The Jurassic of Denmark and Greenland: Palynostratigraphy and palaeoenvironments of the Rævekløft, Gule Horn and Ostreaelv Formations (Lower–Middle Jurassic), Neill Klinter Group, Jameson Land, East Greenland

Abstract

The Neill Klinter Group of Jameson Land, East Greenland contains rich and diverse palynomorph assemblages. Spores, pollen and freshwater algae dominate most of the samples, but dinoflagellatecysts and acritarchs also form important components. The ages suggested by the palynomorphs from the Rævekløft, Gule Horn and Ostreaelv Formations span the period from the Early Pliensbachian to the early Aalenian. The number of palynomorphs identified totals 136,including 83 miospore and 53 microplankton species; they are grouped into seven palynological assemblage zones.In general, there is good agreement between the palynological and sedimentological data, and the palynological data has refined the understanding of the depositional palaeoenvironments ofthe Neill Klinter Group. In some cases, the boundaries of the palynological assemblage zones are congruent with major sequence stratigraphic surfaces and the palynological data thus supportthe sequence stratigraphic interpretation. In other cases, however, regional correlation indicates that the zone boundaries cross important sequence stratigraphic surfaces, such as sequenceboundaries; such behaviour is thought to reflect the facies-dependent nature of certain of the palynological assemblage zones. The pattern of palynological events in East Greenland has alsobeen recognised on the mid-Norwegian shelf.

Keywords

• East Greenland
• Jameson Land Basin
• Lower–Middle Jurassic
• Early Pliensbachian – early Aalenian