The Origins of C4 Grasslands: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecosystem Science

Erika J. Edwards; Colin P. Osborne; Caroline A. E. Stromberg; Stephen A. Smith; William J. Bond; Pascal-Antoine Christin; Asaph B. Cousins; Melvin R. Duvall; David L. Fox; Robert P. Freckleton; Oula Ghannoum; James Hartwell; Yongsong Huang; Christine M. Janis; Jon E. Keeley; Elizabeth A. Kellogg; Alan K. Knapp; Andrew D.B. Leakey; David Mcgovern Nelson; Jeffery M. Saarela; Rowan F. Sage; Osvaldo E. Sala; Nicolas Salamin; Christopher J. Still; Brett Tipple

doi:10.1126/science.1177216

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The Origins of C4 Grasslands: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecosystem Science

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Abstract

The evolution of the C 4 photosynthetic pathway from the ancestral C 3 pathway in grasses led to the establishment of grasslands in warm climates during the Late Miocene (8 to 3 million years ago). This was a major event in plant evolutionary history, and their high rates of foliage production sustained high levels of herbivore consumption. The past decade has seen significant advances in understanding C 4 grassland ecosystem ecology, and now a wealth of data on the geological history of these ecosystems has accumulated and the phylogeny of grasses is much better known. Edwards et al. (p. 587) review this multidisciplinary research area and attempt to synthesize emerging knowledge about the evolution of grass species within the context of plant and ecosystem ecology.

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Erika J. Edwards, Colin P. Osborne, Caroline A. E. Stromberg, Stephen A. Smith, William J. Bond, Pascal-Antoine Christin, Asaph B. Cousins, Melvin R. Duvall, David L. Fox, Robert P. Freckleton, Oula Ghannoum, James Hartwell, Yongsong Huang, Christine M. Janis, Jon E. Keeley, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Alan K. Knapp, Andrew D.B. Leakey, David Mcgovern Nelson, Jeffery M. Saarela, Rowan F. Sage, Osvaldo E. Sala, Nicolas Salamin, Christopher J. Still, Brett Tipple. 2010. The Origins of C4 Grasslands: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecosystem Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1177216

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