Analiza palinologiczna mioceńskich wypełnień lejów krasowych w Tarnowie Opolskim na Wyżynie Śląskiej – wyniki wstępne

Abstract

Palynological analysis of Miocene infill of karst sinkholes at Tarnów Opolski, Upper Silesian Upland – a preliminary report.A b s t r a c t. Pollen analysis of 16 samples of coaly sediments taken from one of sinkholes developed within the Triassic limestones cropping out at Tarnów Opolski, Upper Silesian Upland has been done. The study revealed a taxonomically rich assemblage of excellently preserved sporomorphs (pollen grains and spores) as well as microfossils of fresh-water algae (mainly Chlorophyta). The pollen analysis made it possible to reconstruct a vegetation growing during sedimentation of deposits filling the studied sinkhole and clear facies succession, from open aquatic (with abundant fresh-water algae) to marshy one (e.g. swamp forests composed of Taxodium, Nyssa and Alnus). Riparian forests dominated by deciduous trees, e.g. Pterocarya, Carya and Liquidambar, grew on wet terrains surrounding the water body. Drier elevated terrains were overgrown by mixed mesophytic forests with small admixture of thermophilous plants. Results of the pollen analysis indicate that during the sedimentation of the sinkhole filling the climate was warm temperate and moderately wet. Recorded sporomorphs and a mutual ratio of arctotertiary and palaeotropical taxa point at a Middle Miocene age of the studied deposit.