Macrofloras and palynomorphs as possible proxies for palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological studies: A case study of Kühwiesenkopf/Monte Pra della Vacca (Olang Dolomites, N-Italy)

An important fossil flora has been collected in the middle-upper Pelsonian mainly marine locality at Kuhwiesenkopf (NE-Dolomites, Italy). The fossil plants are briefly described and ecological reconstructions of coastal, lowland, river and upland plant assemblages were made. The composition of the rich and diversified macroflora indicates a typically warm and humid climate. The entire section was also subject of detailed palynological sampling for biostratigraphy and quantitative analyses. The palynological data confirm the macrofloral reconstructions and also suggest a warm and humid climate for this interval in the Dolomites (probably also on a more regional scale). Moreover, these results were subjected to two different palynological methods to obtain more detailed palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological data for the whole section. Palynological data suggest, that major oscillations observed in the middle part of the section are related to eustatic oscillations rather than to climatic changes.