NOTES ON THE PALAEOECOLOGY OF LATE PALAEOZOIC NOEGGERATHIALES

A comprehensive analysis on the palaeoecology of Noeggerathiales indicates that the ecological condition of this group of plants from Cathaysian and Euramerican floras may be similar. It is very possible that Noeggerathiales from both Cathaysian and Euramerican floras could live in wet lower land or arid upland. Palaeoecological sample statistics on certain lower land Cathaysian floras containing noeggerathialean plants indicates that generally in a community, the quantity of genera and species (diversification) of noeggerathialean plants is relatively very limited. However, the number of a particular species (abundance) is usually very high, sometimes even taking the predominant position in the community. As far as the structure of the community is concerned, the community usually has well defined forest layers. Noeggerathiales together with some shenophyllaleans, ferns and seed ferns comprise the understory of a forest. The middle and upper layers may be composed of Lepidodendron, Cordaites, Calamites and some tree ferns or seed ferns.

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Clc Number:

Q914.5