Article
Plant Sciences
Artai A. Santos, Luis Miguel Sender, Laura Pinuela, Jose Carlos Garcia-Ramos, Jose B. Diez
Summary: A new species of liverwort, Ricciopsis asturicus sp. nov., has been discovered in dinosaur-bearing deposits from the Upper Jurassic period in Asturias, Spain. This finding provides evidence of the oldest bryophyte in the Iberian Peninsula during the Mesozoic era and the first occurrence of the genus Ricciopsis in this area. The study also suggests that the liverwort inhabited shallow freshwater pools formed in abandonment areas of an upper deltaic plain, indicating semi-arid climatic conditions during the deposition of the Lastres Formation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Artai A. Santos, Luis M. Sender, Torsten Wappler, Jose B. Diez
Summary: Fossils of plant-insect interactions found in Estercuel, northeastern Spain, provide direct evidence of the paleoecological relationships between these two dominant groups. The study of these fossils reveals that angiosperms in the late Early Cretaceous served as an important food and lodging source for insects in the Iberian ecosystems. The diversity of damage on angiosperm leaves suggests a variety of herbivorous insects and interaction strategies with plants in the southwestern Tethys realm during the end of the Early Cretaceous.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Luis Miguel Sender, James A. Doyle, Garland R. Upchurch, Peter K. Endress, Uxue Villanueva-Amadoz, Jose B. Diez
Summary: This study presents fossil impressions of leaves, stems, and inflorescences from the mid-late Albian Escucha Formation in NE Spain, shedding light on the morphological and systematic diversity of the Chloranthaceae family in the early Cretaceous. The discovery of two new genera and species along with the first organic connection of fossil leaves, stems, and inflorescences of Chloranthaceae provide direct evidence of the vegetation and flower morphology in the Early Cretaceous. The analysis also suggests potential relationships between the fossils and living genera within Chloranthaceae.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Facundo De Benedetti, Maria C. Zamaloa, Maria A. Gandolfo, Nestor R. Cuneo
Summary: The La Colonia Formation in Patagonia, Argentina, contains a diverse marine biota composed of invertebrates, vertebrates, plants, algae, and fungi. A palynological study based on 157 samples revealed a rich flora dominated by ferns and angiosperms, but also including algae and gymnosperms. The study identified 20 gymnosperm species and 67 angiosperm species, with the establishment of two new gymnosperm species and 22 new angiosperm species. This diverse palynoflora provides important evidence for the evolution of Southern Hemisphere floras and supports the hypothesis of a less significant mass extinction event in southern South America. © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Leandro C. A. Martinez, Ana Archangelsky, Sergio Archangelsky
Summary: Well-preserved and diverse Early Cretaceous palynological assemblages were studied from the Springhill Formation in Patagonia, Argentina. The palynomorphs and angiosperm pollen grains found provide evidence of the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate of the area and suggest an early diversification of angiosperms in Patagonia during the Cretaceous period.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Jesus Alvarado-Ortega, Yuri Modesto Alves
Summary: A new fish species, Nusaviichthys nerivelai, is described based on well-preserved fossils from the Albian deposits of the Tlayua quarry in central Mexico. This discovery expands the taxonomical and morphological diversity of the crossognathiformes in the Caribbean region during the Early Cretaceous. Comparative and phylogenetic analyses reveal that this new species belongs to the order Crossognathiformes, suborder Pachyrhizodontoidei, and family Notelopidae.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pedro Camara, Josep M. Pares, Jaime Suarez
Summary: In this paper, a structural model of the Sierra de Atapuerca is presented, which is located in the transition zone between the Iberian Range and the southwestern Basque Cantabrian Basin in NW Spain. The current structure of this zone is the result of an Alpine tectonic inversion of a previous Mesozoic extensional configuration, inherited from late Hercynian faults.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jose L. Gonzalez-Pimentel, Bernardo Hermosin, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez, Valme Jurado
Summary: Two new Streptomyces strains, MZ03-37(T) and MZ03-48, were isolated from different samples on La Palma Island. Through phylogenetic analysis and genetic identification, they are proposed as a novel species named Streptomyces benahoarensis sp. nov.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Huasheng Huang, Robert J. Morley, Raymond van der Ham, Limi Mao, Alexis Licht, Guillaume Dupont-Nivet, Zaw Win, Day Wa Aung, Carina Hoorn
Summary: This study reports a new genus and species of fossil pollen, Grimmipollis burmanica, in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), and investigates its similarity with other genera using hierarchical cluster analysis and pollen diagrams. The characteristics of Grimmipollis distinguish it from extant Sapindaceae genera and fossil pollen genera. The study also reveals its morphological closeness to Meyeripollis and suggests its membership in seasonal swamp forests.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa, David Correa-Galeote, Martha-Helena Ramirez-Bahena, German Tortosa, Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez, Eulogio J. Bedmar, Alvaro Peix
Summary: Two endophytic strains, MOVP5T and MOPV6, isolated from nodules of Phaseolus vulgaris plants in Southeastern Spain, represent a potential new species of Agrobacterium based on genetic and phenotypic analysis. The strains show distinct differences from all known genomovars of Agrobacterium, supporting their classification as a novel species Agrobacterium leguminum sp. nov.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yohan Fritsche, Morgana E. Lopes, Marc-Andre Selosse, Valdir M. Stefenon, Miguel P. Guerra
Summary: The newly isolated Serendipita restingae species from the terrestrial orchid Epidendrum fulgens is closely related to Serendipita sp. MAFF305841 isolated from Microtis rara, showing differences in genetic regions. It promotes seed germination and forms mycorrhizal pelotons in protocorm cells, and is capable of colonizing Arabidopsis thaliana roots, significantly increasing plant biomass. Serendipita restingae is the first Serendipitaceae species described in the Americas.
Article
Microbiology
Kostadin Evgeniev Atanasov, David Minana Galbis, Deborah Cornado, Annabel Serpico, Guiomar Sanchez, Montserrat Bosch, Albert Ferrer, Teresa Altabella
Summary: In this study, a bacterial plant-endophyte was isolated and characterized from the rhizomes of Iris germanica, and named as Pseudomonas fitomaticsae sp. nov. It was found to be different from its closest relative species in terms of genomic, physiologic and chemotaxonomic characteristics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Luis F. Auque, M. Cinta Osacar, Concha Arenas, Neven Cukrov, Sonja Lojen, Carlos Sancho
Summary: The Mg/Ca elemental ratio of calcite as a temperature indicator in continental carbonate deposits is unreliable due to the influence of other factors on Mg partitioning between water and calcite. The correction of detrital Mg content and other parameters such as water discharge and calcite precipitation rates may affect the relationship between Mg/Ca and water temperature. The wide variety of parameters involved in Mg/Ca ratio limits its use as a geochemical thermometer in continental sedimentary environments.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Blanca Bauluz, Maria Jose Mayayo, Elisa Laita, Alfonso Yuste
Summary: Ball clay deposits in the SE of the Iberian Range are mainly composed of kaolinite, illitic phases, and quartz, suitable for the production of white ceramics. The morphology of kaolinites suggests in-situ origin, while the presence of frayed illites indicates detrital origin. Observations at micro and nanometer scales confirm the replacement of mica by kaolinite in a low pH environment.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiri Kvacek, Mario Miguel Mendes
Summary: This study describes a new species of cheirolepidiaceous conifer, Watsoniocladus cunhae sp. nov., and compares it with other species assigned to Watsoniocladus. Additionally, two species previously classified in Cupressaceae have been transferred to the genus Watsoniocladus based on new morphological features observed in Portuguese material.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michelangelo Martini, Jonathan A. Anaya Guarneros, Luigi Solari, Alejandra Bedoya, Mildred Zepeda-Martinez, Uxue Villanueva-Amadoz
Summary: The breakup of Pangea had a significant impact on the modern continents, climate distribution, and biodiversity on Earth. Despite improvements in understanding the processes controlling supercontinent assembly and breakup, there is still controversy surrounding the timing of supercontinent assembly completion and breakup initiation. Data suggests that Pangea was fully assembled in the middle Permian, with breakup initiation occurring in the early Middle Triassic.
Article
Geology
L. Stori, J. B. Diez, M. Juncal, R. De la Horra, V Borruel-Abadia, J. Martin-Chivelet, J. F. Barrenechea, J. Lopez-Gomez, A. Ronchi
Summary: This study focuses on the stratigraphical, sedimentological, and palynological aspects of three Middle Triassic continental-marine sedimentary successions in Sardinia, with particular attention to the analysis of the palynological associations sampled there. It also provides a detailed review of all previous palynological publications on the Sardinian Anisian.
JOURNAL OF IBERIAN GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Artai A. Santos, Andre Nel, Ivan Rodriguez-Barreiro, Luis M. Sender, Torsten Wappler, Jose B. Diez
Summary: This study presents new plant and insect remains found in travertine deposits from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in northern Spain. The presence of dragonflies and a unique flora suggests that the hot-spring environment provided an 'ecological oasis' for certain plants and insects.
Article
Plant Sciences
Artai A. Santos, Antonio Hernandez-Orue, Torsten Wappler, Jose B. Diez
Summary: This study presents new evidence of plant-insect interactions from the Late Pennsylvanian period in the northern Iberian Peninsula (Leon, Spain). The findings include nine different types of damage on fossil plant specimens, indicating various ecological interactions between different plant groups and insects. The study highlights the importance of these plants as a food source and habitat for insects in the Late Pennsylvanian forests of Spain.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Ballesteros, Pablo Caldevilla, Ramon Vila, Xose Carlos Barros, Laura Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Manuel Garcia-Avila, Elvira Sahuquillo, Miguel Llorente, Jose Bienvenido Diez, Mercedes Fuertes-Fuente, Susana M. Timon-Sanchez, Arturo de Lombera-Hermida, Ivan Alvarez, Irene Perez-Caceres, Manuel Acebo, Pilar Orche Amare, J. Horacio Garcia, Fidel Martin-Gonzalez, Martin Alemparte
Summary: This article presents a practical Geographic Information System (GIS) database for the management of Courel Mountains Geopark in Northwest Spain. The database includes a wide range of thematic maps and data compiled from various sources, supporting park management, scientific research, and geoconservation actions.
Article
Geology
Luis M. Sender, Torsten Wappler, Manuel Garcia-Avila, Artai A. Santos, Jose B. Diez
Summary: Specimens of the extinct seed fern Sagenopteris were evaluated from Alcaine village in Teruel Province, Spain. Arthropod-mediated plant damage types were categorized for these specimens. The study identified five Functional Feeding Groups with different feeding strategies on leaflets.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geology
Ivan Rodriguez-Barreiro, Artai A. Santos, Ma Eugenia Arribas, Ramon Mas, Jose Arribas, Uxue Villanueva-Amadoz, Fidel Torcida Fernandez-Baldor, Jose B. Diez
Summary: This study conducted sedimentological and palynostratigraphic research on the Tera Group in the West Cameros Basin. The results show significant changes in sedimentary facies and palynological assemblages during the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary transition, and suggest that the Jaramillo Formation belongs to the lower Berriasian.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Artai A. Santos, Antonio Hernandez-Orue, Torsten Wappler, Enrique Penalver, Jose B. Diez, Andre Nel
Summary: This study presents the latest research on Late Carboniferous insect fossils from Leon Province, Spain, including new fossils of Panorthoptera, Paoliidae, Megasecoptera, and Palaeodictyoptera. These findings suggest a diverse insect fauna occupying various ecological niches in the Carboniferous forests of a tropical climate.
PALAEONTOGRAPHICA ABTEILUNG A-PALAOZOOLOGIE-STRATIGRAPHIE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Artai A. Santos, Luis Miguel Sender, Laura Pinuela, Jose Carlos Garcia-Ramos, Jose B. Diez
Summary: A new species of liverwort, Ricciopsis asturicus sp. nov., has been discovered in dinosaur-bearing deposits from the Upper Jurassic period in Asturias, Spain. This finding provides evidence of the oldest bryophyte in the Iberian Peninsula during the Mesozoic era and the first occurrence of the genus Ricciopsis in this area. The study also suggests that the liverwort inhabited shallow freshwater pools formed in abandonment areas of an upper deltaic plain, indicating semi-arid climatic conditions during the deposition of the Lastres Formation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wenchao Shu, Jinnan Tong, Jianxin Yu, Jason Hilton, Michael J. Benton, Xiao Shi, Jose B. Diez, Paul B. Wignall, Daoliang Chu, Li Tian, Zhixing Yi, Yongdong Mao
Summary: The global pattern of plant evolution during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction is uncertain. Detailed studies in North China reveal five floral transition events, including the disappearance of the gigantopterid flora, the end-Permian mass extinction, and gradual recovery in the Triassic. The record shows the evolution of rainforest and forest communities, followed by herbaceous and shrub marsh communities, and finally the dominance of gymnosperm forest communities in the Middle Triassic.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiang Fu, Yemao Hou, Pengfei Yin, Jose Bienvenido Diez, Mike Pole, Manuel Garcia-Avila, Xin Wang
Summary: The existence of an Early Jurassic angiosperm called Nanjinganthus has been a subject of debate among botanists. The use of Micro-CT technology has allowed for non-destructive observation of the internal structure of fossil plants. By using Micro-CT to examine three-dimensionally preserved coalified compressions of Nanjinganthus, our findings support the conclusion that Nanjinganthus is indeed an Early Jurassic angiosperm.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Artai A. Santos, Luis M. Sender, Torsten Wappler, Jose B. Diez
Summary: Fossils of plant-insect interactions found in Estercuel, northeastern Spain, provide direct evidence of the paleoecological relationships between these two dominant groups. The study of these fossils reveals that angiosperms in the late Early Cretaceous served as an important food and lodging source for insects in the Iberian ecosystems. The diversity of damage on angiosperm leaves suggests a variety of herbivorous insects and interaction strategies with plants in the southwestern Tethys realm during the end of the Early Cretaceous.
Article
Biology
Xin Wang, Jose B. Diez, Mike Pole, Manuel Garcia-Avila
Summary: Although diverse fossil angiosperms have been reported from the Early Cretaceous, their documentation is limited due to poor preservation and limited technologies. In this study, we applied paraffin sectioning and microscopy techniques to document a new fossil reproductive organ, Xilinia gen. nov., from Inner Mongolia, China. The morphological characteristics of Xilinia indicate a transitional stage in plant evolution that is not present in extant plants.
Article
Paleontology
Artai A. Santos, Antonio Hernandez-Orue, Torsten Wappler, Enrique Penalver, Jose B. Diez, Andre Nel
Summary: This article presents the latest discoveries of Upper Carboniferous insects, including new species of Panorthoptera (Archaeorthoptera), Paoliidae, Megasecoptera, and Palaeodictyoptera, from the Iberian Peninsula in Spain. The findings increase the diversity of these insect orders in the region and suggest a higher diversity of plant-insect interactions than expected.
PALAEONTOGRAPHICA ABTEILUNG A-PALAOZOOLOGIE-STRATIGRAPHIE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gar W. Rothwell, Ruth A. Stockey
Summary: This study utilizes anatomical analysis of fossils from Vancouver Island, Canada, to support the development of a whole plant concept for the Eocene species of Gleichenia and provide data for the first organismal concept of an extinct species of Gleichenia from the Cenozoic fossil record. The findings suggest that the characteristics of the Gleicheniaceae family were present during the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, with modern species well-established and diversifying.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kathrin Ganz, Cesar Morales-Molino, Erika Gobet, Dmytro Kiosak, Nadezhda Kotova, Jacqueline van Leeuwen, Sergey Makhortykh, Christoph Schworer, Willy Tinner
Summary: This study presents a palaeoecological reinvestigation from the Kardashynskyi mire in southern Ukraine, reconstructing the vegetation dynamics, fire history, and land use for the past 8300 years. The results show that both climate and human activities have driven the vegetation changes, and the remaining special vegetation types are severely threatened under current conditions.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Willem O. van der Knaap, Bas van Geel, Jacqueline F. N. van Leeuwen, Frans Roescher, Dick Mol
Summary: Pollen analysis of fossilized teeth from a giant deer found in The Netherlands provides insights into the diet, landscape, and climate of the specimen. The study suggests that the giant deer most likely lived during the early Eemian or an early Weichselian interstadial.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yun Guo, Yu Zhou, Josef Psenicka, Jiri Bek, Jana Votockova Frojdova, Zhuo Feng
Summary: A new species of adpressed leptosporangiate fern, Szea yunnanensis sp. nov., is described from Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The fronds of this new species have unique characteristics such as fertile pinnules with triangular to falcate shape and abaxial sori arranged in one row on each side of the midvein.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Adele C. M. Julier, Glynis J. Humphrey, Caitlin Dixon, Lindsey Gillson
Summary: The relationships between woody vegetation cover and fire, climate, herbivory, and human activities in African savanna ecosystems are complex. Fire suppression policies implemented in a national park in northeast Namibia from 1888 to 2005 did not lead to noticeable decreases in fire or enhanced tree recruitment, suggesting that fire occurrence in savanna ecosystems is more closely linked to climate than management. Fire management should adapt to rainfall variability and integrate customs of early dry season burning.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Milan Libertin, Jiri Kvacek, Jiri Bek
Summary: This paper revises the genus Aberlemnia from the Early Devonian of Scotland based on its type-material A. caledonica and describes a new species, Aberlemnia krizii sp. nov, from the Silurian of Czechia. The study provides detailed diagnoses and highlights the differences between the two species. Aberlemnia is positioned on an evolutionary clade line leading to the Lycophytina.
REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY
(2024)
