A fungus-like microfossil is found in China that dates back 635 MILLION years and may have helped the Earth recover from the catastrophic glacial era by stimulating marine bio-productivity
- The oldest terrestrial fossil was found in China, dating back 635 million years
- This fungal-like microorganism is believed to help the Earth recover from the ice age
- Experts say it worked with other terrestrial microbes until recovery
- Together they accelerated the chemical climate and delivered phosphorus to the oceans that stimulated marine bioproductivity
Fungi were previously thought to have emerged about 240 million years ago, but a new discovery has rewritten the timeline of when spore-producing organisms first colonized the Earth.
An international team of scientists has discovered a 635 million-year-old fungal-like microfossil, making it the oldest recorded terrestrial fossil in the rock cavities of southern China.
Researchers say it evolved during the Ediacaran period, when the planet emerged from a catastrophic ice age and the microorganism may have played a key role in its recovery.
Along with other terrestrial microbes, the fungus-like organism had the ability to accelerate the chemical climate and deliver phosphorus to the oceans that stimulated marine bioproductivity.
An international team of scientists has discovered a 635 million-year-old fungal-like microfossil, making it the oldest recorded terrestrial fossil in the rock cavities of southern China.
The fossil was discovered within well-studied sedimentary dolostone rocks from the lower Doushantuo Formation in southern China by scientists from Virginia Tech, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guizhou University of Education and the University of Cincinnati. .
Tian Gan, a visiting doctoral student at Xiao Laboratory, said, “It was an accidental discovery.”
“At that time, we realized that this could be the fossil that scientists have been looking for for a long time.
“If our interpretation is correct, it will be useful for understanding paleoclimatic change and the evolution of early life.”
The fossil was discovered within well-studied sedimentary dolostone rocks of the lower Doushantuo Formation in southern China.
The preserved fossil has multiple orders of branches, curved filaments (pictured) and scale-shaped branching systems.
The preserved fossil has multiple orders of branches, curved filaments, and scale-shaped branching systems.
When the ice age hit the planet, it froze ocean surfaces to a depth of more than a mile and the environment was so harsh that no organism could survive.
The Earth recovered and produced a larger and more complex biosphere than before, which has been a mystery to scientists, but the new fossil may solve the puzzle.
Researchers believe that fungus-like and other similar microorganisms help redirect the environment and they did so through their formidable digestive system.
Fungi have digestive systems capable of cycling vital nutrients and can chemically decompose rocks and other hard materials using environmentally secreted enzymes, which can then be recycled and exported to the ocean.
“Fungi have a mutualistic relationship with plant roots, which helps them mobilize minerals, such as phosphorus,” Gan said.
Fungi have digestive systems capable of cycling vital nutrients and can chemically decompose rocks and other hard materials using environmentally secreted enzymes, which can then be recycled and exported to the ocean (the image shows an image of the fossil on the computer )
“Because of their connection to terrestrial plants and important nutritional cycles, terrestrial fungi have a motor influence on biochemical weathering, the global biogeochemical cycle, and ecological interactions.”
Previous work has suggested that terrestrial plants and fungi formed a symbiotic relationship about 400 million years ago, but the new fossil rewrites the timeline of 635 million years ago.
Shuhai Xiao, a professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech College of Science, said, “The question used to be, ‘There were fungi in the terrestrial kingdom before the appearance of terrestrial plants.’
And I think our study suggests yes. Our fungus-like fossil is 240 million years older than the previous record. This is, to date, the oldest record of terrestrial fungi.