ckmerlin Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 (edited) just wanted to share these USB microscope photos of plants that are becoming fossilised by CaCo rich freshwater . The plants grow on the tufa deposit i mentioned in a previous post , the water from the spring is saturated with CaCO (limestone in solution ) as it flows from the spring onto the tufa and the plants that grow on it the CaCO precipitates out of the water (due to various processes) the plants become encrusted with calcite and overtime become fossilised first photo shows two fronds of moss one on right is becoming encrusted second is slice of calcified grass third shows same moss species nearly completely calcified all taken with 60xmagnification and 200xMag Edited August 22, 2011 by ckmerlin "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I'll "break the ice" Interesting images and documentation Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Thanks Indy "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Very fascinating process. You see many of these 'modern' fossils listed for sale at ebay for example. By definition not exactly a fossil but certainly well on the way. Are there examples of flora that are preserved by this mechanism that have met the threshold of 10K years or older? I would imagine that much of the diatomaceous material qualifies as the conditions for siliceous preservation are abundant and well documented. Just curious if anyone can fill in the blanks here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Just curious if anyone can fill in the blanks here? This isn't an "expected" topic of discussion, however, it is a subject that many have thought about. Maybe, not openly discussed...but many have mentally mulled over the subject. There's enough information here to make for an interesting discussion. Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Well said Barry. This topic has been on my radar for many years now. Attached is a link to one of the better papers that describes the processes of calcareous and siliceous formations with info on plants as rock builders and diatom beds. Other than diatomaceous matrix, I cannot recall ever seeing a plant (leaf) fossil preserved in this mode from an age older than Holocene. Perhaps someone knows of a more recent paper on this? LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 That's pretty cool... here's an idea: if you have something you'd like preserved long term (time capsule) just throw it in the solution! Send a nice bouquet of rare flowers to our descendants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 In France (as somewhere else, I suppose), we have certain number of places where these things can occur. We call this water a "petrifying source or a petrifying fountain. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufi%C3%A8re Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 Well said Barry. This topic has been on my radar for many years now. Attached is a link to one of the better papers that describes the processes of calcareous and siliceous formations with info on plants as rock builders and diatom beds. Other than diatomaceous matrix, I cannot recall ever seeing a plant (leaf) fossil preserved in this mode from an age older than Holocene. Perhaps someone knows of a more recent paper on this? LINK The link is good , the tufa deposit originates at a freshwater spring seep. You are correect on date the deposit is no older than Holocene. heres a link http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/content/46/2/141.abstract "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 That's pretty cool... here's an idea: if you have something you'd like preserved long term (time capsule) just throw it in the solution! Send a nice bouquet of rare flowers to our descendants. Funny you should say that the thought had crossed my mind to try an experiment of that nature , (not a bouquet of rare flowers tho cant afford that !! ) "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 Very fascinating process. You see many of these 'modern' fossils listed for sale at ebay for example. By definition not exactly a fossil but certainly well on the way. Are there examples of flora that are preserved by this mechanism that have met the threshold of 10K years or older? I would imagine that much of the diatomaceous material qualifies as the conditions for siliceous preservation are abundant and well documented. Just curious if anyone can fill in the blanks here? Most of the material is calcerous in nature derived from CaCO3 saturated water that originated as meteoric water that fell on the local limestone lithology see this link http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/content/46/2/141.abstract "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 This isn't an "expected" topic of discussion, however, it is a subject that many have thought about. Maybe, not openly discussed...but many have mentally mulled over the subject. There's enough information here to make for an interesting discussion. Hi Indy perhaps it would have been better if I had posted this in the discussion forum ?? That bieng said im very gratified with the response "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 heres another good link http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=H7220 "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hi Indy perhaps it would have been better if I had posted this in the discussion forum ?? That bieng said im very gratified with the response <Topic moved.> We have used to have a lot of springs here in Central Texas that leach minerals which envelope roots, ferns, etc. It's interesting to observe. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 <Topic moved.> We have used to have a lot of springs here in Central Texas that leach minerals which envelope roots, ferns, etc. It's interesting to observe. Yes John i find it fascinating to see the process I would like to have seen the springs you mention are they dried up now ? "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Due to our unrelenting drought, most of the springs in the area are dried up. In this photo of what was a small bluff spring, you can see where roots and vines become the framework for minerals which precipitate from the water. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmerlin Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 thats a great photo , shame about the spring drying up "A man who stares at a rock must have a lot on his mind... or nothing at all' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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