Amber, known as nature’s “time capsule,” provides a unique window into Earth’s history and the evolution of life. It not only preserves the morphology of ancient organisms but also records environmental information from prehistoric times, making it a crucial medium for paleontological research. Currently, the oldest known amber containing biological inclusions comes from the Triassic strata of Italy, while all other amber with biological inclusions dates to the Cretaceous or later, such as Cretaceous Burmese amber, Eocene Fushun amber, and Miocene Dominican amber. Jurassic amber has long remained a gap in research.Recently, a research team led by Professor Dany Azar from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered a precious Jurassic insect fossil in amber from the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) in Aintourine, northern Lebanon. This discovery not only fills the gap in the Mesozoic amber fossil record but also provides important clues for studying insect evolutionary history. The fossil, named Jankotejacoccus libanogloria, is the earliest known Jurassic amber insect inclusion, revealing that male characteristics of scale insects appeared in the early stages of evolution.Lebanon is renowned in paleontology for its rich amber deposits. Under the leadership of Dany Azar, researchers have identified over 500 amber outcrops from the Early Cretaceous in Lebanon, 31 of which contain biological inclusions, along with 19 outcrops from the Late Jurassic. This period is crucial in the study of terrestrial ecosystem evolution, as it marks the emergence of angiosperms and the co-evolutionary relationship between plants and pollinating insects.The newly discovered Jankotejacoccus libanogloria is a herbivorous adult male scale insect, significantly different from all other scale insects, and has been classified into a new family. The fossil reveals that male characteristics of scale insects, including morphological and behavioral transformations, appeared early in their evolution. The Late Jurassic primitive male scale insect fossils are morphologically related to modern groups and coexisted with the dominant gymnosperms of the time. Associated marine fossils and zircon analysis support its age as Kimmeridgian.The Aintourine amber is proven to originate from the gymnosperm family Cheirolepidiaceae. The semi-angular morphology of the sediment-amber boundary suggests that the low viscosity of the resin may have contributed to the rarity of biological preservation in such amber, although other factors (e.g., resin flow or taphonomic processes) may also have played a role. Associated plant materials in the amber include Protopodocarpoxylon, Brachyphyllum, Classostrobus, and Classopolis pollen from the Cheirolepidiaceae. The paleoenvironment has been reconstructed as a forested temporary swamp habitat, with tall araucarias, ginkgoes, shrub ferns, tree ferns, and aquatic ferns. The amber is typically transparent, containing fungal spores, minerals, and organic debris (charcoal, leaves, wood, and fungi). There is no evidence of long-distance transport or redeposition, suggesting the depositional environment was near the amber-producing trees. However, whether these trees dominated the forest remains uncertain, as they may have coexisted with other species.This discovery not only provides new insights into the origins of amber forest ecosystems but also paves the way for further research on evolution and biodiversity. Future studies on Lebanese amber deposits and findings are expected to enhance our understanding of the early development of modern ecosystems and offer more insights into the biodiversity and terrestrial evolution of the mid-Mesozoic.This research was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hundred Talents Program (Category A).Article Information:Peter Vršanský*, Hemen Sendi, Júlia Kotulová, Jacek Szwedo, Martina Havelcová, Helena Palková, Lucia Vršanská, Jakub Sakala, L'ubica Puškelová, Marián Golej, Adrian Biroň, Daniel Peyrot, Donald Quicke, Didier Néraudeau, Pavel Uher, Sibelle Maksoud, Dany Azar*, 2025. Jurassic Park approached: a coccid from Kimmeridgian cheirolepidiacean Aintourine Lebanese amber. National Science Review, Volume 12: nwae200, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae200Reconstruction of the Jurassic amber ecosystem in Aintourine, northern Lebanon (Image by: Júlia Káčerová).Jurassic amber forest of Aintourine and fossil evidence from the perspective of dinosaurs (Image by: Júlia Káčerová).Male scale insect Jankotejacoccus libanogloria from Jurassic amber in Lebanon.<!--!doctype-->
Since 2019, Dr. Peng Huiping from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the guidance of his supervisor Prof. Feng Liu, has collaborated with Prof. Mingli Wan from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Wan Yang from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Prof. Jun Liu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to conduct detailed research on palynomorphs from the well-dated South Taodonggou section exposed on the western margin of the Turpan-Hami Basin in Xinjiang, China. This research provides new fossil evidence for understanding the evolution of terrestrial vegetation in the Turpan-Hami Basin during the end-Permian mass extinction, with findings recently published in Science Advances.A new study reveals that a region in China’s Turpan-Hami Basin served as a refugium, or “Life oasis” for terrestrial plants during the end-Permian mass extinction, the most severe biological crisis since the Cambrian period.The research, published in Science Advances, challenges the widely held view that terrestrial ecosystems suffered the same catastrophic losses as marine environments during this period.The discovery, led by Prof. LIU Feng from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (NIGPAS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, provides the first conclusive fossil evidence of a terrestrial plant community that remained largely undisturbed throughout the extinction event, allowing for continuous evolution and rapid ecological recovery afterward.The team’s findings suggest that some land areas were shielded from the worst effects of the extinction, creating pockets of resilience that played a crucial role in the rebound of life on Earth.The end-Permian mass extinction, which occurred approximately 252 million years ago, wiped out over 80% of marine species, and its impact on land has long been debated. One prevailing theory suggests that volcanic eruptions in Siberia triggered widespread terrestrial devastation through wildfires, acid rain, and toxic gases. Evidence for this includes the successive extinction of characteristic Gigantopteris flora in South China and typical Glossopteris flora across Gondwanaland around the end-Permian mass extinction.However, the opposing camp argues that these catastrophic effects were limited by latitude and atmospheric circulation. Some fossil discoveries even suggest that certain Mesozoic plants existed before the extinction event, pointing to uninterrupted evolution.The South Taodonggou section in Xinjiang offers a unique perspective. Detailed analysis of fossil pollen and spores, along with precise dating methods from a Bayesian age model developed by Professor YANG Wan of the Missouri University of Science and Technology, have revealed a continuous record of riparian fern fields and coniferous forests thriving from 160,000 years before the extinction began until 160,000 years after it ended.“The presence of intact tree trunks and fern stems further confirms that these microfossils represent local vegetation, not transported remnants,” said Professor WAN Mingli from NIGPAS.Although some plant species disappeared locally, the researchers found that the overall extinction rate of spore and pollen species in the South Taodonggou section was possibly only about 21%—far lower than the marine extinction rate during the same period. This conclusion was based on the discovery of many “missing” species in Early Triassic strata elsewhere, indicating temporary migration rather than permanent extinction.This stable vegetation base was crucial for the rapid recovery of the local ecosystem. Fossil evidence shows that within just 75,000 years after the extinction ended, the area supported diverse tetrapods, including herbivorous Lystrosaurus and carnivorous chroniosuchians, demonstrating a quick return to a complex food web. This discovery contrasts with the previous understanding that ecosystem recovery after the end-Permian extinction took over a million years. The new evidence suggests local ecological diversity in this area recovered more than ten times faster than in other regions.The researchers cited the region’s stable, semi-humid climate as crucial to its biological resilience. According to analysis of paleosol matrices, the region consistently received about 1000 mm of rainfall per year during this time. Due to its consistent precipitation, South Taodonggou offered more abundant vegetation and a more habitable environment than other regions following the end-Permian mass extinction, providing vital support for migrating animals.Despite its proximity to the volcanic activity that triggered the end-Permian extinction, the Turpan-Hami Basin provided a safe haven for terrestrial life, demonstrating that even seemingly dangerous locations can harbor crucial biodiversity.“This suggests that local climate and geographic factors can create surprising pockets of resilience, offering hope for conservation efforts in the face of global environmental change,” said Professor LIU Feng from NIGPAS.In light of current concerns about a potential sixth mass extinction driven by human activity, the discovery of this “Life oasis” highlights the importance of identifying and protecting such natural refugia.This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key R&D Program of China, the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program and the US National Science Foundation.<!--!doctype-->
Located at the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau, the Qaidam Basin serves as a key region for studying Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystem evolution and exploration of fossil energy resources.Since the 1950s, abundant paleobotanical and palynological findings have been accumulated from the Lower-Middle Jurassic in this region. However, as a crucial proxy of paleobotanical research, fossil woods have rarely been documented in the Jurassic strata of the Qaidam Basin, and the systematic studies remain insufficient. This knowledge gap has hindered comprehensive analysis of Mesozoic paleovegetation evolution and climatic and environmental changes in the area.Recently, a Sino-German joint research team on paleobotany, led by Professor Wang Yongdong from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), Dr. Xie Aowei from Senckenberg Research Institute, Germany (SRI), and Prof. Tian Ning from the College of Paleontology of Shenyang Normal University (CPSNU) discovered a new type of exceptionally well-preserved fossil wood material in the Early Jurassic strata dating back about 186 million years ago on the northeastern margin of the Qaidam Basin. They carried out systematic anatomical studies, confirmed its taxonomic attributes and revealed its significance for paleobiogeography and paleoclimate research.Anatomical studies have shown that fossil exhibits araucarian radial tracheid pits, each cross-field usually bearing 1–2 podocarpoid pits, taxodioid pits or oopores, abundant septa in tracheids, and all ray cell walls thin and unpitted. These morphological features support its classification into the extinct conifer plant genus Metapodocarpoxylon Dupéron-Laudoueneix et Pons.Since 1985, the genus Metapodocarpoxylon has been establishedfor over 40 years. Previously records of this genus are restricted to the northern Gondwana during the Mesozoic, and their localities are documented in over 40 localities forming a distinctive latitudinal belt extending westwards from Lebanon to Peru in the Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments. The current discovery not only represents its first record in Laurasia but also expands its biogeographic range from northern Gondwana to Laurasia, defying conventional biogeographic boundaries. This report has broken through the traditional understanding of geographical distribution of Metapodocarpoxylon, and contributes to a deeper understanding of the migration and evolution patterns of this plants in the geological history.Fossil records shows that Metapodocarpoxylon mainly appeared from the Middle Jurassic to the Cretaceous period. This study reveals that the genus might have originated in Laurasia during the Early Jurassic and then migrated to the Gondwana region under the influence of climate change. The new fossil materials discovered in the Qaidam Basin have pushed the fossil record of this genus back from the previously known Middle Jurassic to the Early Jurassic (about 20 million years earlier).The fossil wood of Metapodocarpoxylon displays distinct growth rings, with abundant, well-formed earlywood and narrow latewood, as well as abrupt transitions between earlywood and latewood. This observation, along with previous interpretations based on macroflora, palynoflora and sedimentological data, suggests that a warm and humid climate condition with mild seasonality prevailed in the region during the Early Jurassic.Integrated analysis of palaeobotanical and sedimentological data further indicates that the Qaidam Basin experienced a warm-humid climate with mild seasonal precipitation disparities, providing optimal conditions for dense coniferous forests. This conclusion aligns with palaeobotanical and palynological evidence supporting a "conifer-dominated temperate humid climate," thereby furnishing critical evidence for reconstructing palaeovegetation and refining Early Jurassic climatic models in East Asia.This research has been published in the Cambridge University international journal Geological Magazine. Prof. Yongdong Wang from NIGPAS, Dr. Aowei Xie from SRI and Prof. Ning Tian CPSNU served as co-corresponding authors. The international collaborative team included Prof. Dr. Dieter Uhl (Senckenberg Research Institute), Dr. Min Xu, Dr. Yanbin Zhu, Dr. Li Zhang, Dr. Xiao Teng, and doctoral student Hongyu Chen from NIGPAS. This research received joint support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Strategic Priority Research Programs (Category B) of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy.Reference: Xie, A.*, Chen, H., Wang, Y.*, Tian, N.*, Xu, M., Zhu, Y., Zhang, L., Teng, X., Uhl, D. 2024. An exceptionally preserved conifer wood Metapodocarpoxylon from the Jurassic of northeastern Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau, and its palaeobiogeographic and palaeoclimatic significances. Geological Magazine, 162(e7): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756824000451Fig. 1 Anatomical characters of Metapodocarpoxylon wood from the Lower Jurassic in the Qaidam Basin. (a–c), cross sections; (d–h), radial sections.Fig. 2 Anatomical characters of Metapodocarpoxylon wood from the Lower Jurassic in the Qaidam Basin. (a–d), radial sections; (e–i), tangential sections.Fig. 3 Palaeobiogeographic map showing the spatio-temporal distribution of Metapodocarpoxylon worldwide<!--!doctype-->
Marine strata of Cretaceous age are widely distributed and well exposed in the Gamba area of South Tibet. A pre-requisite for understanding the depositional and palaeoenvironmental processes, which formed these deposits, is a reliable stratigraphic framework. The strata of the Qiangdong section in the Gamba area yielded calcareous nannofossils which provide a powerful tool for establishing a detailed biostratigraphic subdivision. They also allow for a supra-regional correlation, ideally on a global scale.Recently, an international research team consisting of PhD student HAN Meiling, Prof. LI Gang from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), alongside Prof. Jörg Mutterlose from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and Prof. Ulrich Heimhofer from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany, conducted a systematic study on the mid-Cretaceous calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Qiangdong section in the Gamba area, southern Tibet. This study has been published in the international journal “Cretaceous Research”.A total of 76 species have been identified in the 159 m thick section, allowing for the recognition of seven bioevents (calcareous nannofossil zones UC0 to UC7) covering the upper Albian–lower Turonian interval. The first occurrences of the calcareous nannofossil marker species Corollithion kennedyi (base UC1a, 100.5 Ma) and Quadrum intermedium (base UC5c, 94.1 Ma) constrain the Albian/Cenomanian and Cenomanian/Turonian boundaries in the Qiangdong section.The dominance of Watznaueria barnesiae throughout the studied interval suggests that diversity and abundance of the assemblages were clearly driven by diagenesis. Interval 1 (0–11 m) is barren of calcareous nannofossils. Within Interval 2 (12–43 m), the coexistence of Biscutum constans, Zeugrhabdotus spp. and Nannoconus spp. indicates a deep nutricline. Interval 3 (44–122 m) shows a decrease of B. constans, Discorhabdus ignotus and Nannoconus spp. along with an increase in W. barnesiae, suggesting enhanced diagenesis. Interval 4 (123–159 m), dominated by W. barnesiae, indicates a diagenetically highly altered environment with limited species diversity. A significant negative correlation between species diversity and the relative abundance of W. barnesiae further supports the idea that strong diagenetic alteration affected the nannofossil assemblages.A regional comparison with findings from the Tingri area, about 150 km west of the studied section, enhances the precision of biostratigraphic correlations in South Tibet. In addition, moderate to poor nannofossil preservation suggests a diagenetic influence for both the Tingri and Gamba areas, highlighting the necessity of critically evaluating nannofossil preservation when interpreting nannofossil assemblages for reliable palaeoceanographic reconstructions. The temperature and nutrient indices obtained in this study deviate from those published in past studies. These findings emphasize that preservation and diagenetic influence need to be critically considered when interpreting nannofossil assemblages for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.Reference: Han, M., Li, G.*, Heimhofer, U., Mutterlose, J., 2025. Late Albian–early Turonian calcareous nannofossils from southern Tibet—implications for preservation, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology. Cretaceous Research, 171:106101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106101Figure 1.Structural diagram of the study area and the location of the sectionFigure 2. Lithology, CaCO3 content, relative abundances of selected nannofossil taxa, temperature (MTI) and nutrients (MNI) in the Qiangdong section. ACB = Albian/Cenomanian boundary, CTB = Cenomanian/Turonian boundary.
The western Thailand and the Baoshan area of western Yunnan, China, were both part of the Sibumasu Terrane during the Early Paleozoic, located at low-latitudes of the peri-Gondwana. In November 2019, the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), and Mahasarakham University in Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding, initiating an in-depth collaboration in the field of geology and paleontology. Supported by this memorandum, the Early Paleozoic research team from NIGPAS conducted field investigations in Thailand in January 2020 and March 2023. Together with colleagues from Thailand, the team collected abundant conodont samples from the Ordovician and Silurian strata.Recently, Associate Professor Dr. CHEN Zhongyang, Dr. FANG Xiang, Assistant Professor Dr. LI Wenjie and other colleagues from the Early Paleozoic research team at NIGPAS, together with Professor Clive Burrett, Associate Professor Mongkol Udchachon, and Hathaithip Thassanapak from Mahasarakham University, Thailand, conducted analyses and systematic studies on these conodont samples. The significant findings, enriching the fossil records of Early Paleozoic conodonts in western Thailand and providing new insights into the paleobiological communities and paleogeographic environments. The research result was published in Journal of Palaeogeography and Palaeoworld.(1) New insights into Ordovician conodonts from the Ban Tha Kradan area in western ThailandNine genera and 11 species of conodonts were reported in the Ban Tha Kradan area of western Thailand for the first time. By the analysis of lithology and stratigraphic ages, the upper part of the Tha Manao Formation in the western Thailand was revised as the Pa Kae Formation. Based on conodonts and macrofossils, the Tha Manao Formation in western Thailand is assigned to the upper Floian to Darriwilian, and the conformably overlying Pa Kae Formation to the Sandbian to lower Katian.(2) First report of early Silurian conodont fauna in western ThailandFor the first time, the early Silurian conodonts were documented in western Thailand. Samples from the Kroeng Kravia Forest Park area revealed the upper Telychian Lower Pterospathodus amorphognathoides amorphognathoides Subzone. Analysis of microfacies and conodont fauna indicate that these fossils originated from a relatively deep marine environment. Furthermore, the conodont fauna is similar to that from Baoshan area of Yunnan Province and Langao area of Shaanxi Province in West China and resembles that from similar depositional environments in Australia, Laurentia, and peri-Gondwana, suggesting good connections among these regions by ocean currents.This series of studies was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program, the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and the Mahasarakham University.Reference:Chen, Z.Y., Li, W.J., Fang, X., Li, C., Burrett, C., Udchachon, M., Zhang, Y.D., 2024. Ordovician conodonts from the Ban Tha Kradan area, western Thailand. Palaeoworld, 33(3), 546-558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palwor.2022.12.004Chen, Z.Y., Thassanapak, H., Li, W.J., Wu, X.J., Udchachon, M., Fang, X., Burrett, C., 2025. First documentation of early Silurian conodonts from western Thailand and its geological implications. Journal of Palaeogeography, 14(1): 157-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jop.2024.08.010Fig. 1. Ordovician conodonts from the Tha Manao Formation, Ban Tha Kradan area, western ThailandFig. 2. Silurian conodonts from the Kroeng Kravia Forest Park area, western ThailandFig. 3. Correlation of the stratigraphical successions of the Floian to Katian between the Sibumasu Terrane and the Upper Yangtze Platform of South ChinaFig. 4. Distribution of the upper Telychian conodont faunas containing Pterospathodus pennatus procerus, Panderodus langkawiensis, and Dapsilodus spp.
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, recognized as the largest and highest plateau on Earth, is often referred to as the “Roof of the World/Third Pole/Water Tower of Asia”. The plateau is characterized by its geological evolution history and abundant rock outcrops, providing a unique perspective for investigating the history of the Earth. The Himalaya Terrane is located at the southernmost part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A multitude of studies had suggested that the Himalaya Terrane was located in the peri-Gondwanan region and a warm low latitude zone during the Ordovician. Strata in the Mt. Qomolangma region of southern Xizang yields a significant number of fossils, including brachiopods, gastropods, graptolites and conodonts, resulting in the recognition of the Ordovician in this area. Ordovician cephalopod fossils from southern Xizang have been studied for nearly half a century, while biological composition and relative palaeobiogeography was unclear due to sporadic occurrences.Recently, the Early Palaeozoic research team from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and researchers from other affiliations studied Middle to Upper Ordovician cephalopod material from southern Xizang. The results were recently published on Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.Based on a collection of 43 cephalopod specimens from the Jiacun section, 30 species within 16 genera belonging to 10 families and 6 orders have been identified (including two new species: Wutinocerasmultiseptum and Wennanocerasremotum). Genera Lituites, Rhynchorthoceras, Trocholites and Deiroceras are firstly identified in southern Xizang, improving the cephalopod records and deepening the understanding of the cephalopod fauna diversity. Some new cephalopod occurrences suggested the lower part of the Hongshantou Formation is likely of early to middle Katian age. Furthermore, all the cephalopod fossil collections from southern Xizang have been summarized, and the biological diversity and composition research have been conducted. Actinocerid cephalopods were suggested as the dominant group during the Middle Ordovician. Subsequently, in the Late Ordovician, orthocerid and lituitid cephalopods were predominant.Igraph R package-based network analysis detects the existence of transitional cephalopod communities in the northeastern peri-Gondwana region, which were essential biogeographic bonds facilitating the exchange of cephalopods among various regions during the Middle and Late Ordovician.This work was supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. This is a contribution to IGCP Project 700 (Palaeozoic Carbonate Build-ups in Southeast Asia) and Project 735 (Rocks and the Rise of Ordovician Life).Reference: Song, J.Q., Fang, X.*, Li, W.J., Wang, W.H., Burrett, C., Yu, S.Y., Qie, W.K., Zhang, Y.D., 2025. New cephalopod material of Middle to Upper Ordovician from southern Xizang (Tibet), China: Taxonomy, diversity and palaeobiogeography. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 662, 112744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2025.112744Figure 1 Geological and locational map of the Ordovician Jiacun sectionFigure 2 New Ordovician cephalopod material from southern Xizang (Tibet), ChinaFigure 3 Network analyses on cephalopod genera in the northeastern peri-Gondwana region during the Ordovician, and palaeogeographical maps showing the communities
The initial radiation of land vascular plants, as evidenced by the increase of both diversity and morphological disparity during the Silurian and Devonian periods, has been regarded as plant terrestrialization, which can be considered the equivalent in terrestrial environments of the Cambrian explosion of marine animals. Novel structures such as tracheids, stomata, leaves, roots and secondary xylem evolved during this time interval. However,how life-history strategies evolved in early land plants is not well understood.
Recently, Dr. Pu Huang from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with other collaborators, reported on a new species of Zosterophyllum, Z. baoyangense,from the Lower Devonian of Guizhou Province. Meanwhile, they built a multi-morphological-character dataset of the zosterophyllopsids from late Silurian to Early Devonian ages, and revealed the divergent life-history strategies in this group.The initial radiation of land vascular plants, as evidenced by the increase of both diversity and morphological disparity during the Silurian and Devonian periods, has been regarded as plant terrestrialization, which can be considered the equivalent in terrestrial environments of the Cambrian explosion of marine animals. Novel structures such as tracheids, stomata, leaves, roots and secondary xylem evolved during this time interval. However,how life-history strategies evolved in early land plants is not well understood.As a predominant and typical component of Early Devonian floras, the Zosterophyllopsida has a long history of research, and was widely documented in palaeontology textbooks. This group appeared in the late Silurian and extended to the Late Devonian. Zosterophyllum has been reported around the world, especially in the South China Block, where at least 14 species of Zosterophyllum had been described. Some species are preserved as complete or nearly complete plants, such as Z. shengfengense. Thus, zosterophyllopsids are important material for the studies of life-history strategies of early land plants.Recently, Dr. Pu Huang from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with other collaborators, reported on a new species of Zosterophyllum, Z. baoyangense,from the Lower Devonian of Guizhou Province. Meanwhile, they built a multi-morphological-character dataset of the zosterophyllopsids from late Silurian to Early Devonian ages, and revealed the divergent life-history strategies in this group.The plant bodyof the newly discovered Zosterophyllum baoyangense is ca 45.4 mm in whole length and its spikes are 5.8−10.8 mm high. The smaller body size with tiny spikes represents the smallest extreme among the early land plants.Morphological characters of Zosterophyllum species and zosterophyllopsids were collected, including the width and length of axes, width and length of spikes as well as the sporangial height and width. Meanwhile, a new descriptor, total sporangial accommodation (TSA), was proposed to evaluate the mass or energy investment for spore production in each plant.Pu Huang and his colleagues found that the length and width of axes generally follow the same trend of the diversity of species of Zosterophyllum, increasing from the Ludlow to Early Devonian, with the maximum range being reached in the Early Devonian. The TSA values and sporangial size of Zosterophyllum also show a similar pattern, with a huge different in vegetative and reproductive organ in Early Devonian. The minimum value of the TSA is represented by Z. baoyangense, only 4.3 to 16.8 mm3, while the TSA of Z. australianum is 29.6 to 499.0 mm3 occurred in the same bed of the Baoyang section. In additional, The TSA seems to be closely related to axial width. For the members of Lycophytina sensu Kenrick & Crane and Zosterophyllopsida sensu Hao & Xue, the length and width of axes generally follow the same trend of evolution.The authors considered that highly morphologically diverse zosterophyllopsids in Pragian represent two groups in different life-history strategies. Like the r-selected species, one group is characterized by the smaller sizes and smaller TSA, shorter lifespan and lower vegetative and reproductive output, and seems to adapt to turbulent environment, such as Zosterophyllum baoyangense. The other group, such as Z. australianum, on the contrary to the former, like K-selected species. The authors argued that the transition from the Rhyniophytic Flora to the Eophytic Flora was probably driven by the evolution of divergent life-history strategies in Zosterophyllum and more broadly in zosterophyllopisds generally.This work was financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The authors include Dr. Pu Huang, and Dr. Jinzhuang Xue, Dr. Jiashu Wang (now at Geological Museum of China) and Mr. Yiling Wang from the Peking University,Dr. Lu Liu from the National Natural History Museum of China, and Dr. Jingyu Zhao from Suzhou University.Article information: Huang,P.*,Wang,J.S.,Wang,Y.L.,Liu,L.,Zhao,J.Y.,Xue,J.Z.,2025. The smallest Zosterophyllum plant from the Lower Devonian of South China and the divergent life-history strategies in zosterophyllopsids. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 292: 20242337. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2337Figure 1. Zosterophyllum baoyangense sp. nov., showing a fertile axis with K-shaped branching and a terminal spike. (The specimen was collected by Pu Huang, Lu Liu and Jinzhuang Xue in 2017)Figure 2.Diversity and morphology of Zosterophyllum species through the late Silurian to Early Devonian. (a) Species richness;(b) Maximum length of axes; (c) Width of axes; (d) TSA; (e) Crossplot of sporangial width and height of different time bins; (f, g) Crossplot of TSA and axial width for all sampled Zosterophyllum species. (Data curation: Pu Huang, Yiling Wang; visualization: Jiashu Wang)Figure 3. Artist’s restoration of part of the Early Devonian Mangshan flora, with plant communities of Zosterophyllum baoyangense at the front, andZ. australianum and an unnamed plant to the back. (Conceptualization: Pu Huang; visualization: Chao Tan)
Microbe-mineral interactions play a crucial role in driving geological and geochemical processes. In these processes, mineral supply energy and nutrients essential for microbial growth and metabolism, while microbes influence mineral dissolution, transformation, and formation processes through their metabolic activities. These interactions occur at microscopic interfaces at the single-cell level, shaping both microbe and mineral evolution while profoundly influencing geological events, biogeochemical cycles, and ore formation. Fungi, one of Earth's oldest and most diverse life forms, are unique due to apical growth mode of the hyphae. This growth mode enables hyphal tips to exert biophysical forces of up to 10−20 μN/μM², allowing them to explore and penetrate substrates. The study of fungi’s roles in geological and geochemical processes has emerged as a distinct field called Geomycology. Increasing evidence highlights the critical role of fungi play in soil formation, ore genesis, biogeochemical cycling of elements, and the evolution and reproduction of terrestrial plants.In 1997, Jongmans et al. discovered that fungi significantly accelerate the weathering of silicate minerals, leading to the formaiton of tunnels. In 2009, Bonneville et al. demonstrated that biophysical forces excerted by fungal hyphal tips directly distort the crystal structure of silicate mineral, while subsequent biochemical actions derived from metabolites (e.g., proton, organic acids, and siderophores) dissolve and mobilize elements. These biophysical and biochmeical mechanisms act synergistically to enhance mineral weathering. Our previous studies showed that fungal hyphae instantly initiate mineral weathering upon contact (Li et al., 2022) and highlighted the critical role of biophysical forces generated at hyphal tips in the fungal weathering process (Li et al., 2016). However, most studies to date have focused on freshly prepared silicate minerals, leaving the fungal weathering of aged minerals with altered layers (Si-rich deposits) laygely unexplored. Altered layers form rapidly during silicate mineral dissolution and significantly inhibit further dissolution under abiotic conditions. Thus far, only Wild et al. (2018) have reported on bacterial activity on aged silicates (olivine and labradorite), showing only a 30% enhancement compared to abiotic conditions. Notably, fungal weathering of aged silicate minerals remains unstudied.To bridge this knowledge gap, Dr. Zibo Li from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, collaborated with Professor Xiancai Lu from Nanjing University and a team of researchers, including Professors Maoyan Zhu and Zongjun Yin (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology), Professors Jun Chen and Gaojun Li (Nanjing University), Professor Zhangdong Jin (Institute of Earth Environment, CAS), and Professor Hui Teng (Tianjin University). Their study explored fungal interactions with aged olivine and lizardite, demonstrating that fungal hyphae can degrade altered layers and continuously promote silicate mineral weathering. The study was recently published in Geophysical Research Letters.Key Findings:1. Fungi significantly enhance the dissolution rates of aged silicate minerals. Aged olivine and lizardite, pretreated in acidic solutions, developed Si-rich altered layers. As pretreatment duration increased, the thickness of these altered layer grew, and mineral dissolution rates under abiotic condition gradually declined. Under fungal influence, the dissolution rates of aged silicate minerals increased by 1−2 orders of magnitude, with olivine dissolution rates enhanced by 9−14 times and lizardite dissolution rates by 71−123 times compared to abiotic conditons.2. Fungal hyphae penetrate altered layers and etch underlying fresh minerals. Within 24 hours of cultivation, fungal hyphae produced dissolution channels on the surfaces of both fresh and aged silicate minerals, with channel depths ranging from 18−65 nm on olivine and 10−32 nm on lizardite. After 20 days, the hyphae penetrated the altered layers, facilitating further elemental dissolution from the fresh minerals beneath.3. Fungi facilitate matter and energy diffusion within altered layers. For olivine pretreated for 480 hours, the thickness of the altered layer increased from ~110 nm to ~230 nm at the hyphal tip-mineral interface and from ~20 nm to ~380 nm at the hyphal end-mineral interface. Beneath the altered layers, fungi oxidized structual Fe(II). For lizardite pretreated for 96 hours, fungal hyphae dissolved elements within altered layers and the thickness of altered layers at hypha-mineral interface expanded from ~3.3 μm to 6.2 μm. Although fungi had a weaker effect on dissolving altered layers with normalized Mg/Si molar ratios below 0.65, prolonged contact between fungi and minerals eventurally led to further dissolution of the fresh minerals below.This study reveals that fungi actively regulate their growth behavior in response to the bioavailability of nutrients in the envirments, effectively degrading altered layers through etching and penetration. Biophysical forces exerted by fungal tips disrupt altered layers, while the enhanced interdiffusion of metabolic byproducts (e.g., protons, small-molecule complexes, and reactive oxygen species) and released cations across altered layers continuously prmote the weathering of silicate mineral. These findings not only deepen our understanding of microbially-mediated geological and geochemical processes but also provide a theoretical framework for searching mineralogical biosignatures.This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.Citations:AG Jongmans, N Van Breemen, U Lundström, PAW Van Hees, RD Finlay, M Srinivasan, T Unestam, R Giesler, P-A Melkerud, and M Olsson. 1997. Rock-eating fungi, Nature, 389: 682-83. https://doi.org/10.1038/39493S. Bonneville*, M. M. Smits, A. Brown, J. Harrington, J. R. Leake, R. Brydson, and L. G. Benning. 2009. Plant-driven fungal weathering: Early stages of mineral alteration at the nanometer scale, Geology, 37: 615-18. https://doi.org/10.1130/G25699A.1Zi-Bo Li*, Lianwen Liu, Xiancai Lu, Yi Cao, Junfeng Ji, and Jun Chen. 2022. Hyphal tips actively develop strong adhesion with nutrient-bearing silicate to promote mineral weathering and nutrient acquisition, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 318: 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2021.11.017Zibo Li, Lianwen Liu, Jun Chen, and H. Henry Teng*. 2016. Cellular dissolution at hypha- and spore-mineral interfaces revealing unrecognized mechanisms and scales of fungal weathering, Geology, 44: 319-22. https://doi.org/10.1130/G37561.1Bastien Wild, Gwenaël Imfeld, François Guyot, and Damien Daval. 2018. Early stages of bacterial community adaptation to silicate aging, Geology, 46: 555-58. https://doi.org/10.1130/G40283.1Figure 1: The concentration of dissolved Fe in fungal and abiotic weathering experiments over a 20‐day period. Values within square brackets denote the enhancement factor (Fefungal,max/Feabiotic,max).Figure 2: The lengths of T. flavus hyphae on olivine and lizardite and hyphal etching and penetration.Figure 3: The normalized Mg/Si molar ratios beneath T. flavus hypha- and solution-olivine/lizardite interfaces as determined by TEM-EDS after 24 h of cultivation.Figure 4: T. flavus hypha-induced transformation of the crystal structure and the oxidation of Fe(II) in olivine pretreated for 480 h after 24 h of cultivation.Article informaiton:Zi-Bo Li*, Xiancai Lu*, Gaojun Li, Zhangdong Jin, Lianwen Liu, Zongjun Yin, Maoyan Zhu, Hui Henry Teng, Junfeng Ji, and Jun Chen. 2024. Continuable Weathering of Silicate Minerals Driven by Fungal Plowing, Geophysical Research Letters, 51: e2024GL111197. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111197
The closing of the Tethys Ocean during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic dramatically affected the palaeogeography, palaeoenvironment and biotic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas. The timing of closure of the Tethys Ocean in different areas is recorded by the youngest marine deposits. In the western Kunlun area of northwestern Tibet, the Tielongtan Group represents the youngest marine deposits, and is rich in rudist bivalves; however, its depositional age, particularly the age of final deposition, is poorly constrained. Systematic and palaeobiogeographic analyses were conducted on rudists from the Tielongtan Group in the eastern Loqzung Mountains. Four genera and two species were identified: Biradiolites boldjuanensis, Gorjanovicia acuticostata, Durania sp. and Radiolites sp. The occurrence of the lower Maastrichtian index fossil, Biradiolites boldjuanensis, indicates that deposition of the Tielongtan Group continued until the early Maastrichtian. Therefore, the results of this and previous studies indicate that deposition of the Tielongtan Group spanned from at least the Turonian to the early Maastrichtian. Palaeobiogeographical analyses show that B. boldjuanensis was endemic in Central Asia, whereas G. acuticostata might have extended beyond the Mediterranean region. During the Late Cretaceous, the shallow ocean in the western Kunlun area contained both cosmopolitan and endemic rudists.Professor Zhang Qinghai, Academician Ding Lin, and doctoral candidate Gao Bintao from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Associate Professor Rao Xin from the Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Petroleum Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly completed the research.This study is financially supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP; 2019QZKK0708), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41972032, 42272027), and CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Program.
An international research team led by Prof. ZHANG Huaqiao from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has reported the discovery of extraordinary fossil embryos of Ecdysozoa, a group of animals that include roundworms, horsehair worms, mud dragons, penis worms, velvet worms, water bears, insects, shrimps, and crabs, from the early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu biota (ca. 535 million years ago, or Ma) in southern Shaanxi Province, China.The discovery expands our understanding of the morphological disparity and diversity of the early Fortunian fossil embryos and ecdysozoans.The study was published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology on Dec. 11.Invertebrate embryos have relatively low fossilization potential; however, when preserved, they can offer crucial insights into the evolutionary developmental biology of extinct animals. Invertebrate embryos have been reported from the early Cambrian through the Early Ordovician, but are represented only by cnidarians and a single scalidophoran taxon Markuelia. In the early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu biota, cnidarian embryos and their hatched stages are abundant and diverse. In contrast, fossil embryos belonging to the Ecdysozoa are still unknown in the Kuanchuanpu biota, although their hatched stages have been reported since ten years ago.In this study, the researchers described exceptionally preserved fossil embryos from the early Fortunian (early Cambrian) Kuanchuanpu Formation at Zhangjiagou section, Xixiang County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, China. In total, seven specimens are illustrated, and they are all three-dimensionally phosphatized. Micro-CT analysis shows that they are internally hollow, thus leaving no trace of internal soft anatomies. Based on the differences of the number and arrangement of the sclerites at their anterior and posterior ends, these embryos are assigned to two new taxa, Saccus xixiangensis gen. et sp. nov. (Fig. 1) and Saccus necopinus gen. et sp. nov. (Fig. 2).The study shows that the embryos are enclosed within a thin and smooth envelope, ranging in diameter from 730 μm to 1 mm. The embryos are relatively large, indicating that their eggs are yolk-rich and thus can provide enough energy for development (lecithotrophy). The embryos have a bag-shaped body with no introvert or paired limbs. High-resolution scanning electron microscopic images show that the integument is non-ciliated. The sclerites at the anterior end are radially arranged, whereas those at the posterior end are bilaterally arranged. The integument shows soft deformation, while the sclerites remain largely undeformed, suggesting that the sclerites are stiffer and likely cuticularized. The embryos lack any orifice, thus representing a developmental stage prior to the formation of a mouth or anus.The bilaterally arranged sclerites at the posterior end imparts bilaterality, classifying these new embryos as bilaterians. Furthermore, the absence of cilia or cilium insertion sites and the presence of cuticularized sclerites suggest an ecdysozoan affinity. The presence of cuticle implies that the embryos are in later embryonic stages, possibly close to hatching.In the absence of hatched specimens, the developmental mode of Saccus is unknown. It is inferred that it underwent indirect development, hatching as lecithotrophic (yolk-feeding) larvae. In this case, the morphology of the juvenile and adult forms is uncertain due to metamorphosis during later growth. Alternatively, it could undergo direct development, hatching as lecithotrophic juveniles, with both juveniles and adults potentially having a similar bag-shaped body without an introvert or paired limbs, closely reminiscent of Saccorhytus (Fig. 3). In either case, the embryos reply on yolk as the only source of energy until they develop a functional mouth and begin to take food.The direct development hypothesis has implications for the body shape evolution of early ecdysozoans. If Saccus and Saccorhytus are constrained to be total- or stem-group ecdysozoans (Fig. 3), it indicates that a bag-shaped body may be primitive to the ecdysozoans, whereas a vermiform one, which characterizes the crown-group ecdysozoans, evolved later.
