Palynological Characteristic of the Eocene–Early Miocene of the Kvachina Bay Section, West Kamchatka

Abstract

Six associations of dinocysts, spores, and pollen of various ages are distinguished in the Cenozoic marine deposits of the Kvachina Bay section as a result of study of stratigraphic occurrence of palynomorphs. Their analysis allowed us to date the deposits of the Tigil and Belesovataya units to the Bartonian–Priabonian and Oligocene–Early Miocene, whereas the overlapping lower part of the Kavran Group is dated to the Early Miocene. The age of dislocated rocks beneath the Tigil Unit is estimated as late Ypresian–?early Lutetian. On the basis of the revealed changes in the ratios of the ecological groups of palynomorphs, conclusions were made about the paleoenvironments in which the formation of strata took place in various time intervals.