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

ABSTRACT

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.