Climate impact of high northern vegetation: Late Miocene and present |
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Authors: | Rainer Schneck Arne Micheels Volker Mosbrugger |
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Institution: | (1) Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany;(2) Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (LOEWE BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany |
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Abstract: | The Late Miocene belongs to the late phase of the Cenozoic. Climate at that time was still warmer and more humid as compared
to today, especially in the high latitudes. Corresponding to the climate situation, palaeobotanical evidences support that
vegetation in the high northern latitudes changed significantly from the Late Miocene until today. To quantify the climate
impact of this vegetation change, we analyse how vegetation in the high northern latitudes contribute to climate evolution.
For that, we perform climate modelling sensitivity experiments for the present and for the Late Miocene (Tortonian, 11–7 Ma).
For our present-day sensitivity experiment, we introduce the Tortonian vegetation in the high northern latitudes. For our
Tortonian sensitivity experiment, we introduce the modern vegetation on the same grid cells. In the Tortonian and in the present,
the modern vegetation leads to a strong cooling of the northern extratropics (up to −4°C). Nevertheless, the meridional heat
transports remain nearly unchanged in both cases. In general, the vegetation impact on climate is similar in the Tortonian
and in the present. However, some exceptions occur. Due to the Tethys Ocean in the Tortonian, temperatures decline only weakly
in eastern Europe and western Asia. In the Tortonian climate, temperatures on the Sahara realm rise (up to +1.5°C), while
the temperatures do not change remarkably in the present-day climate. This different behaviour is caused by a stronger and
more sensitive hydrological cycle on the Sahara region during the Tortonian. |
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