Falkland Islands Once Hosted Lush Rainforest, Study Reveals

Overview

• A team led by Dr. Zoë Thomas from the University of Southampton discovered ancient rainforest remains in the Falkland Islands.
• The findings were made at a construction site in Stanley, where well-preserved tree trunks and branches were unearthed.
• Laboratory analysis in Australia dated the remains to between 15 and 30 million years old, using pollen spores.
• The Falklands' climate was once much warmer and wetter, supporting a diverse rainforest ecosystem.
• Climate changes likely led to the extinction of the rainforest, transforming the landscape into the treeless, windy terrain seen today.