Interrelatedness of Biota Revealed in Fossil Trees from the Permian Fossil Forest of Northern Tocantins, Central-North Brazil

Abstract

While knowledge about the paleobiology of plants has increased considerably, knowledge of the various interactions between trees, climbers, epiphytes, and other coexisting organisms has unfortunately remained limited. Besides

The limits of life revealed in a silicified micro-ecosystem: Sphenophyllum stems, leaves, and roots trapped inside an arthropod boring in a Permian calamitalean

“…6, Figs 1-4). As tiny Sphenophyllum roots anchored the emerging axes at the tree fern root mantle, was recognised in Tietea singularis and, likewise, in Grammatopteris freitasii fern trunks (RÖßLER et al 2020). As the preservational places on the outer surface or between aerial roots of tree fern trunks suggest, the sclerenchyma in the cortex of the Sphenophyllum stems underlines that our forms could have attained climbing growth.…”

“…Among all of them, the latter was certainly more competitive in gaining light. As indicated by the presence of climber hooks attached to Sphenophyllum twigs (BARTHEL 1997) and the presence of Sphenophyllum stems among aerial roots on the surface of usually tall tree ferns (MICKLE 1984, RÖßLER et al 2020), the climbing sphenophyte was documented to reach also higher levels in the forest beyond the ground cover vegetation.…”

“…Sphenophyllum was also found preserved in growth position among adventitious aerial roots of different tree ferns, like Grammatopteris freitasii or Tietea singularis (RÖßLER et al 2019). However, briefly discussed and illustrated by RÖßLER et al (2020) because of its palaeoecological meaning, Sphenophyllum from central-north Brazil remained to be documented in more detail. In this contribution, we describe Permian material showing Sphenophyllum plants that once entered the interior of an upright standing calamitalean tree (NEREGATO et al 2017).…”