Palaeovegetation and paleoclimate in the SW Turkey - a study based on the early-middle Miocene coal-bearing sediments from the Buyuk Menderes Graben

This study provides the age of coal-bearing sediments of the Buyuk Menderes Graben (BMG) and palaeoclimatic and palaeovegetational change from the early to late Miocene. Two palynofloras, the Bascayir and Kizilcayer, are distinguished in the late Burdigalian-early Langhian, and Serravallian-Tortonian boundary. According to the microfloral composition of the Bascayir palynoflora is characterized by subtropical elements, and palaeoclimate is warm subtropical, with the coldest month mean temperature (CMT) 8-13 degrees C. Based on the palynoflora, the coal-bearing sediments were deposited in the fluvial-lacustrine environments. The abundances of gymnosprm species and the mean annual range of temperature (MART) point out high and middle altitude areas during the deposition of coal-bearing sediments. Based on the Kizilcayer palynofloral composition, palaeoclimate is the warm temperate (CMT: 3.1-13.3 degrees C), also the abundant presence of herbaceous species indicate open land areas in the Aydin-Kizilcayer area despite the existences of swampy-lowland environments.