Studies of these fossils are providing new data on plant and animal diversity following the end-Cretaceous extinction event.

[3][4][5][6] The formation yields abundant plant remains[7][8][9][10][11][12] as well as fossils of invertebrates, marine macrofaunas,[13] reptiles,[14][15][16][17][18] and mammals.

[25][26] Palynological analysis of the Salamanca Formation shows low floral diversity after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, followed by a rapid recovery.

[8][9] The co-occurrence of palms, dicot woods with indistinct growth rings, and alligatorids,[15][16][17][18] indicates temperature remained above freezing year-round.

The results of leaf physiognomic analyses indicate that the climate in the San Jorge Basin during the early Paleocene was warm subtropical.