A new research investigation led by USC students illustrates how changes in vegetation were a key driver of rapid climate change during the Late Miocene. The lively epoch lasted from 11.6 to 5.3 million years ago. Climate research strongly suggests that this geological period included an important interval of prominent global cooling and falling atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Earth’s climate drastically changed from the relatively warm conditions of the middle Miocene. This transition triggered profound ecological changes, giving rise to habitats more familiar to our present-day world.
Throughout most of the Late Miocene, broadleaf, evergreen forests were pushed southward and replaced by more open grasslands, such as in northern high latitudes. This shift transformed the landscape and forced animals like horses and elephants to adapt by evolving tougher teeth to consume gritty plants. A study led by Professor Ran Zhang of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has uncovered important findings. The study reveals the role vegetation feedbacks played in amplifying these cooling impacts and altering rainfall patterns across the lower latitudes.
This study adds to evidence that prior to these critical climatic changes, northern high latitudes were probably covered by rich forests. As temperatures dropped, these forests were largely transformed into grasslands, contributing to global cooling trends even more. The study, published in Science Advances, emphasizes the critical role that shifts in plant life played in propelling significant climate changes during this pivotal period.
These important discoveries have helped to illustrate why learning from these historic climatic transitions is invaluable when trying to understand the climate of today and of the future. Researchers have begun to go under the surface of these phenomena. These researchers are learning that vegetation not only responds to shifts in climate but helps to influence those shifts.
“This research helps us better understand the mechanisms behind the late Miocene climate shift and underscores how vegetation feedbacks can influence global climate—both in the past and in the future.”
The findings suggest that understanding these past climatic transitions is essential for comprehending current and future climate patterns. As researchers continue to investigate these phenomena, it becomes increasingly clear that vegetation not only responds to climate changes but also actively participates in shaping them.
