Tracing the origins of oaks: how climate and tectonic changes shaped modern trees

Rising global temperatures and shifting tectonic plates are believed to have shaped the evolution of one of Earth’s most iconic trees, the oak (Quercus). According to reports, a significant climatic event, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), about 56 million years ago, created extreme conditions that influenced the evolution of various plant species, including the ancestors of modern oaks. The event occurred during volcanic activity that released massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, causing a global average temperature increase of 8 degrees Celsius.

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It has been documented that petrification has caused dramatic changes in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. According to the sources, tropical forests expanded throughout South America, while plant and animal species migrated vast distances in response to rising temperatures. The fossil record shows that during this period, the ancestors of today’s oaks began to emerge, although evidence such as acorns and pollen are scarce.

First oak fossil discovered in Austria

Fossil oak pollen was first identified near the site of St. Pancras Church in Oberndorf, Austria. Reports indicate that the discovery provides the earliest evidence of the oaks being from the time of the Pettit. The surrounding forests, a mixture of subtropical and temperate species, were home to plants that later contributed to modern biodiversity.

Evolutionary division of oaks

As the Atlantic Ocean widened, dividing North America and Europe, reports suggest that ancestral oak populations split into two major lineages. One developed in the Americas, while the other adapted to regions of Eurasia and North Africa. This isolation is attributed to tectonic activity and natural barriers, which likely played an important role in the diversification of oak species. The history of oaks exemplifies a gradual process of evolution driven by environmental factors, their legacy continuing in today’s temperate forests.