During field work in 2001 over 1600 specimens were collected from four main fossil plant assemblages: the ''Nordenksjold flora'' from the Cross Valley Formation of Late Palaeocene age; and 3 floras from La Meseta Formation i) Flora2 from the Valle De Las Focas allomember, ~late Early Eocene, ii) Wiman Flora, Acantilados allomember, late Early/mid Eocene, iii) Cucullaea 1, Cuculleae 1 allomember Flora, early Late Eocene. In addition smaller collections of fossils from other parts of the La Meseta Formation were collected. The work concentrated on the Late Palaeocene and the Cuculleae 1 floras as these were the best preserved and had sufficient morphotypes for climate analysis. In the Late Palaeocene flora 36 angiosperm leaf morphotypes were identified, along with 2 pteridophytes (ferns), and podocarp and araucarian conifers. Discovery of several new leaf types indicates that the Tertiary floras from Antarctica were more diverse than previously thought.

Samples of early Tertiary age fossil wood and leaves were collected from Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula, in 2001. Fossils from Palaeogene strata were studied to determine the nature of vegetation response to the fundamental change from greenhouse to icehouse climates in Antarctica. Palaeoclimate data was derived using CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) and several Leaf Margin Analysis (LMA) techniques based on the physiognomic properties of the leaves. Climate interpretation of the fossils produced new data on terrestrial climate change at high latitudes and were used to test and validate climate models, and to establish whether climate-induced changes in biodiversity occurred in a gradual or punctuated manner.