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Title: Stable carbon isotope ratios and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Miocene fossil leaves compared to modern congeners

Abstract

Miocene fossil leaves of forest trees were extracted from the Clarkia, Idaho fossil beds and their stable carbon isotope ratios were analyzed. Fossils had higher lignin concentrations and lower cellulose concentrations that modern leaves due to diagenesis and the HF used to extract the fossils. Therefore, [delta][sup 13]C of extracted fossil lignin was compared to that of modern lignin. Fossil lignin [delta][sup 13]C was significantly different from that of congeneric modern leaves (paired t-test, P<0.0001), but was 1.9% less negative. Gymnosperms (Metasequoia, Taxodium) were less negative than angiosperms (e.g., Magnolia, Quercus, Acer, Persea), but no difference between evergreen and deciduous species was detected. Using published estimates of the concentration and [delta][sup 13]C of atmospheric CO[sub 2] during the Miocene was estimated the CO[sub 2] partial pressure gradient across the stomata (intrinsic water-use efficiency). Intrinsic water-use efficiency was at least 70% higher during this past [open quotes]greenhouse[close quotes] period than at present.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7018017
Report Number(s):
CONF-940894-
Journal ID: ISSN 0012-9623; CODEN: BECLAG
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 75:2; Conference: Annual Ecological Society of America (ESA) meeting: science and public policy, Knoxville, TN (United States), 7-11 Aug 1994; Journal ID: ISSN 0012-9623
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; CARBON DIOXIDE; ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; FOSSILS; LEAVES; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; WATER USE; MIOCENE EPOCH; PALEOCLIMATOLOGY; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBON OXIDES; CENOZOIC ERA; CHALCOGENIDES; CLIMATIC CHANGE; GEOLOGIC AGES; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PALEONTOLOGY; TERTIARY PERIOD; 540110*; 560400 - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects

Citation Formats

Marshall, J D, Zhang, J, Rember, W C, Jennings, D, and Larson, P. Stable carbon isotope ratios and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Miocene fossil leaves compared to modern congeners. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Marshall, J D, Zhang, J, Rember, W C, Jennings, D, & Larson, P. Stable carbon isotope ratios and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Miocene fossil leaves compared to modern congeners. United States.
Marshall, J D, Zhang, J, Rember, W C, Jennings, D, and Larson, P. 1994. "Stable carbon isotope ratios and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Miocene fossil leaves compared to modern congeners". United States.
@article{osti_7018017,
title = {Stable carbon isotope ratios and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Miocene fossil leaves compared to modern congeners},
author = {Marshall, J D and Zhang, J and Rember, W C and Jennings, D and Larson, P},
abstractNote = {Miocene fossil leaves of forest trees were extracted from the Clarkia, Idaho fossil beds and their stable carbon isotope ratios were analyzed. Fossils had higher lignin concentrations and lower cellulose concentrations that modern leaves due to diagenesis and the HF used to extract the fossils. Therefore, [delta][sup 13]C of extracted fossil lignin was compared to that of modern lignin. Fossil lignin [delta][sup 13]C was significantly different from that of congeneric modern leaves (paired t-test, P<0.0001), but was 1.9% less negative. Gymnosperms (Metasequoia, Taxodium) were less negative than angiosperms (e.g., Magnolia, Quercus, Acer, Persea), but no difference between evergreen and deciduous species was detected. Using published estimates of the concentration and [delta][sup 13]C of atmospheric CO[sub 2] during the Miocene was estimated the CO[sub 2] partial pressure gradient across the stomata (intrinsic water-use efficiency). Intrinsic water-use efficiency was at least 70% higher during this past [open quotes]greenhouse[close quotes] period than at present.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7018017}, journal = {Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)},
issn = {0012-9623},
number = ,
volume = 75:2,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}

Conference:
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