Reworked Eocene–Oligocene dinoflagellate cysts in the Miocene of the Carpathian Foredeep Basin: implications for Paleogene palaeogeography in SE Poland

Abstract

Miocene strata of the Carpathian Foredeep Basin in Poland contain reworked Eocene and Oligocene dinoflagellate cysts, which come from two sources: the Flysch Carpathians and the epicontinental basin. The occurrence of the latter is almost the only trace of the epicontinental Eocene–Oligocene sedimentary cover, which extended across southwestern Poland, and is today nearly completely eroded. The distribution of epicontinental Eocene and Oligocene taxa in the Miocene strata of the northeastern part of the Carpathian Foredeep is uneven, clearly pointing to a limited extent of the host deposits and their variable erosion intensity. Erosion of the Eocene and Oligocene platform cover took place prior the Miocene transgression and took place also during the Badenian; its intensity increased during Late Badenian–Sarmatian tectonic movements, resulting in an increased frequency of reworked specimens in strata postdating the mid-Badenian deposits.