The Petrified Forest of Lesbos was formed 20 million years ago when a volcano erupted north of the island and covered the entire area with ash and lava. The area, spread over 15,000 hectares, is famous for its vivid and colorful fossil tree trunks.
Nicholas Xuros, a professor of geology at Aegean University, was excavating the fossilized forest ecosystem, but told CNN he had never discovered such a discovery.
“We have a lot of findings over the years but the latest is the most important – really extraordinary,” he told CNN on Thursday.
During excavations on the Colony-Sigri Highway, experts unearthed a giant tree measuring 19.6 meters (21.4 yards) – complete with branches and root system –
“This is not often seen in excavations,” Xoros said. “We usually find logs without branches and roots.
“It is the only one found in excavations found on a layer filled with branches, root system, and leaves – in the regional system we have all the organs of a tree. This is unique so far -” We have been digging for 25 years and have never found such a tree. He said.
Conifers, fruit-bearing trees, Sequoia trees, pine, palm, cinnamon and oak trees are among the specimens that originated in the endangered forest.
“These trees show that the climate has changed in the area of Lesbos – these trees are tropical. Climate conditions were tropical 20 million years ago when the volcanic eruption destroyed the trees. There may be an idea of what affects, ”Zorros said.
Xoros told CNN that botanical records show that half the species once seen on the island were dead.
“They couldn’t survive the weather reversal,” he said. “We can use this important information to persuade visitors that climate change has serious consequences for the species that live here and for modern ecosystems.”
In addition to the “extraordinary” trees, experts found more than 150 lugs at another site, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from where the entire tree was discovered.
“Professor Xoros’ new discovery is amazing,” Cronis Tejadasis, a professor of physical geography at University College Ledge London who is not involved in the excavations, told CNN.
“It is very rare to find tree branches, roots and leaves still connected, while the 150 trunks found together will provide a unique snapshot at some point that will allow us to assess the biodiversity of the ecosystem.”
Tzedakis added: “More generally, although there are many endangered forests around the world, cigars are exceptional because many native trees are found in their original state, their root systems intact. . “
Zorros said the tree that was found during the excavation was completed in January.
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