
%0 Journal Article
%A Mart&iacute;n-Closas, Carles 
%T Epiphytic Overgrowth of Charophyte Thalli by Stromatolite-like Structures and Fungi in the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Ranges (Spain)
%J Australian Journal of Botany
%D 1999/07/02
%V 47
%N 3
%P 305-313
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/BT97098
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/BT97098 
%X The Lower Cretaceous (113 million years old) lacustrine deposits of Las Hoyas(Iberian Ranges, Cuenca, Spain) yield an epiphytic assemblage formed by thecharophyte species Clavatoraxis diaz-romeraliiMart&#237;n-Closas &#38; Di&#233;guez overgrown by a muddy, laminatedstromatolite-like structure. Fossil charophyte thalli coated with biogeniclaminations were previously unknown from the fossil record. Within thisstromatolite-like structure, filaments are found which correspond to thalli ofanother charophyte, Palaeonitella vermicularisMart&#237;n-Closas &#38; Di&#233;guez, and to septate hyphae of fungi(Ascomycetes). The distribution pattern of the biogenic lamination and itsselective growth only on the strongest thalli ofClavatoraxis diaz-romeralii suggests that it occurredwhen these macrophytes were still alive, standing upright on the lake bottom.From this point of view the stromatolite-like structures are reminiscent ofextant overgrowths of charophyte thalli by epiphytic, filamentouscyanobacteria, eucaryotic algae and fungi. These assemblages appear to developafter eutrophication of nutrient-poor environments, which are more suitablefor charophyte growth. 
