Climate change at the Triassic/Jurassic boundary: palynological evidence from the Furkaska section (Tatra Mountains, Slovakia)

The palynology of the Triassic/Jurassic boundary interval of the Furkaska section (Tatra Mts, Slovakia) was studied with respect to a major climatic change during that period. The palynofacies is dominated by terrestrial particles, indicating a shallow marine depositional environment. The palynomorphs are fairly well-preserved and the assemblage shows characteristic changes within the Triassic/Jurassic boundary interval: the lower part of the section is characterized by high abundance of Ricciisporites tuberculatus. The sudden increase in abundance of trilete spores, the decrease in the abundance of Ovalipollis spp., the last appearance of Alisporites minimus and Corollina spp., and the first appearance of Concavisporites rhaetoliassicus, Cyatidites australis, Callialasporites dampieri, Pinuspollenites minimus, Platysaccus spp. and Zebrasporites fimbriatus are striking features for a subdivision of two palynomorph assemblages. The detected spore shift is interpreted to display a sudden increase in humidity most probably caused by the volcanic activity of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) associated with the onset of rifting of Pangaea during early Mesozoic times.