| Title | Microfossils: palynology |
| Author | Williams, G; Fensome, R; Miller, M; Bujak, J |
| Source | Encyclopedia of petroleum geoscience; by Sorkhabi, R (ed.); Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series 2018 p. 1-15, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02330-4 146-1 |
| Year | 2018 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20170276 |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Edition | living |
| Document | book |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf; html |
| Subjects | paleontology; fossil fuels; stratigraphy; Nature and Environment; micropaleontology; palynology; microfossils; palynomorphs; spores; pollen; history; evolution; paleogeography; paleoclimatology;
petroleum exploration; exploration methods; biostratigraphy; paleoenvironment; kerogen; facies; fossil descriptions; fossil morphology; Acritarchs; Chitinozoa; Dinoflagellates; methodology; plants; Phanerozoic; Precambrian |
| Illustrations | photomicrographs; sketches; schematic diagrams; biostratigraphic charts; schematic representations |
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| Program | Baffin Petroleum Systems, GEM2: Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals |
| Released | 2018 03 31 |
| Abstract | (Summary)
All the major groups of palynomorphs - acritarchs, chitinozoans, dinocysts, and miospores - show a remarkable degree of morphologic diversity. But how can we use that rich diversity
to our scientific advantage? Firstly their microscopic size means that they are much more abundant in rocks than are macrofossils. Secondly, their diversity makes them excellent stratigraphic markers in rocks of Proterozoic to Quaternary age.
Thirdly, their occurrence in terrestrial to oceanic rocks allows for extensive interpretation of paleoenvironments. And fourthly, through kerogen analysis and measurement of thermal alteration studies, they provide significant insights into the oil
and/or gas-prone nature of source rocks and their degree of maturity. Thus, palynology plays a critical role in oil exploration, providing biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental, and maturation data, possibly unrivalled by any other group of fossils.
Palynology thus involves the study of small fossils with a big impact. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Palynology is the study of microscopic organisms or parts of organisms, collectively known as palynomorphs, whose walls are composed of acid-resistant
organic material. All major groups of palynomorphs ? acritarchs, chitinozoans, dinoflagellate cysts and miospores (pollen and small spores mostly of vascular plants) show a remarkable degree of morphologic diversity, Their microscopic size means that
they are much more abundant in rocks than are macrofossils. Their diversity makes them excellent stratigraphic markers and paleoenvironmental indicators in rocks of Proterozoic to Quaternary age. And through kerogen analysis and measurement of
thermal alteration, they provide significant insights into the oil and/or gasprone nature of source rocks and their degree of maturity. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 306238 |
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