The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction
Fossil fungi from periods warmer than modern climates provide unique insights into the future impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Here we report the fossil fungal assemblage from the late Middle Miocene Kenslow Member of central England, associated with climatic conditions warmer than the prese...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.947623/full |
| _version_ | 1811313741777600512 |
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| author | Matthew J. Pound Noelia B. Nuñez Otaño Ingrid C. Romero Michael Lim James B. Riding Jennifer M. K. O’Keefe |
| author_facet | Matthew J. Pound Noelia B. Nuñez Otaño Ingrid C. Romero Michael Lim James B. Riding Jennifer M. K. O’Keefe |
| author_sort | Matthew J. Pound |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fossil fungi from periods warmer than modern climates provide unique insights into the future impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Here we report the fossil fungal assemblage from the late Middle Miocene Kenslow Member of central England, associated with climatic conditions warmer than the present-day. The identification of 110 morphotypes, which primarily relate to moist environments and the presence of wood, have been used to develop a new nearest living relative palaeoclimate reconstruction. The fungal assemblage indicates a Köppen–Geiger climate class, represented by temperate conditions, no dry season, and warm summers. This new fungal-based palaeoclimate reconstruction technique holds exciting potential to explore critically important but poorly understood palaeoenvironments, and the resulting qualitative inferences align well with previously published palaeobotanical quantitative estimates of palaeoclimate. These findings show that diverse fungal assemblages can successfully be used to reconstruct past climates for the first time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:00:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98c9ed0c751f4352bcf52560c0627db8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:00:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-98c9ed0c751f4352bcf52560c0627db82022-12-22T02:49:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2022-08-011010.3389/fevo.2022.947623947623The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstructionMatthew J. Pound0Noelia B. Nuñez Otaño1Ingrid C. Romero2Michael Lim3James B. Riding4Jennifer M. K. O’Keefe5Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomLaboratorio de Geología de Llanuras, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Diamante, ArgentinaDepartment of Physics, Earth Science and Space Systems Engineering, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, United StatesDepartment of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomBritish Geological Survey, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Physics, Earth Science and Space Systems Engineering, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, United StatesFossil fungi from periods warmer than modern climates provide unique insights into the future impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Here we report the fossil fungal assemblage from the late Middle Miocene Kenslow Member of central England, associated with climatic conditions warmer than the present-day. The identification of 110 morphotypes, which primarily relate to moist environments and the presence of wood, have been used to develop a new nearest living relative palaeoclimate reconstruction. The fungal assemblage indicates a Köppen–Geiger climate class, represented by temperate conditions, no dry season, and warm summers. This new fungal-based palaeoclimate reconstruction technique holds exciting potential to explore critically important but poorly understood palaeoenvironments, and the resulting qualitative inferences align well with previously published palaeobotanical quantitative estimates of palaeoclimate. These findings show that diverse fungal assemblages can successfully be used to reconstruct past climates for the first time.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.947623/fullwetlandsfungibiodiversitynearest living relativepalynologyclimate change |
| spellingShingle | Matthew J. Pound Noelia B. Nuñez Otaño Ingrid C. Romero Michael Lim James B. Riding Jennifer M. K. O’Keefe The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution wetlands fungi biodiversity nearest living relative palynology climate change |
| title | The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| title_full | The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| title_fullStr | The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| title_full_unstemmed | The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| title_short | The fungal ecology of the Brassington Formation (Middle Miocene) of Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| title_sort | fungal ecology of the brassington formation middle miocene of derbyshire united kingdom and a new method for palaeoclimate reconstruction |
| topic | wetlands fungi biodiversity nearest living relative palynology climate change |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.947623/full |
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