Such understanding is essential for testing models and theories of global climate change, patterns of plant phylogeny, and the antecedents of current patterns of biodiversity. Paleobotanical research, through integration of biological and geological studies of the Earth and its biota, empowers policymakers by providing baseline data from which informed decisions can be made in the areas of conservation, ecology, and the reliability of climate models. The fossil record provides access to a much more complete sample of organisms than is available in the extant biota alone and is, therefore, of crucial significance in reconstructing evolutionary history. Fossils constitute a rich source of diversity for phylogenetic analyses, including transitional taxa or mosaics of characters not present today. Indeed, for many plant groups, extant diversity constitutes a limited and biased sample of the total diversity of organisms in those clades.
Fossils provide a means of evaluating concepts of homology and species.
The fossil record demonstrates the occurrence of physical events and evolutionary patterns that are not represented within the modern world. Ignorance of such historical patterns has often prevented their incorporation into evolutionary and environmental models. Plants are the dominant primary producers in all terrestrial ecosystems and thus provide the energy foundation on which all terrestrial animals depend. Because of their unique ecological status, fossil plants are central to understanding the organization and function of ancient communities, as well as changes in terrestrial ecosystems through time. Implementation of this plan relies primarily upon adoption of the scientific goals and strategic priorities by funding agencies, particularly the National Science Foundation.