Abstract
Organic geochemical records for devastation of terrestrial ecosystem in the environmental disturbance events of Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) are reviewed. Paleontological and geological (sedimentological) investigations for terrestrial ecosystem and environment in PTB have provided information for collapse and devastation of ecosystem in the supercontinent (Pangea), such as dieback of woody vegetation, massive loss of rooted plant, repopulation of herbaceous lycopsid, proliferation of fungal remain, cease of peat formation, and increased mutagenesis of spore and pollen. Recent studies of biomarker and kerogen reported that remarkable abundances of aromatic furans in marine sedimentary sequence of PTB showed organic geochemical evidence of massive soil erosion due to destruction of terrestrial vegetation. Sedimentary aromatic furan is possibly derived from polysaccharide in soil, whereas aromatic furan is also known to be synthesized as secondary metabolite of extant lichen. Thus, source(s) of sedimentary aromatic furan is still controversial, and further examination is necessary.
