Energy News  
WOOD PILE
385-million-year-old tree root reveals world's oldest modern forest
by Brooks Hays
Washington (UPI) Dec 20, 2019

The discovery of ancient tree roots in the Catskills, near the town of Cairo, New York, suggests modern forests emerged earlier than scientists thought. Researchers described the 385-million-year-old root system in a new paper, published this week in the journal Current Biology.

Though seed plants wouldn't arrive for another 10 million years, the roots suggest trees with leaves and wood were growing nearly 400 million years ago, during the middle of the Denovian Period.

"The Devonian Period represents a time in which the first forest appeared on planet Earth," lead study author William Stein, professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, said in a news release. "The effects were of first order magnitude in terms of changes in ecosystems, what happens on the Earth's surface and oceans, CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and global climate. So many dramatic changes occurred at that time as a result of those original forests that, basically, the world has never been the same since."

In 2012, Stein and his research partners discovered the ancient footprints of what became known as the world's oldest forest, the Gilboa forest. The newly discovered roots, however, found not far from the Gilboa site, are even older.

The Cairo forest is not only older, but quite different. The ancient root system boasts three unique components, reflecting a heterogeneous composition -- the type of diversity that characterizes modern forests.

One of the three different root systems in the Cairo forest anchored a palm tree-like species called Eospermatopteris. The species was also found at the Gilboa site, suggesting the tree was an adaptable, weed-like species.

Researchers also found the roots of Archaeopteris, a species that reproduced using spores but featured seed-like structures. Archaeopteris is the earliest plant species known to form leaves and woody tissue.

"Archaeopteris seems to reveal the beginning of the future of what forests will ultimately become," Stein said. "Based on what we know from the body fossil evidence of Archaeopteris prior to this, and now from the rooting evidence that we've added at Cairo, these plants are very modern compared to other Devonian plants. Although still dramatically different than modern trees, Archaeopteris nevertheless seems to point the way toward the future of forests."

Scientists also found a third species belonging to the class Lycopsida, one researchers previously thought didn't arrive until the Carboniferous Period, which lasted from 359.2 to 299 million years ago.

"What we have at Cairo is a rooting structure that appears identical to great trees of the Carboniferous coal swamps with fascinating elongated roots. But no one has yet found body fossil evidence of this group this early in the Devonian." Stein said. "Our findings are perhaps suggestive that these plants were already in the forest, but perhaps in a different environment and earlier than generally believed. Yet we only have a footprint, and we await additional fossil evidence for confirmation."

While researchers hope to continue uncovering more details about the makeup and evolution of ancient forests in the Catskills, they expect studies elsewhere in the world to reveal additional secrets and provide important context to their work.

"It seems to me, worldwide, many of these kinds of environments are preserved in fossil soils. And I'd like to know what happened historically, not just in the Catskills, but everywhere," said Stein. "Understanding evolutionary and ecological history -- that's what I find most satisfying."


Related Links
Forestry News - Global and Local News, Science and Application


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


WOOD PILE
Heavily logged tropical forests may never recover
Washington (UPI) Dec 17, 2019
Tropical forests that have been heavily logged - cleared and replanted, cleared and replanted - may never recover. According to a new study, published Tuesday in the journal Global Change Biology, continually logging tropical forests depletes the reserve of vital nutrients in the soil, diminishing the forest's odds of long-term recovery. "Old-growth tropical forests that have been the same for millions of years are now changing irreversibly due to repeated logging," lead study author Tom Swin ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WOOD PILE
Germany signs off on flagship climate plan

Germany issue 1st green bonds; Dutch court orders govt to slash emissions

Eastern EU states opposed to 2050 zero-emissions goal

Brazil's Bolsonaro dismisses COP25 'game'

WOOD PILE
First Long Duration, Liquid Air Energy Storage System in the United States

NYSERDA announces battery storage project for town of Ulster, replacing previously planned fossil fuel plant

Proton-hydrogen collision model could impact fusion research

Detours may make batteries better

WOOD PILE
Consider marine life when implementing offshore renewable power

Supporting structures of wind turbines contribute to wind farm blockage effect

Saving bats from wind turbine death

DTEK reaches 1 GW of renewable energy generation capacity in Ukraine

WOOD PILE
Hecate Energy's 100MW Santa Teresa solar project wins El Paso bid

Nivea parent Beiersdorf switches to green power

Impossible breakthrough method of creating solar material at NREL

Fine-tuning thermoelectric materials for cheaper renewable energy

WOOD PILE
In first, Switzerland shuts down ageing nuclear power station

Green-finance deal survives EU split on nuclear

Russian nuclear-powered giant icebreaker completes test run

Framatome signs a cooperation agreement with Japan on the development of fast neutron reactors

WOOD PILE
Pathways toward post-petrochemistry

NREL, Co-Optima research yields potential bioblendstock for diesel fuel

Neutrons optimize high efficiency catalyst for greener approach to biofuel synthesis

Big step in producing carbon-neutral fuel Silver diphosphide

WOOD PILE
Effects of natural gas assessed in study of shale gas boom in Appalachian basin

EIB chief slams slow industrial response to climate change

The uncertain role of natural gas in the transition to clean energy

US Congress Russia pipeline sanctions

WOOD PILE
Dinosaurs faced global warming, elevated mercury levels, fossil shells show

UN chief calls climate summit a 'lost opportunity'

Aid agencies throw lifeline to hungry Zimbabweans

Five years of thirst: S.Africa's Eastern Cape battles brutal drought









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.