The Paleocene-Eocene Palynoflora from the Tantou Basin in West Henan

On the basis of palynological data the Paleoeene-Eocene palynoflora from the Tantou Basin in west Itenan are divided into three sporo-pollen assemblages. They are given ill ascending order as follows: 1. The first assemblage (Dazhang Formation) characterized mainly by the predominance of palynoforms of Ulmaeeae anal various Proteaeeous pollen, being assigned to Late Paleoeene and indicating a dry-hot climate. 2. The second assemblage (Lower part of the Tantou Formation) marked by the presence of various Triporopollenites and Tricolporopollenites, belonging to the Early Eocene. A moist-hot climate is reflected. 3. The third assemblage (the Upper part of the Tantou Formation) represented by aboundant pollen grains of saeeated elements (consisting of Pinaeeae and Podocarpaeeae) and the occurrence of Aquilapollenites pollen which plays an important part in this assemblage. It is interpreted as belonging to the middle to early Eocene. The climate was moist and warm. As indicated by the sporo-polleu assemblage the present Paleoeene to Eocene flora in the whole phytoprovienee may belong to a flora transitional from western to eastern China. In this paper the distribution of Aquilapollenites pollen and its stratigraphicai significance are also discussed and it is considered that this kind of pollen distributed in the Paleoeene of China is eertainly not redeposited. At the same time, sonm palynoforms of certain significance for delimitation of Paleoeene and Eocene are provided.     

New Eocene fossil fruits and leaves of Menispermaceae from the central Tibetan Plateau and their biogeographic implications

Menispermaceae are a pantropical and temperate family with an extensive fossil record during the Paleogene period, especially in North America and Europe, but with much less evidence from Asia. The latest fossil evidence indicates a succession of tropical to subtropical flora on the central Tibetan Plateau during the Paleogene. However, the biogeographic histories of these floras are still unresolved. Here, we report on endocarps and leaves of Menispermaceae from the Middle Eocene of Jianglang village, Bangor County, central Tibetan Plateau. The endocarps belong to two genera: Stephania, which is characterized by a horseshoe-shaped endocarp and with one lateral crest ornamented by spiny to rectangular ribs, and a condyle area; and Cissampelos (s.l.), which has two characteristic lateral ridges and a conspicuous external condyle. Associated leaves belong to the genus Menispermites, and are characterized by actinodromous primary venation, brochidodromous secondary veins, entire margins, and the presence of marginal secondary veins. The biogeographic history of Menispermaceae is complex, but evidence from these new fossils indicates an early diversification of the group in Asia, probably in response to the warming climate during the Eocene. The Jianglang flora appears to be part of a boreotropical flora, connecting Asia with North American and European floras during the Middle Eocene. The modern distribution of menispermaceous taxa found in Jianglang, as well as other families represented in the Jianglang flora, show that a tropical to subtropical climate occurred during the Eocene in central Tibet.     

Paleoclimatic Analysis of Paleogene Flora in Yilan County,Heilongjiang

Plant fossils were collected from the sand-shale above the lower coal seam and the upper oil shale above the upper coal seam in the Yilan coal mine, Heilongjiang. The floras contained 2 species of pteridophytes, 10 species of gymnosperms and over 58 species of angiosperms assigned to 46 genera and 34 families. The fossils were divided into two floras, one of which was in lower sand-shale beds, with the age assigned to the Eocene, and the other was in the upper part of oil shales considered to belong to the Oligocene. The floras were complicated in composition and rich in species, and were studied by means of floristic analysis, foliar architectural and physiognomical analysis. The Eocene flora consisted of many evergreen broad-leaved species, which indicated that the flora belonged to north subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest or subtropical coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest. The foliar physiognomical analysis of the floristic composition showed that the species with entire leaf margines made up 38.3 percent of the total. The climate in the Eocene was estimated by means of climatic nomogram as follow: The mean annual temperature was 13.2 ℃ and annual temperature deviancy was 20℃. In the Oligocene flora, deciduous broadleaved trees were dominant, which indicated that the vegetation was of temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest or warm temperate coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest. The species with entire leaf margines were 30. 8 percent with an estimated mean annual temperature of 11 ℃ and mean annual temperature deviancy of 25 ℃. The floristic aspect and climate in the Paleogene of Yilan region were very different from the present ones.     

Effects of grazing abandonment and climate change on mountain summits flora: a case study in the Tatra Mts

Changes in the local flora of mountains are often explained by climate warming, but changes in grazing regimes may also be important. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the alpine flora on summits in the Tatra Mts, Poland and Slovakia, has changed over the last 100 years, and if the observed changes are better explained by changes in sheep grazing or climate. We resurveyed the flora of 14 mountain summits initially investigated in the years 1878–1948. We used ordination methods to quantify changes in species composition. We tested whether changes in plant species composition could be explained by cessation of grazing and climate change, and whether these factors have influenced shifts in Ellenberg’s plant ecological indicator values and Raunkiaer’s life forms. Changes in alpine flora were greater on lower elevation summits, and lower on summits less accessible for sheep. More accessible summits were associated with a decrease in mean values of plant species’ light ecological indicator values over time, and a concurrent increase in temperature and nitrogen ecological indicator values. No significant relationships were found between accessibility for sheep and changes in Raunkiaer’s life-forms. Greater accessibility for sheep (meaning high historical grazing pressure) led to greater compositional changes of mountain summits compared with summits with low accessibility. Our results suggest that cessation of sheep grazing was the main factor causing changes in the species composition of resurveyed mountain summits in the Tatra Mts, while climate change played a more minor role.     

我国部分地区E1^3—E2^1孢粉属种演变的古气候意义

通过对我国部分地区古新世晚期一始新世早期孢粉植物群演化发展规律的分析研究,结合国内外地层学研究的新进展,提出我国古新世晚期气候以暖湿为特征,且暖期的结束与始新世/古新世界限相吻合或接近,因此可以本次暖期的结束作为古新世的顶界。     

河流有机碳的输出通量及性质研究进展

综述河流有机碳输出过程的最新研究进展．指出受人类经济活动的干预,对气候变化响应最敏感的陆地有机碳库的侵蚀通量发生了复杂变化;河流有机碳不但记录了流域侵蚀的历史和现状。还对近海沉积过程和水域生态环境产生重要影响;河流有机碳在通量和性质等方面存在着明显的地区性及流域间差异,且以季风流域与非季风流域之间的对比最为明显;随着水文动力过程的变化,同一流域河流有机碳的性质也发生显著变化;河流有机碳在自陆地生态系统向海洋输送的过程中,放射性同位素组成可因水体微生物的代谢改造而发生变化．使得河流有机碳的^14C年龄偏老．     

Impacts of recent climate change on terrestrial flora and fauna: Some emerging Australian examples

The effects of anthropogenic climate change on biodiversity are well known for some high‐profile Australian marine systems, including coral bleaching and kelp forest devastation. Less well‐published are the impacts of climate change being observed in terrestrial ecosystems, although ecological models have predicted substantial changes are likely. Detecting and attributing terrestrial changes to anthropogenic factors is difficult due to the ecological importance of extreme conditions, the noisy nature of short‐term data collected with limited resources, and complexities introduced by biotic interactions. Here, we provide a suite of case studies that have considered possible impacts of anthropogenic climate change on Australian terrestrial systems. Our intention is to provide a diverse collection of stories illustrating how Australian flora and fauna are likely responding to direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic climate change. We aim to raise awareness rather than be comprehensive. We include case studies covering canopy dieback in forests, compositional shifts in vegetation, positive feedbacks between climate, vegetation and disturbance regimes, local extinctions in plants, size changes in birds, phenological shifts in reproduction and shifting biotic interactions that threaten communities and endangered species. Some of these changes are direct and clear cut, others are indirect and less clearly connected to climate change; however, all are important in providing insights into the future state of terrestrial ecosystems. We also highlight some of the management issues relevant to conserving terrestrial communities and ecosystems in the face of anthropogenic climate change.     

Early Tertiary fossil plants and paleoclimate of Lanzhou Basin

Fossil plants from the lower part of Xianshuihe Formation in the Lanzhou Basin, Gansu Province were studied. The flora contains 29 species, representing 20 genera and 12 families, which include Lauraceae ( Daphnogene ), Lardizabalaceae ( Akebia ), Berberidaceae ( Berberis ), Ulmaceae ( Planera, Ulmus, Zelkova ), Betulaceae ( Alnus, Carpinus ), Myricaceae( Myrica ), Salicaceae ( Populus, Salix), Myrsinaceae(Ardisia), Rosaceae ( Prunus, Sorbus, Sorbaria, Spiraea ), Leguminosae ( Gleditsia, Sophora), Anacardiaceae (Rhus), Caprifoliaceae(Viburnum). An analysis of the floristic elements and their foliar physiognomy shows that most members of the flora are deciduous broad-leaved trees or shrubs with a few evergreen shrubs. The most noteworthy species is Rhus turcomanica which was present in the Middle Eocene to Late Eocene of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan). Generally, Rhus turcomanica occurred at the same beds as Palibinia, an extinct fossil plant whose presence indicates a subtropical dry climate. Another species, Sorbaria callicomifolia Kornilova was present from the Early Oligocene to Early Miocene of Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan). According to an analysis of spores and pollen, this flora contains over 20 species. It is predominated by the angiosperm pollen. There appeared Ephedripites and Nitrariadites which were important elements in the dry area. Ephedripites was found from the Upper Cretaceous to Early Tertiary. Nitrariadites occurred in the Late Miocene, whereas Rhus turcomanica and Sorbaria callicomifolia were both reported in the subtropical dry area from the Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene. The latest record of Rhus turcomanica is from the Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene of Central Asia. The presence of this element in the lower part of Xianshuihe Formation may indicate that itsage is the latest stage of the Early Oligocene.     

兰州盆地早第三纪植物及古气候意义

化石采自甘肃省兰州盆地咸水河组底部,经研究认为有29种,归属20属12科。它们是：樟科 Lauraceae (Daphnogene),木通科Lardizabalaceae(Akebia),小檗科Berberidaceae(Berberis),榆科Ulmaceae (Planera,Ulmus,Zelkova),桦木科Betulaceae(Alnus,Carpinus),杨梅科Myricaceae(Myrica),杨柳科Sali- caceae(Populus,Salix),紫金牛科Myrsinacese(Ardisia),蔷薇科Rosaceae (Prunus,Sorbus,Sorbaria,Spir- aea),豆科Leguminosae(Gleditsia,Sophora),漆树科 Anacardiaceae(Rhus),忍冬科Caprifoliaceae(Viburnum) 等。经植物区系组成与叶相分析显示,该植物区系的大多数成员是落叶阔叶乔、灌木,少数为常绿灌木。其中特殊的分子是 Rhus turcomanica Korov．ex Vassilvesk,该成分是早第三纪中、晚期的标志化石植物。另一化石植物 Sorbaria callicomifolia Kornilova曾出现在中亚的早渐新世,最晚至早中新世。同一层位采集的孢粉样分析结果显示：该组合仅约20种,种类相对贫乏,并以被子植物的花粉占优势。其中出现裸子植物的麻黄粉,被子植物的白刺粉及蒿粉等,这几个类型均指示沉积时期经历干旱气候。综合植物大化石及孢粉分析研究,均出现一些指示气候为亚热带干旱或周期性干旱气候的特点,并据Rhus turcomanica出现的最晚记录,推测咸水河组底部的地质时代大约是早渐新世晚期。     

The uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau in relation to the vegetational changes in the past

By late Carboniferous the flora of northern Xizang differs from that of the northern India. During late Permian, the northern Xizang was inhabited by the Gigantopteris flora, while in the southern Xizang was widespread the Glossopteris flora. The upper Triassic flora of the northern Xizang is closely related to that of southwestern China and quite different from that of India. The Jurassic flora found in Tsaidam of Chinghai and the early Cretaceous flora found in Lhasa of the northern Xizang are closely related to these of the northern hemisphere, and show no relationship with these of the southern hemisphere. The late Cretaceous flora of Rikaze and the early Eocene flora of Ali region are also of northern hemisphere in affinity and show no relationship with the Daccan Intertrappean and the Eocene floras of India. Hence, the northern and the southern Xizang should have belonged to two different continents, Eurasia and Gondwanaland. Between them, a very wide sea, the Tethys, was situated. This strongly supports the view of continental drift that the India block drifted in late Jurassic-Cretaceous from the south-eastern corner of Africa and later on in Eocene joined up with Asia to become its subcontinent. The suture line between Eurasia and the India block perhaps lies in the belt of basic to ultrabasic rocks along the Yalu-Tsangpo valleys. Judging from the nature of the floras ranging from the late Carboniferous to the early Eocene, the northern Xizang most probably was of lowland in topography throughout these periods. The Miocene floras of the central and the northern Xizang were mainly composed of deciduous broad-leaved trees, though some evergreen trees existed somewhere else. It reflects the land of the central and the northern Xizang had already uplifted to some extant before Miocene. During the time of Pliocene, the evergreen broadleaved trees were gradually declining in their development in the northern Xizang. The vegetation of the Chaidamu (=Tsaidam) Basin further changed into deciduous broad-leaved to coniferous forests and then turned into grasslands and semi-deserts or deserts. It shows by that time the land of Xizang and Chinghai further upheaved. Up to the late Pliocene, the vegetation of the northern Xizang and Chinghai further changed. But the vegetation of the Himalayan region was still dominated by evergreen oaks and Cedrus forests. Most probably by that time the Himalayas was not so high as present. There was no barrier to prevent the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean passing over the Himalayas. The most active period of the uplift of the mountain ranges in Xizang and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is the Quaternary. By that time no evergreen broad-leaved trees could live in the northern Xizang. During the late Quaternary, the vegetation of most parts of Xizang gradually changed into cold alpine desert. At last the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau turned into the present state.     

Climate-influenced boreotropical survival and rampant introgressions explain the thriving of New World grapes in the north temperate zone

The north temperate region was characterized by a warm climate and a rich thermophilic flora before the Eocene, but early diversifications of the temperate biome under global climate change and biome shift remain uncertain. Moreover, it is becoming clear that hybridization/introgression is an important driving force of speciation in plant diversity. Here, we applied analyses from biogeography and phylogenetic networks to account for both introgression and incomplete lineage sorting based on geno...     

桂林漓江沿岸植物区系特点及其与景观的关系

桂林漓江沿岸原生植被受破坏严重 ,植物区系为次生性质 ,其特点 :( 1 )种类丰富 ,共有野生维管束植物 80 8种 ,隶属于 1 5 6科、483属 ;( 2 )植物区系的地理成份复杂 ,可将 45 4个种子植物属归为 1 4个类型 ,以热带、亚热带类型为主 ,温带类型次之 ,中国特有属 6个 ;( 3 )植物区系岩溶特性明显 ,属于东亚植物区、中国—日本森林植物亚区、岭南山地地区的一个小区。植物景观是桂林漓江沿岸风景的重要组成部分 ,具体表现在各类植物群落的外貌和一些重要植物种类的花、果和叶色的季节性变化上。现存的主要植物群落以次生藤刺灌丛为主 ;少见尚存的喀斯特常绿、落叶阔叶混交林 ;独有的喀斯特硬叶常绿阔叶林 :以乌冈栎为建群种的山顶矮林 ,是我国东部湿润亚热带地区罕见的残遗植被类型 ,在构成景观和科研上均有特殊意义。沿河岸分布的植物是最吸引游人注意的重要景观 ,形状各异的灌丛、杂木林、竹林和农田植被等都是风景的重要组成部分     

Status of Marine Biodiversity of the China Seas

China''s seas cover nearly 5 million square kilometers extending from the tropical to the temperate climate zones and bordering on 32,000 km of coastline, including islands. Comprehensive systematic study of the marine biodiversity within this region began in the early 1950s with the establishment of the Qingdao Marine Biological Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Since that time scientists have carried out intensive multidisciplinary research on marine life in the China seas and have recorded 22,629 species belonging to 46 phyla. The marine flora and fauna of the China seas are characterized by high biodiversity, including tropical and subtropical elements of the Indo-West Pacific warm-water fauna in the South and East China seas, and temperate elements of North Pacific temperate fauna mainly in the Yellow Sea. The southern South China Sea fauna is characterized by typical tropical elements paralleled with the Philippine-New Guinea-Indonesia Coral triangle typical tropical faunal center.This paper summarizes advances in studies of marine biodiversity in China''s seas and discusses current research mainly on characteristics and changes in marine biodiversity, including the monitoring, assessment, and conservation of endangered species and particularly the strengthening of effective management. Studies of (1) a tidal flat in a semi-enclosed embayment, (2) the impact of global climate change on a cold-water ecosystem, (3) coral reefs of Hainan Island and Xisha-Nansha atolls, (4) mangrove forests of the South China Sea, (5) a threatened seagrass field, and (6) an example of stock enhancement practices of the Chinese shrimp fishery are briefly introduced. Besides the overexploitation of living resources (more than 12.4 million tons yielded in 2007), the major threat to the biodiversity of the China seas is environmental deterioration (pollution, coastal construction), particularly in the brackish waters of estuarine environments, which are characterized by high productivity and represent spawning and nursery areas for several economically important species. In the long term, climate change is also a major threat. Finally, challenges in marine biodiversity studies are briefly discussed along with suggestions to strengthen the field. Since 2004, China has participated in the Census of Marine Life, through which advances in the study of zooplankton and zoobenthos biodiversity were finally summarized.     

西藏新生代秋乌组孢粉化石的发现及其初步研究

本文首次报道西藏雅鲁藏布江缝合带附近秋乌组含煤沉积中的孢粉化石。孢粉植物群主要由Quercoidifes,具孔类及三孔沟类花粉组成,包括12科26属及一些未定类群。组合中产有少量的Graminidites及Tsugaepollenites。植物群的总体特征显示其时代可能为渐新世至早中新世。秋乌组沉积早期的环境比较温暖。     

根据孢粉分析论青藏高原西部和北部全新世环境变化

通过对青藏高原西部班公湖钻孔和北部中昆仑山３个湖相剖面的孢粉研究,揭示青藏高原西部和北部地区全新世１万年期间植被的演替和气候变化,西部在全新世早期９９００－７８００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．植被由荒漠转为草原,气候好转;中期７８００－３５００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．,草原发展,气候较适宜,以７２００－６３００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．为高温湿期,５５００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．和３５００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．出现干旱,晚期从３５００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．至今植被为荒漠,气候干旱,其中７００ｙｒ．Ｂ．Ｐ．气候恶化。北部地区全新世时期为荒漠植被,当气候温湿时,蒿和禾本科,莎草科成份增加,藜科减少,气候干旱时则相反,北部全新世的气候分期和干湿波动与西部相近,两地在晚期气候朝干旱化发展。     

C<Subscript>3</Subscript> and C<Subscript>4</Subscript> photosynthetic pathways and life form types for native species from agro-forestry region,Northeastern China

Of the total 570 species, 194 species in 116 genera and 52 families were found with C₃ photosynthesis, 24 species in 17 genera and 6 families with C₄ photosynthesis, and 2 species in 1 genera and 1 family with CAM photosynthesis. 90 % of the total species can be found in Changbai Mountain flora, more a half (69 %) in North China flora, and about 1/3 in Mongolian flora and Xinan flora, respectively. The occurrence of C₄ species was not as common as that in adjacent grasslands and deserts, but relatively more than in the adjacent forests. Of the total 24 C₄ species, 63 % C₄ species (15 of 24) was found in Gramineae. Nine life form types can be found, reflecting the moist climate in the region, especially the occurrence of epiphyte and liana forms. Relatively more geophyte life form plants suggested the winter in the region was much colder than in grasslands. These indicated that both ecological studies and land management decisions must take into account plant photosynthetic pathway and life form patterns, for both of them are closely related to climatic changes and land use.     

Trait variations of ground flora species disentangle the effects of global change and altered land‐use in Swedish forests during 20 years

Northern forest ecosystems are exposed to a range of anthropogenic processes including global warming, atmospheric deposition, and changing land‐use. The vegetation of northern forests is composed of species with several functional traits related to these processes, whose effects may be difficult to disentangle. Here, we combined analyses of spatio‐temporal dynamics and functional traits of ground flora species, including morphological characteristics, responses to macro‐ and microclimate, soil conditions, and disturbance. Based on data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory, we compared changes in occurrence of a large number of ground flora species during a 20‐year period (1994–2013) in boreal and temperate Sweden respectively. Our results show that a majority of the common ground flora species have changed their overall frequency. Comparisons of functional traits between increasing and declining species, and of trends in mean trait values of sample plots, indicate that current floristic changes are caused by combined effects of climate warming, nitrogen deposition and changing land‐use. Changes and their relations with plant traits were generally larger in temperate southern Sweden. Nutrient‐demanding species with mesotrophic morphology were favored by ongoing eutrophication due to nitrogen deposition in the temperate zone, while dwarf shrubs with low demands on nitrogen decreased in frequency. An increase of species with less northern and less eastern distribution limits was also restricted to temperate Sweden, and indicates effects of a moister and milder macroclimate. A trend toward dense plantation forests is mirrored by a decrease of light‐demanding species in both vegetation zones, and a decrease of grassland species in the temperate zone. Although denser tree canopies may buffer effects of a warmer climate and of nitrogen deposition to some extent, traits related to these processes were weakly correlated in the group of species with changing frequency. Hence, our results indicate specific effects of these often confounded anthropogenic processes.     

Cyclocarya cf. paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja (Juglandaceae) from the Hunchun Formation (Eocene), Jilin Province, China

The leaflet architecture of Cyclocarya cf. paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja from the Hunchun Formation (Middle Eocene) shows similarity to that of modern C. paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja and the specimen is the oldest fossil record in Europe and Asia. The distributions of C. cf. paliurus and other fossil records,such as Glyptostrobus, Metasequoia, Nyssa, and Liquidambar, in Hunchun flora show that it would have been a warmer-temperature to subtropical climate in Hunchun District during the Eocene period.     

The impact of global climate change on tropical forest biodiversity in Amazonia

Aim To model long‐term trends in plant species distributions in response to predicted changes in global climate. Location Amazonia. Methods The impacts of expected global climate change on the potential and realized distributions of a representative sample of 69 individual Angiosperm species in Amazonia were simulated from 1990 to 2095. The climate trend followed the HADCM2GSa1 scenario, which assumes an annual 1% increase of atmospheric CO₂ content with effects mitigated by sulphate forcing. Potential distributions of species in one‐degree grid cells were modelled using a suitability index and rectilinear envelope based on bioclimate variables. Realized distributions were additionally limited by spatial contiguity with, and proximity to, known record sites. A size‐structured population model was simulated for each cell in the realized distributions to allow for lags in response to climate change, but dispersal was not included. Results In the resulting simulations, 43% of all species became non‐viable by 2095 because their potential distributions had changed drastically, but there was little change in the realized distributions of most species, owing to delays in population responses. Widely distributed species with high tolerance to environmental variation exhibited the least response to climate change, and species with narrow ranges and short generation times the greatest. Climate changed most in north‐east Amazonia while the best remaining conditions for lowland moist forest species were in western Amazonia. Main conclusions To maintain the greatest resilience of Amazonian biodiversity to climate change as modelled by HADCM2GSa1, highest priority should be given to strengthening and extending protected areas in western Amazonia that encompass lowland and montane forests.     

Species richness in plant genera disjunct between temperate eastern Asia and North America

The species richness of 109 amphi-Pacific disjunct genera was examined in eastern Asia and North America. Although the entire flora of eastern Asia contains approximately one-third more species than that of North America, the difference in species richness among disjunct taxa is less. When woody and herbaceous genera are considered separately, the former exhibit a strong diversity bias favouring eastern Asia whereas there is no significant difference in diversity between continents among herbaceous genera. This result is not due to habitat differences between woody and herbaceous genera, because the disjunct herbs inhabit primarily moist forests and woodlands. This result is also not related to relative phylogenetic advancement, even though older major lineages of plants tend to have a predominance of woody taxa. Woody genera are distributed in lower latitudes than herbaceous genera on both continents, and both woody and herbaceous genera are distributed in lower latitudes in eastern Asia than in North America. The North American temperate flora is primarily a relict of a flora form 7 more widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Contemporary patterns of diversity suggest that the effects of climate changes in the late Tertiary were less severe in eastern Asia and promoted diversification, but were more severe in North America and may have caused widespread extinction. The difference in the effect of climate change on diversity in herbaceous and woody lineages reflects the different ecological relationships of species having these contrasting life forms. Clearly, the contemporary floras of eastern Asia and North America bear the imprint of history and emphasize the important interface between ecological relationships and evolutionary responses.