Late Cretaceous (Turonian) Flora of Southern Negev, Israel

About this book

Paleofloristic discoveries cast new light on plant evolution. They are also pertinent to tectonic, paleogeographic and paleoclimatic reconstructions. As a result of extensive collecting in the Arava Valley south of the Dead Sea, the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) flora of southern Negev currently appears to be the most representative for this age in the Gondwana Realm. The book presents a comprehensive analysis of a regional paleoflora from several points of view. Starting with a detailed description of the work previously done on the site, the authors extend their analyses to the tectonic and paleogeographic framework and the regional settings of the localities. Further analyses of the paleocommunities - mangroves, marshes, palm growth, aquatic and inland vegetation - are based on a detailed taxonomic study of the plant fossils. Most of the 46 species described in the book are new to botanical systematics; more than half of them are assigned to new genera. Detailed descriptions of species and communities recognized in the Turonian of Southern Negev may serve as the basis for further studies in morphological evolution of flowering plants, as well as in climatic and paleogeographic reconstructions.

Contents

PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PREVIOUS STUDIES MATERIAL AND METHODS TECTONIC AND PALEOGEOGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK Tectonic events Epeiric events and climate Deposition of organic carbon REGIONAL SETTING Gerofit Locality Qetura Locality FACIES AND PLANT TAPHONOMY Gerofit Qetura PLANT COMMUNITIES Mangroves Sedimentological and taphonomic evidence Plant morphological evidence Marshes Palm growth Aquatic communities Inland terrestrial vegetation MORPHOLOGIAL EVOLUTION CLIMATE AND PHYTOGEOGRAPHY Climate Floristic links and diversity centers GENERAL CONCLUSIONS SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION DICOTYLEDONS MONOCOTYLEDONS PLATES REFERENCES

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