Buried Miocene forest at Bükkábrány, Hungary - a complex study
Informations
- Funding country
Hungary- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 4/1/2008
- End date
- 3/31/2011
- Budget
- 40,942 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thematic Programme | Grant | 4/1/2008 | 3/31/2011 | 40,942 EUR |
Abstract
Unique, 7 million years old buried forest has been recently excavated in the Bükkábrány open-pit coal mine in Hungary. Fifteen baldcypress (Taxodiaceae) trees up to 3 m diameter and 6 m height stand according to the original forest structure. Sudden raise of Lake Pannon drowned the forest and subsequent burial by sand preserved them unmineralized, as wood. No similar ancient forest of this size and preservation is known anywhere on Earth. Trees have been removed to museums for conservation. The proposed scientific study involves taxonomic determination of tree species, tree-ring studies for climate reconstruction, stable isotope study of the wood, and description of associated leaf, fruit, and pollen flora. Sedimentological investigation will reveal the process of burial. Wood degradation and diagenetic processes will be assessed. Soil parameters will be analysed. Exact age of the forest is to be determined by correlation with well-logs and seismic profiles.