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...
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Polish Academy of Sciences, W. Szafer Institute of Botany
2016
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ftunivqespace:oai:espace.library.uq.edu.au:UQ:679056 2023-05-15T18:22:56+02:00 Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate Wheeler, Alexander Gotz, Annette E. 2016-01-01 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:679056 eng eng Polish Academy of Sciences, W. Szafer Institute of Botany doi:10.1515/acpa-2016-0004 issn:2082-0259 issn:0001-6594 94589 Highveld coalfield Palaeoclimate Palaeoenvironment Palynofacies Permian South Africa 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1900 Earth and Planetary Sciences Journal Article 2016 ftunivqespace https://doi.org/10.1515/acpa-2016-0004 2020-12-22T13:06:05Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper South pole The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace Glossopteris ENVELOPE(-113.717,-113.717,-84.733,-84.733) South Pole Acta Palaeobotanica 56 1 3 15 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivqespace |
language |
English |
topic |
Highveld coalfield Palaeoclimate Palaeoenvironment Palynofacies Permian South Africa 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1900 Earth and Planetary Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Highveld coalfield Palaeoclimate Palaeoenvironment Palynofacies Permian South Africa 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1900 Earth and Planetary Sciences Wheeler, Alexander Gotz, Annette E. Palynofacies patterns of the Highveld coal deposits (Karoo Basin, South Africa): Clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
topic_facet |
Highveld coalfield Palaeoclimate Palaeoenvironment Palynofacies Permian South Africa 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1900 Earth and Planetary Sciences |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Wheeler, Alexander Gotz, Annette E. |
author_facet |
Wheeler, Alexander Gotz, Annette E. |
author_sort |
Wheeler, Alexander |
title |
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_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_sort |
palynofacies patterns of the highveld coal deposits (karoo basin, south africa): clues to reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate |
publisher |
Polish Academy of Sciences, W. Szafer Institute of Botany |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:679056 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-113.717,-113.717,-84.733,-84.733) |
geographic |
Glossopteris South Pole |
geographic_facet |
Glossopteris South Pole |
genre |
South pole |
genre_facet |
South pole |
op_relation |
doi:10.1515/acpa-2016-0004 issn:2082-0259 issn:0001-6594 94589 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1515/acpa-2016-0004 |
container_title |
Acta Palaeobotanica |
container_volume |
56 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
3 |
op_container_end_page |
15 |
_version_ |
1766202341102452736 |