Palynological investigations of Cenomanian chalks and marls from England
type: CreativeWork
description: The palynological analysis of chalk and marl samples from Cenomanian sections sampled at high resolution has yielded largely diverse and abundant, well-preserved microplankton assemblages. Four sections have been investigated, three from the Dover-Folkestone Warren area, south-east England and the fourth from South Ferriby, South Humberside, north-east England. The dinoflagellate cysts present accord well with previously described Cenomanian microplankton assemblages from western Europe, and are assignable to the established Litosphaeridium siphonophorum Zone of Davey (1970). Full descriptions of all dinoflagellate cyst species found have been included. A new species, Litosphaeridium sp. A is believed to be indicative of latest Cenomanian to earliest Turonian in England. A new status is suggested for Pterodinium cingulatum polygonalis and Palaeohystrichophora pauciestosa is believed to be a junior synonym of P. infusorioides. Dinoflagellate cysts assemblages have been investigated with the purpose of reconstructing the palaeoenvironment of the Cenomanian Chalk Sea. To this aim, samples were prepared qualitatively and quantitatively and data produced from normal logging techniques were investigated using several statistical techniques. Finally, such palynological data were integrated in a multidiscipline geological framework in order to interpret the data further. The application of quantitative preparation techniques has shown that the introduction of an oxidation stage causes mechanical loss of a significant proportion of the palynological residue. A further outcome of such quantitative techniques is the recognition that marl samples consistently yield more abundant palynological residues than do marly chalk and chalk lithologies, based on counts of dinoflagellate cysts per gramme of sediment. Statistical techniques such as diversity indices, cluster analysis and fourier analysis (spectral analysis) were applied to palynological data sets. As a result it is suggest…
abstract: The palynological analysis of chalk and marl samples from Cenomanian sections sampled at high resolution has yielded largely diverse and abundant, well-preserved microplankton assemblages. Four sections have been investigated, three from the Dover-Folkestone Warren area, south-east England and the fourth from South Ferriby, South Humberside, north-east England. The dinoflagellate cysts present accord well with previously described Cenomanian microplankton assemblages from western Europe, and are assignable to the established Litosphaeridium siphonophorum Zone of Davey (1970). Full descriptions of all dinoflagellate cyst species found have been included. A new species, Litosphaeridium sp. A is believed to be indicative of latest Cenomanian to earliest Turonian in England. A new status is suggested for Pterodinium cingulatum polygonalis and Palaeohystrichophora pauciestosa is believed to be a junior synonym of P. infusorioides. Dinoflagellate cysts assemblages have been investigated with the purpose of reconstructing the palaeoenvironment of the Cenomanian Chalk Sea. To this aim, samples were prepared qualitatively and quantitatively and data produced from normal logging techniques were investigated using several statistical techniques. Finally, such palynological data were integrated in a multidiscipline geological framework in order to interpret the data further. The application of quantitative preparation techniques has shown that the introduction of an oxidation stage causes mechanical loss of a significant proportion of the palynological residue. A further outcome of such quantitative techniques is the recognition that marl samples consistently yield more abundant palynological residues than do marly chalk and chalk lithologies, based on counts of dinoflagellate cysts per gramme of sediment. Statistical techniques such as diversity indices, cluster analysis and fourier analysis (spectral analysis) were applied to palynological data sets. As a result it is suggest…
author: Duane, Ailbhe Maire
language: eng
date published: 1992-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:47:57Z
provider: University of Plymouth
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Plymouth