[FOVORITEDRSTORE 2023] Technology helps to protect ancient underwater forests

Fujian Jinjiang Shenhuwan National Underwater Forest, which is the only national reserve preserving ancient underwater forests in our country, preserves ancient underwater forests with a history of more than 7000 years and ancient underwater forests with a history of 9000 years. -25,000 year old bone shelf remains. Over time, the remnants of ancient forests from the bottom of the sea have gradually risen to the surface, attracting the attention of many scientists and reminding people that they must be protected immediately.

The trunks of the trees are dark and oddly shaped and are scattered over bodies of water, and as the water recedes, these trees gradually emerge from the sea. It is the remaining national reserve of the Shenhuwan Underwater Forest, located in Jinjiang, Fujian Province, which preserves 7,000-year-old ancient underwater forests and 9-25,000-year-old fossils.

This rare geological resource, which is unique in Korea and rare in the world, is very important for studying changes in the natural environment and the laws of the earth's climate.

It is very important for studying ancient oceans, sea and land changes, and more.

When Zhang Rumei was young, he heard stories about the sea.

Zhang Rumei was born in Shenhui, Jinjiang, and his family has been involved in fishing for generations. There is a saying in the village that when a fisherman goes out to sea, the net is often caught and he goes down to the sea to check, but there is nothing. At low tide, there are often nice trees standing on the beach.

In 1986, Xu Qi-hao, a researcher from the Guangdong Earthquake Bureau, heard of this legend by chance and went to Jinjiang to investigate. Xu Qihao first saw ancient tree stumps in an area that is now part of the Shenghu Bay Ancient Underwater Forest Remains National Nature Reserve.

"It's not like the typical mangrove forests along the coast," he said. Xu Qihao suspiciously took samples and tested them, concluding that the type of tree was a yale fir, about 7,500 years old.

Yale cedars usually grow in mountainous areas. How can I find it on the seabed? Xu Qihao concludes that the area was once an ancient forest. After thousands of years, only a few tree stumps, roots and tree trunks remain, saved from the fate of weather and erosion and quickly buried by sea sand. become In addition to the sea, there are also large areas of ancient fossil reefs that are 9-25,000 years old, as well as not far from these ancient cedar trees. One terrestrial, one aquatic, two creatures with completely different habitats are found in the same densely populated area, adding some mystery to the ancient underwater forest.

Jinjiang City quickly started declaring it a nature reserve. In 1991, Shenhu Bay Ancient Underwater Forest was recognized as a county-level nature reserve, and in 1992 it was elevated to a national-level nature reserve. In 2004, Jinjiang City established a special management agency, equipped with special personnel and guaranteed funds, to manage and protect the protected area in a standardized way.

So far, science has not been able to explain why ancient forests and ancient reefs appear with the theory of earth motion, the theory of rising and falling sea levels, or the theory of natural environment change... .Scientists have a different opinion. However, scientists are concerned about the importance of ancient forest monuments such as ancient forests, ancient reefs, natural environments, and natural resources for studying ancient seas, ancient climates, ancient plants, and land and sea changes. It is also important evidence for understanding the laws of Earth's motion and changes in Earth's climate and environment.