GeoResources - Lower Carboniferous Palynology in Central Europe


		Lower Carboniferous Palynology in Central Europe
		Abstract





		Scientists Hartmut Jäger, GeoResources and University of Heidelberg

		Abstract Palynostratigraphy is sparsely used in the Lower Carboniferous of Germany. It started with mostly systematical investigations of pollen and spores from Upper Carboniferous coal seams (Ruhr Area, Saar-Nahe Basin), leading to the classical turma spore classification scheme for Palaeozoic spores. In the 1960s and 1970s the focus switched to palynostratigraphic studies of the Devonian / Carboniferous boundary mainly in the Rhenish Slate Mts. Because most of these studies were focussed on short stratigraphic intervals, no comprehensive miospore zonation has been established for the Lower Carboniferous in Germany. Therefore a series of detailed palynological studies with a wide stratigraphic range was started in Germany to establish a spore zonal scheme for the entire Lower Carboniferous, filling the 'gap' between the well established Lower Carboniferous spore zonal schemes of Western- and Eastern Europe. Studies were concentrated on boreholes in northern Germany (off- and onshore NW-Germany, Rügen Island) and sections in the Rhenohercynian Zone (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, Harz Mts., Hörre-Gommern Zone). One study was carried out in the Visean sections in SE-Germany (Saxony). Palynostratigraphic results from Rügen Island form the basis for the 'german' miospore zonal scheme, showing a gap at the base and the top of the Lower Carboniferous. Studies from the Rhenish Slate Mts. fill in the basal gap. The upper Visean is studied in the wells from off- and onshore NW-Germany and sections in Saxony. The uppermost Visean and Namurian has not been studied in Germany until now. German miospore assemblages are closely comparable to western Europe and Poland and can be assigned to the Vallatisporites-Grandispora Microflora. Correlations can be made at several stratigraphic levels between these spore zonal schemes, but certain differences are observed also. In general, the diversity of most miospore assemblages in Germany is lower than elsewhere in Western Europe. Also differences in the stratigraphic range of some species have been observed. Only spore assemblages from off- and onshore NW-Germany are very closely comparable to Western Europe. Assemblages from Rügen Island partially show typical features of assemblages from Poland also. Strongly triangular forms (e. g. Tripartites, Triquitrites, Diatomo-zonotriletes, Ahrensisporites) are less common in the Viséan and stratigraphic ranges of certain taxa differ clearly from Western Europe. But also differences in the stratigraphic range are observed in Rügen and Poland.

		Publications Jäger, H. & Wierich, F., 2006, Chapter 6.2: Palynostratigraphie. - In: Deutsche Stratigraphische Kommission (Ed.): Stratigraphie von Deutschland. VI - Unterkarbon (Mississippium): Schriftenreihe DGG, v. 41, 294-318. Jäger, H., 2002, Palynology of the Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) Kammquartzite Formation in the Rheno-hercynian Zone, Germany: Senckenbergiana Lethaea, v. 82 / 2, 609-637.

		Presentations German Subcommission on Carboniferous Stratigraphy, Annual Meeting, Plauen, 2005 XI. International Palynological Congress, Granada, 2004 73. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Mainz, 2003 1st Meeting of CIMP Spores and Pollen Subcommission, Cork, 2001 Irish Geological Association, Annual Research Meeting, University College, Cork, 2000 X. International Palynological Congress, Nanjing, 2000

		Funding Organizations German Research Fund (DFG)