Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 31 August 2001:
Vol. 293. no. 5535, pp. 1572 - 1573
DOI: 10.1126/science.293.5535.1572b
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

News of the Week

PALEOECOLOGY:
How Grasses Got the Upper Hand

Richard A. Kerr

A slow dwindling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the past 100 million years is the common explanation for the sudden worldwide surge in the abundance of tropical and subtropical grasslands 7 million or 8 million years ago. But loose ends keep appearing. The latest, as reported on page 1647 of this issue, points to moisture, not just CO2, as pivotal in the emergence of low-latitude grasslands. It also clouds the crystal ball for researchers trying to get a handle on future global change.

Read the Full Text

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)