Confined pyrolysis of extant land plants: A contribution to palaeochemotaxonomy

Hautevelle, Yann; Michels, Raymond; Lannuzel, Frédéric; Malartre, Fabrice; Trouiller, Alain

doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2006.06.016

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Unfortunately, our knowledge on botanical palaeochemotaxonomy is still very scarce. As pointed out by Hautevelle et al (2006b), difficulties are related to the following: (1) available chemotaxonomic data (generally focused on specific biomolecules or on particular substances, like resins or essential oils); (2) degradation and diagenetic reactions, which may significantly modify the initial molecular fingerprint, making it difficult to perform a direct chemotaxonomic relationship between an extant plant and its fossil counterpart; (3) the scarcity of reference collections of well-preserved and identifiable fossil plants containing organic molecules.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Transformation of fresh material to its diagenetic counterpart was carried out by experimental artificial maturation by confined pyrolysis, developed by Hautevelle et al (2006b). Twigs and leaves of the selected plants were finely cut and dried under vacuum for 24 h in a desiccator at 45 • C before being crushed.…”

Section: Experimental and Analytical Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1), we investigated the palaeochemotaxonomy of several extant species of the Araucariaceae (Table 1) using an experimental method based on artificial maturation by confined pyrolysis (Hautevelle et al, 2006b). This procedure allows simulation of the conversion of biomolecules into their corresponding diagenetic geomolecules (Stankiewicz et al, 2000;Gupta et al, 2006Gupta et al, , 2007.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determination of the molecular signature of fossil conifers by experimental palaeochemotaxonomy – Part 1: The Araucariaceae family

Hautevelle

Michels

2013

Biogeosciences

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Twelve species of the conifer family Araucariaceae, including Araucaria (6 species), Agathis (3 species) and Wollemia (1 species) genera, were submitted to artificial maturation by confined pyrolysis. The aim of these experiments is to transform the biomolecules synthesized by these species into their homologous geomolecules in laboratory conditions. Determination of the diagenetic molecular signatures of Araucariaceae through experimentation on extant representatives allows us to complete our knowledge in botanical palaeochemotaxonomy. Such knowledge is relevant to palaeoenvironmental, environmental and archaeology purposes. All artificially diagenetic species of Araucariaceae are firstly characterized by a predominance of saturated tetracyclic diterpenoids including ent-beyerane, phyllocladanes and ent-kauranes. Moreover, Araucaria genus shows a high relative abundance of bicyclic sesquiterpenoids, particularly the cadalane-type compounds accompanied by those of eudesmane and bisabolane types as well as chamazulene and pentamethyl-dihydroindenes. Diterpenoids are of labdane, isopimarane and abietane types (essentially derived from abietanoic acids) as well as isohexyl alkylaromatic hydrocarbons. Compared to the tetracyclic diterpenoids, these compounds show a relatively lower abundance, reaching trace levels in the case of saturated abietanes. Distributions of sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids of Agathis show some similarities to that of Araucaria, with the exception of one species, in which the tetracyclic compounds are absent and the abietane type (essentially derived from abietanoic acids) predominant. High similarities between the Wollemia and Araucaria genera are observed. Both are characterized by some high relative abundance of tetracyclic compounds with no predominance of other specific diterpenoids

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Experimental and Analytical Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determination of the molecular signature of fossil conifers by experimental palaeochemotaxonomy – Part 1: The Araucariaceae family

Hautevelle

Michels

2013

Biogeosciences

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“…The process and controls of resin polymerisation and maturation across different amber chemistries is not well understood. Further experimental work (see Hautevelle et al, ; Lu, Hautevelle & Michels, ) on maturation would help us understand chemical changes within the resin (and any fossils trapped within it), but also confirm what molecular compositions are unaffected by the maturation process and any weathering. This would aid us in understanding the original environment and perhaps why that resin was exuded.…”

Section: The Future Of Fossil Resin Researchmentioning

confidence: 98%

Production and preservation of resins – past and present

et al. 2018

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Amber is fossilised plant resin. It can be used to provide insights into the terrestrial conditions at the time the original resin was exuded. Amber research thus can inform many aspects of palaeontology, from the recovery and description of enclosed fossil organisms (biological inclusions) to attempts at reconstruction of past climates and environments. Here we focus on the resin itself, the conditions under which it may have been exuded, and its potential path to fossilisation, rather than on enclosed fossils. It is noteworthy that not all plants produce resin, and that not all resins can (nor do) become amber. Given the recent upsurge in the number of amber deposits described, it is time to re-examine ambers from a botanical perspective. Here we summarise the state of knowledge about resin production in modern ecosystems, and review the biological and ecological aspects of resin production in plants. We also present new observations on conifer-derived resin exudation, with a particular focus on araucarian conifer trees. We suggest that besides disease, insect attacks and traumatic wounding from fires and storms, other factors such as tree architecture and local soil conditions are significant in creating and preserving resin outpourings. We also examine the transformation of resin into amber (maturation), focusing on geological aspects of amber deposit formation and preservation. We present new evidence that expands previous understanding of amber deposit formation. Specific geological conditions such as anoxic burial are essential in the creation of amber from resin deposits. We show that in the past, the production of large amounts of resin could have been linked to global climate changes and environmental disruption. We then highlight where the gaps in our knowledge still remain and potential future research directions.

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“…Terpenoids are subject to early alteration and degradation and only a small portion is transferred to sedimentary archives (Hedges and Prahl, 1993;Hautevelle et al, 2006;Jacob et al, 2007;Bechtel et al, 2008;Diefendorf et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%