10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
[BPT26-07] Global paleogeography and life evolution: 2. Mesozoic
Keywords:paleogeography, Mesozoic, supercontinent, Pangea, Atlantic Ocean, evolution
The Mesozoic witnessed the Pangean breakup. Since the Triassic, the southern half of Gondwana successively rifted/separated, kicking out numbers of continents northward to form Laurasia, i.e., the northern half of Pangea, ca. 200 Ma. Multiple collisions among the Russian platform, Kazakhstan, Siberia, N. China, S. China, Indochina, Tarim, and other minor continental blocks were completed mostly in the Triassic or in the Early Jurassic at the latest. Gondwana has started to be fragmented immediately after its birth at 540Ma, except the collision of Laurentia at 430 Ma. The apparent supercontinent Pangea formed when Laurasia came in shape by 200 Ma. Its disassembly began first by the opening of the central Atlantic domain induced by the eastward moving of Africa for ca. a few thousands of km. The birth of South Atlantic Ocean was delayed until ca. 120Ma, whereas the opening of Northern Atlantic already started. The separation of S. America from Africa occurred ca. 120Ma. There was a pulse period of Pacific superplume ca. 120-85Ma when the production rate of MORB was 150-300 % higher than the rest of the Mesozoic. Numbers of huge oceanic plateaus were formed in the Pacific domain, including the Caribbean plateau. The birth of Indian Ocean occurred at ca. 100-120Ma by the separation of India from Gondwana. It is composed of 4 distinct oceanic lithospheres (separated by NS-trending major transform faults) behaved uniquely. The sea-level was kept relatively high according to such Mesozoic global tectonics; warm period without global glaciation but with oceanic anoxia and remarkable production of oil, gas, and coal. The climate was generally dryer than the Cenozoic, with higher production of evaporites. The mammalian diversification was triggered by the ca. 120Ma separation of the final bridge among Africa, S. America, and Laurasia. The appearance of the fox monkey in Madagascar, and of new-world monkeies in S. America, was likely connected to Indian migration and narrow arc bridge to S. America.