近日，云南大学冯卓团队报道了中国西北伊吾侏罗纪森林定量重建及中侏罗世高森林生产力。这一研究成果发表在2026年8月7日出版的国际学术期刊《科学-进展》上。
森林是主要的陆地生态系统，在全球碳循环中发挥着关键作用。然而，由于保存有详细且生理上重要的解剖特征的原位化石森林稀缺，人们对地质历史时期森林结构和功能的变化仍知之甚少。
基于中国新疆伊吾侏罗纪森林中78个原位矿化针叶树桩，研究组利用古植物学观测和生态学分析对该森林进行了定量重建。结果发现该化石森林的树木呈随机分布，平均密度为每公顷126棵，显示有限的定植后竞争性间伐；其估计树冠高度范围为10.47至43.95米，林分生物量为每公顷276,192至386,946千克，净初级生产力显著，达21.11至31.9 t/hm2·a，是现代温带针叶林的三倍。中侏罗世升高的温度和大气pCO2可能促成了这一高生产力。该研究表明，到中侏罗世时，与现代森林相当的树木密度、树冠高度和生物量已经出现，森林已作为主要的陆地碳汇在发挥作用。
附：英文原文
Title: Quantitative reconstruction of the Yiwu Jurassic Forest in Northwest China and high forest productivity in the Middle Jurassic
Author: Xu-Dong Gou, Yun Guo, Tao Zhao, Stephen McLoughlin, Zhuo Feng
Issue&Volume: 2026-08-07
Abstract: Forests constitute the dominant terrestrial ecosystems and play a critical role in global carbon cycling. However, the changing structure and function of forests through geological time remain poorly understood due to the scarcity of in situ fossil forests preserving detailed and physiologically important anatomical characters. On the basis of 78 in situ permineralized conifer stumps in the Yiwu Jurassic Forest of Xinjiang, China, we quantitatively reconstruct the forest using paleobotanical observations and ecological analyses. We found that this fossil forest has a random tree distribution with an average density of 126 trees per hectare, showing limited postestablishment competitive thinning; its estimated canopy height ranged from 10.47 to 43.95 meters, stand-level biomass was 276,192 to 386,946 kilograms per hectare, and a notable net primary productivity of 21.11 to 31.9 t/hm2·a, which is three times higher than that of modern temperate conifer forests. Elevated temperature and atmospheric pCO2 in the Middle Jurassic probably contributed to this high productivity. Our study indicates that tree density, canopy height, and biomass equivalent to modern forests had already emerged by the Middle Jurassic and that forests were functioning as major terrestrial carbon sinks.
DOI: aeh1682
Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeh1682