Antartic melt evidence captured in fossilized leaves

A fossil Galaxias fish from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jon Lindqvist.

Fossil leaves from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.

A fossil leaf from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.

A short section of core from the Foulden Maar deposit, showing annual layers (alternating yellowish and dark layers) along with underwater landslide events (thicker dark layers). Photo credit Bethany Fox.

100x magnification of a 23-million-year-old leaf cuticle (Litsea calicarioides) from Foulden Maar, showing stomata (white) and epidermal cells (purple). Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.

A fossil flower (Fouldenia staminosa) from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.

Getz Ice Shelf on the Antarctic coast Credit: NASA/Dick Ewers