4 Million-Long Forest Revealed Thanks to Fossil Leaves

A new discovery has been made on Borneo, the world’s third largest island. By examining the fossil leaves they found, the researchers uncovered a forest that still nurtures biodiversity. This forest 4 million years It is said to exist and host a large ecosystem.

As a result of the research, scientists say that the current landscape, which is dominated by dipterocarp trees, is between about 2 and 5 million.

Fossil leaves enable discovery of forest of 4 million

Borneo, with more than half of other global species 270 dipterocarps host species. The highly important island also plays a major role in supporting the currently severely threatened Tropical Asian biodiversity.

From Pennsylvania State University on the subject paleobotanist Peter Wilf, “This is the first evidence that the dominant lifestyle characteristic of the dipterocarp trees of Borneo and all of the Asian wet tropics is not only present but actually dominant,” he said. He also said, “We found much more dipterocarp fossils than any other plant group.‘ He ended with his statements.

According to the researchers, it is dipterocarpsIt is among the tallest tropical trees in the world, and some individuals are said to grow up to 100 meters. However, team lead Wilf stated that it is difficult to come across rock fossils of its leaves due to the cover provided by the forests and soils.

In this study, both leaf and fossil pollen were brought together; An ancient site surrounded by tropical lowland rainforest with a variety of ferns and an abundance of climbing plants. mangrove and it also describes the marsh world.

“We’re really starting to see what the environment was like millions of years ago.‘ said Wilf, ‘While these habitats have been cut off across much of tropical Asia, they were very similar to what you might find there now.” made statements.

Stating that the maintenance and expansion of protection is the top priority, the researchers said that thanks to pollination and a large nutritious seed store, dipterocarp trees; proboscis monkeys, cloudy leopardssun bears and rhino horns He underlined that it serves as the basis of life for many species of flora and fauna, including

Stating that they will do more research on the history of the region, scientists hope that they will reach more mysterious information thanks to the fossils in the tropics.