Silicification of Higher Plants in Geothermally Influenced Wetlands: Yellowstone as a Lower Devonian Rhynie Analog

Channing, Alan; Edwards, Dianne

doi:10.2110/palo.2008.p08-131r

Cited by 59 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Akahane et al, 2004), and morphological characteristics could therefore be very well preserved, as occurs with this and other cherts and silicified structures (e.g. Barghoorn and Schopf, 1965;Konhauser et al, 2003;Jones et al, 2004;Channing and Edwards, 2009). In the case of the Huepac Chert samples, this may be evidenced by a) the remarkable preservation of the cellular morphology, b) the preservation of relatively delicate cellular contents and extracellular EPS, and c) the preservation of organic matter within the chert likely as kerogen (Supplementary Fig.…”

Section: Ecology and Assemblage Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Life cycle of 70 Ma-old non-marine pennate diatoms

Beraldi-Campesi

Mann

Cevallos-Ferriz

2015

Cretaceous Research

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Section: Ecology and Assemblage Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Life cycle of 70 Ma-old non-marine pennate diatoms

Beraldi-Campesi

Mann

Cevallos-Ferriz

2015

Cretaceous Research

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“…While some hot springs erupt constantly (from our own observations of Big Blue Hot Spring, Yellowstone (Channing and Edwards 2009)) over periods of decades, most (and nearly all geysers) erupt cyclically with intervals between eruptions spanning from minutes (e.g. ) to many years.…”

Section: Sinter Apronsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Despain 1990;Channing 2001Channing , 2003Stout and Al-Niemi 2002;Trewin et al 2003;Channing and Edwards 2009). These are set against a number of often overlapping and cyclically fluctuating physical gradients i.e.…”

Section: General Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These are also hostile environments for higher plant growth. In this sub-environment, high water temperatures in areas proximal to vents prevent colonisation (Channing and Edwards 2009). Below c. 40 °C higher plants may be able to tolerate temperature but are again faced with the problem of rooting to a hard substrate (Channing and Edwards 2009).…”

Section: Sinter Apronsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Channing 2001Channing , 2003Trewin et al 2003;Trewin and Wilson 2004;Channing and Edwards 2009). Given this new view of the Rhynie depositional and preservational environment there is a crucial need to re-evaluate the ecophysiological tolerances and stresses of the inhabitants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Yellowstone hot spring environments and the palaeo-ecophysiology of Rhynie chert plants: towards a synthesis

Channing

Edwards

2009

Plant Ecology & Diversity

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Background:The Rhynie chert, Aberdeenshire, encapsulates the ecophysiological and anatomical information on all components, including plants, animals and micro-organisms, of an early terrestrial ecosystem as it existed some 400 million years ago (Early Devonian), as preserved by siliceous waters emanating from a hot spring system. Aims: This paper concentrates on the higher plants (tracheophytes) and brings together information on the habitats of the plants and the environmental pressures that they endured to answer issues relating to their endemism and their ecophysiology. Methods & Results:The synthesis includes detailed information on the palaeo-environments recorded in the chert, plus anatomical and autecological data from the plants themselves, and makes comparisons with the abiotic and biotic data obtained from an extant analogue, the alkali-chloride geothermal systems at Yellowstone National Park. Particular attention is paid to the physiological basis and evolution of osmotic and chemical tolerance of halophytes, the dominant colonisers of Yellowstone's wetlands and, to a lesser extent, metallophytes. Conclusions: The Rhynie plants colonised wetlands at the low temperature fringes of a hot spring system and were versatile, but physiologically highly specialised, capable of withstanding osmotic and chemical stresses in a dynamic environment, but were probably out-competed by mesophytic vegetation elsewhere.

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Rhynie Chert

Trewin¹

2013

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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The Rhynie chert of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK contains exceptionally well‐preserved Early Devonian ( c . 407 Ma) fossil plants and arthropods. The chert is a siliceous rock resulting from the alteration of sinter deposited around surface vents by hydrothermal hot springs, and the cherts lie within shales and sandstones deposited by floods from a river system. The seven embryophyte plants include primitive rhyniophytes and early lycopods. Both sporophyte and gametophyte generations are preserved for several plants. Saprophytic, parasitic and symbiotic fungi are associated with the plants. The terrestrial fauna is dominated by arthropods with trigonotarbids, mites, myriapods and primitive hexapods, and freshwater pools contained branchiopod crustaceans and a euthycarcinoid. The biota comprises the oldest well‐preserved terrestrial ecosystem on Earth, and the primitive terrestrial plants form the cornerstone of palaeobotany. Key Concepts: The Rhynie chert contains the oldest well preserved terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Silica preserves delicate 3D structures in plants and arthropods. The earliest full sporophte/gametophyte plant life histories are preserved. Superb preservation reveals many organisms with their earliest known occurrence in the chert. The advanced ecological relationships in the Rhynie chert indicate a long pre‐Devonian period of terrestrial colonisation by plants and arthropods. The ecosytem has many features in common with modern plant litter communities.

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Silicification of Higher Plants in Geothermally Influenced Wetlands: Yellowstone as a Lower Devonian Rhynie Analog

Cited by 59 publications

References 39 publications

Life cycle of 70 Ma-old non-marine pennate diatoms

Life cycle of 70 Ma-old non-marine pennate diatoms

Yellowstone hot spring environments and the palaeo-ecophysiology of Rhynie chert plants: towards a synthesis

Rhynie Chert

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