OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

4.2 Time Slices
Few palynostratigraphic zones fall neatly within a Period (Cretaceous) or Stage/Series
(Tertiary) and the confidence with which the various fossil assemblages can be assigned to a
given period of geological time varies markedly across the continent. The eleven Time Slices
used in this study (Table 5) represent a compromise between subdividing the
palynostratigraphic data into intervals defined by global climatic change and the mostly broad
intervals of geologic time that can be recognised in all geographic regions.
Table 5: Time Slices
Slice Period Age * Palynostratigraphic Zones #
K-1 Berriasian to Barremian 141-115 Ma Cicatricosisporites australiensis–Foraminisporis wonthaggiensis
K-2 Aptian to Albian 115-97.5 Ma Cyclosporites hughesii–Phimopollenites pannosus
K-3 Cenomanian 97.5-91 Ma Appendicisporites distocarinatus
K-4 Turonian to Santonian 91-83 Ma Phyllocladidites mawsonii–Tricolporites apoxyexinus
K-5 Early Campanian 83-70 Ma Nothofagidites senectus
K-6 Late Campanian to Maastrichtian 70-65 Ma Tricolporites lilliei–Forcipites longus
T-1 Paleocene 65-54.8 Ma Lygistepollenites balmei
T-2 Early Eocene 54.8-49 Ma Malvacipollis diversus–Proteacidites asperopolus
T-3 Middle-Late Eocene 49-33.7 Ma Lower to Middle Nothofagidites asperus
T-4 Oligocene to Middle Miocene 33.7-11.2 Ma Upper Nothofagidites asperus–Canthiumidites bellus
T-5 Late Miocene to Late Pliocene 11.2-1.78 Ma Monotocidites galeatus–Tubulifloridites pleistocenicus
* After Young and Laurie (1996)
# After Stover and Partridge (1973), Helby et al. (1987), Macphail and Truswell (1993b)
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