An introduction to the Rhynie chert

The terrestrialization of life has profoundly affected the biosphere, geosphere and atmosphere, and the Geological Magazine has published key works charting the development of our understanding of this process. Integral to this understanding – and featuring in one of the Geological Magazine publications – is the Devonian Rhynie chert Konservat-Lagerstätte located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Here we provide a review of the work on this important early terrestrial deposit to date. We begin by highlighting contributions of note in the Geological Magazine improving understanding of terrestrialization and Palaeozoic terrestrial ecosystems. We then introduce the Rhynie chert. The review highlights its geological setting: the Caledonian context of the Rhynie Basin and its nature at the time of deposition of the cherts which host its famous fossils. There follows an introduction to the development of the half-graben in which the cherts and host sediments were deposited, the palaeoenvironment this represented and the taphonomy of the fossils themselves. We subsequently provide an overview of the mineralization and geochemistry of the deposit, and then the fossils found within the Rhynie chert. These include: six plant genera, which continue to provide significant insights into the evolution of life on land; a range of different fungi, with recent work starting to probe plant–fungus interactions; lichens, amoebae and a range of unicellular eukaryotes and prokaryotes (algae and cyanobacteria); and finally a range of both aquatic and terrestrial arthropods. Through continued study coupled with methodological advances, Rhynie fossils will continue to provide unique insights into early life on land.

Foreword: tectonic evolution and mechanics of basement-involved fold-and-thrust belts

Guest Editors Olivier Lacombe, Jonas Ruh, Dennis Brown and Faramarz Nilforoushan are to be congratulated for their efforts in putting together this exciting and comprehensive special issue on basement-involved fold-and-thrust belts. On behalf of Geological Magazine, I also thank the numerous authors and reviewers, whose efforts have made the special issue possible.

EDITORIAL

The obvious reason for writing an Editorial at the start of this particular issue is to celebrate 150 years since the first publication of Geological Magazine. This is a long and continuous record of service to the scientific community and contribution to the geosciences. All those people who have been associated with the publication of the journal can be proud of it. I would especially like to acknowledge the efforts of the production teams over the years: behind the academic work of authors, referees and the editors stands a dedicated group of publishing staff, who ensure that the high publication standards of the journal are maintained. Thanks are also due to the authors who have contributed to papers in Geological Magazine to date. It is a daunting prospect to think of exactly how many different scientists have co-authored papers in the journal since 1864, and what combinations of evolution and revolution our science has seen in that time.

Preface

It is a pleasure to write a preface to this special issue of Geological Magazine, on the Zagros orogen. The papers reinforce Geological Magazine's commitment to publishing top quality research across subject areas within Earth Sciences, in forms from data-rich papers to large-scale reviews. It is notable how many of the papers are multi-disciplinary, or draw upon results from a particular study area to advance our understanding of more general geological processes. On behalf of the journal, I thank the Guest Editors Olivier, Bernhard and Guy for their enormous effort in gathering and editing the papers within the issue. Their enthusiasm has resulted in a much larger set of papers than was first thought likely. Nearly 60 authors are represented in the 17 papers; thanks go to them all for contributing so willingly. These scientists have collectively made this issue a body of research which will be invaluable for years to come. The benefits will go to those working on the geology of the Zagros, but also anyone with an interest in how the continents are formed and deformed, to create the landscapes on which we all live.

Introduction: geodynamic evolution of the Zagros

This special issue of Geological Magazine presents a collection of 17 papers dealing with different aspects of the Zagros orogen. Many, though not all, of these contributions were presented as part of a highly successful session devoted to the geodynamic evolution of the Zagros belt at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2010 in Vienna (Austria). The aim of this gathering was to assemble a broad group of Earth scientists interested in the Zagros orogen to discuss and disseminate new results and ideas efficiently. This volume presents a collection of some of the diverse research that is currently being carried out in the Zagros. We believe that these studies contribute to the understanding of the geodynamic evolution of the Zagros Mountains in particular, but in addition to orogenic processes in general.

Editorial Notice

At about the time this issue is published, Geological Magazine converts to an electronic submission and tracking system for the on-line submission of manuscripts for publication. Many thanks to our Assistant Editor, Jane Holland, and staff at Cambridge University Press for their efforts in getting this system live. For on-line details of the new submission system, please go to the website at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cup/geo.

The trilobite from Ohio with preserved legs: 1Mickelborough 1883 and Walcott 1884

ABSTRACT: Part and counterpart of a trilobite collected from Upper Ordovician strata near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, provided additional information on the legs of trilobites. These appendages had only been certainly known for less than a decade. The specimen was described by a local paleontologist in the local natural history journal, but part of the text was repeated in a leading American biological journal, and repeated in full in the Geological magazine. This trilobite was subsequently redescribed by C. D. Walcott in Science, following a speech in which he discussed it before the Biological Society of Washington. The specimen is now in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington.

The Reverend Henry Eley, and his collection of foraminifera preserved in flint

INTRODUCTIONThe Reverend Henry Eley ma was a little-known Victorian cleric who wrote a delightful book entitled Geology in the Garden in 1859. In it are described and illustrated many foraminifera preserved in flint, which are some of the first recorded Upper Cretaceous foraminifera from south east England. Jones & Parker thought well enough of his work to review Eley’s material in 1872. Eley’s collection is preserved in The Natural History Museum, London.BACKGROUNDWhilst undertaking an investigation into the life and work of Professor Thomas Rupert Jones, I came across an old collection of foraminifera in The Natural History Museum (registration numbers 54916–54944) attributed to a Rev. H. Eley. This, Jones had not only recorded in his Catalogue (1882: p. 14) but earlier in 1872 (with W. K. Parker) had thought worthy of revision – much as they had done with other more famous collections during the 1860s in their series On the Nomenclature of the Foraminifera. Why they should choose such an apparently obscure collection was unclear until I had chance to read a letter in the Museum’s archive, which Jones (1882) had previously mentioned. The letter was written by Eley to Jones on the 23 February 1872 from 5 Bloomsbury Place, Brighton. This indicates that Jones knew Eley and his whereabouts, since the former writes that he was going to read the March 1872 issue of the Geological Magazine with interest, because he remembered that ... ‘the note at the foot of page 195 of the Geology . . .

EDITORIAL NOTE

This issue marks the departure of the longest-serving of the current editors of Geological Magazine, Dr Chris Hughes, and his replacement by Dr Tim Palmer (University of Wales, Aberystwyth). The Geological Magazine has always had a strong content of palaeontology and biostratigraphy, and Chris Hughes has efficiently maintained the quality of these contributions since 1973. He is moving on from his lectureship in the Cambridge Earth Sciences Department to head the Associated Examining Board, based in Guildford. The other editors thank him warmly for his experienced guidance over the past 24 years and wish him success in his new post.The editors welcome Tim Palmer, whose appointment from outside the Cambridge department represents a significant and deliberate departure from custom. Some 13 years ago, the Magazine broadened its editorial advice in a major way by appointing an Editorial Board, most of whose members have come not just from outside Cambridge, but from beyond the UK. Our new editorial appointment signals an extension of this same policy.An important advantage of having all the Magazine's editors under one roof has been the efficiency and speed of communicating with each other. However, with the Cambridge editors now talking to each other as much by Email as face-to-face, geographical proximity has become a less crucial asset. The spread of Email is changing many other aspects of the editorial practice and the Geological Magazine office, run by Jane Holland, is now on-line at [email protected]. The editors now encourage the use of Email for all business except for submission of manuscripts, and in particular for contributors' queries and for referees' reports.