{"id":666703,"date":"2025-05-03T02:52:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T23:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/vegetation-changes-accelerated-climate-shifts-during-the-late-miocene-study-finds\/"},"modified":"2025-05-03T02:52:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T23:52:22","slug":"vegetation-changes-accelerated-climate-shifts-during-the-late-miocene-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/vegetation-changes-accelerated-climate-shifts-during-the-late-miocene-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegetation changes accelerated climate shifts during the late Miocene, study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2fd3fccd378\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2fd3fccd378\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/vegetation-changes-accelerated-climate-shifts-during-the-late-miocene-study-finds\/#So_what_caused_this_major_climate_shift\" >So what caused this major climate shift?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/vegetation-changes-acc.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/vegetation-changes-acc.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"The vegetation in northern high latitudes was likely dense forest before cooling temperatures transformed it into grassland during the Late Miocene \u2014a shift that further accelerated global cooling. Credit: Ran Zhang\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/vegetation-changes-acc.jpg\" alt=\"Vegetation changes accelerated climate shifts during the late Miocene, study finds\" title=\"The vegetation in northern high latitudes was likely dense forest before cooling temperatures transformed it into grassland during the Late Miocene \u2014a shift that further accelerated global cooling. Credit: Ran Zhang\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                The vegetation in northern high latitudes was likely dense forest before cooling temperatures transformed it into grassland during the Late Miocene \u2014a shift that further accelerated global cooling. Credit: Ran Zhang<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>New research reveals that shifts in plant life played a key role in speeding up major climate changes during the late Miocene, a period spanning 11.6 to 5.3 million years ago.<\/p>\n<p>During this time, Earth&#8217;s climate shifted from the warm conditions of the middle Miocene to conditions closer to what we experience today, turning forests into grasslands and forcing animals like horses and elephants to evolve tougher teeth for eating gritty plants. At the same time, predators like big cats adapted to hunting in open plains, reshaping life on land forever.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_what_caused_this_major_climate_shift\"><\/span>So what caused this major climate shift?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Previous studies pointed to falling carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>) levels and tectonic movements as the main drivers of these changes.<\/p>\n<p>However, these factors alone couldn&#8217;t fully explain the global climate transition.<\/p>\n<p>Now, a study led by Professor Ran Zhang from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Science<\/a>s, highlights how vegetation feedbacks\u2014changes in plant cover that influence climate\u2014intensified cooling in the northern high latitudes and altered rainfall patterns in lower latitudes.<\/p>\n<p>The findings, published in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.ads4268\" target=\"_blank\"><i>Science Advances<\/i><\/a>, show that vegetation changes amplified cooling by altering surface reflectivity (albedo) and interacting with water vapor, clouds, and sea ice. These effects were even stronger than those caused by CO<sub>2<\/sub> decline alone in some regions.<\/p>\n<p>By combining geological data and climate models, the study clarifies the distinct roles of CO<sub>2<\/sub>, tectonic changes, and vegetation feedbacks in shaping the late Miocene climate.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This research helps us better understand the mechanisms behind the late Miocene climate shift and underscores how vegetation feedbacks can influence global climate\u2014both in the past and in the future,&#8221; said Professor Zhang.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike today&#8217;s rapid, CO<sub>2<\/sub>-driven warming, the Late Miocene was marked by cooling and CO<sub>2<\/sub> decline.<\/p>\n<p>The study highlights the often-overlooked impact of plant life on climate systems, offering insights for both historical and future climate change research.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-main__more p-4\">\n<p><strong>More information:<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRan Zhang et al, Vegetation feedbacks accelerated the late Miocene climate transition, <i>Science Advances<\/i> (2025). <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-doi=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.ads4268\" target=\"_blank\">DOI: 10.1126\/sciadv.ads4268<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.ads4268\" target=\"_blank\">www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.ads4268<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChinese Academy of Sciences<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/english.cas.cn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVegetation changes accelerated climate shifts during the late Miocene, study finds (2025, May 2)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 2 May 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-05-vegetation-climate-shifts-late-miocene.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-05-vegetation-climate-shifts-late-miocene.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The vegetation in northern high latitudes was likely dense forest before cooling temperatures transformed it into grassland during the Late Miocene \u2014a shift that further accelerated global cooling. Credit: Ran Zhang New research reveals that shifts in plant life played a key role in speeding up major climate changes during the late Miocene, a period&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":666704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/vegetation-changes-acc.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-666703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=666703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/666704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=666703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=666703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=666703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}