Geological Society of America

7 D5. Paleontology and Paleoclimatology (Posters)

Friday, 17 March 2023
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Grand Ballroom A–D

HIGH-LATITUDE FUNGAL PALYNOLOGY OF COALS AND INTERSEAM ROCKS LEADING TO THE MIOCENE CLIMATE OPTIMUM WARMING EVENT, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Paper number: 7-21
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Authors

Laikin Tarlton Presenting Author
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Morehead, KY
Alyssa A. Patel
Morehead State University, Morehead, KY
Taylor Horsfall
Morehead State University, Morehead, KY
Ingrid Romero
Department of Physics, Earth Science, and Space Systems Engineering, Morehead, MS
Noelia B. Nuñez Otaño
Laboratorio de Geología de Llanuras, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Diamante, MS
Malcolm W. Wallace
University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC
Vera Korasidis
University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC
Jennifer O'Keefe
Morehead State University, Morehead, KY

Abstract

Fungi are necessary elements in all ecosystems because of their vital role in terrestrial carbon cycling, soil formation, and plant ecology. Thus, it is critical to understand how fungal assemblages may change with global warming. Fungal assemblage shifts, associated with climate change have been documented in the northern high latitudes, but prior to this study, we did not know if this also occurred in southern high latitudes. The analysis of fungal assemblages from lower-middle Miocene sediments from Victoria, Australia is key to resolving this question. The sediments studied here, which include the M1B coal, Yallourn Interseam, and Yallourn coal, were deposited during the lead-up to and through the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO; 18-13 Ma). Preliminary results indicate that the fungal assemblages of M1B and Yallourn coals are highly diverse. The Yallourn Interseam, between the two coals, is less diverse. While the assemblages differ, preliminary reconstructions of fungal assemblage-indicated Köppen-Geiger climate zones suggest that fungal communities are changing in relation to climate change.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2023SE-386082

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