Palynology of the Springfield Coal of the Illinois Basin (Middle Pennsylvanian) with quantitative comparison of spore floras and coal-ball peats and implications for paleoecological studies

Spores and coal balls from profiles in the Springfield Coal of the Illinois Basin were analysed to determine how quantitative spore floras can be used in paleoecological interpretations of Pennsylvanian-age coals. Laterally extensive sampling of spore profiles also was designed to evaluate lateral and vertical floristic variation related to proximity to contemporaneous paleochannels, overbank deposits, and the coal margin. Thirteen spore profiles and three coal-ball profiles formed the basis for comparison of plant abundance in spore floras and in coal-ball peats. Tree-fern spores dominate the Springfield Coal spore flora, and lycopod spores are subdominant. In coal-ball peats, however, lycopods are the dominant biomass producers, and tree ferns usually rank second. The disparities in the two records were evaluated using R-values, ratios of the abundance of a taxon in the spore record to its abundance in coal balls. Although R-values are too variable among zones in profiles to accurately reconstruct the peat, they provide an estimate of how over- or under-represented each taxon is in the spore record. Generally, in the Springfield Coal, tree ferns are two to three times and lycopods one-half to three-fourths as abundant in the spore record as in the peat.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Plant Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Willard, Debra Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Phillips, T.L.

• Paleobotany
• Palynology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1990 Willard, Debra Ann

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9021777
(UMI)AAI9021777

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21544