Veres János: A bükkábrányi 8 millió éves mocsárerdő (Múzeumi Mozaik 7. Miskolc, 2007)

THE 8 MILLION YEARS OLD SWAMP FOREST OF BÜKKÁBRÁNY BY JÁNOS VERES The unearthed fossil forest part of Bükkábrány, due obviously to its unequaled nature, has aroused great publicity and quite a public interest. As you aware in July a 16-trunk forest section of the upper Miocene era has been uncovered in the bottom of the 60metre deep Bükkábrány open pit mine of the Mátra Power Plant. The unique fossil findings, keeping with the best of traditions of the world, were studied by a multidisciplionary group of acclaimed scientists from a number of local institutes. The 6-metre stumps/ trunks of what once have been 40 metres tall bald cypresses [taxodiuni) stood at their original site. A natural disaster evidently created a special airtight layer which preserved this part of the forest preventing the tree trunks from fossilizing so they have remained in their original structure for millions of years. This promted many scientists the unthinkable possibility to obtain a load of scientific information in their own field. Even though a few „time travelers" from the verge of two worlds - biosphere and litosphere - has been uncovered mainly as a piece of driftwood or leaf, never before have these findings been found at their original paleoenvironment. These samples came usually from questionable geographical layers and were in the process of fossilization. The swamp forest of Bükkábrány has remained at its original location leaving no question stratigraphically and presenting a unique picture of this ecosystem of the upper Miocene. This alone is a fortunate and unparalleled occurance that allows scientists to make interpretations from a very „comfortable" position.