Late Oligocene–Early Miocene palaeoecology based on pollen data from the Kalkım-Gönen Basin (Northwest Turkey)

Radiometric and palynological data of the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene Soma Formation from the Kalkım-Gönen Basin yield new results related to age and palynological contents. In this study, Upper Oligocene strata from the Danişment and Linfa areas and Lower Miocene strata from the Bengiler area were sampled palynologically and for radiometric dating. The Danişment assemblage, which is older than the Linfa assemblages, mainly contains coniferous and evergreen to deciduous mixed mesophytic forest elements. Relatively high quantities of the altitudinal plants Picea and Abies, indicate a cooler palaeoclimate. The Linfa associations mainly include coniferous and riparian elements. Pollen of the riparian plant Alnus and Taxodiaceae indicative for the swamp forest community was predominant, probably as a result of a high lake level. There is a hiatus during the Oligocene–Miocene transition, probably showing a non-depositional phase and sea-level fall indicating the Mi-1 glaciation event. Higher in the sequence, the Aquitanian Bengiler sediments include high amounts of coniferous forest elements as well as components indicative for the evergreen and deciduous mesophytic forest and also riparian forest and swamp forest. Due to presence of thermophilous taxa Reveesia, Mastixiaceae and Arecaceae, a warm and humid palaeoclimate is inferred according to quantitative analyses using the Coexistence Approach.