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Ulrich S, Vieira M, Coiro M, Bouchal JM, Geier C, Jacobs BF, Currano ED, Lenz OK, Wilde V, Zetter R, Grímsson F. Origin and Early Evolution of Hydrocharitaceae and the Ancestral Role of Stratiotes. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1008. [PMID: 38611537 PMCID: PMC11013807 DOI: 10.3390/plants13071008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The combined morphological features of Stratiotes (Hydrocharitaceae) pollen, observed with light and electron microscopy, make it unique among all angiosperm pollen types and easy to identify. Unfortunately, the plant is (and most likely was) insect-pollinated and produces relatively few pollen grains per flower, contributing to its apparent absence in the paleopalynological record. Here, we present fossil Stratiotes pollen from the Eocene of Germany (Europe) and Kenya (Africa), representing the first reliable pre-Pleistocene pollen records of this genus worldwide and the only fossils of this family discovered so far in Africa. The fossil Stratiotes pollen grains are described and compared to pollen from a single modern species, Stratiotes aloides L. The paleophytogeographic significance and paleoecological aspects of these findings are discussed in relation to the Hydrocharitaceae fossil records and molecular phylogeny, as well as the present-day distribution patterns of its modern genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ulrich
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (S.U.); (J.M.B.); (C.G.); (R.Z.)
- Department of Historical Archaeology, Austrian Archaeological Institute (OeAI), Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Manuel Vieira
- Department of Earth Sciences, GeoBioTec, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;
| | - Mario Coiro
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes M. Bouchal
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (S.U.); (J.M.B.); (C.G.); (R.Z.)
| | - Christian Geier
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (S.U.); (J.M.B.); (C.G.); (R.Z.)
| | - Bonnie F. Jacobs
- Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA;
| | - Ellen D. Currano
- Departments of Botany and Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA;
| | - Olaf K. Lenz
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany;
| | - Volker Wilde
- Section Palaeobotany, Division Palaeontology and Historical Geology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
| | - Reinhard Zetter
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (S.U.); (J.M.B.); (C.G.); (R.Z.)
| | - Friðgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (S.U.); (J.M.B.); (C.G.); (R.Z.)
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Pan AD, Jacobs BF, Bush RT, de la Estrella M, Grímsson F, Herendeen PS, van der Burgt XM, Currano ED. First evidence of a monodominant (Englerodendron, Amherstieae, Detarioideae, Leguminosae) tropical moist forest from the early Miocene (21.73 Ma) of Ethiopia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279491. [PMID: 36630378 PMCID: PMC9833558 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Many tropical wet forests are species-rich and have relatively even species frequency distributions. But, dominance by a single canopy species can also occur in tropical wet climates and can remain stable for centuries. These are uncommon globally, with the African wet tropics supporting more such communities than the Neotropics or Southeast Asia. Differences in regional evolutionary histories are implied by biogeography: most of Africa's monodominance-forming species are Amherstieae-tribe legumes; monodominance in Neotropical forests occur among diverse taxonomic groups, often legumes, but rarely Amherstieae, and monodominance in Southeast Asian forests occurs mostly among Dipterocarpaceae species. African monodominant forests have been characterized ecologically and taxonomically, but their deep-time history is unknown despite their significant presence and bottom-up ecological influence on diversity. Herein we describe fossil leaflets of Englerodendron mulugetanum sp. nov., an extinct species of the extant genus Englerodendron (Berlinia Clade, Amherstieae, Detarioideae) from the 21.73 Ma Mush Valley site in Ethiopia. We also document a detailed study of associated legume pollen, which originate from a single taxon sharing characters with more than one extant descendant. Taxonomically, the pollen is most comparable to that from some extant Englerodendron species and supports a likely affiliation with the Englerodendron macrofossils. The Mush Valley site provides the first fossil evidence of a monodominant tropical forest in Africa as represented by leaflets and pollen. Previous studies documented >2400 leaves and leaflets from localities at six stratigraphic levels spanning 50,000-60,000 years of nearly continuous deposition within seven meters of section; all but the basal level contain ≥ 50% E. mulugetanum leaflets. Modern leaf litter studies in African mixed vs. monodominant forests indicates the likelihood of monodominance in the forests that surrounded the Mush paleolake, particularly after the basal level. Thus, we provide an early case for monodominance within the Amherstieae legumes in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D. Pan
- Museum of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
- Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bonnie F. Jacobs
- Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rosemary T. Bush
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Manuel de la Estrella
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Celestino Mutis, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Friðgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick S. Herendeen
- Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, United States of America
| | | | - Ellen D. Currano
- Department of Botany and Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
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Grímsson F, Ulrich S, Coiro M, Graham SA, Jacobs BF, Currano ED, Xafis A, Zetter R. Hagenia from the early Miocene of Ethiopia: Evidence for possible niche evolution? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5164-5186. [PMID: 34025999 PMCID: PMC8131786 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fossil pollen believed to be related to extant Hagenia abyssinica were discovered in the early Miocene (21.73 Ma) Mush Valley paleoflora, Ethiopia, Africa. Both the fossil and extant pollen grains of H. abyssinica were examined with combined light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to compare the pollen and establish their relationships. Based on this, the fossil pollen grains were attributed to Hagenia. The presence of Hagenia in the fossil assemblage raises the questions if its habitat has changed over time, and if the plants are/were wind pollinated. To shed light on these questions, the morphology of extant anthers was also studied, revealing specialized hairs inside the anthers, believed to aid in insect pollination. Pollen and anther morphology are discussed in relation to the age and origin of the genus within a molecular dated phylogenetic framework, the establishment of complex topography in East Africa, other evidence regarding pollination modes, and the palynological record. The evidence presented herein, and compiled from the literature, suggests that Hagenia was an insect-pollinated lowland rainforest element during the early Miocene of the Mush Valley. The current Afromontane habitat and ambophilous (insect and wind) pollination must have evolved in post-mid-Miocene times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friðgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Silvia Ulrich
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Mario Coiro
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary BotanyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Bonnie F. Jacobs
- Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth SciencesSouthern Methodist UniversityDallasTXUSA
| | - Ellen D. Currano
- Departments of Botany and Geology & GeophysicsUniversity of WyomingLaramieWYUSA
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Grímsson F, Bouchal JM, Xafis A, Zetter R. Combined LM and SEM study of the middle Miocene (Sarmatian) palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin, Austria: Part V. Magnoliophyta 3 - Myrtales to Ericales. GRANA 2020; 59:127-193. [PMID: 32406427 DOI: 10.1080/00173134.2011.585804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The continued investigation of the middle Miocene palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin reveals numerous additional angiosperm taxa. The Myrtales to Ericales pollen record documented here comprises 46 different taxa belonging to Onagraceae (Ludwigia), Ericaceae (Craigia, Reevesia, Tilia), Anacardiaceae (Pistacia), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), Sapindaceae (Acer), Santalaceae (Arceuthobium), Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae (Persicaria, Rumex), Cornaceae (Alangium, Cornus, Nyssa), Ebenaceae (Diospyros), Ericaceae (Andromeda, Arbutus, Empetrum, Erica), Sapotaceae (Pouteria, Sideroxylon), Styracaceae (Rehderodendron) and Symplocaceae (Symplocos). Köppen signatures of potential modern analogues of the additional fossil woody elements confirm the hypothesis of a subtropical (Cfa, Cwa) climate at lower elevations and subsequent transition into a temperate climate with altitudinal succession (Cfa → Cfb/Dfa → Dfb; Cwa → Cwb → Dwb-climate). The fossil plants represent different vegetation units, from wetland lowlands to well-drained montane forests. Many of the fossil taxa have potential modern analogues that can be classified as nemoral and/or meridio-nemoral and/or semihumid-meridional vegetation elements. New is the recognition of oreotropical elements, which are direct indicators for a substantial altitudinal gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friđgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes M Bouchal
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandros Xafis
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Zetter
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Grímsson F, Bouchal JM, Xafis A, Zetter R. Combined LM and SEM study of the middle Miocene (Sarmatian) palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin, Austria: Part V. Magnoliophyta 3 - Myrtales to Ericales. GRANA 2020; 59:127-193. [PMID: 32406427 PMCID: PMC7195176 DOI: 10.1080/00173134.2019.1696400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The continued investigation of the middle Miocene palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin reveals numerous additional angiosperm taxa. The Myrtales to Ericales pollen record documented here comprises 46 different taxa belonging to Onagraceae (Ludwigia), Ericaceae (Craigia, Reevesia, Tilia), Anacardiaceae (Pistacia), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), Sapindaceae (Acer), Santalaceae (Arceuthobium), Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae (Persicaria, Rumex), Cornaceae (Alangium, Cornus, Nyssa), Ebenaceae (Diospyros), Ericaceae (Andromeda, Arbutus, Empetrum, Erica), Sapotaceae (Pouteria, Sideroxylon), Styracaceae (Rehderodendron) and Symplocaceae (Symplocos). Köppen signatures of potential modern analogues of the additional fossil woody elements confirm the hypothesis of a subtropical (Cfa, Cwa) climate at lower elevations and subsequent transition into a temperate climate with altitudinal succession (Cfa → Cfb/Dfa → Dfb; Cwa → Cwb → Dwb-climate). The fossil plants represent different vegetation units, from wetland lowlands to well-drained montane forests. Many of the fossil taxa have potential modern analogues that can be classified as nemoral and/or meridio-nemoral and/or semihumid-meridional vegetation elements. New is the recognition of oreotropical elements, which are direct indicators for a substantial altitudinal gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friđgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes M. Bouchal
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandros Xafis
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Zetter
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Grímsson F, Bouchal JM, Xafis A, Zetter R. Combined LM and SEM study of the middle Miocene (Sarmatian) palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin, Austria: Part V. Magnoliophyta 3 - Myrtales to Ericales. GRANA 2020; 59:127-193. [PMID: 32406427 DOI: 10.1080/00173134.2011.641450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The continued investigation of the middle Miocene palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin reveals numerous additional angiosperm taxa. The Myrtales to Ericales pollen record documented here comprises 46 different taxa belonging to Onagraceae (Ludwigia), Ericaceae (Craigia, Reevesia, Tilia), Anacardiaceae (Pistacia), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), Sapindaceae (Acer), Santalaceae (Arceuthobium), Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae (Persicaria, Rumex), Cornaceae (Alangium, Cornus, Nyssa), Ebenaceae (Diospyros), Ericaceae (Andromeda, Arbutus, Empetrum, Erica), Sapotaceae (Pouteria, Sideroxylon), Styracaceae (Rehderodendron) and Symplocaceae (Symplocos). Köppen signatures of potential modern analogues of the additional fossil woody elements confirm the hypothesis of a subtropical (Cfa, Cwa) climate at lower elevations and subsequent transition into a temperate climate with altitudinal succession (Cfa → Cfb/Dfa → Dfb; Cwa → Cwb → Dwb-climate). The fossil plants represent different vegetation units, from wetland lowlands to well-drained montane forests. Many of the fossil taxa have potential modern analogues that can be classified as nemoral and/or meridio-nemoral and/or semihumid-meridional vegetation elements. New is the recognition of oreotropical elements, which are direct indicators for a substantial altitudinal gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friđgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes M Bouchal
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandros Xafis
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Zetter
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Ulrich S, Grímsson F. The single-grain method: adding TEM to the equation. GRANA 2019; 59:44-57. [PMID: 32256293 PMCID: PMC7077360 DOI: 10.1080/00173134.2019.1666915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
An advanced protocol to prepare single extant and fossil pollen grains for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis allows for the fast recovery of data on the ultrastructure of pollen/spores. The protocol is easy to apply and less time consuming than previous methods. The 'loss' of pollen grains and pollen that is 'difficult to locate' within the embedding material is avoided, and each single pollen grain can be prepared successfully for TEM analysis. This preparation method is meant as an addition to the single-grain method using combined light and scanning electron microscopy to investigate dispersed fossil pollen grains developed by Dr Reinhard Zetter in the late 1980s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ulrich
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friđgeir Grímsson
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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