Ancient mass extinction shows how Earth turned into a super-greenhouse
New ScientistJUL 3
Study: Ancient Forest Collapse Prolonged Earth's 'Great Dying' Extinction
Above: Smoldering wildfire, California. Image copyright: Unsplash
The Spin
Climate-concerned narrative
This research provides crucial evidence that forest ecosystems are Earth's primary climate stabilizers. When volcanic eruptions destroyed ancient tropical forests, the planet lost its primary mechanism for absorbing carbon, which had trapped CO2 in the atmosphere for millions of years. The fossil record clearly shows how ecosystem collapse can lock Earth into prolonged warming cycles.
Climate-skeptic narrative
While the study offers valuable insights into past climate events, drawing direct parallels to modern conditions requires caution. Current tropical forests exhibit distinct characteristics compared to Permian vegetation, and today's continental configurations differ significantly from those of the ancient supercontinent Pangea. The timescales involved make direct comparisons challenging.