A fossilised forest comprising of fossil trees (known as Calamophyton), and vegetation-induced sedimentary structures has been discovered in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast of Southwest England. This dates from 390 million years ago which makes it the oldest known fossil forest on Emhlabeni.
Esinye sezehlakalo ezibalulekile emlandweni we Emhlabeni ukugawulwa kwamahlathi noma ukushintshela emahlathini planet kulandela ukuvela kwezihlahla namahlathi eNkathini Yenkathi Ye-Devonian Ephakathi Nasekupheleni, eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingama-393–359 edlule. Izitshalo ezinosayizi wesihlahla zashintsha ngokuyisisekelo i-biosphere yomhlaba mayelana nokuzinza kwenhlabathi emathafeni ezikhukhula, ukukhiqizwa kwamaminerali obumba, amazinga wesimo sezulu, i-CO2 ukwehla, kanye nomjikelezo we-hydrological. Lezi zinguquko zibe nomthelela omkhulu ekusaseni le Emhlabeni.
Izihlahla zakudala ezimile ezisakhula zingeze-Cladoxylopsida eyavela ekuqaleni kwe-Mid-Devonian. I izihlahla ze-cladoxylopsid (calamophyton) zazikhona i-woody encane uma iqhathaniswa nama-lignophytes akudala archaeopteridalean (archaeopteris) avele kamuva ngasekupheleni kwe-Mid-Devonian. Kusukela ngasekupheleni kwe-Mid-Devonian, i-woody lignophytes flora yaqala ukubusa umhlaba (ama-lignophyte ayizitshalo zemithambo ezikhiqiza ukhuni oluqinile nge-cambium).
Ocwaningweni lwakamuva, abacwaningi bakhombe indawo engakaze ibonwe ngaphambili yehlathi le-Mid-Dovinian cladoxylopsid e-Hangman Sandstone Formation yaseSomerset naseDevon eNingizimu-ntshonalanga. England. Lesi siza siqukethe izihlahla zemivubukulo ezimile mahhala noma ihlathi lezinsalela elakhiwa eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingama-390 edlule elenza libe yihlathi elidala kunawo wonke elaziwa kulo. Emhlabeni – cishe iminyaka eyizigidi ezine kunehlathi langaphambili lezinsalela ezitholakala eSifundazweni saseNew York. Ucwaningo lunikeza ukukhanya ngomthelela wamahlathi amadala kakhulu.
The i-cladoxylopsid izihlahla zazifana nesundu kodwa zingenamaqabunga. Esikhundleni sokhuni oluqinile, iziqu zazo zazizacile futhi zingenalutho phakathi nendawo futhi amagatsha awo ayembozwe amakhulu ezakhiwo ezinjengamagatsha ezaziwela phansi ehlathini njengoba isihlahla sikhula. Izihlahla zakha amahlathi aminyene anensada enkulu yezitshalo phansi. Kwakungekho kukhula phansi njengoba utshani babungakaguquki kodwa inqwaba yobulongwe bezihlahla eziminyene ibe nomthelela omkhulu. Imfucumfucu yayisekela ukuphila kwezilwane ezingenamgogodla phansi. Izinsalela eziphansi zibe nomthelela ekugelezeni kwemifula kanye nokumelana nezikhukhula. Lokhu bekungokokuqala emlandweni we Emhlabeni ukuthi izinguquko eziqhutshwa yizihlahla zaba nomthelela emifuleni nasezindaweni ezingezona zasolwandle planet washintsha unomphela.
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Izikhombo:
- UDavies NS, McMahon WJ, kanye noBerry CM, 2024. Emhlabeni Ihlathi lakudala kakhulu: izihlahla ezakhiwe ngamathambo kanye nezakhiwo ze-sedimentary ezibangelwa uhlaza kusukela ku-Middle Devonian (Eifelian) i-Hangman Sandstone Formation, i-Somerset ne-Devon, SW England. Ijenali ye-Geological Society. 23 February 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2023-204
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