Diversity, stratigraphy and ecology of diatoms and plant pollen in the Miocene-Pliocene sediments of the Vitim Plateau (Baikal region, Russia)

• Main Authors: Usoltseva, Мarina, Titova, Lyubov', Hassan, Abdulmonem, Reshetova, Svetlana, Rodionova, Elena, Maslennikova, Marina, Chuvashova, Irina, Rasskazov, Sergei
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Diatom; Miocene; Palynological analysis; Pliocene; Vitim Plateau; Sibirica
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/8373408; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8373408

We performed lithogeochemical and biostratigraphical studies of the core from the hole 8182 in the Northern paleovalley of Vitim Plateau. According to lithogeochemical characteristics of the sediments in the section, 5 members were found out. Three lower ones characterize the Dzhilinda suite, two upper ones – the Khoygot stratum. The analysis of biodiversity and fossil diatom algae distribution in the core resulted in revealing of 137 species and varieties of diatom algae related to 50 genera. Four diatom zones (DZ) were established by appearing or disappearing of index species. Ecological and geographic analysis showed domination of planktonic, indifferent, cosmopolite species. Palynological analysis revealed three pollen members with reconstruction of vegetation of forest type reflecting the vector of cooling and climate change from moderately warm one in Middle-Late Miocene to moderately cool in Early Pliocene. The work is done within the State Assignments of Limnological Institute (0279–2021–0008), partly within the State Assignments of the Institute of Geochemistry (0284–2021–0003). Microscopic studies were carried out in the Electron microscopy center of collective instrumental center "Ultramicroanalysis" Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.