The upper Carboniferous-Lower Permian flora of Zöbing, Lower Austria

Abstract

During the Late Carboniferous and early Permian, a major floristic change took place in Euramerica. Gymnosperms replaced the previously dominant pteridophytes. This reflects a climatic change, i.e. from wetland-dominated to more arid conditions. Extensive studies on the vegetation during this time interval have recently been carried out in the Czech Republic. The Zöbing formation in Austria, is of the same age of these Czech formations, but has not yet been compared to them. Material from the Zöbing formation has been examined and compared to Czech floras. A clear transition can be seen in the flora of the Zöbing formation, from a Stephanian tree fern and Alethopteris zeilleri dominated flora, to a Asselian flora dominated by peltasperms and conifers. There are clear similarities between the floras of the Zöbing formation and the different Czechian formations, despite notable differences in species composition and abundance between Zöbing and the Czech formations. This is especially true for the nearby Boskovice Basin.