研究植物性状对地质历史时期气候变化的响应不仅有助于了解植物演化的历史还可为研究植物演化的机制及应对未来气候变化提供理论基础。化石作为过去生命的直接证据，是研究植物演化及对气候变化响应的一把钥匙。
中科院西双版纳热带植物园古生态研究组博士后星耀武在合作导师周浙昆研究员的指导下，与研究组其他科研人员合作，详细研究了云南晚中新世先锋植物群中的栎属化石，通过对比化石与现生栎属的叶结构、叶表皮微形态特征，认为化石与黄毛青冈具有最近的亲缘关系。对比化石种与黄毛青冈的气孔密度发现，化石种的气孔密度高于现生黄毛青冈，暗示了晚中新世时期的二氧化碳密度可能比现代低，这也与新生代二氧化碳浓度重建的结果相吻合。
植物叶表皮毛往往认为是对干旱环境的一种适应，在此研究中，化石种的毛被密度高于现生黄毛青冈，但该地古气候重建的结果表明，晚中新世时期远比现代湿润，因此黄毛青冈表皮毛的演化不仅仅受降水量的影响。
相关研究成果发表在国际专业期刊Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology上。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐的英文摘要
Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology doi: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2013.02.001
A new Quercus species from the upper Miocene of southwestern China and its ecological significance
Yaowu Xing, Jinjin Hu, Frédéric M.B. Jacquesa, Li Wang, Tao Su, Yongjiang Huang, Yu-Sheng (Christopher) Liu, Zhekun Zhou
Quercus praedelavayi Xing Y.W. et Zhou Z.K. sp. nov. is reported from the upper Miocene of the Xianfeng flora in central Yunnan, southwestern China. The fossil species is identified based on the detailed leaf morphological and cuticular examinations. The primary venation is pinnate and the major secondary venation is craspedodromous with regular spacing. Stomata are anomocytic and occur on abaxial epidermis. Trichome bases are unicellular and multicellular. The new fossil species shows the closest affinity with Quercus delavayi, an extant species distributing in southwestern China. The responses of the functional leaf traits to the climate change were studied by comparing the leaf characters of fossil species and its nearest living relative. The stomatal density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than Q. delavayi, which suggests a lower palaeoatmospheric CO2 concentration during the late Miocene. The trichome base density of Q. praedelavayi is higher than the extant Q. delavayi. Considering the palaeoclimatic reconstruction of Xianfeng flora, it rejected the hypothesis that increase in trichome density is an adaptation to the drier environment.
