Climate Analysis with the Coexistence Approach A practical(!) short(!!) course on the application of the CA
Coexistence Approach Theoretical background Basic concept Sources of data Possible errors Practical aspects
Basic idea Coexistence Approach Fossil Taxon A Nearest Living Relative A Fossil Taxon B Nearest Living Relative B Coexistence interval [ C] 16 12 8 A B 4
Theoretical background Fossil taxon NearestNearest living relative (NLR) RecentRecent distribution ClimaticClimatic requirements PastPast climate
Sources of data Nearest living relatives (NLR) Botany / Palaeobotany Recent distribution Botany Climatic requirements Meteorological stations
Possible errors Determination of fossils Determination of NLR Recent distribution of NLRs Climatic requirements of NLRs Changes of the requirements during evolution?
Determination of climatic requirements of NLRs Temperature of the coldest month [ C]
Practical aspects Zelkova sp... Juglans sp... Taxodiaceae... Acer trautv.pseudopl Acer sp... Betula sp... Cornus sp... Lauraceae... Lauraceae... Juglans regia... Lauraceae... Palmae... Platanus sp... Quercus sp... Smilax hispida/bona. Taxodium distichum.. Ulmus carpinifolia? Zelkova carpinif.,se Cephalotaxus sp... Ulmus parvifolia... 30 25 20 15 10 5 0-5 -10-15 Result CA: MAT 13.3 16.6 C
Practical aspects Zelkova sp... Juglans sp... Taxodiaceae... Acer trautv.pseudopl Acer sp... Betula sp... Cornus sp... Lauraceae... Lauraceae... Juglans regia... Lauraceae... Palmae... Platanus sp... Platanus kerrii... Quercus sp... Smilax hispida/bona. Taxodium distichum.. Ulmus parvifolia... Ulmus carpinifolia? Zelkova carpinif.,se Cephalotaxus sp... 30 25 20 15 10 5 0-5 -10-15 Outlier
Reasons for outliers Taphonomy Microclimate Evolution Mistakes!
Application of the CA on fossil floras (1)Input of flora information in Excel _INPUT_FORM.XLS (2)Input of taxa list in Access PALAEOFLORA.MDB (3)Output of climate data (4)Analysis with ClimStat
Application of the CA on fossil floras Database PALAEOFLORA Program ClimStat are available from the administ- rators (T. Utescher, A.Bruch) Excel-File _INPUT_FORM.XLS can be downloaded from the website
1. Step Put all information into the _INPUT_FORM To be compatible with other data To evaluate the data To be published in Pangaea later 80 % of the work!
2. Step Make yourself familiar with Access Input of taxa list in AccessA PALAEOFLORA.MDB Two possibilities (1) Input of taxa in MICRO_LIST or MACRO_LIST, respectively (2) Import of Excel sheet
2.1 Input of taxa in MICRO/ MACRO_LIST Give a locality name Search for taxa, and indicate with X Search for taxa that have NLRs only on species level,, and indicate genera with +!! If taxa are not in the data base: (1)If the NLR is known and in the data base, we can add fossil taxa (2)If the NLR is known BUT NOT in the data base, contact Torsten Utescher
To add new taxa to PALAEOFLORA Give information to administrators (A. Bruch or T. Utescher) Name of fossil taxon,, AUTOR, year Information about NLRs Locality / Stratigraphy Author (who is responsible for the allocation of NLR) with reference
2.2 Import Excel sheet Create an Excel sheet by copying the taxa names from PALAEOFLORA table MACRO/MICRO_TAXA Make sure that the taxa are exactly written in the same way as in PALAEOFLORA! If taxa are not in the data base, see above
3. Output of climate data Request Create a request Save as... txt file With specification ClimStat - i.e. text with, space with blank!
4. Analysis with ClimStat Add sample Choose method Choose climate parameter Define scale Options: Xmin, Xmax, Xstep Choose verbose output and show results as graphic if necessary Analyse
4. Analysis with ClimStat After analysis of single parameters choose all qualities Save output as Word file Save data d in _INPUT_FORM
Publication Give results always as intervals! - e.g., MAT 13.3 16.6 C Citations CA - Mosbrugger, V., Utescher, T., 1997. The coexistence approach a method for quantitative reconstructions of Tertiary terrestrial palaeoclimate data using plant fossils. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 134: 61 86. PALAEOFLORA - Utescher,T., Mosbrugger, V. 1990 2006, The Palaeoflora Database: http://www.palaeoflora.de.
After publication Please provide the published article and the _INPUT_FORM to the data curator christopher.traiser@uni-tuebingen.de tuebingen.de