Extinction at the end-Cretaceous and the origin of modern Neotropical rainforests

The end-Cretaceous event was catastrophic for terrestrial communities worldwide, yet its long-lasting effect on tropical forests remains largely unknown. We quantified plant extinction and ecological change in tropical forests resulting from the end-Cretaceous event using fossil pollen (>50,000 occurrences) and leaves (>6000 specimens) from localities in Colombia. Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) rainforests were characterized by an open canopy and diverse plant-insect interactions. Plant diversity declined by 45% at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary and did not recover for ~6 million years. Paleocene forests resembled modern Neotropical rainforests, with a closed canopy and multistratal structure dominated by angiosperms. The end-Cretaceous event triggered a long interval of low plant diversity in the Neotropics and the evolutionary assembly of today's most diverse terrestrial ecosystem.Fil: Carvalho, Mónica R.. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Jaramillo, Carlos. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: de la Parra, Felipe. Instituto Colombiano del Petroleo; ColombiaFil: Caballero Rodríguez, Dayenari. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Herrera, Fabiany. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Wing, Scott. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos. National Museum of Natural History. Department of Paleobiology; Estados UnidosFil: Turner, Benjamin L.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: D'Apolito, Carlos. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Romero Báez, Millerlandy. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Narvaez, Paula Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Camila. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Gutierrez, Mauricio. Universidad de Chile.; ChileFil: Labandeira, Conrad. National Museum of Natural History. Department of Paleobiology; Estados UnidosFil: Bayona, German. Corporación Geológica Ares; ColombiaFil: Rueda, Milton. Paleoflora Ltda.; ColombiaFil: Paez Reyes, Manuel. University Of Houston; Estados UnidosFil: Cárdenas, Dairon. Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas; ColombiaFil: Duque, Álvaro. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellin; ColombiaFil: Crowley, James L.. Boise State University; Estados UnidosFil: Santos, Carlos. Bp Exploration Operating Company Limited; Reino UnidoFil: Silvestro, Daniele. University Of Fribourg; Suiz