Isthmus of Panama is older than you believed – ElTiempo.com

North America and South America were linked by the Isthmus of Panama thirteen million years ago, not three, as previously thought.

The conclusion was established by Colombian Camilo Montes geologists and Agustin Cardona, the Andes and National Universities, after investigations in Antioquia. The study includes this finding was published and highlighted yesterday by the prestigious scientific journal Science.

But and what is the importance of knowing the isthmus that connects Colombia and Central America, and which incidentally interrupted ocean circulation, it is older than it had been established?

“Always, it emerged, had been considered crucial. We, somehow, you go down a little the importance of that fact, “said Montes El Tiempo. He refers to it had always used the argument that with the emergence of the Isthmus, three million years ago, had opened a door for the start of glaciations or great exchange of living organisms between North America and America South.

“We do not doubt that the onset of glaciations occurred three million years ago and the great biodiversity exchange between Central and South America occurred at the time, but now know that the emergence of the Isthmus had no influence on these events as you think, “said Montes

Now have to find another answer, that this hypothesis leaves in the air: if it was not the consolidation of the isthmus, then what caused the ice age and the exchange of fauna? Why do not animals surfaced just crossed the isthmus and therefore waited almost 10 million years to make these tours?

An estimated 3 million years ago, the area of Isthmus of Panama was not formed by the tropical forest we see today, which is a plug and hinders genetic exchange. In the prehistoric period, glaciation transformed the region that was kind of savannah, which allowed that traffic mammals, reptiles and other groups of living things. Perhaps, since the emergence of the Isthmus until then, had also been an equally impenetrable forest.

The findings published in Science were made from materials collected in the country. Montes has samples of rocks, key in the analysis were obtained in Santa Fe de Antioquia and San Jerónimo (Antioquia). It is there that really bind Panama and Colombia from the geological point of view. “There are the plates that stick to the country with the rest of Central America,” said the scientist.

With the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama formation of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea was secured, which were isolated . In addition, consolidated in the latter the Gulf Stream, the great mass of warm water that was trapped and moving from Mexico, Colombia and passes through islands like Cuba, and heads toward the North Atlantic, in Europe, to possible that life in Africa is more bearable, at least from a climate perspective.

JAVIER HERRERA SILVA
Editor TIME