Kansas Geological Survey, Current Research in Earth Sciences, Bulletin 253, part 1
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Kansas Geological Survey, Current Research in Earth Sciences, Bulletin 253, part 1
Prev Page--Palynology ||
Next Page--References
Palynology of coal beds and carbonaceous shale bands from cores in Leavenworth and Cherokee counties, Kansas, has led to a correlation of Atokan and lower Desmoinesian strata between eastern Kansas and the Illinois basin. Correlations are also made between eastern Kansas, the Forest City basin in northwestern Missouri, Iowa, the Appalachian coal region, and western Europe. The spore assemblage zonation of the Illinois basin is extended to eastern Kansas.
The oldest Pennsylvanian coal in the Kansas Geological Survey Edmonds No. 1A core in Leavenworth County, Kansas, is approximately equivalent to the Bell coal in the Illinois basin and is early Atokan in age (early Westphalian B). It correlates with the lower part of the Middle Pennsylvanian (U.S. Geological Survey usage). It is correlated with the lower part of the Microreticulatisporites nobilis-Endosporites globiformis (NG) Spore Assemblage Zone of the Illinois basin. This is based on the large abundance of Densosporites annulatus and the presence of Vestispora pseudoreticulata, Punctatosporites minutus, Waltzispora prisca, and Sinuspores sinuatus. The latter two species disappear above this coal. The oldest shale band (maceration 3295A), which is only about 15 ft above the oldest coal, is in the middle of NG Spore Assemblage Zone and is a little older than middle Atokan (late Westphalian B). Cyclogranisporites aureus and Pilosisporites aculeolatus begin their stratigraphic ranges in the shale. The shale band correlates with the Kilbourn Formation in Iowa and the middle of the Kanawha Formation in West Virginia.
Several important palynologic events occurred during deposition of four shale bands (macerations 3295B-E) within an interval of 8 ft (2.4 m). The lower three bands are placed in the upper part of the NG Spore Assemblage Zone. The upper shale band (maceration 3295E) is in the lower part of the Torispora securis-Vestispora fenestrata (SF) Spore Assemblage Zone. The shale bands are middle Atokan in age and are present at the Westphalian B-C transition. They are correlated with an interval just below the Smith Coal in the Illinois basin because of appearance of a large number of species: Punctatisporites minutus, Verrucosisporites sifati, Endosporites plicatus, Laevigatosporites globosus, Triquitrites sculptilis, T. bransonii, Vestispora fenestrata, Torispora securis, Spinosporites exiguus, Latosporites minutus, and Microreticulatisporites sulcatus.
The youngest shale band (maceration 3295G) is in the Radiizonates difformis (RD) Spore Assemblage Zone, which is late Atokan (late Westphalian C) in age. The shale is approximately equivalent to the Tarter Coal in Illinois. The shale is characterized by the presence of Radiizonates difformis and Cyclogranisporites orbicularis and the last appearance of Cristatisporites indignabundus, Densosporites annulatus, and Savitrisporites nux.
The coal macerated as 3289C and D is at the base of the Desmoinesian (base of Westphalian D) and is correlated with the base of the Cadiospora magna-Mooreisporites inusitatus (MI) Spore Assemblage Zone. It is a little younger than the Seville Limestone in Illinois. The coal marks the appearance of Triquitrites minutus, Camptotriletes confertus, and Vestispora clara and the last appearance of Endosporites zonalis. The youngest coal sampled, which is the Riverton coal, in the KGS Edmonds No. 1A core is early Desmoinesian (early Westphalian D) in age. It is approximately equivalent to the Lewisport coal in the Illinois basin. This confirms the conclusions of Morgan (1955), Wilson (1970), and Rosowitz (1982) that the Riverton coal is early Desmoinesian in age.
Three coal beds that are present just above the base of the Pennsylvanian in three cores drilled in Cherokee County, southeastern Kansas, range in age from middle Atokan to early Desmoinesian.
Several aspects of changing palynological assemblages during middle Atokan suggest the initiation of a time in which less moisture was available, at least seasonally. These changing patterns have been found elsewhere in the Illinois basin (Peppers, 1979, 1996), the Forest City basin in western Missouri (Peppers et al., 1993), and Appalachian coal region (Phillips and Peppers, 1984: Phillips et al., 1985). Lycospora pellucida was the dominant spore species until the middle Atokan at which time Lycospora granulata became dominant. Soon afterward, Lycospora micropapillata, produced by Paralycopodites, briefly increased in abundance. This interval correlates with the "dried interval" of Paralycopodites-dominated coal swamps discussed by Peppers (1979). Felix (1954) also described specimens of what would be classified as L. micropapillata from the tips of Lepidostrobus cones. He considered these small forms of Lycospora as abortive spores and thought that the lycopods may have been growing under stress due to reduced available moisture.
Lycospora granulata again became the dominate species of Lycospora until the genus disappeared at the end of the Desmoinesian. Spores produced by ferns, which generally occupied drier habitats than those of lycopods, began to increase in abundance during this same time. Finally, the middle Atokan was also characterized by the introduction of a number of species of spores, most of which belonged to the ferns.
Careful review of the manuscript was provided by Brian J. Cardott of the Oklahoma Geological Survey and Cortland F. Eble of the Kentucky Geological Survey. Their suggestions on the stratigraphy and palynology were important to development of the final paper. At the Kansas Geological Survey, Marla Adkins-Heljeson provided editorial review of the manuscript, and Jennifer Sims provided the graphic work for the figures. Several of the figures were based on earlier graphic work by the Illinois Geological Survey for the poster paper where parts of this work were originally presented.
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