Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw | 90 – 2/3 | 129 - 164 | 2011 Connecting the Chalk Group of the Campine Basin to the dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy of the Campanian to Danian in borehole Meer (northern Belgium)* H. Slimani1,*, S. Louwye2, M. Dusar3 & D. Lagrou4 1 Laboratory of Geology and Remote Sensing, URAC 46, University Mohammed V-Agdal, Avenue Ibn Batouta, P.B. 703, 10106 Rabat-Agdal, Morocco. 2 Research Unit Palaeontology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. 3 Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Geological Survey of Belgium, Jennerstraat 13, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. 4 Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium. * Corresponding author. Email:
[email protected],
[email protected]. Manuscript received: October 2010, accepted: March 2011 Abstract A palynological study of the Chalk Group (Campanian-Danian) in the Meer borehole (northern Belgium), which penetrated the thickest succession known in the Campine Basin, has revealed diverse, well-preserved organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. The succession contains numerous chronostratigraphically significant dinocyst events, which are based mainly on the highest consistent occurrences of index species. At least 35 bio- events have enabled a subdivision into nine intervals, at stage or substage level, within the Campanian to Danian interval, as based on comparison with coeval assemblages elsewhere in northwest Europe, inclusive of stratotypes of stages and stage boundaries. Bio-events allow correlation of the section studied with the Campanian Exochosphaeridium? masureae, Areoligera coronata and Samlandia mayi zones, the Maastrichtian Pervosphaeridium tubuloaculeatum, Deflandrea galeata and Hystrichostrogylon coninckii zones, and the Danian Damassadinium californicum Zone.