Contribution palynostratigraphique (dinokystes, pollen et spores) à la connaissance de la mer de Champlain: coupe de Saint-Césaire, Québec

1 December 1989

journal article
Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences

Vol. 26 (12) , 2450-2464
https://doi.org/10.1139/e89-209

Abstract

High-resolution continental (pollen and spores) and marine (dinoflagellate cysts) microfloral records were obtained from a section consisting of about 0.5 m of glaciolacustrine and 2.5 m of Champlain Sea deposits at the Saint-Césaire site. The pollen and spore assemblages indicate the existence of a regional open vegetation of shrub tundra to forest tundra. Fluctuations in the percentages of Picea and shrub and herb taxa are related to regional afforestation and paleogeographical evolution of the basin. The Champlain Sea sediments contain an abundant dinocyst flora dominated by Operculodinium centrocarpum, Brigantedinium spp., and Algidasphaeridium? minutum, which indicate cold Arctic conditions in surface waters. Fluctuations in concentration (10²–10⁴∙cm⁻³) and relative abundance of dinocyst species are attributed to changes in dinoflagellate productivity and paleoceanographic conditions, notably paleosalinity. Morphological variations of Operculodinium centrocarpum and Algidasphaeridium? minutum led to this description of the varieties, named "cezare" after the site location.

Keywords

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