Global Warming Induced by Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a Had a Pronounced Impact on the Early Cretaceous Terrestrial Vegetation of Southern Sweden

Sammanfattning: The Mesozoic is punctuated by several rapid global warming events that are marked by the worldwide deposition of organic-rich marine sediments. These events, known as oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), are characterised by intervals where the worldwide carbon cycle suffers a disruption due to major palaeoceanographic and climatic shifts, leading to anoxic marine environments and the creation of black shales. For this study, the Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a), which occurred during the Early Cretaceous Aptian age (~120 Ma) was analysed. It was likely triggered by the Greater Ontong Java underwater volcanic event and is associated with major changes in marine environments and ecosystems, including nekton and plankton turnover, and sea water composition changes. The impact of this event on terrestrial land-based ecosystems is, however, less well understood. Here I document well preserved and diverse spore-pollen assemblages spanning OAE 1a from southern Sweden by examining the Höllviken I core. Before the OAE, palynofloras are dominated by conifers, suggestive of a relatively mild and dry coastal environment. At the onset of the OAE a fern spike occurs, where there is a shift to early successional stage vegetation. Gymnosperm diversity and abundance sharply decrease, and the palynofloral assemblages become dominated by ferns, indicating a shift to warm and wet conditions. Gymnosperms gradually recover thereafter, but the formerly abundant conifer pollen Classopollis does not recover and remains rare. Dinoflagellate cysts and microforaminiferal test linings increase in abundance after OAE 1a, suggesting a higher degree of marine influence. These findings show that OAE 1a had a substantial impact on the composition and diversity of high latitude terrestrial vegetation and marine plankton communities.