How (Some) Plants Survived The K-Pg Extinction

🌱 Plants that survived the asteroid impact that ended the reign of dinosaurs 66 million years ago doubled their DNA, and this may have helped them survive extreme environmental stress.

🌱 Angiosperms, or flowering plants, are the largest and most diverse group of plants on the planet, representing nearly 90% of all living plant species.

🌱 Angiosperms have experienced multiple instances of Whole Genome Duplication, which provides extra genetic material for adaptability and evolutionary opportunities.

🌱 While polyploidy usually comes with challenges, in times of environmental upheaval, polyploids can tolerate a broader range of conditions and have an advantage.

🌱 A study found that multiple lineages of plants still have duplicated genes from the wave of whole genome duplications that occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period, and these genes are involved in shade avoidance and cold tolerance.

🌱 Different waves of whole genome duplication have occurred in flowering plants, with duplicated genes being involved in water deprivation, salt stress, and responses to cold, salt, water, and wounding.

🌱 Whole genome duplication can be a shortcut to success for plants under the right conditions and may have contributed to the survival of many angiosperms during periods of ecological upheaval.