45-502: Between 1997 and 1999 the international Cape Roberts Project (CRP) has recovered up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) long drill cores in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, to reconstruct the glaciation history of Antarctica. Scientists from various institutes in seven countries have participated: Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Italy, New Zealand, and the US. After a seismic pre-site survey
90-498: A mountain range of uplifted rock (primarily sedimentary ) in Antarctica which extends, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare in northern Victoria Land to Coats Land . These mountains divide East Antarctica and West Antarctica . They include a number of separately named mountain groups, which are often again subdivided into smaller ranges. The range was first sighted by James Clark Ross in 1841 at what
135-452: A timber tree. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney have published information on how to grow Wollemi pines from seed which has been harvested from helicopters from the forest trees. The majority of seeds that fall from the cone are not viable so need to be sorted to retain the plump and dark ones. These can then be sown on top of seed raising mix and watered. Once the water has drained through
180-562: A party under expedition leader Robert Falcon Scott crossed into East Antarctica at a location now known as Ferrar Glacier , named after the geologist of the expedition. They explored part of Victoria Land on the Antarctic Plateau before returning via the same glacier. In 1908, Ernest Shackleton 's party crossed the mountains through the Beardmore Glacier . Scott returned to that same glacier in 1911, while Roald Amundsen crossed
225-642: A special Antarctic phenomenon: landscapes that are snow and ice-free due to the extremely limited precipitation and ablation of ice in the valleys. The highest mountain of the TAM is the 4,528 m (14,856 ft) high Mount Kirkpatrick in the Queen Alexandra Range . Penguins, seals, and sea birds live along the Ross Sea coastline in Victoria Land, while life in the interior of the Transantarctic Range
270-547: A wing around the edge to aid wind-dispersal. The male ( pollen ) cones are slender conic, 5–11 cm (2.0–4.3 in) long and 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) broad and reddish-brown in colour and are lower on the tree than the seed cones. Seedlings appear to be slow-growing and mature trees are extremely long-lived; some of the older individuals today are estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 years old. The discovery, on or about 10 September 1994, by David Noble , Michael Casteleyn, and Tony Zimmerman, occurred only because
315-561: Is temperate and there is adequate year-round rainfall. Loamy soils with good drainage proved to be ideal. The team concluded, "This study demonstrates that it is feasible to establish Wollemi pines in many parts of the world and under different climates and cultural regimes, which can help conserve this species in the face of climate change and other threats." A propagation programme made Wollemi pine specimens available to botanical gardens, first in Australia in 2006 and subsequently throughout
360-399: Is an evergreen tree reaching 25–40 m (82–131 ft) tall. The bark is very distinctive, dark brown, and knobbly, quoted as resembling the breakfast cereal Coco Pops . The tree coppices readily, and most specimens are multiple-trunked or appear as clumps of trunks thought to derive from old coppice growth, with some consisting of up to 100 stems of differing sizes. The branching
405-541: Is extremely hardy and versatile in cultivation. Despite it being an endangered species, it is easy to grow and requires relatively low maintenance. It will adapt to a diverse range of climatic zones, thriving in full sun to semi shaded outdoor positions. They can be maintained in a pot almost indefinitely, and make good container plants for patios, verandas, and courtyards. Because it tolerates air conditioning, it can also be used as an indoor decorative plant. They require well-drained soil and protection from frost. When pruning
450-562: Is limited to bacteria, lichens , algae , and fungi. Forests once covered Antarctica, including plentiful Wollemi pines and southern beeches . However, with the gradual cooling associated with the break-up of Gondwana , these forests gradually disappeared. It is believed that the last trees on the Antarctic continent were on Transantarctic Mountains. The Transantarctic Mountains were first seen by Captain James Clark Ross in 1841 from
495-688: Is named after the National Park. The Wollemi pine is classified as critically endangered (CR) on the IUCN 's Red List , and is legally protected in Australia. After it was discovered that the trees could be successfully cloned, new trees were potted up in the Botanic Gardens of Sydney and Mount Annan and planted as far away as the Humboldt Botanical Garden near Eureka, California. A Recovery Plan has been drawn up, outlining strategies for
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#1732852293385540-566: Is unusual in that nearly all the side branches never have further branching. After a few years, each branch either terminates in a cone (either male or female) or ceases growth. After this, or when the cone becomes mature, the branch dies. New branches then arise from dormant buds on the main trunk. Rarely, a side branch will turn erect and develop into a secondary trunk, which then bears a new set of side branches. The leaves are flat linear, 3–8 cm (1.2–3.1 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) broad. They are arranged spirally on
585-534: The Late Cretaceous - Pliocene of Australia, New Zealand, Patagonia and Antarctica is assignable to Wollemia , however, the pollen of Wollemia is highly variable, and its similarity to Dilwynites has been questioned, with Dilwynites also closely resembling the pollen of some species of Agathis . It is therefore possible that Dilwynites pollen represents that of other araucarian conifers as well as possibly also Wollemia . This article incorporates text from
630-848: The Silurian period and continuing into the Jurassic . In many places, the Beacon Supergroup has been intruded by dikes and sills of Jurassic age Ferrar Dolerite . Many of the fossils found in Antarctica are from locations within these sedimentary formations. Ice from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet flows through the Transantarctic Mountains via a series of outlet glaciers into the Ross Sea, Ross Ice Shelf, and West Antarctic Ice Sheet . These glaciers generally flow perpendicular to
675-413: The "huge public interest in this rare tree" and as an experiment to test whether commercial availability would serve "to protect wild populations from illegal collecting." Results were tallied from more than 1,500 people from 31 countries who were growing the cuttings and responded to an online survey created by two plant scientists in Australia. Results indicated that the species grows well where climate
720-467: The Araucariaceae and as the sister group to Agathis and Araucaria . In contrast, another study of the rbcL sequence shows that Wollemia is the sister group to Agathis , and Araucaria is basal. The different outgroup selection and genes used in previous studies are the reasons behind the discrepancy over the groupings of the three genera. Later genetic studies corroborate Wollemia 's placement in
765-478: The Araucariaceae as sister to Agathis based on data from the 28s rRNA gene, a combination of rbcL and matK genes, and a comprehensive study encompassing nuclear ribosomal 18S and 26S rRNA , chloroplast 16S rRNA, rbcL, matK and rps4, and mitochondrial coxl and atp1 genes. Below is the phylogeny of the Araucariaceae based on the consensus from the most recent cladistic analysis of molecular data. It shows
810-489: The Botanical Gardens. After the identification was made, National Parks then went under a veil of secrecy, with the discoverers not learning the full magnitude of their discovery for about six months. National Parks came close to damaging the stand when a helicopter used to collect cones inadvertently pruned one of the pines with its rotor. The species was subsequently named after David Noble. The first illustrations of
855-568: The Ross Sea. The range is a natural barrier that must be crossed to reach the South Pole from the Ross Ice Shelf . The first crossing of the Transantarctic Mountains took place during the 1902–1904 British National Antarctic Expedition at the Ross Ice Shelf. A reconnaissance party under the command of Albert Armitage reached 2,700 m (8,900 ft) altitude in 1902. The following year,
900-661: The Transantarctic Mountains the ranges from Cape Adare to the Queen Maud Mountains, but extending thence through the Whitmore Mountains and Ellsworth Mountains up the Antarctic Peninsula . The 100–300 km (60–200 mi) wide range forms the boundary between East Antarctica and West Antarctica. The East Antarctic Ice Sheet bounds the TAM along their entire length on the Eastern Hemisphere side, while
945-632: The USA, that it can survive down to −12 °C (10 °F). A grove of Wollemi pines planted in Inverewe Garden , Scotland, believed to be the most northerly location of any successful planting, have survived temperatures of −7 °C (19 °F), recorded in January 2010. It also handles both full sun and full shade. Like many other Australian trees, Wollemia is susceptible to the pathogenic water mould Phytophthora cinnamomi , so this may limit its potential as
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#1732852293385990-721: The Western Hemisphere side of the range is bounded by the Ross Sea in Victoria Land from Cape Adare to McMurdo Sound , the Ross Ice Shelf from McMurdo Sound to near the Scott Glacier, and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet beyond. The large summits and dry valleys of the TAM are some of the few places in Antarctica not covered by ice, the highest of which rise more than 4,500 metres (14,800 ft) above sea level. The McMurdo Dry Valleys lie near McMurdo Sound and represent
1035-544: The Wollemi Pine were drawn by David Mackay, a botanical artist and scientific illustrator who was working at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney when the species was discovered. Further study would be needed to establish its relationship to other conifers. The initial suspicion was that it had certain characteristics of the 200 million year-old family Araucariaceae , but was not similar to any living species in
1080-551: The Wollemi pine, use sterile secateurs at any time of year to retain its compact form. It can be pruned heavily with up to two thirds of the plant size removed. Pruning heavily can be done on the apical growth and the branches. The best time to prune is during the winter months. The Wollemi pine has very controlled growth, especially if it is kept in a pot. It may take up to 25 years to reach 6 metres (20 ft) in height. The genus Wollemia shares morphological characteristics with
1125-510: The area off Cape Roberts in the Ross Sea at the margin of the Transantarctic Mountains (77°S 163°43'E) was found to be suitable. Drilling was performed using a conventional core wireline system with a drill derrick, protected by a cover against the rough climate. Sea ice was 2 m (6.6 ft) thick with a water depth of 150–300 m (490–980 ft) below. Four overlapping drill cores at three sites reflect in excellent quality
1170-599: The continent, which are mainly volcanic in origin. The range was uplifted during the opening of the West Antarctic Rift System to the east, beginning about 65 million years ago in the early Cenozoic , and soon after became occupied by glaciers. The mountains consist of sedimentary layers lying upon a basement of granites and gneisses . The sedimentary layers include the Beacon Supergroup sandstones , siltstones , and coal deposited beginning in
1215-666: The family, alongside Araucaria and Agathis (being more closely related to the latter). The genus has only a single known species, Wollemia nobilis, commonly known as the Wollemi Pine (though it is not a true pine) which was discovered in 1994 in a temperate rainforest wilderness area of the Wollemi National Park in New South Wales . It was growing in a remote series of narrow, steep-sided, sandstone gorges 150 km (93 mi) north-west of Sydney . The genus
1260-448: The family. Comparison with living and fossilised Araucariaceae proved that it was a member of that family, and it has been placed into a new genus, beside the genera Agathis and Araucaria . Fewer than 60 adult trees are known to be growing wild in four locations, not far apart. It is very difficult to count individuals, as most trees are multi-stemmed and may have a connected root system. Genetic testing has revealed that all
1305-460: The former has similarly disparate leaf characters in its adult and juvenile forms, and the latter has similar cone characters. Further, the recent description of several extinct genera within the Araucariaceae points to complex relationships within the family and a significant loss of diversity since the Cretaceous. An early study of the rbcL gene sequence places Wollemia in the basal position of
1350-426: The genera Araucaria and Agathis . Wollemia and Araucaria both have closely crowded sessile and amphistomatic (producing stomata on both sides of the leaf) leaves, and aristate bract scales, while Wollemia and Agathis both have fully fused bracts, ovuliferous scales, and winged seeds. Scrutiny of the fossil record likewise does not clarify Wollemia 's relationship to Araucaria or Agathis , since
1395-637: The geological history and glaciation of the Antarctic during the last 34 million years. As a logistic and scientific basis the American McMurdo Station and Scott Base of New Zealand were used. Supply of the drill site was performed with motor sledges and snow mobiles, exchange of personal with helicopters. The costs for the logistics were around US$ 4 million. 77°00′S 163°43′E / 77.000°S 163.717°E / -77.000; 163.717 Transantarctic Mountains The Transantarctic Mountains (abbreviated TAM ) comprise
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1440-421: The group had been systematically exploring the area, looking for new canyons. Noble had good botanical knowledge, and quickly recognised the trees as unusual because of the unique bark, and worthy of further investigation. He took specimens to work for identification, expecting someone to be able to identify the plants. His specimens were identified by Wyn Jones, a botanist with National Parks and Jan Allen from
1485-586: The ice divide". These geographic features are likely to have a significant impact on models and calculations related to ice flow through the Transantarctic Mountain region. In geographic order, from the Ross Sea towards the Weddell Sea : Wollemi Pine Wollemia is a genus of coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae , endemic to Australia. It represents only one of three living genera in
1530-442: The management of this fragile population. The overall objective is to ensure that the species remains viable in the long term. Australian prime ministers and foreign affairs ministers have presented Wollemi pines to various dignitaries around the world. Although often described as a " living fossil ", there are no unambiguous fossils of Wollemia and potential fossil records of it have been considered uncertain. Wollemia nobilis
1575-488: The mix, the pot should be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated for two weeks. After this, the pot should be removed from the plastic bag and placed somewhere warm but not very sunny until the seed germinates (remembering to keep them moist but not wet). This could take several months. Examples of the species can be viewed at The Tasmanian Arboretum and at Giardini di Villa della Pergola in Alassio, Italy. The Wollemi pine
1620-427: The orientation of the range and define subranges and peak groups. It has been thought that many of these outlet glaciers follow the traces of large-scale geologic faults . However, the ice flow theories will be re-evaluated in light of new data from recent ice-penetrating radar surveys which revealed the presence of three previously unknown deep subglacial valleys affecting the "mountainous subglacial topography beneath
1665-602: The range via the Axel Heiberg Glacier . Much of the range remained unexplored until the late 1940s and 1950s, when missions such as Operation Highjump and the International Geophysical Year (IGY) made extensive use of aerial photography and concentrated on a thorough investigation of the entire continent. The name "Transantarctic Mountains" was first applied to this range in a 1960 paper by geologist Warren B. Hamilton , following his IGY fieldwork. It
1710-492: The relative positions of Wollemia , Agathis , and Araucaria within the division. Araucaria Wollemia Agathis There are no fossils that can be assigned definitively to Wollemia. Araucarioides leaves possibly representing Wollemia or a close relative have been reported from the Early Eocene of Tasmania. Some authors have suggested that the fossil pollen genus Dilwynites , known from
1755-428: The shoot but twisted at the base to appear in two or four flattened ranks. As the leaves mature, they develop from bright lime-green to a more yellowish-green. The seed cones are green, 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) long and 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in diameter, and mature about 18–20 months after wind pollination . They disintegrate at maturity to release the seeds which are small and brown, thin and papery with
1800-403: The specimens are genetically indistinguishable, suggesting that the species has been through a genetic bottleneck 10,000–26,000 years ago, in which its population became so low (possibly just one or two individuals) that all genetic variability was lost. In November 2005, wild-growing trees were found to be infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi . New South Wales park rangers believe
1845-632: The virulent water mould was introduced by unauthorised visitors to the site, the location of which is still undisclosed to the public. The grove of Wollemia trees was endangered by fire during the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire season . They were saved by specialist firefighters from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, supported by the Rural Fire Service who installed an irrigation system as well as dropping retardant. "Home gardeners become accidental citizen scientists for Wollemi Pine"
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1890-435: The world. It may prove to be a valuable tree for ornament, either planted in open ground or for tubs and planters. In Australia, potted native Wollemi pines have been promoted as a Christmas tree. It is also proving to be more adaptable and cold-hardy than its restricted temperate - subtropical , humid distribution would suggest, tolerating temperatures between −5 and 45 °C (23 and 113 °F), with reports, from Japan and
1935-537: Was later named the Ross Ice Shelf in his honour. It was first crossed during the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904. The mountain range stretches between the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea , the entire width of Antarctica, hence the name. With a total length of about 3,500 km (2,000 mi), the Transantarctic Mountains are one of the longest mountain ranges on Earth. The Antarctandes are even longer, having in common with
1980-650: Was subsequently recommended by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names , a US authority on geographic names, in 1962. This purely descriptive label (in contrast to many other geographic names on Antarctica) is internationally accepted at present. The Leverett Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains is the planned route through the TAM for the overland supply road between McMurdo Station and Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station . The Transantarctic Mountains are considerably older than other mountain ranges of
2025-401: Was the headline of a 2023 news article reporting results of an unusual conservation strategy underway since 2005. Ten years after safeguarding of rooted branch cuttings had been initiated in botanic gardens around the world, commercial growers were authorized to receive surplus cuttings to propagate for sales to their own customers. This unusual management decision for an endangered plant owed to
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