angiosperm radiation revisited, an ecological explanation for Darwin's 'abominable mystery'

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 12; no. 9; pp. 865 - 872
• Main Authors: Berendse, Frank, Scheffer, Marten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Angiospermae; Angiosperms; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; bogs; Coniferophyta; crato formation brazil; Cretaceous; decomposition; diversification; Ecology; Ecosystem; ecosystems; Evolutionary biology; evolutionary radiation; Ferns; ferns and fern allies; Flowering plants; Fossils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth rate; gymnosperms; heathlands; Ideas and s; Litter; litter quality; Magnoliophyta; Magnoliopsida; Magnoliopsida - physiology; n deposition; nitrogen mineralization; Nutrient release; Paleobotany; physiology; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; Plant ecology; Plant evolution; plant-soil feedbacks; Prehistoric era; simulation models; Soil nutrients; sphagnum; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; vascular plants; Vegetation; wet heathlands; Wetlands; Heathland and moor; heathlands; gymnosperms; Biological evolution; Ecology; Cretaceous; Peat bog; Adaptive radiation; plant-soil feedbacks; Stagnant water; Angiospermae; Gymnospermae; bogs; evolutionary radiation; Spermatophyta; Plant marsh community; Soil plant relation; Angiosperms

One of the greatest terrestrial radiations is the diversification of the flowering plants (Angiospermae) in the Cretaceous period. Early angiosperms appear to have been limited to disturbed, aquatic or extremely dry sites, suggesting that they were suppressed in most other places by the gymnosperms...