Fundamentals of Paleontology and General Stratigraphy

Practice 3– Procaryota. Eukaryota. Plantae.

Name of the Student: Duration: 2 hr

Day & Date: Thursday, 21st of September 2023 Max. marks: 2

General information:
Procaryota
Definition
Organisms (i.e. prokaryotes) whose genetic material (filaments of DNA) is not enclosed by
a nuclear membrane, and that do not possess mitochondria or plastids. Bacteria and cyanophyta
are the only prokaryotic organisms.
Modern stromatolites are sedimentary structures that are formed by cyanobacteria.
Living stromatolites were first discovered in 1956, in the salty water of Hamelin Pool at
Shark Bay, Western Australia.
The term ‘stromatolith’ was coined by Kolkowsky in 1908, and is derived from the Greek
terms stroma and lithos. While the former means layer or bed, the latter means rock.
Stromatolites are important because they are believed to be the evidence of early life. In fact,
sedimentary structures that are around 3.5 billion years old are believed to be the oldest evidence
of life on Earth.
Nora Noffke, a geobiologist at Old Dominion University, has recently found patterns on
3.5 billion-year-old stromatolites in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. These have patterns
that are similar to the ones left by microbial mats (films formed by microorganisms) currently.
While some geologists believe that these structures might have been formed by chemical
processes, some refer to the similarities in their shape and other evidence to 2.8 billion-year-old
stromatolites that are generally accepted as being biogenic. Basically, stromatolites are
accretionary structures that are formed by colonies of cyanobacteria, which are believed to be
responsible for addition of oxygen to the atmosphere. The following sections provide
information on the evolutionary significance of stromatolites.
Bacteria and archaea reproduce through asexual reproduction, usually by binary fission.
Genetic exchange and recombination still occur, but this is a form of horizontal gene transfer and
is not a replicative process, simply involving the transference of DNA between two cells, as in
bacterial conjugation.

In 1977, Carl Woese proposed dividing prokaryotes into the Bacteria and Archaea
(originally Eubacteria and Archaebacteria) because of the major differences in the structure and
genetics between the two groups of organisms. Archaea were originally thought to be
extremophiles, living only in inhospitable conditions such as extremes of temperature, pH, and
radiation but have since been found in all types of habitats. The resulting arrangement of
Eukaryota (also called "Eucarya"), Bacteria, and Archaea is called the three-domain system,
replacing the traditional two-empire system.
 S t r o m a t o l i t e s a r e a t ta c h e d s t r u c t u r e s ( p l a s t o f o r m , n o d u la r , c o l u m n a r ) o f a
l a y e r e d s t r uc t u r e , i n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f w h i c h a rc h a e b a c t e r i a, c y a n o b i o n t s, a n d a l g a e
p a r t i c i p a t e d.
O n c o l i t h s a r e r o u n d n o d u l e s o f a c o n c e n t r i c a l l y la y e r e d s t r u c t u r e f o r m e d i n a
turbulent aquatic environment with the participation of enveloping cyanobionts,
a r c h a e b a c t e r i a , a l ga e .

Eukaryota
Humans categorize life on Earth down into eight different categories, called taxonomic
ranks, which narrow down from domain down to individual species. Kingdom, the second
broadest of these ranks, has five or six distinct members — according to the United Kingdom
and the United States, respectively — and it contains four eukaryotic classifications within it:
animalia, plantae, fungi, and, protista. Eukaryotic species, from the largest whale down to the
tiniest plant, derive their shape from cells that have a clearly-defined nucleus which also
contains the cells' DNA and other organelles like the mitochondria. Scientists call species not
of this classification prokaryotes, species whose cells lack internal membranes. See below for
the four eukaryotic kingdoms — in one of which humanity falls.

Animalia
Organisms in the animalia kingdom are multicellular and don’t have cell walls or
photosynthetic pigments. The animalia kingdom contains more than 1,000,000 species,
according to Palomar College. All organisms in the animalia kingdom has some type of
skeletal support and have specialized cells. In addition, these organisms have cellular, tissue,
organ and system organization. All organisms in the animalia kingdom reproduce sexually
instead of asexually.

Plantae
The plantae kingdom has more than 250,000 species, according to Palomar College. All
land plants such as ferns, conifers, flowering plants and mosses are found in the plantae
kingdom. Organisms in the plantae kingdom produce energy via photosynthesis. In addition,
organisms in the plantae kingdom have a cell wall and a pigment called chlorophyll that helps
capture light energy. The captured light energy is converted to sugars, starches and other types
of carbohydrates.

Fungi
The fungi kingdom is responsible for breaking down dead organic material and helps
recycle nutrients through ecosystems, according to the University of California Museum of
Paleontology. In addition, the majority of vascular plants rely on symbiotic fungi to grow.
Symbiotic fungi are found in the roots of all vascular plants and provide them with important
nutrients. Fungi provide many types of medications such as antibiotics and penicillin, but also
cause many diseases in the animalia kingdom. Fungal diseases are extremely difficult to treat
because fungi are extremely similar genetically and chemically to organisms in the animalia
kingdom.

Protista
The protista kingdom includes unicellular and multicellular organisms, according to
Clermont College. Organisms in the protista kingdom need to live in some type of water
environment to survive. This may include fresh water, marine water, damp soil and even the
wet hair of an animal like a polar bear. The three types of organisms in the protista kingdom
are protozoa, algae, and fungus-like protists. Protozoa obtain their food with phagocytosis,
which involves engulfing their prey with mouth-like structures. Algae contain chlorophyll and
obtain their food through photosynthesis just like organisms in the plantae kingdom. Fungus-
like protists absorb nutrients from their environment directly into their cytoplasm. Slime molds
are an example of fungus-like protists and commonly live in decayed wood.

Key words: procaryota, stromatolotes, oncoliths, eukaryota, Classification of fossil plants

Tools: folder for papers (10-20 pages), black gel pen, pencils, eraser.

Task 1
Carefully read the theory and make sketches of all the plants. Learn classification and basic
terms and definitions.
Classification of fossil plants
Phylum Class Order Genus
Propteridophyta
Rhynia D1
Psilophytes
Rhiniophytes S-D
Lycopodiopsida Lepidodendron C-P
Lepidodendrales
Lycopodiaceae Knorria C-P
Лепидодендроновые
(Плауновидные) Sigillaria C-P
С-P-T1
D-Q Stigmaria C-P
Pteridophyta D-Q

Calamitales
Equisetopsida Calamites C-P
Каламитовые C-P
Членистостебельные Аnnularia C-P
Хвощеподобные
Equisetales
D3-Q Phyllotheca C-P
Хвощовые C-Q
Polypodiopsida
Pecopteris C-P
Споровые
Cladophlebis J-K
Папоротники D2-Q
Order Genus
Callipteris C-P
Pteridospermidae
Голосеменные D3-Q
Pinophyta Gymnospermae

Gondwanidium C-P
Семенные папоротники C-P
Angaropteridium C-P
Cordaites C-P
Cordaitales Кордаиты C-P
Coniferales Хвойные C2-Q Taxodium K-KZ (P-N)
Ginkgoales
Ginkgo sibirica J-K
Гинкговые MZ-KZ
Czekanowskiales
Czekanowskia J-K
Чекановскиевые MZ
Cycadales Цикадовые MZ-KZ Nillsonia MZ

Bennettitales Беннеттитовые T2-K

 Phyta
# and photo Phylum Class Genus Features
p-3 They are
characterized by
one cotyledon and
leaves with parallel
or arcuate veins.
Leaf shape
elongated, dagger-
like, ribbon-like.
p-4
Для них характерны
одна семядоля и
листья с
Monocotyledone параллельным или
дугонервным
жилкованием.
Форма листа
вытянутая,
кинжалоподобная,
лентовидная

Magnoliophyta
The predominant
characters are two
cotyledons in the
ovule and reticulate
venation of the
leaves. The leaves
are simple and
4.1
compound,
consisting of one or
more plates.
Преобладающими
Dicotyledones
признаками
являются две
семядоли в
семязачатке и
сетчатое
жилкование
листьев. Листья
простые и сложные,
состоящие из одной
или нескольких
пластин.
 The frond is
compound pinnate.
The feathers are
linear, with parallel
edges tapering
Pinophyta towards the apex.
Feathers of
different types:
whole and cut into
blades.
Callipteris
Pteridospermidae Вайя
C
сложноперистая.
Перья линейные, с
параллельными
краями,
суживающимися к
верхушке.
Перышки разного
типа: цельные и
рассеченные на
лопасти.