Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

PALAIOS

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (20) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by CRESSLER, W. L. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Evidence of Earliest Known Wildfires

¹ Department of Geology and Astronomy, Boucher Hall, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383

ABSTRACT

The oldest known fossil charcoal, to date, is herein reported from a Late Devonian (Famennian 2c) fluvial deposit in the Catskill Formation of north-central Pennsylvania. The charcoal was found in an abandoned channel setting in association with abundant well-preserved macrofossil plant remains of Archaeopteris, Rhacophyton, cormose lycopsids, Gillespiea, and cupulate and acupulate gymnosperms. Detailed anatomical preservation of the charcoal combined with its paleoecological setting suggests that in this landscape, mostly Rhacophyton burned, perhaps in association with an interpreted annual dry season. Alternating wet and dry seasons are indicated by the presence of paleovertisols. The fossil site where the charcoal was found also has yielded terrestrial arthropods, numerous fishes, and two early tetrapods.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G.J. Retallack, R.R. Hunt, and T.S. White Late Devonian tetrapod habitats indicated by palaeosols in Pennsylvania Journal of the Geological Society, December 1, 2009; 166(6): 1143 - 1156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. C. McPARLAND, M. E. COLLINSON, A. C. SCOTT, D. C. STEART, N. V. GRASSINEAU, and S. J. GIBBONS FERNS AND FIRES: EXPERIMENTAL CHARRING OF FERNS COMPARED TO WOOD AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PALEOBIOLOGY, PALEOECOLOGY, COAL PETROLOGY, AND ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY Palaios, September 1, 2007; 22(5): 528 - 538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. MARYNOWSKI and P. FILIPIAK Water column euxinia and wildfire evidence during deposition of the Upper Famennian Hangenberg event horizon from the Holy Cross Mountains (central Poland) Geological Magazine, May 1, 2007; 144(3): 569 - 595. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Scott and I. J. Glasspool The diversification of Paleozoic fire systems and fluctuations in atmospheric oxygen concentration PNAS, July 18, 2006; 103(29): 10861 - 10865. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. L. Cressler III Plant paleoecology of the Late Devonian Red Hill locality, north-central Pennsylvania, an Archaeopteris-dominated wetland plant community and early tetrapod site Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2006; 399(0): 79 - 102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. L. Cressler III and H. W. Pfefferkorn A Late Devonian isoetalean lycopsid, Otzinachsonia Beerboweri, gen. et sp. nov., from north-central Pennsylvania, USA Am. J. Botany, July 1, 2005; 92(7): 1131 - 1140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. M. WILSON, E. B. DAESCHLER, and S. DESBIENS NEW FLAT-BACKED ARCHIPOLYPODAN MILLIPEDES FROM THE UPPER DEVONIAN OF NORTH AMERICA Journal of Paleontology, July 1, 2005; 79(4): 738 - 744. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M. Bergman, T. M. Lenton, and A. J. Watson COPSE: A new model of biogeochemical cycling over Phanerozoic time Am J Sci, May 1, 2004; 304(5): 397 - 437. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I.J. Glasspool, D. Edwards, and L. Axe Charcoal in the Silurian as evidence for the earliest wildfire Geology, May 1, 2004; 32(5): 381 - 383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Anatomical Evidence in the Detection of the Earliest Wildfires Palaios, April 1, 2004; 19(2): 113 - 128.