[brian 911]

Why did the trees not rot during the carboniferous period?

I heard on an "Eden planet earth type program" that as plants moved on to land, fungihad not evolved to break down the cells yet and it took them hundreds ofmillions of years to work it out.

Am I correct toassume; that the reason we have an abundance of coal reserves is due to;

there being nobiological mechanism (in the form of bacteria or fungi )during the Carboniferous period,

to decompose the “ vastswathes of forest that covered the land, which would be laid down andeventually become the coal beds”

Any Ideas?

Thanks Brian 911

[Greg Boyles]

brian 911, on 3 January 2012 - 01:11 PM, said:

Why did the trees not rot during the carboniferous period?

I heard on an "Eden planet earth type program" that as plants moved on to land, fungihad not evolved to break down the cells yet and it took them hundreds ofmillions of years to work it out.

Am I correct toassume; that the reason we have an abundance of coal reserves is due to;

there being nobiological mechanism (in the form of bacteria or fungi )during the Carboniferous period,

to decompose the " vastswathes of forest that covered the land, which would be laid down andeventually become the coal beds"

Any Ideas?

Thanks Brian 911

Even today plant material barely rots in the low oxygen aquatic environment of swamps and bogs.

I believe that the climate of the Carboniferous period was warmer and wetter than today and that swamps and bogs were more wide spread.

Hence the large coal deposits that originated from that period.

[brian 911]

good point thanks b

Greg Boyles, on 3 January 2012 - 01:21 PM, said:

Even today plant material barely rots in the low oxygen aquatic environment of swamps and bogs.

I believe that the climate of the Carboniferous period was warmer and wetter than today and that swamps and bogs were more wide spread.

Hence the large coal deposits that originated from that period.

[pippo]

But wasnt bacteria about the first life on earth? Seems to me bacteria and related fungi (monerids, right?) would have already been around and developed by that carboniferous period. Also, it was mentioned that time was warmer/wetter- just what is ideal for decomposition, correct?

[Santalum]

pippo, on 30 January 2012 - 11:20 PM, said:

But wasnt bacteria about the first life on earth? Seems to me bacteria and related fungi (monerids, right?) would have already been around and developed by that carboniferous period. Also, it was mentioned that time was warmer/wetter- just what is ideal for decomposition, correct?

Decomposition occurs rapidly in warm wet environments when oxygen is available. Ever heard of the necessity to aerate your compost heap?

When oxygen is not available decomposition occurs slowly or barely at all which is why intact human bodies, centuries old, have been pulled out peat bogs in Britain etc.And why you don't produce good compost if you dont aerate your heap.

This post has been edited by Santalum: 31 January 2012 - 02:08 AM

[pippo]

I get it. Thanks

[Ophiolite]

Although this is from a sixty year old paper the observations appear to be relevant.

Was Decay Important in Origin of Coal?
James M. Schopf
Journal of Sedimentary Research
Volume 22 (1952)

ABSTRACT
Microbiotic conditions that existed in ancient peat deposits prior to their coalification were probably highly varied. Some of the probable variations are discussed with reference to common plant products and different agencies of decay. Differences in sulfur content may reflect greater anaerobic decay in Paleozoic than in younger coals, and the prevalent remains of saprophytic fungi in post-Jurassic coals suggests that, in these, aerobic decay was of proportionately greater importance. Plant material contributing to Paleozoic coal was, in general, less subject to mechanical degradation than is apparent in the younger coals in which the peat was affected by saprophytic fungi.

[CaptainPanic]

Allow me to link to an earlier thread on the same topic. It's only of December 2011.