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OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

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Inferred climate<br />

The data confirm conditions were humid and probably warm (mesotherm range) relative to<br />

regions to the south. The environmental implications of the migration or expansion of<br />

angiosperms in northwestern Australia during the Aptian are unclear but may have been<br />

stimulated by transgression and regression events affecting the palaeo-northern margin.<br />

2.2.2 North-East Australia<br />

1. Carpentaria Basin<br />

Early Cretaceous palynofloras are preserved in the onshore Carpentaria Basin (M.K.<br />

Macphail pers. observations) but have not been systematically analysed or precisely dated.<br />

Thin coals accumulated at Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory (palaeolatitude ~57 0 S) during<br />

the Late Albian (P.R. Evans cited in Dodson 1967).<br />

Inferred climate<br />

Conditions were humid rather than wet, or alternatively peat bog development during the Late<br />

Albian was limited by seasonal variations in temperature.<br />

2. North-east Queensland<br />

Coal measures accumulated in the Stanwell district in northeastern Queensland<br />

(palaeolatitude ~65 0 S) and the Marlborough Basin in southeastern Queensland (palaeolatitude<br />

70 0 S) during the latest Aptian-Early Albian (Dettmann et al. 1992).<br />

Inferred climate<br />

The presence of coal beds implies effectively wet (perhumid) conditions. Temperatures are<br />

likely to have been cool-cold (microtherm range) due to the high latitude location.<br />

2.2.3 Central Australia<br />

Palynological data for the Eromanga (Alley 1998) and Surat Basin (Burger 1980, 1988) are<br />

the most detailed published record of Aptian-Albian floras available in Australia.<br />

1. Eromanga Basin<br />

Palynofloras preserved in the marine Cadna-owie Formation deposited across the<br />

southwestern and central areas of the Eromanga Basin during Early Aptian time are<br />

dominated by podocarps (30-60%) and pteridosperms (4-18%). Araucarians and<br />

cheirolepidiacean pollen are less common (

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