from peat to coal
The shallow seas present during the Carboniferous Period made it possible for coal formation in Illinois. During this time, the dense forrest of the delta swamps were occasionally flooded. These floods deposited soil throughout the forrest, burying plants. As more soil was deposited, the decaying plant material became compressed.
This caused more and more layers to form, sinking the bottom layers further into the Earth. As this happened, it caused the temperature to increase. While this process continued, the plant matter in the layers was protected from decaying due to the lack of oxygen in the layers. Carbon, from the plants, was trapped in these layers and this caused peat to form.
As the peat began to be buried deeper and deeper by sediment and soil, it was converted into coal because of the high pressure and high temperature (as seen on the photo above). While the layers get squeezed closer and closer together, water is forced out. The peat fossilized in coal balls is all that remains of the extensive tropical forests of the Illinois Basin. Roots, stems, foliage, spores, and pollen of the ancient plants were preserved in the peat.
At least 75 coal seams of Pennsylvanian age are present in the Illinois Basin. Many of the fossil plants come from the coal seams in the Pennsylvanian Strata. We have learned much about the Pennsylvanian flora and how it has evolved from the coal seams.
This caused more and more layers to form, sinking the bottom layers further into the Earth. As this happened, it caused the temperature to increase. While this process continued, the plant matter in the layers was protected from decaying due to the lack of oxygen in the layers. Carbon, from the plants, was trapped in these layers and this caused peat to form.
As the peat began to be buried deeper and deeper by sediment and soil, it was converted into coal because of the high pressure and high temperature (as seen on the photo above). While the layers get squeezed closer and closer together, water is forced out. The peat fossilized in coal balls is all that remains of the extensive tropical forests of the Illinois Basin. Roots, stems, foliage, spores, and pollen of the ancient plants were preserved in the peat.
At least 75 coal seams of Pennsylvanian age are present in the Illinois Basin. Many of the fossil plants come from the coal seams in the Pennsylvanian Strata. We have learned much about the Pennsylvanian flora and how it has evolved from the coal seams.