formation, Stöð (ca 1.1 Ma) 571
11.2.4 Svínafellsfjall Formation, Svínafell (ca 0.8 Ma) 574
11.3 Floras, Faunas, and Palaeoenvironments 576
11.3.1 Brekkukambur Formation, Gljúfurdalur (2.4–2.1 Ma) 577
11.3.2 Víðidalur Formation, Bakkabrúnir (1.7 Ma) 578
11.3.3 Búlandshöfði Formation, Stöð (1.1 Ma) 582
11.3.4 Svínafellsfjall Formation, Svínafell (0.8 Ma) 586
11.4 Comparison to Coeval Northern Hemispheric Floras and Faunas 593
11.4.1 Subarctic and Arctic Floras 593
11.4.2 Northwestern Europe 595
11.5 Summary 596
Appendix 11.1 597
References 601
Explanation of Plates 603
Plates 610
Chapter 12: The Biogeographic History of Iceland – The North Atlantic Land Bridge Revisited 657
12.1 Origin and Subsidence History of the North Atlantic Land Bridge (NALB) 657
12.1.1 The Greenland-Iceland and Iceland-Faeroe Parts of the NALB 657
12.1.2 The Greenland-North American Connection (Davis Strait) 660
12.1.3 The Faeroe-Scotland Part of the NALB 660
12.2 Explanations for Cainozoic Plant Migration to Iceland 660
12.3 Fossil Evidence 665
12.4 Phylogeographic Evidence 667
12.5 Conclusions 669
Appendix 12.1 670
References 676
Chapter 13: Climate Evolution in the Northern North Atlantic – 15 Ma to Present 679
13.1 Introduction 679
13.2 Evidence from Potential Modern Analogues of Cainozoic Plant Taxa 681
13.3 Evidence from Major Vegetation Changes 684
13.4 Estimated Climate Types for the Sedimentary Formations 15–0.8 Ma 686
13.5 Climate Evolution in the Northern North Atlantic 687
13.5.1 Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum 688
13.5.2 Late Miocene Gradual Cooling 689
13.5.3 Pliocene Warming and Onset of Northern Hemisphere Glaciations 690
Appendix 13.1 691
Appendix 13.2 725
References 727
Chapter 14: Art Meets Science – The Unpublished Drawings by Carl Hedelin and Thérèse Ekblom 732
14.1 Scientific Illustrations in Nineteenth Century Palaeobotany 732
14.2 Nathorst’s Plans to Publish the Tertiary Floras of Iceland 733
14.3 Short Biographical Sketches of Carl Hedelin and Thérèse Ekblom 734
14.4 The Iceland Drawings 736
References 739
Explanation of Plates 741
Plates 748
Index 834