Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate
The early Permian represents a crucial period of climate change in Gondwana. This climate signature is captured in the palynological record that represents the floral assemblage of the region. Palynofacies analysis of the No. 2 Coal Seam of the Highveld Coalfield provides a high-resolution picture o...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences
2016-06-01
|
| Series: | Acta Palaeobotanica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/acpa.2016.56.issue-1/acpa-2016-0004/acpa-2016-0004.xml?format=INT |
| _version_ | 1818338949876154368 |
|---|---|
| author | Wheeler Alexander Götz Annette E. |
| author_facet | Wheeler Alexander Götz Annette E. |
| author_sort | Wheeler Alexander |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The early Permian represents a crucial period of climate change in Gondwana. This climate signature is captured in the palynological record that represents the floral assemblage of the region. Palynofacies analysis of the No. 2 Coal Seam of the Highveld Coalfield provides a high-resolution picture of this climatic shift, as well as detailing the vegetation patterns and local environments. Core samples taken from two localities were studied with respect to the characteristics of the plant debris and the palynomorph assemblages to differentiate between regional and local signatures. At both of the sampling localities, the No. 2 Coal Seam is split into a Lower Coal Seam and an Upper Coal Seam by a siltstone and a sandstone intraseam parting, respectively. The uneven palaeotopography and distal depositional environment of the Highveld Coalfield distinguish it from the northern Witbank Coalfield as a river-dominated delta plain, with differences in the palaeoenvironment at each locality. Results from the Lower Coal Seam indicate a fern-dominated lowland and conifer-dominated upland. This gives way to a Glossopteris-dominated lowland and a diverse gymnospermous assemblage in the upland of the Upper Coal Seam. This change in floral composition is also observed in the adjacent Witbank Coalfield and is likely caused by climate amelioration related to the movement of Gondwana away from the South Pole. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:19:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-949363ec43a54d3fa9b8d22d72e48681 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2082-0259 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:19:14Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Palaeobotanica |
| spelling | doaj.art-949363ec43a54d3fa9b8d22d72e486812022-12-21T23:40:37ZengW. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of SciencesActa Palaeobotanica2082-02592016-06-0156131510.1515/acpa-2016-0004acpa-2016-0004Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimateWheeler Alexander0Götz Annette E.1The University of Queensland, School of Earth Sciences, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaKeele University, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, United KingdomThe early Permian represents a crucial period of climate change in Gondwana. This climate signature is captured in the palynological record that represents the floral assemblage of the region. Palynofacies analysis of the No. 2 Coal Seam of the Highveld Coalfield provides a high-resolution picture of this climatic shift, as well as detailing the vegetation patterns and local environments. Core samples taken from two localities were studied with respect to the characteristics of the plant debris and the palynomorph assemblages to differentiate between regional and local signatures. At both of the sampling localities, the No. 2 Coal Seam is split into a Lower Coal Seam and an Upper Coal Seam by a siltstone and a sandstone intraseam parting, respectively. The uneven palaeotopography and distal depositional environment of the Highveld Coalfield distinguish it from the northern Witbank Coalfield as a river-dominated delta plain, with differences in the palaeoenvironment at each locality. Results from the Lower Coal Seam indicate a fern-dominated lowland and conifer-dominated upland. This gives way to a Glossopteris-dominated lowland and a diverse gymnospermous assemblage in the upland of the Upper Coal Seam. This change in floral composition is also observed in the adjacent Witbank Coalfield and is likely caused by climate amelioration related to the movement of Gondwana away from the South Pole.http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/acpa.2016.56.issue-1/acpa-2016-0004/acpa-2016-0004.xml?format=INTpalynofaciespalaeoenvironmentpalaeoclimatePermianHighveld CoalfieldSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Wheeler Alexander Götz Annette E. Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate Acta Palaeobotanica palynofacies palaeoenvironment palaeoclimate Permian Highveld Coalfield South Africa |
| title | Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| title_full | Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| title_fullStr | Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| title_short | Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| title_sort | palynofacies patterns of the highveld coal deposits karoo basin south africa clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
| topic | palynofacies palaeoenvironment palaeoclimate Permian Highveld Coalfield South Africa |
| url | http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/acpa.2016.56.issue-1/acpa-2016-0004/acpa-2016-0004.xml?format=INT |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wheeleralexander palynofaciespatternsofthehighveldcoaldepositskaroobasinsouthafricacluestoreconstructionofpalaeoenvironmentandpalaeoclimate AT gotzannettee palynofaciespatternsofthehighveldcoaldepositskaroobasinsouthafricacluestoreconstructionofpalaeoenvironmentandpalaeoclimate |