The first paleoxylotomical evidence from the Mid-Eocene Climate Optimum from Turkey

Abstract

Petrified wood is important evidence of forest type and past climate. Studies from mainly the Neogene of Turkey described many fossil woods, and revealed valuable information about the paleoenvironment structure and climate. This is the first occurrence of plant macrofossils belonging to the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum, a crucial period in Earth's history, found in Turkey. The purpose of the present study is to investigate, for the first time, the Middle Eocene Climate Optimum of Turkey through the first identification of two paleoxylotomical findings of Lutetian age from Central-North Turkey. After working on the thin wood sections, a new fossil genus of Lauraceae, Actinodaphnoxylon gen. nov. was described with a type species of Actinodaphnoxylon zileensis sp. nov. Another coniferous specimen was described as Pinuxylon cf. P. tarnocziense. These species indicate the presence of warm, humid rainforest and lower mountain forest 40-41 million years ago in the middle Black Sea region (Tokat-Zile) of North-Central Turkey. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.