Palaeoecology of Middle Jurassic deposits in central and eastern Alborz

Palynological data are used to draw palaeoecological inferences for the Dalichai Formation (Bajocian - Callovian) in two stratigraphic sections, Balu in central Alborz and Tapal in eastern Alborz. Diverse and reasonably well preserved palynofloras consisting of miospores, dinoflagellate cysts, acritarch cyst and foraminiferal test linings are present in the host strata. Miospores (spores and pollen) were used to interpret the palaeoecological and palaeoclimatical conditions of the Dalichai Formation at these stratigraphic sections studied. Affinities of the Dalichai Formation’s miospores at the Balu section in central Alborz appear to be with the Pterophyta 49%, Coniferophyta 23%, Ginkgophyta 15%, Lycophyta 8%, Sphenophyta 4%, and Bryophytes 1%. Similarly to the Balu section, Pterophyta exhibits remarkable percentage (49%) at the Tapal section in eastern Alborz, followed by Coniferophyta 26%, Ginkgophyta 19%, Lycophyta 4%, Bryophytes 2% and Sphenophyta 1%. Compared with the distribution of modern plants, spore-pollen assemblages of these two stratigraphic sections reflect a wet warm climate during the Middle Jurassic Dalichai Formation in central and eastern Alborz.