Spatiotemporal evolution of the Jehol Biota: Responses to the North China craton destruction in the Early Cretaceous

The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota is a terrestrial lagerstätte that produces exquisitely preserved fossils that have furnished enormous evidence on the origins and early evolution of diverse vertebrate groups. On the basis of the latest paleontological and geochronologic evidence, we discuss the three stages of the biota, and suggest that the spatiotemporal evolution of the Jehol Biota coincides with the initial and peak stages of the North China craton destruction in the Early Cretaceous. Such linkage presents an example of how regional tectonics influence the terrestrial biota that points to a new path for future studies involving multidisciplinary methods to explore the biosphere in deep time.