The early Incertocene is marked by the rapid and drastic retreat of Antarctica's ice cap, one of the fastest ever happened in the Phanerozoic. Within just five million years, the once immense Land-no-Land ice cap biome has been reduced to the continent's southernmost regions. In its place, large temperate environments now dominate Antarctica, supporting an abundance of plants and animals. However, life has not yet had sufficient time to diversify significantly, resulting in a limited number of species with modest body diversification.
The early stages for future evolutionary radiations however are already in place, with emerging evolutionary trends pointing toward new adaptations and niches. The early Incertocene marks an era of ecological recovery, laying the foundations for life to once again achieve the biodiversity and ecological richness seen in past epochs.
A short lesson of antarctic toponymy
A botanical guide of the early Incertocene
It's not a full reset: the (not so) new antarctic hoofpoles
It's not a full reset: the (not so) new antarctic stottmice
It's not a full reset: the (not so) new antarctic brumbles
The great return of rodent biodiversity