A groundbreaking study led by Vera Korasidis, Lecturer in Environmental Geoscience at the University of Melbourne, has unveiled a remarkable picture of Earth’s ancient polar forests that once supported thriving dinosaur populations.
During the Early Cretaceous period, some 130 to 110 million years ago, what is today southern Victoria lay well within the polar circle, shrouded in months of darkness each winter.
Yet, despite these extreme conditions, the region hosted vibrant, cool-temperate rainforests. “What is now Victoria was located within the polar circle … and was shrouded in darkness for months,” Korasidis explained. Towering conifer trees formed the forest canopy, while the ground below was dominated by primitive ferns, mosses and liverworts.
Drawing on nearly 300 fossil pollen and spore samples from 48 sites across Victoria, researchers have reconstructed these lost ecosystems in extraordinary detail. Their work reveals lush river-crossed forests teeming with life. Small herbivorous ornithopods grazed on foliage, while carnivorous theropods prowled the undergrowth–dinosaurs uniquely adapted to months without sunlight.
A dramatic transformation unfolded around 113 million years ago with the arrival of flowering plants. This botanical revolution altered the structure of the forests, driving many understorey ferns to extinction. By 100 million years ago, the landscape featured open conifer-dominated canopies, with flowering plants flourishing alongside ferns and mosses on the forest floor.
The study not only brings to life the lost world of polar dinosaurs but also carries urgent lessons for today. As Korasidis noted, these ancient ecosystems demonstrate how plant and animal life respond to rapid climate and environmental shifts. For a world now facing accelerating global warming, biodiversity decline, and ecosystem disruption, the story of Earth’s polar forests serves as both a scientific marvel and a sobering warning.