Abstract
Palynological investigations of samples collected from the Abu Roash Formation, Faghur Hj5-1 well, north Western Desert, Egypt show a low diversity in palynomorph assemblage. This assemblage is mainly dominated by a clear proliferation of Pediastrum (and other allied algal forms, e.g., Scenedesmus and Botryococcus) which today lives exclusively in freshwater. Such a prominent record within the current marine deposits could be considered a good biostratigraphic datum in the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) period rather than an ecologic event in the north Western Desert, Egypt. The influence of freshwater input on the studied deposits is proven by the presence of heavy minerals including kyanite, zircon, staurolite, and amphiboles encountered in siliciclastic sediments. Most of these minerals are sub-rounded to rounded so they were derived probably from sedimentary rocks. In the studied succession, the presence of Pediastrum reflects sea level fall (i.e., lowstand systems tracts). The occurrence of Pediastrum and other algae in such marine deposits reflects the predominant deposition of fluviatile sediments related to the discharge of rivers into shelf seas.
Kurzfassung
Eine palynologische Untersuchung von Spülproben aus der Abu Roash-Formation (Bohrung Faghur Hj5-1, nördliche Libysche Wüste, Ägypten) lieferte eine wenig diverse Palynoflora. Diese Flora ist gekennzeichnet durch ein Massenvorkommen von Pediastrum und anderen Algenformen, wie etwa Scenedesmus und Botryococcus, die heute ausschließlich im Süßwasser vorkommen. Ein dermaßen charakteristisches Vorkommen in den hier untersuchten marinen Abfolgen kann (für die Oberkreide: Turonium der nördliche Libyschen Wüste Ägyptens) möglicherweise eher als ein biostratigraphisches, denn als ein ökologisches Ereignis interpretiert werden. Der Einfluss eines Süßwassereintrags in den untersuchten siliziklastischen Ablagerungen wird belegt durch das Vorkommen der Schwerminerale Kyanit, Zirkon, Staurolith und Amphibol. Die meisten dieser Minerale sind kantengerundet, so dass angenommen werden kann, dass sie aus sedimentären Ablagerungen stammen. In der untersuchten Abfolge repräsentiert das Vorkommen von Pediastrum einen Meeresspiegeltiefstand. Das Vorkommen von Pediastrum und anderen Algen in solchen marinen Ablagerungen spiegelt die vorherrschende Ablagerung von fluviatilen Sedimenten im Zusammenhang mit dem Abfluss von Flüssen in Schelfmeere wider.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) for the provision of samples and well log of Faghur Hj5-1 well, Dr. Amr Deaf (Assuit University) is also highly acknowledged for supplying the samples of the well Abu Tunis 1x. We appreciate Dr. Rainer Brocke (Senckenberg, Frankfurt) for his help in running the routine fluorescence investigation. Dr. Salah El Beialy is also acknowledged for his constructive comments on the earlier version of the article. This article benefited substantially from through reviews of two anonymous reviewers and M. Reich (Editor-in-Chief).
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El Atfy, H., Anan, T. & El-Soughier, M.I. Paleoecologic and stratigraphic significance of the freshwater algae Pediastrum in the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) marine deposits, north Western Desert, Egypt. PalZ 91, 273–281 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-017-0338-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-017-0338-8