Comment on: Galasso, F., Feist-Burkhardt, S. and Schneebeli-Hermann, E. 2022. “The palynology of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event at Dormettingen, southwest Germany, with emphasis on changes in vegetational dynamics”. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 304, 104701

Abstract

In a recently-published paper, Galasso et al. (2022) interpreted relatively high levels of unseparated spore tetrads and some darkened miospores which occur immediately below the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (~183 Ma) in southwest Germany as resulting from enhanced levels of UV-B radiation due to high levels of volcanism at this time. The present authors consider that this teratological interpretation is unlikely, and more plausible explanations of these phenomena are rapid sedimentation and short transport durations, and reworking respectively.