Palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental significance of some important spores and micro-algae in Quaternary deposits

Abstract

Spores of ferns and allied plants, and micro-algae frequently occur in abundance in Quaternary deposits, but their palaeoenvironmental significance is seldom evaluated. This paper presents morphological descriptions of spores of Selaginella sinensis (Desv.) Spring, 1843 (Selaginellaceae) and Ceratopteris cf. thalictroides (L.) Brongniart, 1821 (Parkeriaceae) and the algae Pediastrum boryanum (Turpin) Meneghini, 1840, P. simplex Meyen, 1829, P. integrum Nägeli, 1849 (all Hydrodictyaceae), Spiniferites Mantell, 1850, emend. Sarjeant, 1970 (Spiniferitaceae) and Concentricystes Rossignal, 1962, emend. Jiabo, 1978 (systematic position unclear), and discusses their occurrence in mostly Quaternary sedimentary successions. All are closely associated with aquatic habitats. Extant Selaginella sinensis often colonizes fairly wet hillsides and gaps between rocks, and shady sides of ravines and slopes; it is also found within thickets of trees and shrubs (boscages) and in forests with calcareous soils. Ceratopteris thalictroides, Pediastrum and Concentricystes inhabit freshwater lakes and both natural and artificial wetlands, such as paddy fields and ditches. Spiniferites is a salt-water genus and usually associated with the marine realm. Fossil and subfossil representatives of all of these taxa can be useful proxies of biodiversity and, therefore, also important for determining environmental conditions during the Quaternary period. © 2013 The Author(s).