BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Global researchers recently made new progress in the systematics and evolutionary diversity of Mesozoic ginkgoalean plants, according to the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The research, conducted by the institute in collaboration with colleagues from Germany, France, and Ireland, was published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology.
Their work centers on the systematic analysis of ginkgoalean fossils discovered in Jurassic strata of the Qaidam Basin, northwestern China. This research sheds light on the diversity of these fossils and their responses to paleoenvironmental changes, offering a valuable comparative record for reconstructing the Jurassic vegetation history and climate of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
As significant components of global Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems, ginkgoalean plants were once widely distributed worldwide. Since the Triassic, they have exhibited remarkable evolutionary stasis and environmental adaptability, maintaining relatively stable morphological and anatomical structures.
Consequently, research into their fossil systematics and diversity is crucial for reconstructing past environmental conditions, including paleoclimate and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
The research team systematically collected and analyzed 128 specimens from eight consecutive fossil-bearing layers. By integrating macro-morphological features such as leaf shape and venation with micro-morphological cuticular characteristics, they conducted a comprehensive analysis.
Through rigorous taxonomic analysis, the team identified 10 species across three genera: Ginkgoites, Baiera, and Sphenobaiera, reflecting considerable ginkgoalean diversity during this period.
Notably, two new species of Baiera and Sphenobaiera were documented in the Qaidam Basin for the first time, enriching the local flora and providing new material for interregional botanical comparisons.
Innovatively applying Factor Analysis of Mixed Data, the researchers effectively integrated macro- and micro-morphological traits, demonstrating the complementary and synergistic value of these features in ginkgoalean fossil classification.
Furthermore, certain species, such as G. qaidamensis and G. longifolius, were found to maintain consistent morphological characteristics across Early to Middle Jurassic strata.
This stability provides key fossil evidence and theoretical insight into the evolutionary resilience of ginkgoalean plants, their adaptive strategies amid Mesozoic environmental fluctuations, and the detailed reconstruction of early-to-middle Jurassic paleoclimate and ecology in the Qaidam Basin and northeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
The study indicates that, despite significant climatic shifts in the Qaidam Basin over approximately 20 million years during the Early to Middle Jurassic, representative ginkgoalean plants maintained stable leaf forms and anatomy. This underscores their dual capacity for morphological variation and long-term ecological adaptation.
These findings advance people's understanding of ginkgoalean evolution and adaptive mechanisms, offering a fresh perspective on plant-environment interactions during this geological period. ■
