Palynofossils from the Early-Middle Miocene deposits of Kachi-1 Well in Block II, Yellow Sea Basin, Korea

Abstract

A palynofossil assemblage of twenty-nine species is described from the Early-Middle Miocene sediments of the Kachi-1 Well. The assemblage consists of two species of bryophytes, one of pteridophytes, six gymnosperm pollen and eighteen angiosperm pollen. The palynoflora of Magnastriatites-Fupingopollenites Assemblage Zone (468-492 m) compares closely with that of the Neogene sediments of eastern North China. This interval is characterised by the predominance of age-diagnostic taxa: Magnastriatites granulastriatites and Fupingopollenites minutus which represent Early to Late Miocene and Middle Oligocene to Middle Miocene respectively in Chinese strata. The flora indicates a sedimentary environment of a lowland swamp surrounded by slopes which were occupied by deciduous broadleaved trees under a predominantly humid warm-temperate climate.