Isthmus of Panama

The Isthmus of Panama^[a], historically known as the Isthmus of Darien,^[b] is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. The country of Panama is located on the isthmus, along with the Panama Canal. Like several isthmuses on Earth, as a relatively narrow land bridge between close seas, it is a location of great geopolitical and strategic importance.

The isthmus is thought to have finally formed around 3 million years ago (Ma),^[1] separating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and causing the creation of the Gulf Stream, as first suggested in 1910 by Henry Fairfield Osborn. Osborn based the proposal on the fossil record of mammals in Central America,^[2] a conclusion that would provide a foundation for Alfred Wegener when he proposed the theory of continental drift in 1912.^[3] Some recent studies^[4]^[5]^[6] suggest an earlier formation of the isthmus than the recognized age of 3 Ma, potentially stretching as far back as 19 Ma.^[7]

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

^ O'Dea, A.; Lessios, H. A.; Coates, A. G.; Eytan, R. I.; Restrepo-Moreno, S. A.; Cione, A. L. (2016). "Formation of the Isthmus of Panama". Science Advances. 2 (8): e1600883. Bibcode:2016SciA....2E0883O. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1600883. PMC 4988774. PMID 27540590.
^ Osborn 1910, pp. 80–81
^ Wegener 2003.
^ Bacon, Christine D.; Silvestro, Daniele; Jaramillo, Carlos; Smith, Brian Tilston; Chakrabarty, Prosanta; Antonelli, Alexandre (12 May 2015). "Biological evidence supports an early and complex emergence of the Isthmus of Panama". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112 (19): 6110–6115. doi:10.1073/pnas.1423853112. PMC 4434730. PMID 25918375.
^ Hoorn, Carine; Flantua, Suzette (10 April 2015). "An early start for the Panama land bridge". Science. 348 (6231): 186–187. doi:10.1126/science.aab0099. PMID 25859033. S2CID 30231555.
^ Montes et al. 2015.
^ Donovan, Kelly (20 March 2009). "Isthmus of Panama formed as result of plate tectonics". Florida Museum of Natural History.

[O'Dea2016-3] O'Dea, A.; Lessios, H. A.; Coates, A. G.; Eytan, R. I.; Restrepo-Moreno, S. A.; Cione, A. L. (2016). "Formation of the Isthmus of Panama". Science Advances. 2 (8): e1600883. Bibcode:2016SciA....2E0883O. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1600883. PMC 4988774. PMID 27540590.

[4] Osborn 1910, pp. 80–81

[FOOTNOTEWegener2003-5] Wegener 2003.

[6] Bacon, Christine D.; Silvestro, Daniele; Jaramillo, Carlos; Smith, Brian Tilston; Chakrabarty, Prosanta; Antonelli, Alexandre (12 May 2015). "Biological evidence supports an early and complex emergence of the Isthmus of Panama". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112 (19): 6110–6115. doi:10.1073/pnas.1423853112. PMC 4434730. PMID 25918375.

[7] Hoorn, Carine; Flantua, Suzette (10 April 2015). "An early start for the Panama land bridge". Science. 348 (6231): 186–187. doi:10.1126/science.aab0099. PMID 25859033. S2CID 30231555.

[FOOTNOTEMontesCardonaJaramilloPardo2015-8] Montes et al. 2015.

[9] Donovan, Kelly (20 March 2009). "Isthmus of Panama formed as result of plate tectonics". Florida Museum of Natural History.

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