Palynofacies from Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) ore-bearing clays at Gnaszyn, Kraków-Silesia Homocline, Poland, with special emphasis on sporomorph eco-groups

Abstract

Gedl, P. and Ziaja, J. 2012. Palynofacies from Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) ore-bearing clays at Gnaszyn, Kraków- Silesia Homocline, Poland, with special emphasis on sporomorph eco-groups. Acta Geologica Polonica, 62(3), 325-349. Warszawa. The palynological organic matter of dark clays from Bathonian ore-bearing clays exposed at Gnaszyn (Częstochowa, Kraków-Silesia Homocline, Poland) consists of high proportions of land-derived particles; aquatic elements (mainly dinoflagellate cysts) are comparatively rare. Terrestrial particles include black opaque phytoclasts, dark brown phytoclasts, cuticle remains and subordinate sporomorphs. The latter are represented by eighty-four taxa of spores and pollen grains. They represent various groups of plants, including Bryophyta, Sphenophyta, Lycophyta, Pteridophyta, Pteridospermophyta, Cycadophyta or Ginkgophyta and Coniferophyta. The most frequent sporomorphs in almost all samples from Gnaszyn are Callialasporites (Araucariaceae), Cerebropollenites and Perinopolleniteselatoides (Taxodiaceae) pollen grains, fern spores with triradiate tetrad mark, bisaccate pollen grains belonging to conifers (Pinaceae or Podocarpaceae) and also to Pteridospermophyta. Quantitative analysis of the palynofacies shows fluctuations of particular element ratios, which correlate with lithology. Clay intervals that contain siderite concretion levels yielded lower amounts of cuticles in relation to sporomorphs (mainly pollen grains) and dinoflagellate cysts. Intervals of monotonous clays and silts are characterized by a higher ratio of cuticles in relation to other elements, especially dinoflagellate cysts. Also, quantitative analysis of the sporomorphs shows changes in frequency of the representatives of various plant communities, which coexisted during the Jurassic: Upland, Lowland, River, Pioneer, Coastal and Tidally-influenced. These changes might have reflected sealevel fluctuations, which affected vegetation growing on adjacent land. However, the dominance of Callialasporites pollen grains, which belong to the Coastal community, indicates that the Gnaszyn assemblage was mainly influenced by the seashore vegetation. The high frequency of Araucariaceae pollen grains and the presence of ferns representing the Osmundaceae, Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Schizeaceae, Gleicheniaceae and Matoniaceae indicate a warm climate without large seasonal amplitudes during the deposition of the Gnaszyn succession.

Temperature and isotopic relations in carbonate minerals in the Middle Jurassic sideritic rocks of central and southern Poland

“…There are a num ber of re cent pa pers on the stra tig ra phy, sedimentology, geo chem is try and palaeoenvironments of the Mid dle Ju ras sic strata of the Czêstochowa re gion (e.g., Majewski, 2000;Marynowski et al, 2007;Szczepanik et al, 2007;Wierzbowski and Joachimski, 2007;Zatoñ et al, 2009;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012;Witkowska, 2012;Leonowicz, 2012Leonowicz, , 2013Leonowicz, , 2015. The Mid dle Ju ras sic de pos its at the north east ern mar gin of the Holy Cross Mts.…”

Facies Associations of Early Cretaceous Arumit Formation and Early to Late Cretaceous Ungar Formation in Vulmali and Ungar Islands, Tanimbar (Indonesia)

“…Palynological analysis conducted at lignite layer also supports the supratidal zone interpretation. The dominance of Araucariacites, Callialasporites, and Classopollis which belong to a coastal plant community (Abbink et al, 2004;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012) indicates that the lignite deposition was mainly influenced by seashore vegetation. Coastal plant communities include plant that grew just along the coast, never submerged by the sea but under a constant influence of salt spray (Abbink et al, 2004;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012).…”

“…The dominance of Araucariacites, Callialasporites, and Classopollis which belong to a coastal plant community (Abbink et al, 2004;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012) indicates that the lignite deposition was mainly influenced by seashore vegetation. Coastal plant communities include plant that grew just along the coast, never submerged by the sea but under a constant influence of salt spray (Abbink et al, 2004;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012). The common occurences of dynoflagellata cysts such as Prolixosphaeridium parvispinum, Canningia reticulata, Oligosphaeridium diluculum, and Diacanthum hollisteri suggest marine influenced condition during the deposition of the lignite layer.…”

“…The common occurences of dynoflagellata cysts such as Prolixosphaeridium parvispinum, Canningia reticulata, Oligosphaeridium diluculum, and Diacanthum hollisteri suggest marine influenced condition during the deposition of the lignite layer. The minor presence of bisaccate pollen grain such as Alisporites and Podocarpidites, and monosulcate pollen grain such as Cycadopites indicates lowland and upland/ highland areas were nearby (Abbink et al, 2004;Gedl and Ziaja, 2012).…”

Berthierine in the Middle Jurassic sideritic rocks from southern Poland

“…There is no con sen sus about the cli ma tic con di tions in Mid dle Ju ras sic times in Po land. Dudek (2012) sug gested a cool cli mate with me chan i cal weath er ing dom i nant; how ever, Gedl and Ziaja (2012) pro posed a warm cli mate dur ing Bathonian de po si tion in the Częstochowa re gion. Ac cord ing to Hal lam (2001), the Mid dle Ju ras sic cli mate in Eu rope was sim ilar to the re cent one.…”