Fossil wood from the Roztocze region (Miocene, SE Poland) : a tool for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

This article presents the results of anatomical and growth ring analyses of Badenian fossil wood from the Roztocze region. All the wood specimens examined are classified as Taxodioxylon taxodii Goth. The growth rings of these woods are very narrow, and they vary considerably in width. Tracheids have large diameters and thin cell walls.The latewood zone is wide; the transition between early and latewood is gradual. Both false and wedge rings and also reaction wood zones are often found. These characteristics of the fossil wood make it a suitable aid to reconstructing the environmental conditions prevailing while the trees were alive. The environmental requirements of these ancient Roztocze trees are interpreted by comparison with those of their nearest living relatives, with the conclusion that they lived in waterlogged or temporarily flooded stands under seasonally changing environmental conditions and with a long growing season. The climate was warm and humid and characterized by significant variability, mainly as regards the amount of precipitation.