A team of scientists, including UConn professors Tracy Frank, Chris Fielding, and Michael Hren, studied how plants responded to the catastrophic climate changes of the End-Permian Extinction, the most severe ecological crisis in Earth’s history. By analyzing fossil plants and sedimentary rocks from Australia, they discovered that conifers were the first to recolonize the land, but their survival was disrupted by a subsequent extreme warming interval. As a result, shrubby plants took over until a later cooling event allowed for the growth of forests. The study highlights that while ecosystems eventually recover, they often return in a completely different form, emphasizing the lasting consequences of extinction. Researchers hope these findings offer insight into how modern ecosystems might respond to the ongoing climate crisis.
