 |
| Titel |
Ecosystem reconstructions for the hinterland of the Atlantic Coastal Plain during the late Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (IODP Expedition 313) |
| VerfasserIn |
Sabine Prader, Ulrich Kotthoff, Francine McCarthy, David Greenwood |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2016
|
| Medientyp |
Artikel
|
| Sprache |
en
|
| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 18 (2016) |
| Datensatznummer |
250134136
|
| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2016-14831.pdf |
|
|
|
|
|
| Zusammenfassung |
| During IODP Expedition 313, cores from three Sites (313-M0027, M0028, and M0029) from
the New Jersey shallow shelf (water depth approximately 35 m) were retrieved in 2009. We
have investigated the palynology of sediment cores from Site M0027, 45 km off the
present-day coast of New Jersey in order to reconstruct environmental and climate change in
the region during the second half of the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) and the
subsequent transition to cooler conditions (ca. 15 to 13 million years before present).
Transport-caused bias of the pollen assemblages was identified via the analysis of the
terrestrial/marine palynomorph ratio and these results were considered when interpreting
palaeo-vegetation from the pollen data. Pollen preservation in the interval analyzed herein
was generally very good. Pollen grains were analyzed via both light and scanning electron
microscopy.
In the analyzed samples, angiosperm tree pollen grains were most abundant and probably
formed the main vegetation zone in the lowland during the MMCO. The pollen-based results
point to the presence of a deciduous-evergreen mixed forest that was characterised by e.g.
Quercus, Carya, Liquidambar, Juglans, Pterocarya, Tilia, Engelhardia. Frequent conifer
pollen grains indicate that highland forests with e.g. Pinus, Cathaya, and Picea were present
the hinterland of the New Jersey shelf. Typical wetland elements like Nyssa and
Taxodium as well as herbal taxa like Polygonum and Polygala were generally rare. The
pollen-based climate reconstructions for the hinterland oft the New Jersey shallow shelf
document a warm temperate climate without winterfrost and relatively high precipitation
through the year during this time. Our results imply that the vegetation and regional
climate in the hinterland of the New Jersey shelf did not react as sensitively to the
cooling phase following the MMCO as other regions in North America or Europe. |
|
|
|
|
|
|