23 Paleontology of North America (Posters)

Added from Discipline submissions.

Tuesday, 10 March 2026
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
RCC, Lower Level Hall

Palynology of Upper Cretaceous Rocks in Illinois and Kentucky

Paper number: 23-18
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 12:15 PM – 12:15 PM

Authors

Abstract

Currently developing biostratigraphy of Cretaceous to Eocene sediments furthering mapping projects has allowed differences in paleoecology and paleoclimatology to be reconstructed for Cretaceous sediments throughout southern Illinois and the Jackson Purchase region of Western Kentucky. Here we show our initial findings from sites sampled from March-April 2025 as related to those found from prior work (2002 and 2021) in the area. Most palynomorphs found are terrestrial in origin. Numerous show damage patterns typical of attack by bacteria and fungi. Nearest living relatives (NLRs) of the assemblages are suggestive of a combination of closed-canopy and open-canopy forested environments and fern- and sphagnum-dominated bogs. Late Cretaceous paleoclimates were reconstructed by using the coexistence approach and CRESTr. When effective, these suggest a mean annual temperature of approximately 17C, and hotter months wetter, which is indicative of humid subtropical climates.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411844

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