Question

What evidence can you give supporting the statement that “white rot evolved after the Carboniferous period and since then have been responsible for recycling much of the woody material produced by plants”?

Answer 1

white rot is a type of fungi which has the ability to break down lignin present in woody plant. As a result of this breakage the wood lost is natural colour and only cellulose which is light in colour exists. They have special enzymes such as laccase which is responsible for lignin breakdown. As a result the texture of wood becomes soft, sponge like appearence and white in colour and can be recycled.

Now, during Carboniferous period, a forests which were gnerated on wetland produced coal. During this time the fungi do not have the capacity to decay lignin of wood, as a result plants without decaying deposited as coal. So this is the evidence that white rote fungi emerges after Carboniferous period.