令人惊的是,在吉尔博阿的中德纪化石森林中发现了一个复杂的社区
William E Stein1, Christopher M Berry, Linda VanAller Hernick
1Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, New York, NY 13902-6000, USA. stein@binghamton.edu
Nature
|March 3, 2012
概括
早期德纪的森林有各种各样的树木物种,包括Cladoxylopsids和Neurophytalean progymnosperms. 这项研究重新评估了吉尔博阿化石森林,揭示了复杂的生态相互作用和早期树木.
科学领域:
- 古植物学是古植物学.
- 古生态学 古生态学
- 代纪生态学 代纪生态学
背景情况:
- 树木在中德纪的起源显著改变了陆地生态系统和全球过程.
- 纽约的吉尔博阿化石森林是了解早期森林生态学的关键地点,但其解释是有限的.
- 之前的研究将吉尔博阿遗址解释为一个简单的沼泽地,占据了Cladoxylopsids (Eospermatopteris) 的统治地位.
研究的目的:
- 用现代方法重新评估吉尔博阿化石森林的古生态.
- 为了澄清这个早期德纪森林中的组成和生态相互作用.
- 调查动脉细胞前种和白种的习惯和生态作用.
主要方法:
- 在吉尔博阿的河边采石场挖掘和绘制1200平方米的面积.
- 在现场对化石根系和相关植物结构的详细分析.
- 识别和表征不同的植物群,包括cladoxylopsids,neurophytaleans和lycopsids.
主要成果:
- 发现了众多Eospermatopteris根系的生命位置在混合年龄的立场.
- 在Eospermatopteris树木中生长的木质根茎的大型神经细胞前的鉴定.
- 证据表明,在Lycopsids中树木生长,扩大了它们已知的范围和生态意义.
- 根植地平线是一个沙的泥石,根植透度有限,表明湿地沿海平原环境受到干扰.
结论:
- 吉尔博亚森林是一个混合群生态系统,比以前认为的要复杂得多.
- 动脉新生植物是早期森林的重要组成部分,拥有由双面血管变异体产生的木材.
- 这些发现为早期森林古生态学提供了基本的见解,并对解释罗纪生态系统具有全球意义.
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