Tree ring phototropism and implications for the rotation of the North China Block

Trees grow towards the sunlight via a process of phototropism. The trunk phototropism processes are frequently observed in Northern Hemisphere from high latitude to at least the Tropic of Cancer region, and also occur in some in situ preserved vertical petrified woods in various geological ages. However, such evidence is still very limited and poorly known in fossil record; and the relationship between tree ring phototropism and rotation of tectonic blocks is unclear. Here we report the eccentricities of living and fossil trees as a proxy to determine geological block rotation at the same latitudes within the North China Block. The dominant eccentricity of living trees is southwest 219° ± 5°. By contrast, standing in situ fossil trunks in the Mid-Late Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation and the Late Jurassic Tuchengzi Formation had average eccentricities of 237° and 233.5°, respectively. These differences shed light on the palaeogeographical changes, indicating that the North China Block rotated clockwise from the Late Jurassic to the present day. This result is largely coincident with the palaeomagnetic results, indicating that the North China Block rotated clockwise by 26.5° ± 5.5° since the Middle to Late Jurassic transition.