Opportunities for Ancient Underwater Forest Outlined

The Advocate recently reported on an overview published by Louisiana State University paleoclimatologist Kristine DeLong and other researchers on “an ancient cypress forest frozen in time” several miles off the Alabama coast. Buried under a layer of mud, the forest dates back to long before humans are believed to have stepped onto the continent, when giant beasts dominated the region. It sat undisturbed until 2004, when scientists believe it was uncovered by waves from Hurricane Ivan. The researchers said that, because the material is so well-preserved, it could unlock clues about the region’s climate and life and could have future implications for parts of the Gulf Coast facing sea-level change and subsidence. The forest is estimated to be approximately 45,000-70,000 years old. Having studied samples she pulled from the site 60 ft underwater, DeLong said, “This is not what you’d expect to find in the ocean. This is very similar to what you’d find if you went out into the Atchafalaya Basin.”