Characterization of canadian arctic fossil woods

Fossil woods from Axel Heiberg, Ellesmere, and Cornwallis islands in the Canadian Arctic were analyzed. Most specimens have been dated as Eocene, but one may be Paleocene, and as old as 65 million years. All the woods are gymnosperms. Based on recognizable characteristics, some of the Eocene specimens have been characterized as possibly spruce or larch, and one specimen has all the characteristics of Douglas fir. A Miocene wood has been identified as an especially well preserved white pine. Chemical and instrumental analyses showed that the Eocene and Paleocene specimens have undergone extensive carbohydrate degradation with nearly complete removal of hemicelluloses. The residual carbohydrate is mainly crystalline cellulose. The fossil woods are rich in lignin; some specimens contain over 80 per cent lignin. The fossil lignins are methoxyl-group deficient, sidechain degraded, and more condensed compared to recent softwood lignin. No evidence of bacterial or fungal decay was observed; hydrolysis was probably the major route of degradation.