Discovery of Ancient Forest: Uncovering Earth's Oldest Fossilized Trees

Scientists in southwest England have discovered the oldest fossilized forest ever found on Earth. According to a recent study, these fossils date back 390 million years, surpassing the previous record held by a forest in New York state by 4 million years. The University of Cambridge released this information in a press release on Thursday.

The fossils were found in high sandstone cliffs on the southern side of the Bristol Channel near Minehead, close to the site of a holiday park.

The forest floor with visible ripple marks.

The forest floor with visible ripple marks.

Neil Davies

The trees, called Calamophyton, resembled palm trees but had slender, hollow trunks. Instead of leaves, they had twig-like structures on their branches, according to Neil Davies, a lecturer at the University of Cambridge’s Earth Sciences department, speaking to CNN on Thursday.

These trees could grow to be 2-4 meters (6.6-13.1 feet) tall and would drop branches as they continued to grow.

The forest dates from the Devonian Period, 419 million to 358 million years ago, when life was moving onto land.

An illustration showing how the forest would have looked.

An illustration showing how the forest would have looked.

Peter Giesen/Chris Berry

Davies explained that trees help stabilize riverbanks and coastlines by trapping sediment in their root systems.

He also mentioned that trees create small channels by corralling water in specific locations. Essentially, they actively shape their environment rather than just existing passively.

Davies mentioned that the findings also show how quickly early forests grew. In England, the fossils come from a scarce forest with only one type of tree. On the other hand, the previous oldest forest in New York state had a greater variety of species, including vine-like trees that grew on the ground. This is surprising because it existed just 4 million years later.

"Comparing the flora of Somerset to that of New York shows just how quickly things changed in geological time," Davies explained.

"In what feels like a blink of an eye in geological terms, there is a noticeable increase in variety," he further elaborated.

Fossils of small twigs.

Fossils of small twigs.

Chris Berry

The trees also provided a habitat for invertebrates living on the forest floor thanks to the twigs that would drop on the ground.

The team discovered footprints and tail drags from early anthropods, according to Davies.

Davies mentioned that despite not having physical remains, scientists estimate that the largest ones were 5-10 centimeters (2-4 inches) wide. "They're quite big," he noted.

The team discovered that the arthropods would bury themselves in the sediment on the forest floor to avoid drying out in the hot, semi-arid climate, according to Davies.

A fossil of a fallen tree trunk.

A fossil of a fallen tree trunk.

Neil Davies

At the time, the cliffs where the fossils were found were connected to parts of what is now Germany and Belgium, rather than England.

Similar fossils from pieces of wood washed out to sea have been found in these areas, which helped study co-author Christopher Berry identify the fossils found in England.

Sanfordiacaulis densifolia, a tree with over 250 spirally arranged leaves encircling its trunk, has been uniquely preserved due to earthquakes in a rift-lake system that existed 352 million years ago. This remarkable specimen can now be found in New Brunswick, Canada.

The unique preservation of the tree, Sanfordiacaulis densifolia, where the trunk is surrounded by more than 250 spirally arranged leaves, was the result of earthquakes in a 352-million-year-old rift-lake system, now exposed in New Brunswick, Canada.

Courtesy Matthew Stimson

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Scientists were shocked by the rare discovery of ancient trees. In a surprising twist, these trees were found close to home. The most intriguing part was observing these trees in their original positions for the very first time.

This is our first chance to study the ecology of the earliest forest, understand the environment where Calamophyton trees thrived, and assess their influence on the sedimentary system.

Davies mentioned that none of this would have been possible without a significant stroke of luck.

He said the team stumbled upon the fossils by chance while investigating the area's general geology and taking a lunch break in a field.

He expressed surprise at finding the fossils in a part of the world that had been thoroughly explored without any previous discoveries of this kind.

The study was recently published in the Journal of the Geological Society.

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Editor's P/S:

The discovery of the oldest fossilized forest on Earth is a remarkable scientific achievement that provides valuable insights into the early evolution of life on our planet. The 390-million-year-old forest, found in southwest England, is a testament to the rich diversity and rapid evolution of terrestrial ecosystems during the Devonian Period. The presence of trees played a crucial role in stabilizing landscapes, creating habitats for invertebrates, and shaping the surrounding environment. This discovery challenges our understanding of the chronology of early forests and highlights the importance of ongoing research in unraveling Earth's ancient history.

Furthermore, the article sheds light on the remarkable preservation of ancient trees, such as Sanfordiacaulis densifolia, which provides a unique glimpse into the ecology of prehistoric forests. The discovery of these fossils in different locations, from England to Canada, emphasizes the global significance of these ancient ecosystems and the need for continued exploration and research to uncover the secrets of our planet's past.