Mohr, Barbara A. R.; Waehnert, Veronika; Lazarus, David (2003): Mid-Cretaceous paleobotany and palynology of the central Kerguelen Plateau, southern Indian Ocean (ODP Leg 183, Site 1138). Texas A&M University, Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, TX, United States, In: Frey, Frederick A., Coffin, Millard F., Wallace, Paul J., Antretter, Maria J., Arndt, Nicholas T., Barling, Jane, Boehem, Florian, Borre, Mai Kirstine, Coxall, Helen K., Damuth, John E., Delius, Heike, Duncan, Robert A., Inokuchi, Hiroo, Keszthelyi, Laszlo, Mahoney, John J., Moore, C. Leah, Mueller, R. Dietmar, Neal, Clive R., Nicolaysen, Kirsten E., Pringle, Malcolm S., Reusch, Douglas N., Saccocia, Peter J., Teagle, Damon A. H., Waehnert, Veronika, Weis, Dominique A. M., Wise, Sherwood W., Zhao, Xixi, Quilty, Patrick G. (editor), Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program; scientific results; Kerguelen Plateau-Broken Ridge; a large igneous province; covering Leg 183 of the cruises of the drilling vessel JOIDES Resolution; Fremantle, Australia, to Fremantle, Australia; Sites 1135-1142; 7 December 1998-11 February 1999, 183, georefid:2006-060009

Abstract:
Mid-Cretaceous sediments recovered during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 183 (Cores 183-1138A-69R to 73R) on the central Kerguelen Plateau have been analyzed palynologically and paleobotanically to determine the age of the strata and to reconstruct vegetational development and paleoecology. The lower strata (Cores 183-1138A-71R to 73R), a dark, organic-rich silty claystone with many wood fragments and fern remains (sedimentary Unit VI), certainly of terrestrial origin, directly overlies the volcanic basement, which is dated as latest Albian ( approximately 95 to 103 Ma) to earliest Cenomanian. The age of the terrestrial strata can be determined by sporomorphs as late Albian to earliest Cenomanian as well. This shows that parts of the central Kerguelen Plateau must have been subaerial at least until the late Albian and were covered with a diverse high-latitude flora, probably dense conifer forest with various fern taxa in the undergrowth. Early angiosperms are also present. The vegetational character represented in Unit VI did not change significantly through time. However, varying percentages of several sporomorph groups seem to show recurring abundance variations, which might possibly be cyclic, caused by Milankovitch-type cyclic events. Cores 183-1138A-67R through 69R, of open marine origin, contain medium- to high-diversity dinocyst assemblages. Based on previous stratigraphic zonation schemes, the ages of these strata range within the Heterosphaeridium Superzone, from the Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Zone to the Conosphaeridium striatoconus Zone, which correlates to the latest Cenomanian to Coniacian.
Coverage:
West: 75.5830 East: 75.5830 North: -53.5506 South: -53.5506
Relations:
Expedition: 183
Site: 183-1138
Supplemental Information:
Includes appendices; available only on CD-ROM in PDF format and on the Web in PDF or HTML
Data access:
Provider: SEDIS Publication Catalogue
Data set link: http://sedis.iodp.org/pub-catalogue/index.php?id=10.2973/odp.proc.sr.183.008.2002 (c.f. for more detailed metadata)
Data download: application/pdf
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