Some Palynological Aspects of Oligocene to Early Miocene Transition in Southern Alaska: ABSTRACT

Abstract

The Oligocene to early Miocene transition in southern Alaska perhaps represents one of the most dramatic floristic changes in the entire Tertiary of Alaska. The basic modification is from a dominant deciduous, broad-leaved forest biome in the late Eocene-early Oligocene (early Zemorrian) to a dominant moist, temperate, coniferous forest biome in the early Miocene (Saucesian). A similar change can be seen between the deciduous broad-leaved forests and the montane boreal coniferous forest of China today. This change in flora--and from a palynological perspective this change in microflora--reflects the onset of global cooling in the Neogene and the concurrent change from a dominant marine transgressive to a dominant nonmarine regressive mode of sedimentation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 682------------