Mass extinctions drove increased global faunal cosmopolitanism on the supercontinent Pangaea

Mass extinctions have profoundly impacted the evolution of life through not only reducing taxonomic diversity but also reshaping ecosystems and biogeographic patterns. In particular, they are considered to have driven increased biogeographic cosmopolitanism, but quantitative tests of this hypothesis are rare and have not explicitly incorporated information on evolutionary relationships. Here we quantify faunal cosmopolitanism using a phylogenetic network approach for 891 terrestrial vertebrate species spanning the late Permian through Early Jurassic. This key interval witnessed the Permian–Triassic and Triassic–Jurassic mass extinctions, the onset of fragmentation of the supercontinent Pangaea, and the origins of dinosaurs and many modern vertebrate groups. Our results recover significant increases in global faunal cosmopolitanism following both mass extinctions, driven mainly by new, widespread taxa, leading to homogenous ‘disaster faunas’. Cosmopolitanism subsequently declines in post-recovery communities. These shared patterns in both biotic crises suggest that mass extinctions have predictable influences on animal distribution and may shed light on biodiversity loss in extant ecosystems

Global biostratigraphic comparison and correlation of an early Cisuralian palynoflora from Bolivia

This paper presents new data about Early Permian (Cisuralian) strata, palynostratigraphy and absolute dating from the Copacabana Formation in central Bolivia. Recent stratigraphic and palynologic data from marine and transitional rocks at Apillapampa refine the age of Cisuralian palynomorphs in South America. Twelve samples interbedded with five volcanic ashes (processed and productive) yielded 94 palynomorph species arranged in two informal palynoassemblages: the lower assemblage Vittatina costabilis corresponds to one sample near the base of the Copacabana Formation and the upper Lueckisporites virkkiae assemblage occurs in overlying marine and coal-bearing transitional intervals. Ages were also independently refined by a modern review of conodonts, fusulinids, along with those U–Pb radiometric ages (Isotope Dilution Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry [ID-TIMS] of zircon-bearing interbedded tuffs). These data suggest that the lower marine member of the Copacabana Formation at this location is Asselian and Sakmarian. Lueckisporites virkkiae is a key species of palynomorph utilised in South American and global Permian biostratigraphic reconstructions. Hence, a thorough global comparison of these palynofloras and correlations is addressed in this contribution, considering first appearances of mainly cosmopolitan diagnostic taxa. Correlations are established with many similar Permian palynofloras, some also constrained with radiometric data, in South America (Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina) and elsewhere.Fil: Di Pasquo Lartigue, Maria. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Grader, George W.. University of Idaho; Estados UnidosFil: Isaacson, Peter. University of Idaho; Estados UnidosFil: Souza, Paulo A.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Iannuzzi, Roberto. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Díaz Martínez, Enrique. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España; Españ

Lower Jurassic to Early Paleogene Intraplate Contraction in Central Patagonia

Breakup and dispersion stages of Gondwana were ruled by crustal extension. In Patagonia, this regime was associated with the opening of extensional basins from the Jurassic onwards, a process that was interrupted by the Andean orogeny. New data generated from the hydrocarbon exploration allowed identifying Jurassic to Eocene contractional deformations, previously not registered in central Patagonia. We summarize in this chapter evidence for five compressional events intercalated with the extensional regime that affected central Patagonia from the Early Jurassic to the Paleogene. These events, denominated ?C1?, ?C2?, ?C3?, ?C4? and ?C5? acted diachronicronously producing tectonic inversion of the Jurassic-Cretaceous depocenters. The first three contractional pulses occurred during the Jurassic while the two remaining were late Lower Cretaceous and early Paleogene. The origin of this compressive activity would be linked to different processes that comprehend from thermal weakening of the crust produced by expansion of the thermal anomaly of Karoo in Mid to Late Jurassic times; the southwards continental drift since the Early Jurassic; the ridge-push generated by the opening of Wedell Sea since Mid Jurassic times; and two mid ocean ridge collisions during the Cretaceous.Fil: Navarrete Granzotto, César Rodrigo. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gianni, Guido Martin. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Geofísico Sismológico Volponi; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Echaurren Gonzalez, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber"; ArgentinaFil: Folguera Telichevsky, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber"; Argentin