Panama Canal

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Context Details

• This discovery, made by researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado Island, offers a unique insight into a bygone era that vanished due to volcanic eruptions.  
• Significance of the discovery: This discovery not only offers a glimpse into a prehistoric ecosystem but also unravels the intricate history of Earth, showcasing how geological forces and catastrophic events shaped the planet's narrative.
• The vast mangrove forest on Barro Colorado Island stands as a testament to the Miocene Epoch, approximately 23 million years ago, when the collision of the South American and Caribbean plates sculpted the landscape of present-day Panama and Central America.
• Barro Colorado Island emerged as a result of this geological transformation, transitioning from a mound to a hill and ultimately forming an island.
• Dotted with towering trees reaching heights of up to 130 feet, the island's lush forest captivates with its preserved ancient charm.
• The scientific team, delving into their discovery, unearthed 121 preserved pieces of wood in the island's creek, shedding light on the unique ecological system that once thrived.
• Sediment samples from Barro Colorado Island became valuable resources for scientists, revealing an ideal habitat for ancient mangrove species.
• The island's conditions, where fresh and sea water mixed, allowed for the flourishing of mangrove forests during the Miocene epoch when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations surpassed modern levels.
• The researchers named this ancient mangrove species Sonneratioxylon barrocoloradoensis, with the genus Sonneratioxylon honoring an existing group of species and the island's name indicating its origin.
• Despite having distant relatives in modern Southeast Asia, the absence of other tree fossils near the island suggests the challenges faced by different species in surviving there.
• The unique preservation of fossils on Barro Colorado Island is attributed to its silica-rich waters and fast currents, creating a concrete-like cover that prevented decomposition.

About the canal

• The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometre-long artificial waterway in Panama.
• It is located at 9° North latitude, where the North American Continental Divide reaches its lowest point. It is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal.
• The canal was built by the United States between 1904 and 1914, and it was officially opened on August 15, 1914.
• It is owned and administered by the Republic of Panama since the oversight of the Canal was transferred from the United States to Panama in 1999.
• The Panama Canal consists of a series of locks that raise and lower the water level to facilitate the passage of ships through the continental divide.