Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Plant macrofossils of the Takht-e-Saffar mine, southwest Tabas; palaeoecology analysis

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author
School of Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran
Abstract
Middle Jurassic sediments of the Hojedk Formation are well-spread in the Tabas Block. In this study, plant macrofossils of the Takht-e-Saffar open pit mine, southwest Tabas were illustrated. This formation contains 29 species of plant macrofossils belonging to 17 genera of various orders such as Equisetales, Marattiales, Osmundales, Filicales, Caytoniales, Cycadales, Ginkgoales, and Pinales. Based on the occurrence of index plant macrofossils such as Equisetites sp. cf. E. beanii, Nilssonia sp. cf. N. bozorga, Nilssonia macrophylla, and Elatides thomasii, this plant assemblage is early Middle Jurassic (Aalenian-Bajocian) in age. According to statistical data, Cycadales with 41.62%, ferns with 29.5%, Caytoniales with 13.93%, and conifers with 9.93% have high relatively abundance herein, respectively. In addition, the average floral gradient score of this fossil assemblage was calculated as 57.83. Therefore, it is concluded that a ‘warm temperate biome’ has prevailed during this interval. On the other hand, lithological evidences, such as coal seams, point to humid conditions. Moreover, mesophyte and megathermic plants were dominated in this locality during this interval.
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