Reconstruction of paleovegetation and paleoecology from the Early Cretaceous sporomorphs of Bougaz-1 well, northeast Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

A WELL-preserved, diverse sporomorph assemblage of 62 species belonging to 39 genera has been recorded in two Cretaceous (Aptian/Albian) samples recovered from depths 3105m and 3117m in the Bougaz-1 well, northeast Sinai. The identified 62 species consist of 20 genera and 27 species of pteridophytic fern spores, nine genera and 15 species of gymnosperm pollen, and 10 genera and 20 species of angiosperm pollen. A correlation of the encountered sporomorphs and their parent plant affinities (classes, orders and families) has been attempted in order to give an image of the past vegetation in this part of Egypt. Vegetation reconstruction demonstrates a mixed forest which is represented by a mixture of ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms. A remarkable abundance of pteridophytic fern spores with other hygrophilous elements such as Afropollis pollen seems to indicate paleoclimatic trends towards warm humid conditions during the Aptian/Albian period in the studied area. This climatic preference is also confirmed by the low frequencies of conifer vegetation such as Araucariaceae, Cheirolepidiaceae and genetalean pollen (Ephedripites) which were predominant on the topographically higher and relatively xeric environments.