Pristine Early Eocene wood buried deeply in kimberlite from northern Canada.
PLoS One
; 7(9): e45537, 2012.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23029080
ABSTRACT
We report exceptional preservation of fossil wood buried deeply in a kimberlite pipe that intruded northwestern Canada's Slave Province 53.3±0.6 million years ago (Ma), revealed during excavation of diamond source rock. The wood originated from forest surrounding the eruption zone and collapsed into the diatreme before resettling in volcaniclastic kimberlite to depths >300 m, where it was mummified in a sterile environment. Anatomy of the unpermineralized wood permits conclusive identification to the genus Metasequoia (Cupressaceae). The wood yields genuine cellulose and occluded amber, both of which have been characterized spectroscopically and isotopically. From cellulose δ(18)O and δ(2)H measurements, we infer that Early Eocene paleoclimates in the western Canadian subarctic were 12-17°C warmer and four times wetter than present. Canadian kimberlites offer Lagerstätte-quality preservation of wood from a region with limited alternate sources of paleobotanical information.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Wood
/
Fossils
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Year:
2012
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Canada