Have you ever heard of the oldest forest ever discovered? Well, researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Cardiff have stumbled upon a fascinating find in England – a 390-million-year-old fossilized forest along dramatic sandstone cliffs.
This ancient forest, unlike anything seen in today’s world, is detailed in a recent paper in the Journal of Geological Study. The trees, resembling giant 13-foot thistles, are considered some of the earliest to exist on our planet. One peculiar feature of these trees, known as Calamophyton, is their hollow trunks composed of smaller, multiple trunk-like strands. These trees would eventually split apart as they grew thicker and bigger.
Cambridge Earth Sciences professor Neil Davies described the forest as “pretty weird” compared to modern forests. With no undergrowth or grass, the landscape was dominated by densely-packed trees dropping twigs that shaped the environment.
The ancient forest was found in South West England, specifically in Devon and Somerset counties. Fossilized remains such as logs, branches, and stumps provide insight into the Devonian Period, a crucial time in Earth’s history. This period saw the emergence of the first land animals and plants reproducing by seeds.
The discovery sheds light on how the first forests influenced the land, as branches from these trees helped build up sediment and alter the course of ancient rivers. Davies emphasized the significant impact of the Devonian period on Earth’s ecosystems and how little is known about the earliest forests.
This astonishing find paints a vivid picture of Earth’s past and highlights the importance of understanding how ancient forests shaped our planet.
