Fossil Wood Analyses: Several Examples from Five Case Studies in the Area of Central and NW Bohemia, Czech Republic.

In the area of the Central and NW Bohemia, Czech Republic, the fossil wood is quite abundant, found in different states of preservation and present from Paleozoic (Pennsylvanian), through Mesozoic (Upper Cretaceous), to Cenozoic (upper Eocene to lower Miocene). So, this small area is ideal to demonstrate various aspects of the fossil wood analyses, including anatomy (unifacial vs. bifacial cambium, formation of tyloses and its significance, early vs. late wood, unambiguity of scientific terminology, stem vs. root wood), taphonomy (completeness of fossil record, influence of environment on mode of preservation, influence of preservation on wood anatomy and preservation potential, discrepancy between the record of wood and other organs), systematics (stem vs. crown group, wide concept of fossil wood genera, "mosaic" species, wood of extinct plants), and palaeoclimatic reconstruction (definition of "wood type," subjective vs. objective methods). The majority of the studied woods were thin-sectioned following the standard techniques and observed with a compound light microscope.

Miocene Cupressinoxylon from Gökçeada (Imbros), Turkey with Protophytobia cambium mining and the study of ecological signals of wood anatomy.

Premise: The recognition of the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO) in terrestrial palaeoenvironments of the Eastern Mediterranean is restricted to Lesbos and Lemnos Islands, Greece. This area is significant for its wood microfossils. A recently-discovered fossil wood assemblage from Gökçeada (Imbros) Island, Turkey, including tree species similar to the Greek findings, is thought to have an early Miocene age. Here, we revise the age of the latter plant fossiliferous locality, re-evaluate the area for the study of MCO for the terrestrial palaeoecosystems of the Eastern Mediterranean and the nomenclature errors referring to the occurrence of fossil wood. We present the plant-insect-environment interactions using detailed anatomical descriptions, of an extinct conifer and its extinct cambium miner feeding traces observed in its secondary xylem. Methods: Three thin sections were prepared with standard palaeoxylotomical techniques from a small section of the silicified wood; the sections were observed under a light microscope. The anatomy of the conifer and its damage patterns were compared with those of extant and fossil Cupressaceae and Agromyzidae, respectively. Pivotal results: The common anatomical features of the studied wood specimen and Hesperocyparis macrocarpa (Hartw.) Bartel and a shared characteristic (the number of the cross-field pits - a feature we consider of diagnostic value) with Xanthocyparis vietnamensis Farjon & T.H. Nguyên led to its assignment to the Hesperocyparis-Xanthocyparis-Callitropsis clade. The detailed study of the wound scars and anatomical abnormalities, the anatomical-environmental associations, and structural-functional reactions follow the identification of the wood's anatomy sensu Carlquist providing decisive results. Conclusions: Based on the distinctive characteristics presented, we identify our macrofossil as Cupressinoxylon matromnense Grambast, a stem or an extinct lineage of the Hesperocyparis-Xanthocyparis vietnamensis-Callitropsis nootkatensis clade with feeding traces of the fossil cambium miner of the genus Protophytobia Süss (Diptera: Agromyzidae), and anatomical damage and reaction tissue on adventitious shoots. The use of Protopinaceae and Pinoxylon F. H. Knowlton from the eastern Mediterranean are re-evaluated and corrections are provided. The age of the studied plant fossiliferous locality in Gökçeada is revised as middle Miocene, allowing the proposal of an eastern Mediterranean MCO hotspot, including Lesbos, Lemnos, and Gökçeada (Imbros) Islands.

Araucarioid wood from the late Oligocene-early Miocene of Hainan Island: first fossil evidence for the genus Agathis in the Northern Hemisphere.

Although many fossil and molecular data suggest migrations from Malesia and Asia to Australia appear to dominate floristic exchange between Australian and Asian rainforests, evidence is emerging that demonstrate dispersal of plant groups from Australia to Asia. In this paper, a new species Agathis ledongensis sp. nov. is described on the basis of silicified wood from the late Oligocene-early Miocene of the Qiutangling Formation in Ledong, Hainan Island, South China. It is the first fossil record of Agathis in the Northern Hemisphere, and the only known fossil evidence of its dispersal outside of Gondwana. The close affinity of the fossil wood from Ledong with the genus Agathis was confirmed by comparing quantitative traits in 31 wood samples of 20 species representing all three extant genera of the Araucariaceae. The percentage of tracheids with uniseriate pitting on radial walls is shown as an additional diagnostic trait for separating Agathis and Wollemia from Araucaria. The wood of Agathis ledongensis provides evidence for the dispersal of this important plant group from Australia, or another Gondwanan terrane, to eastern Asia based on reliable fossil data. It records the occurrence of this genus in Hainan Island by the early Miocene, i.e. at the beginning of the formation of the island chains between Australia and the South-East Asia and thus the provision of a land migration route. As the land routes between these continents were restricted at that time, the migration of Agathis to Malesia and Asia was presumably facilitated by long-distance dispersal of its winged seeds by wind.

Multi-century long density chronology of living and sub-fossil trees from Lake Schwarzensee, Austria.

This paper presents a multi-century, maximum latewood density (MXD) chronology developed from living and sub-fossil spruce trees from the Eastern Alps. The chronology is continuous from 88AD to 2008AD. This time series has been analysed with respect to its possible use for climate reconstruction. Correlations with climatic data showed strong dependence between MXD of growth rings and temperature of April, May, June, July, August and September and a weaker, negative dependence with precipitation of May and September. For solar radiation a positive relationship was noted for April, July, August and September. Light rings were frequently observed within the analysed samples and the climate of years with light rings was examined. Mean monthly temperatures in January, June, August, September and October, averaged during light ring years, were cooler than during years without light rings. Precipitation was also significantly reduced in March during light ring years. In turn, solar radiation during light ring years has significantly lowered values in February and August. The occurrence of light rings was often positively related to strong volcanic events.

A report on biocompounds from palm fossil of India.

The occurrence of a large number of fossil woods having resemblance in anatomical features with the modern palm genus, Phoenix L in Deccan Intertrappean fossil flora of Maastrichtian-Danian age (i. e. Late Cretaceous and Earliest Tertiary (65-67 my)) indicates the most primitive record of date palm. Present discovery of biocompounds from fossil wood of Phoenix collected from Deccan Intertrappean having affinity with the biocompounds known from modern plant further exemplify the earliest documentation of Phoenix in Indian peninsula.