Zapis kopalny grzybów i organizmów grzybopodobnych
Abstract
Fossil record of fungi and pseudofungi.
S u m m a r y. The fossil record of fungi is now available from all Phanerozoic periods. In this paper, the most important and interesting taxa from subsequent periods were reviewed, to elucidate recognition of some of directions of fungal and pseudofungal evolution in changing paleoecosystems. In the three decades since the publication of the classical Pirozynski’s paper (1976), many new taxa of fossil fungi have been discovered. Our knowledge of their relationships with other co-existing organisms has also expanded. Records of fossil Oomycota and Chytridiomycota are known from Precambrian. According to Retallack (1994), some of Ediacaran fossils can be interpreted as lichens. All presently known main groups of fungi were represented in the Paleozoic. Records of Glomales (Redecker et al., 2000) in Ordovician rocks seems to have a special significance for research on the evolution of mycorrhiza. This group of fungi can be respected as potential partners of mycorrhizal interactions with first terrestrial plants. Great diversity of fungi existed during the Mesozoic. During the Cenozoic (the only time span with fungal fossils reported from Poland), with diversification of climatic conditions and development of plant assemblages, they achieved the present stage of development.
S u m m a r y. The fossil record of fungi is now available from all Phanerozoic periods. In this paper, the most important and interesting taxa from subsequent periods were reviewed, to elucidate recognition of some of directions of fungal and pseudofungal evolution in changing paleoecosystems. In the three decades since the publication of the classical Pirozynski’s paper (1976), many new taxa of fossil fungi have been discovered. Our knowledge of their relationships with other co-existing organisms has also expanded. Records of fossil Oomycota and Chytridiomycota are known from Precambrian. According to Retallack (1994), some of Ediacaran fossils can be interpreted as lichens. All presently known main groups of fungi were represented in the Paleozoic. Records of Glomales (Redecker et al., 2000) in Ordovician rocks seems to have a special significance for research on the evolution of mycorrhiza. This group of fungi can be respected as potential partners of mycorrhizal interactions with first terrestrial plants. Great diversity of fungi existed during the Mesozoic. During the Cenozoic (the only time span with fungal fossils reported from Poland), with diversification of climatic conditions and development of plant assemblages, they achieved the present stage of development.