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The Lower Cretaceous Flora of the Gates Formation from Western Canada

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The Lower Cretaceous Flora of the Gates Formation from Western Canada A Shesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Geological Sciences Univ. of Saska., Saskatoon?SI(, Canada S7N 3E2 b~ Zhihui Wan @ Copyright Zhihui Mian, 1996. Al1 rights reserved. National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON KlA ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Libraxy of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur foxmat électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. College of Graduate Studies and Research SUMMARY OF DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirernents for the DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ZHIRUI WAN Depart ment of Geological Sciences University of Saskatchewan Examining Commit tee: Dr. G. Rowland -/Dean's Designate, Chair College of Graduate Studies and Researcli Dr. kl. R. Staiiffer Chair of Advisory Comniittee Dept. of Geological Sciences Dr. J. F. Basinger .Advisor. Dept. of Geological Sciences Dr. V. L. Harms Dept. of Biology Dr. R. W. Renaut Dep t . of Geological Sciences Dr. K. AnsdeIl Dept. of Geological Sciences External Examiner: Dr. Sidney Ash Dept. of Geology bVeber State University Odgen. UT 84408-2.507 USA The LOWER CRETACEOUS FLORA OF THE GATES FORMATION FROM WESTERN CA-JADA The Lower Cretaceous Gates Formation (late Early Albian) of western Canada is a set of paralic coal-bearing strata composed of dtstone, sandstone and c~al.Macrofossil plants are abundant in the Gates Formation: most of those are impressions; others include casts and molds of tree trunks. No perrnineralized fossils are found. Examination of rnacrofossil plants from the Gates indicates that the flora consists of bryophytes (Marchanttolites and Thallites), Equisetites, ferns (Gleichenites of Gleicheniaceae. ..icanthopteris and Contopteris of Dicksoniaceae, Cladophle bis, Sphenopteris and a new genus), seed-ferns (Sagenopteris and a new genus), conifers (Pityocladus and Pityophyllum of Pinaceae, Athrotazites and Elatides of Taxodiaceae, Elatocladus), cycads (Chilinia, Ctenis, Pseudocycas and Pterophyllum and two new genera), Ginkgo and Ginkgoifes: leptostrobans (a new genus), Taeniopten's and angiosperrns. In total, 52 species from 28 genera are described, including 5 new genera, 15 new species and 3 new cornbinations. 51ost plants of the Gates flora appears to have been deciduous. Only Elatides cumifolia and Elatocladus manchurica are convincingly evergreen. The interpreted paleoclimate is strongly seasonal with winter minimum ternperature possibly below -15' C. Rainfall appears to have been abundant since coal deposits are cornmon in the Gates Formation. Although lotv winter minimum ternperature appears to be the main factor causing deciduousness of the Gates flora. ION- winter light Ievels may have also contributed to the deciduousness of the Gates flora, as the paleolatitude of the study area was situated at 00'-60° N. Three floral provinces are recognized: the Arctic Province, which lacks Cheirolepidiaceae; the Equa- torial Province, which has Cheirolepidiaceae; and the Xntarctic Province. which also Iacks Cheirole- pidiaceae. Similar floras have been reported from throughout the 4rctic Province, including Montana. the western Interior of Canada, the Bowser Basin, Alaska. western Greenland. Spitzbergen, Siberia. northern Mongolia, northeastern China and the Inner Zone of Japan. The Pacific-rim areas are ex- cluded from the Arctic Province. Plant deciduous habit appears to have prevailed within the Arctic Province during the Early Cretaceous. PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillrnent of the requirements for a Postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Li- brâries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. 1 further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors rvho supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Depart ment or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was donc. It is undcrstood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my t hesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other use of material in this thesis in whole or part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of Geologl University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada SIN 5EI The Lower Cretaceous Flora of the Gates Formation frorn Western Canada The Lowr C'ret aceoiis Cistes Formation (late Early --\lbian ) of western Canada is a seqiience of paralic coal-bearing strata composcd of siltstone. sandstonc and c-oal. l[acrofossil plants are abiindant in the Cistes Forniat ion: niost fossik arc i rnpressions: ot hers iricluclc cas ts ancl molcls of t reo t riin ks. So perniincralizc,l fossils are fou ncl. The Ciates flora corisist s of br>-ophytes (.\lcrrcharitiolitc.. ancl T/t«llitr.s). Eq- . ursctltcs. krns ( Glcichc rr itr.;. .-lcartthoptcri. ancl CBnioptc ri., of Dicksoriiaccac. C'l«dop/ilebis. S'pli r nopt r ris aiirl a new geniis). seccl- ferris ( Sngr ri oplc 1-ia and a new geniis). conifers ( Pityor.l«rli~.~ancl Pityoph yllrr nz of Pinacrac. .-ltlirntrrritc.~ arirl Elnt idc.5 of Tasodiacc~ac.El(lt oclnt1rr.s). c>-cacls( C'Il ilirr irr. C't r n is. Psi rrdocyccxs aricl Pter-ophyllirrn ancl two ricw- g(-ricra). Ginkgo ancl C;irrk-goitr.-: lcptostrobans (a ri(8\\- gcniis). T«e~iiopttri.\ aricl iiriitleritified angiospernis. Ir1 total. 52 sprcics frorii 2S gcnrra arc clcscri hcd. i iicliirli rig 5 ricv Scncra. 15 ric8\\- sprcics aritl :{ rit\\- coriibiria- t ions. llost plants of tlicb C;;itc-s fiùra appears to lia\-e hbrid(~cirliioti..;. Orilj- Elntidr.. riiri*i/«liriancl R~itocindrr.-ir,,rr>r./tiri.ic~~ arc corii-iticiri;l>- ci-(argiwii.'I'lir iiit(*rpr(~t(vl palcocliniate hasecl on t hc Gatcs flora is st rong1'- scasoiial \vit li wiritcr nii riiniiiiii tetripcrat lire possi11l~-i)rl»\r - 1.5' C. Rainfall appears to lia\-c l,c(!ri ahiiiiclnrit siri(-(. coal tlcposits arc cotiirnori iti the Ciatcs Forniat ion. .-\lt hougli Io\\- \vi ritcr riiinirriiirii twiiperatiire appears to bc tlic niain factor caiisirig cli>cid~ioiisrirssof thc C;ati*ç flora. loi\ wiiitcr liglit le\-els ma'. lia\-c also contributcd to tlic rlccicliiouc;ncss of tlic Cistes flora. as tlic paleolatitudc of tlic stiicl>- arca ivas ri! iiatcd at 50u-GOu S. T tirec Ear1'- Crct aceoiis floral pro~eincesare rccognizccl: t lw ;\rct ic Proviiicr.. tvliicti lacks Cheiïolcpicliaceae: the Ecliiatorial Pro\-iticc. 1rIiicli lias C'licirolcpitli- aceae: and t lie Antarct ic Proi-ince. wliicli also Iacks C'\icirolc~~itliaccac.Floras sirri- ilar to tlie Cistes flora have hem reported frorri tliroiiglioiit t lic Arctic Provincr. incliicling Slont ana. t lie western Interior of Canada. t lir Bowcr Basi ii of riort li- u-estern C'anacla. =\laska. ivestern C;reenlancl. Spi tzbtrgcri. Silmia. iiort licrri )lori- golia. nortliaastcrn Ctiins ancl tlie Inner Zone of .lapan. Tlic Pacific-rini armç arc cscliiclcd frorn t lic .-\rct ic Pro\-incc. Plant clcciduoiis tial,i t appcars t o liai-c- prc\-ailc(l n.it hi ri t lic =\rctic Proi*incccliiriiig t tic Earlj- C'rct x~oiil;. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. J. F. Basinger, for his support, guidance, and patience throughout this project . Thanks are due to the external examiner, Dr. S. Ash, for accepting and examining my thesis, and to my advisory cornmittee, Dr. H. E. Hendry. Dr. V. L. Harms, Dr. M. R. Stauffer, Dr. B. R. Pratt, Dr. R. W. Renaut and Dr. K. ilnsdell for their helps. Thanks are due to a number of coal-mining corporations for their special permissions for us to enter their properties to collect fossils: these corporations are: Quintette Coal Lirnited, Bullmoose Corporation, Cardinal River Coal Lim- ited, Smoky River Coals Limited and Gregg River Coals Limited. Special thanks are due to the geologists from the above mentioned corpo- rations for their help in guiding us to various fossil localities; tliesc geologists arc Mr. Rob Booker, Mr, Mike Hitch, Mr. Ken Holmes, Mr. Terry Oatway. blr. Ron Kostiuk and Mr. Luc Savoie. Thanks are due to Cathy Greenwood and Loreleen Britton for tlieir assis- tance in field work. Thanks are also due to Yanjun, Mengyan and Mengyuan, my lamily. and friends for their patience and support in the process of rescarcliing and writing t his dissertation. Financial support was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Operating Grant #OGP0001334 to .J.F. Basi ngcr), and the Univ. of Saskatchewan (Postgraduate scholarship to 2. Wan). Contents Permission to Use . 1 .. Abstract . 11 ... Acknowledgements . 11i Table of Contents . iv List of Figures.
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  • Paper 1983-1

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    STRATIGRAPHY AND smInmmmy mms ON THE BULL- I(OUNTAIN-PEACE RIVERCANYON, CARBON CREEK AREA NORTHEASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA (930/15, 16; 94B/1, 2) INTRODUCTION As the new District Geologist at Charlie lake, 1982 fieldwork was orientedtoward gaining a grasp of theregional and loc,slstratigraphy andsedimentology of thecoal-bearing sequences in the Northeast Coal- field. In thisregard I am indebted to Dave Gibsonand Con Stott of the GeologicalSurvey of Canada, Paul Cowley and NormanDuncan of Utah Mines Ltd.,and Charlie Williams of Gulf Canada ResourcesInc. for informative discussions. Fieldwork was concentrated in the area betweenBullhead Mountain on the east andPardonet Creek on the west (Fig.27). lhis areaincludes coal licences of Utah Mines Ltd.,Gulf Canada Resources Inc.., Shell Canada ResourcesLimited, andCinnabar Peak Mines Ltd.Recently published paperson the area includethose of Gibson(19781, St.ott and(Gibson (1980), andAnderson (1980). There are two coal-bearingformations in the area, theGething Formation of theBullhead Groupand theBickford Formation of thme Minnes ,:roup. The GethingFormation overlies the Bickford Formation and is sepsrated from it by the Cadomin Formation,which is variablypebbly sandstone to conglomerate (see stratigraphic column, Table 1). Regionallythe Cadomin Formation may rest on unitslower in the succession than the Bickford.According toStott (1973) this is due to an unconformitywhich progressivelytruncates underlying strata in a southwest-northeast direction. TABLE 1. SIWLIFIED STRATIGRPPHY OF THEMiNNES ANDBULLHEAD GROUPS (UPPERJWASSIC+CWER CRETACEOUS) IN THE BULLHEADMOUNTAIKPARDONET CREEK AREA BuIGething Formationlhead bal measures &CUD Cadomin Formation Pebblysandstone, quartzitic sandstone,conglomerate Mlnnes BickfordFormation Carbonaceousmeasures Grou p Monach FormtionFeldspathic sandstone, minor mounts of quartzite battle Peaks Formation Interbedded sandstone and shale bnteith Formatlon @per quartzites Lower greysandstones,, teldspathlc sandstones 93 ?he stratigraphy of thearea is notyet satisfactorily resolved (D.
  • Coevolution of Cycads and Dinosaurs George E

    Coevolution of Cycads and Dinosaurs George E

    Coevolution of cycads and dinosaurs George E. Mustoe* INTRODUCTION TOXICOLOGY OF EXTANT CYCADS cycads suggests that the biosynthesis of ycads were a major component of Illustrations in textbooks commonly these compounds was a trait that C forests during the Mesozoic Era, the depict herbivorous dinosaurs browsing evolved early in the history of the shade of their fronds falling upon the on cycad fronds, but biochemical evi- Cycadales. Brenner et al. (2002) sug- scaly backs of multitudes of dinosaurs dence from extant cycads suggests that gested that macrozamin possibly serves a that roamed the land. Paleontologists these reconstructions are incorrect. regulatory function during cycad have long postulated that cycad foliage Foliage of modern cycads is highly toxic growth, but a strong case can be made provided an important food source for to vertebrates because of the presence that the most important reason for the reptilian herbivores, but the extinction of two powerful neurotoxins and carcin- evolution of cycad toxins was their of dinosaurs and the contemporaneous ogens, cycasin (methylazoxymethanol- usefulness as a defense against foliage precipitous decline in cycad popula- beta-D-glucoside) and macrozamin (beta- predation at a time when dinosaurs were tions at the close of the Cretaceous N-methylamine-L-alanine). Acute symp- the dominant herbivores. The protective have generally been assumed to have toms triggered by cycad foliage inges- role of these toxins is evidenced by the resulted from different causes. Ecologic tion include vomiting, diarrhea, and seed dispersal characteristics of effects triggered by a cosmic impact are abdominal cramps, followed later by loss modern cycads. a widely-accepted explanation for dino- of coordination and paralysis of the saur extinction; cycads are presumed to limbs.
  • Palaeogeograph Y, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology , 17(1975): 157--172 © Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in the Netherlands

    Palaeogeograph Y, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology , 17(1975): 157--172 © Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in the Netherlands

    Palaeogeograph y, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology , 17(1975): 157--172 © Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands CLIMATIC CHANGES IN EASTERN ASIA AS INDICATED BY FOSSIL FLORAS. II. LATE CRETACEOUS AND DANIAN V. A. KRASSILOV Institute of Biology and Pedology, Far-Eastern Scientific Centre, U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok (U.S.S.R.) (Received June 17, 1974; accepted for publication November 11, 1974) ABSTRACT Krassilov, V. A., 1975. Climatic changes in Eastern Asia as indicated by fossil floras. II. Late Cretaceous and Danian. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 17:157--172. Four Late Cretaceous phytoclimatic zones -- subtropical, warm--temperate, temperate and boreal -- are recognized in the Northern Hemisphere. Warm--temperate vegetation terminates at North Sakhalin and Vancouver Island. Floras of various phytoclimatic zones display parallel evolution in response to climatic changes, i.e., a temperature rise up to the Campanian interrupted by minor Coniacian cooling, and subsequent deterioration of cli- mate culminating in the Late Danian. Cooling episodes were accompanied by expansions of dicotyledons with platanoid leaves, whereas the entire-margined leaf proportion increased during climatic optima. The floristic succession was also influenced by tectonic events, such as orogenic and volcanic activity which commenced in Late Cenomanian--Turonian times. Major replacements of ecological dominants occurred at the Maastrichtian/Danian and Early/Late Danian boundaries. INTRODUCTION The principal approaches to the climatic interpretation of fossil floras have been outlined in my preceding paper (Krassilov, 1973a). So far as Late Creta- ceous floras are concerned, extrapolation (i.e. inferences from tolerance ranges of allied modern taxa) is gaining in importance and the entire/non-entire leaf type ratio is no less expressive than it is in Tertiary floras.