Ombrotophism in the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures

Theme: Earth science and resources, Geography

Description: Modern mires go through plant successions in response to changing water levels and nutrient supply from ground fed to rain fed. In some modern New Zealand mires this manifests in a shift to open restiad bogs with tangled root mats. In the Jurassic coals, this might be recorded in the abundance of suberinised periderm, but there is no correponding plant identification and palynology to test the hypothesis. This project uses advanced organic microscopy and palynology through seams interpreted to have formed as ombrotrophic mires. This project is joint with Dr Jennifer Cooling

Contact: Emeritus Professor Joan Esterle