Abstract
Lower Jurassic terrestrial deposits of Romania are described within
several geological units, in the South Carpathians and in the Apuseni
Mountains. These deposits, especially those confined to the South
Carpathians, record exceptional information related to Jurassic terrestrial
ecosystems. Lower Jurassic terrestrial deposits and their associated
floras and faunas are described within 25 main localities. These localities
belong to the Getic Nappe (Resita, Holbav and Cristian basins), Danubian
units (Sirinia, Presacina, Cerna-Jiu basins) in the South Carpathians,
and to the Bihor Authochthonous, in Apuseni Mountains. The Romanian
fossil continental floras, aged early Jurassic (Hettangian –
Toarcian) are represented by compressions (foliage, stem, roots and
reproductive structures, including in situ spores and pollen), permineralizations,
and by dispersed pollen and spores. The compressions belong to pteridophytes
and gymnosperms, and the permineralised woods are generally coniferalean
or cycadalean. In situ spores, dispersed pollen and spores were briefly
described and assigned to pteridophytes and gymnosperms. The floras
are practically unknown up to this date, in spite of recent, modern
researches after 1990, due to the systematic diversity of these floras.
The terrestrial faunal fossils are represented by invertebrates, by
footprints, tracks and vertebrate burrows, as well as by plant-animal
interactions remains, at their turn being poorly understood and described.
This project will reconstruct the Romanian terrestrial Jurassic ecosystems
by investigating the floras and faunas from the following points of
view: systematics & taxonomy, stratigraphy, paleoecology &
coal genesis, paleobiogeography, sedimentary, geological heritage
and paleoclimatic significance, in a wider paleobiogeographic context,
in order to correlate the national data with the European, Greenlandic
and Asian data. context paleobiogeografic mai larg, pentru a corela
datele pe plan national cu cele din Europa, Groenlanda si Asia.
Basic ideas
1. Systematics, taxonomy, phytostratigraphy, paleoecology and paleophytogeography
of Early Jurassic land plants of Romania.
2. Systematics, taxonomy, stratigraphy, paleoecology of Early Jurassic
vertebrate and invertebrate terrestrial faunas of Romania.
3. Study of plant-animal interactions, as recorded in the fossil state.
4. Reconstruction of Early Jurassic terrestrial ecosystems of Romania
and their paleobiogeographic & paleoclimatic conditions during the
Early Jurassic (Liassic) time interval, also in European, Greenlandic
and Asian context.
5. Sedimentology of Lower Jurassic deposits in Romania.
6. Studied basins: Resita, Holbav, Cristian, Sirinia, Presacina, Cerna-Jiu,
Bihor.
Team
1. Conf. Dr. Mihai E. Popa, University of Bucharest,
Principal Investigator - paleobotany, sedimentology;
2. Prof. Dr. Nicolae Ticleanu, University of Bucharest, member - paleobotany,
sedimentology;
3. Lect.Dr. Zoltan Csiki, University of Bucharest, member - paleozoology,
sedimentology;
4. Dr. Valentin Paraschiv - National Museum of Geology, Romanian Institute
of Geology, Bucharest, member - paleobotany;
5. Milan Rascov - National Museum of Geology, Romanian Institute of
Geology, Bucharest, member - paleobotany.
Objectives of the project
The project proposes 7 priorities for the study and reconstruction of
Jurassic terrestrial ecosystems in Romania, to them being related the
objectives (Point 12.1) and the actions planned to be undertaken. The
priorities of the project are:
1. Identifying the species of flora and fauna from samples collected
from the field (in the South Carpathians and in Apuseni Mountains) or
from previous collections, using modern and nomenclatorially correct
systematics.
2. Clarifying the nomenclatorial status of faunal and floral taxa, thorough
the nomemclatorial revision of the main Jurassic genera and species
of fossil fauna and flroa, so that the collected or revised material
is assigned to valid taxa.
3. Providing and detailing the flora and fauna taxa lists of the continental
deposits, from fossil localities, outcrops and basins in general.
4. Clarifying the faunal and floral biozones characteristic for the
Lower Jurassic in the studied continental deposits.
5. Clarifying the taphocoenoses, and of paleophytocoenoses related to
the depositional system, of the coal generating associations and of
the 3D distribution of taxa, 2D or 3D, when such analysis is possible
for fossils in the sedimentary deposits, and the evaluation of continental
paleobiocoenoses.
6. Evaluating the Early Jurassic paleoclimate in Romania and the correlation
of paleocliimate data with data from Eurosinian context.
7. Clarifying the paleofloristic influences in the context of the European
Province of the Eurosinian Region in the Early Jurassic, through identification
of endemic species for the Romanian territory, of ubiquist elements
and of characteristic elements of other floral or faunal provinces.
Related to these priorities, the project defines 9 objectives obtained
through specific actions, reported each year to a new structural unit.
In the first year, the objectives are elated to the Getic Nappe basins
(Resita, Pui-Hateg, Holbav, Cristian), in the second year, to the Danubian
Units basins (Sirinia, Presacina, Cerna-Jiu), and in the third year,
to the Apuseni Mountains (Suncuius). The objectives of the project,
as they are introduced in Point 12.1, are the following:
1. Clarifying the systematics in paleobotany and paleozoology, and clearing
of the taxonomical problems through the study of previous collections
(each year, a new structural unit) and of previous literature.
2. Collecting of paleobotany, paleozoology and sedimentary material,
for developing the primary data of these fields (each year, a new structural
unit).
3. The synthesis of paleobotany, paleozoology, sedimentology, and the
reconstruction of terrestrial Jurassic ecosystems in Romania (each year,
a new structural unit).
From all these points of view, the proposed project is an original attempt
through its objectives and its proposed methods, with a substantial
scientific and highly international interesting background.
Methods of research
The methods used include field research methods and laboratory methods.
The selected methods are chosen in connection with the project’s
objectives, and they are used in the project in specific actions.
A. Field methods
1. Geological mapping, recording of primary sedimentological, paleozoological
and paleobotanical data, drawing shemes and geological and facies maps,
of local and synthethic logs.
2. Probing material for paleozoology and sedimentology, with a stratigraphic
and depositional control, where such a control is possible in the field.
B. Laboratory methods
1. Cuticular analysis: oxidation of compressive material, izolating
cuticles, the study of epidermal anatomy using an optical transmitted
light microcsope;
2. Extracting in situ spores and pollen: extracting fertile material
from reproductive structures, maceration, centrifugation, mounting of
biological slides for study under transmitted light microscopy.
3. Macro- and microscopic digital photography, with binocular lens or
with the transmitted light microscope.
4. Classical drawing or using a camera lucida.
5. Image processing for vectorial and bitmap images for paleontolgical
or sedimentary material.
6. Mechanical processing of the paleozoological and paleobotanical samples
by using mechanical means (needles and other means under classical or
binocular lens).
7. Extracting cuticles or spores and pollen in bulk maceration: treating
the bulk material with strong reagents for dissolving the rock matrix,
isolating and concentrating the organic matter for study.
8. Developing reference, paleobotanical, paleozoological, sedimentological
and heritage data bases.
9. Washing and sieving of sedimentary samples.
10. Thin sections of silicified woods and of petrological material.