Mysterious ‘lost’ forest wiped out 22 million years ago has been rediscovered by scientists

Scientists have rediscovered a 'lost' forest which was destroyed some 22 million years ago.

The forest is located in the Panama Canal, and researchers think it will contain a wealth of species.

It is around 22 million years old, and was destroyed in a volcanic eruption, leaving a distinctive geological marker.

Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute discovered the fossilized remains of the trees at Barro Colorado Island.

During a period called the Miocene Epoch the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates collided, with the geological activity forming Panama and Central America.

As a result of the collision a hill was created which would eventually have risen to become Barro Colorado Island in the ocean.

A total of 121 preserved pieces of wood were found and indicate that it would have been a perfect environment for mangroves to flourish, but not for any other species of tree.

Mangroves are unusual for trees in that they have adaptations which allow them to survive in areas with much higher salt concentrations.

OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images

And given that this area had a mixture of salt and freshwater, it was just right for this type of tree.

Mangroves are found in coastal locations and can sometimes form natural barriers to the sea, sometimes creating a sheltered environment.

As a result many creatures including juvenile fish are drawn to mangroves, with predators following to feed on smaller animals.

Scientists also found that due to the much higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, they think that the trees would have been unlike anything seen on Earth today.

The lack of other types of tree fossils also suggests that other species may have struggled to survive in the area.

But the mangrove forest met a violent end, with the geological evidence suggesting that it was destroyed in a volcanic eruption.

Annika Hammerschlag/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

This triggered a 'lahar', a term from Indonesia used to describe a large flow of flow of, mud, water, rocks, and ash.

These can flow almost like wet concrete can cover large areas very quickly.

As a result, and crucially for scientists investigating the site, they are capable of preserving fossils.

It can do this because the substance encases organic matter before it has a chance to rot, leaving behind the geological imprint of the animal or plant.

This has left behind fossils of the enormous mangrove trees which would have populated the area.

There is also enough evidence to suggest that it was in fact one singular eruption which destroyed the forest rather than several.

• Scientists discovered bizarre radio signal from 13,000,000,000 years ago and it could answer how the universe started
• Scientists finally solve mystery of Easter Island heads revealing how they moved 900 years ago
• Astronomers discover half of the universe's hydrogen gas that's been unaccounted for since the Big Bang 13,800,000,000 years ago
• Scientists have discovered a mysterious tiny world in our solar system