Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the north of Devon and Somerset, UK, unearthing remnants of the Earth’s oldest known forest. These fossilized trees, estimated to be a staggering 390 million years old, rewrite the history of terrestrial ecosystems and offer a glimpse into a bygone world.
This ancient forest predates the previous record holder by a significant margin. The once-majestic trees of Cairo, New York, pale in comparison at a mere 385 million years old. The UK discovery, meticulously analyzed by researchers from Cambridge and Cardiff Universities, reveals fossilized trunks reaching up to 2 meters in length, alongside smaller branches. These belonged to a pioneering group of trees called cladoxylopsids.
These ancient giants dominated the landscape for roughly 5 million years before succumbing to the rise of more modern woody trees around 385 million years ago. The research, published in the Journal of the Geological Society, sheds new light on the evolution of trees and their profound impact on shaping our planet.
Dr. Christopher Berry, a paleontologist at Cardiff University, played a crucial role in identifying the fossils. “These Calamophyton trees,” he explains, “represent a previously missing chapter in Britain’s plant history. They are the oldest fossil trees ever found here.”
While superficially resembling palm trees, these ancient giants were fundamentally different from their modern counterparts. Their hollow trunks lacked the solid wood structure of modern trees, relying instead on a ring of supportive woody strands. Delicate twig-like structures adorned their branches instead of leaves.
Standing at a modest 2-4 meters tall, these Calamophyton were dwarfed by their future kin. As they grew, they shed their lower branches, blanketing the forest floor with organic litter that sustained a rich invertebrate population.
The discovery goes beyond isolated fossils. The team unearthed evidence of tree bases and fallen trunks, providing a unique window into the ancient forest’s ecology and the spacing of the trees during their prime.
Dr. Berry elaborates, “The shape and structure of these remnants strongly suggest that the Calamophyton thrived along a raised bank beside a small river channel.” Recognizing these ancient giants was a culmination of Dr. Berry’s extensive research on similar fossils in Europe.
“Having spent years searching for the earliest forests worldwide,” he admits, “it’s incredible to realize these specimens were practically under my nose all along.”
The team theorizes that this ancient forest, now nestled in Devon and Somerset, was originally located much closer to present-day Belgium and Germany during the Devonian period. This dramatic shift occurred millions of years later during the Carboniferous period, when continental collisions reshaped geological landscapes.
Professor Neil Davies, lead author of the study from Cambridge University, emphasizes the significance of this discovery. “The Devonian period witnessed a fundamental transformation of life on Earth,” he explains. “Trees and other plant life, through their root systems, played a crucial role in stabilizing sediments and altering the interaction between land and water.”
This fossil trove preserves a critical chapter in Earth’s history, a time when rivers began to function in a fundamentally new way, eventually becoming the powerful erosive forces we know today. Professor Davies concludes by highlighting the importance of revisiting geological sites, “We often assume British rocks have been thoroughly explored, but this discovery demonstrates that there are still significant secrets waiting to be unearthed.”
Source: Cardiff University