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McCurry MR, Cantrill DJ, Smith PM, Beattie R, Dettmann M, Baranov V, Magee C, Nguyen JMT, Forster MA, Hinde J, Pogson R, Wang H, Marjo CE, Vasconcelos P, Frese M. A Lagerstätte from Australia provides insight into the nature of Miocene mesic ecosystems. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabm1406. [PMID: 34995110 PMCID: PMC8741189 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm1406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reduced precipitation in the Miocene triggered the geographic contraction of rainforest ecosystems around the world. In Australia, this change was particularly pronounced; mesic rainforest ecosystems that once dominated the landscape transformed into the shrublands, grasslands, and deserts of today. A lack of well-preserved fossils has made it difficult to understand the nature of Australian ecosystems before the aridification. Here, we report on an exceptionally well-preserved rainforest biota from New South Wales, Australia. This Konservat-Lagerstätte hosts a rich diversity of microfossils, plants, insects, spiders, and vertebrate remains preserved in goethite. We document evidence for several species interactions including predation, parasitism, and pollination. The fossils are indicative of an oxbow lake in a mesic rainforest and suggest that rainforest distributions have shifted since the Miocene. The variety of fossils preserved, together with high fidelity of preservation, allows for unprecedented insights into the mesic ecosystems that dominated Australia during the Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. McCurry
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - David J. Cantrill
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Private Bag 2000, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia
| | - Patrick M. Smith
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Robert Beattie
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Mary Dettmann
- Geosciences, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Viktor Baranov
- Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Biocenter, Großhaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Charles Magee
- Geoscience Australia, Symonston 2609, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jacqueline M. T. Nguyen
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Marnie A. Forster
- Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia
| | - Jack Hinde
- Illawarra Environmental Education Centre, Shell Cove, New South Wales 2529, Australia
| | - Ross Pogson
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Helen Wang
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Christopher E. Marjo
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Paulo Vasconcelos
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Michael Frese
- Australian Museum Research Institute, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Health and Biosecurity, Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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