And University of Parana stratigrapher Tami Mutin explained that the discovery of this petrified forest of 164 lycophytes (no fruits, flowers or seeds) of a formerly extinct species is “the most important in the southern hemisphere” in terms of quantity. and quality of conservation.
The scientist, who conducted his research in collaboration with the University of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil and the University of California at Davis in the United States, added that “these plants, estimated to be 290 million years old, represent in very primitive forms of life in history. Earth. ”
He explained that this forest, which grew near the present site of the city of Ortigueira, “shows how the first plants spread and spread in this area, as well as the nature of their interaction” with other forms of life.
Similar rare discoveries have previously been made in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in the state of Rio Grande do Sul or Argentinean Patagonia, but on a smaller scale.
The Petrified Forest of Paraná was accidentally discovered at the end of 2018 during geological surveys that preceded the planning of a route to the factory.
His discovery was followed by the launch of a long-term study, the results of which were published in February in the scientific journal Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology, published by the Dutch group Elsevier, and recently reported in the Brazilian press.
Tami Motin explains that the factor that allows the forest to be preserved in such an extraordinary way is that the trees are “buried while they are still alive and then gradually covered with sediment.” Then “the forest remained almost the same” after it was flooded by an icy river.
Source: Al-Akhbar
