The Middle Longcraig Limestone (late Visean) at Catcraig, Scotland, is densely covered with large (about 1 m in diameter) hollows, which are surrounded by numerous fossilized roots. The latter represent the positions of tree-sized plants belonging to a fossil forest. This paper aims to reconstruct its ecology based on paleosol properties, size and spatial distribution of root-casts, rooting system morphology and characteristics of coalified plant remnants. The obtained data are consistent with the supposition that the Visean peat wetland forest of Catcraig represents a Cordaitalean dominated community composed of mono-sized, most probably, even-aged giant trees. The peaty paleosol (Histosol) contains pyrite and siderite, indicating reducing and acidic conditions, whilst the abundant presence of gypsum testifies periods of elevated salinity. The adaptation of trees to such conditions is supported by morphologically evident large root mass (typically more than 1000 individual roots per cast). Good preservation of plant tissues in peat, in addition to other paleosol and rooting system characteristics allow us to conclude that the trees occupied seacoast settings or lagoons, which were not permanently flooded.

苏格兰Catcraig的中Longcraig石灰岩（晚Visean）密集地覆盖着大（直径约1 m）的空洞，其周围有许多化石根。后者代表属于化石森林的树木大小的植物的位置。本文旨在根据古土壤的性质，根系的大小和空间分布，生根系统的形态以及煤化植物残余物的特征来重建其生态学。所获得的数据与以下假设相吻合：Visean泥炭湿地森林Catcraig代表了一个由Cordaitalean主导的群落，该群落由单一大小的，很可能是甚至年龄大的乔木组成。豌豆古土壤（Histosol）含有黄铁矿和菱铁矿，表明还原和酸性条件，而石膏的大量存在证明了盐度升高的时期。形态上明显的大根质量（通常每个铸型超过1000个单独的根）支持树木适应这种条件。除其他古土壤和生根系统特性外，对泥炭中植物组织的良好保存还使我们得出结论：树木占据了海岸或泻湖，没有被永久性淹没。