Anne-Laure Decombeix homepage

Anne-Laure Decombeix

Post-doctoral researcher
Department of Ecology & Evolutionnary Biology -- Division of Paleobotany
the University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave.-Haworth Hall
Lawrence, KS 66045-7534, U.S.A.
aldecomb[at]ku.edu

Education

Ph.D. Paleontology, Paleobiology, Phylogeny -- UMR AMAP / Université Montpellier 2, France, 2007. Abstract & pdf

DEA (M.Sc.) Paleontology, Paleobiology, Phylogeny -- Université Montpellier 2, 2004.

Licence (B.Sc.) Biology of Organisms, Populations & Ecosystems -- Université Toulouse 3, 2002.

Research interest and projects
My resarch focus on the evolution of the lignophytes, a monophyletic group of plants that appeared in the Middle Devonian (395 My) and comprises the progymnosperms and the seed plants. The extant representatives of this clade, the gymnosperms and angiosperms, are dominant in most terrestrial ecosystems.
I am studying fossil representative of the group that were living during two periods caracterized by significant environmental and floristic changes: Devonian/Carboniferous and Permian/Triassic. I am particularly interested by the evolution of the tree habit and the functional and systematic significance of vegetative characters within the lignophytes. Most of the studied fossils are from Gondwana (the southern continents of today), a region that is less known then Euramerica. These fossils plants are anatomically preserved, which allows detailed analysis of their organs and tissues, and provides information such as the physiology and architecture of these plants, their interactions with their environment and their systematic affinities.

Arborescent lignophytes during the Devonian and Mississippian (Early Carboniferous).
This period sees the appearance of the lignophytes and the diversification of their vegetative and reproductive structures. Aspects of this research includes investigation of the diversity of lignophytes trees observed both in Gondwana and Euramerica around the D/C boundary, analyses of the morpho-anatomical disparity of these trees through time, and phylogenetic analyses based mostly on vegetative characters

Seed plants from the Permian and Triassic of Antarctica.
These fossils are particularly important because:
- a number of unusual seed plant groups evolved during the Permian and Triassic, several of which have been implicated as possible ancestors of the flowering plants (angiosperms). It is also the moment of origin of several modern groups of gymnosperms.
- these plants were growing in relatively warm high-latitude environments that have no extant equivalent
Projects include the study of the development and architecture of Glossopteridales roots, the description of a new Triassic ovule and of Triassic trunks with preserved bark.

Publications
-- -- "Link" = full text - editor version -- --

in press Famennian charcoal of Belgium. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. (Prestianni C., Decombeix A.-L., Thorez J., Fokand D. & Gerrienne P.) [Link]

--- Galtierella biscalithecae nov. gen. et sp., a Late Pennsylvanian endophytic water mold (Peronosporomycetes) from France. Comptes Rendus Palevol. (Krings M., Taylor T.N., Dotzler N. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link]

--- The land plant cover in the Devonian: a reassessment of the evolution of the tree habit. In "The terrestrialization process: Modelling complex interactions at the biosphere-geosphere interface", M. Vecoli, G. Clément, B. Meyer-Berthaud (eds). Geological Society of London, Special Publication. (Meyer-Berthaud B., Soria A. & Decombeix A.-L.)

2010 Seed plant diversity in the Triassic of Antarctica: a new anatomically preserved ovule from the Fremouw Formation. Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 158 (3-4): 272–280. (Decombeix A.-L, Klavins S.D., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) [Link]

--- Collinsonites schopfii gen. et sp. nov., an herbaceous lycopsid from the Late Permian of Antarctica. Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 158 (3-4): 291-297. (Schwendemann A.B., Decombeix A.-L., Taylor T.N. & Taylor E.L.) [Link]

2009 Secondary growth in Vertebraria roots from the Late Permian of Antarctica: a change in developmental timing. International Journal of Plant Sciences 170 (5):644–656. ( Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L., & Taylor T.N.) [Link]

--- Evolution of first trees: the Devonian strategies Comptes Rendus Palevol 8 (2-3): 155-165. (Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link]

2008 Diversity of Mississippian arborescent lignophytes : a new species of Eristophyton from the middle Tournaisian of France. International Journal of Plant Sciences 169 (8): 1116-1127. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B. & Galtier J.) [Link]

2007 A review of the genus Eristophyton, with special focus on the Mississippian species. Comptes Rendus Palevol. 6 (6-7): 393-401. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B. & Galtier J.) [Link]

--- A tree without leaves. Nature 446: 861-862. (Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link] -- HAL

2006 Faironia difasciculata , a new gymnosperm from the Early Carboniferous of the Montagne Noire (France). Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 142 (3-4): 79-92. (Decombeix A.-L., Galtier J & Meyer-Berthaud B.) [Link] -- HAL

2005 Diversity of large woody lignophytes preceding the extinction of Archaeopteris: new data from the middle Tournaisian of Thuringia (Germany). Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 137: 69-82. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B., Rowe N. & Galtier J.) [Link] -- HAL

Recent presentations

2009 The Triassic floras of Antarctica: paleobiology and paleoecology of polar latitude communities. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, USA (Escapa I.H., *Decombeix A.-L., Ryberg P.E., Schwendemann A.B., Serbet R., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract

--- A permineralized gymnosperm trunk with preserved cortex from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica: anatomy and affinities. Botany and mycology, Snowbird, UT, USA. (*Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract

--- Assessing transitional changes in arborescent lignophytes at the D/C boundary. Lyell meeting 2009: Late Palaeozoic terrestrial habitats and biotas: the effect of changing climates, London, UK. (*Meyer-Berthaud B., Decombeix A.-L. & Galtier J.)

--- Contribution of the earliest woody trees (lignophytes) to the greening of the continents. European Geosciences Union 2009 Congress, Vienna, Austria (poster) (*Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) Abstract

2008 A review of Mississippian permineralized plants from Queensland, Australia. 12th International Organisation of Paleobotany Conference, Bonn, Germany. (*Decombeix A.-L., Galtier J., Meyer-Berthaud B., Hueber F. & Talent J.) Abstract volume (p.59-60, #138)

--- Late Devonian plants from Australia: the anatomically preserved flora from Barraba, New South Wales. 12th International Organisation of Paleobotany Conference, Bonn, Germany. (*Meyer-Berthaud B., Blanchard R., Decombeix A.-L., Tafforeau P. & Gerrienne P.) Abstract volume (p.91, #470)

--- Secondary vascular anatomy of Vertebraria (Glossopteridales) roots from the Permian of Antarctica. Botany without Borders, Vancouver, Canada. (*Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract

in press	Famennian charcoal of Belgium. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. (Prestianni C., Decombeix A.-L., Thorez J., Fokand D. & Gerrienne P.) [Link]
---	Galtierella biscalithecae nov. gen. et sp., a Late Pennsylvanian endophytic water mold (Peronosporomycetes) from France. Comptes Rendus Palevol. (Krings M., Taylor T.N., Dotzler N. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link]
---	The land plant cover in the Devonian: a reassessment of the evolution of the tree habit. In "The terrestrialization process: Modelling complex interactions at the biosphere-geosphere interface", M. Vecoli, G. Clément, B. Meyer-Berthaud (eds). Geological Society of London, Special Publication. (Meyer-Berthaud B., Soria A. & Decombeix A.-L.)
2010	Seed plant diversity in the Triassic of Antarctica: a new anatomically preserved ovule from the Fremouw Formation. Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 158 (3-4): 272–280. (Decombeix A.-L, Klavins S.D., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) [Link]
---	Collinsonites schopfii gen. et sp. nov., an herbaceous lycopsid from the Late Permian of Antarctica. Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 158 (3-4): 291-297. (Schwendemann A.B., Decombeix A.-L., Taylor T.N. & Taylor E.L.) [Link]
2009	Secondary growth in Vertebraria roots from the Late Permian of Antarctica: a change in developmental timing. International Journal of Plant Sciences 170 (5):644–656. ( Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L., & Taylor T.N.) [Link]
---	Evolution of first trees: the Devonian strategies Comptes Rendus Palevol 8 (2-3): 155-165. (Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link]
2008	Diversity of Mississippian arborescent lignophytes : a new species of Eristophyton from the middle Tournaisian of France. International Journal of Plant Sciences 169 (8): 1116-1127. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B. & Galtier J.) [Link]
2007	A review of the genus Eristophyton, with special focus on the Mississippian species. Comptes Rendus Palevol. 6 (6-7): 393-401. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B. & Galtier J.) [Link]
---	A tree without leaves. Nature 446: 861-862. (Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) [Link] -- HAL
2006	Faironia difasciculata , a new gymnosperm from the Early Carboniferous of the Montagne Noire (France). Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 142 (3-4): 79-92. (Decombeix A.-L., Galtier J & Meyer-Berthaud B.) [Link] -- HAL
2005	Diversity of large woody lignophytes preceding the extinction of Archaeopteris: new data from the middle Tournaisian of Thuringia (Germany). Review of Paleobotany and Palynology 137: 69-82. (Decombeix A.-L., Meyer-Berthaud B., Rowe N. & Galtier J.) [Link] -- HAL

2009	The Triassic floras of Antarctica: paleobiology and paleoecology of polar latitude communities. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, USA (Escapa I.H., *Decombeix A.-L., Ryberg P.E., Schwendemann A.B., Serbet R., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract
---	A permineralized gymnosperm trunk with preserved cortex from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica: anatomy and affinities. Botany and mycology, Snowbird, UT, USA. (*Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract
---	Assessing transitional changes in arborescent lignophytes at the D/C boundary. Lyell meeting 2009: Late Palaeozoic terrestrial habitats and biotas: the effect of changing climates, London, UK. (*Meyer-Berthaud B., Decombeix A.-L. & Galtier J.)
---	Contribution of the earliest woody trees (lignophytes) to the greening of the continents. European Geosciences Union 2009 Congress, Vienna, Austria (poster) (*Meyer-Berthaud B. & Decombeix A.-L.) Abstract
2008	A review of Mississippian permineralized plants from Queensland, Australia. 12th International Organisation of Paleobotany Conference, Bonn, Germany. (*Decombeix A.-L., Galtier J., Meyer-Berthaud B., Hueber F. & Talent J.) Abstract volume (p.59-60, #138)
---	Late Devonian plants from Australia: the anatomically preserved flora from Barraba, New South Wales. 12th International Organisation of Paleobotany Conference, Bonn, Germany. (*Meyer-Berthaud B., Blanchard R., Decombeix A.-L., Tafforeau P. & Gerrienne P.) Abstract volume (p.91, #470)
---	Secondary vascular anatomy of Vertebraria (Glossopteridales) roots from the Permian of Antarctica. Botany without Borders, Vancouver, Canada. (*Decombeix A.-L., Taylor E.L. & Taylor T.N.) Abstract