The Untersberg section (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria) provides an expanded and biostratigraphically well constrained deep-sea record of the Paleocene-Eocene transition in the north-western Tethyan realm. At the base of the Eocene, massive carbonate dissolution and a shoaling of the calcite compensation depth (CCD) by at least 1 Ian is recorded by 5.5 m-thick red claystone, which is intercalated into a grey marlstone succession. Previous studies documented the benthic foraminifera extinction event (BEE) in this claystone. Now biodeformational structures and trace fossils were investigated in this interval to evaluate the impact of the extinction event on the macrobenthic tracemaker fauna. Using the stratigraphic distribution pattern of trace fossils, the lowermost Eocene claystone can be subdivided into three parts: (1) the lower part shows a trace fossil assemblage consisting of Chondrites isp., Planolites isp., Thalassinoides isp., and Zoophycos isp., (2) the middle part is characterized by primary sedimentary lamination and exceedingly rare ichnofossils, and (3) the upper part shows a less abundant and less diverse trace fossil assemblage than the lower part, indicating a slow recovery of the macrobenthic tracemaker community. This pattern demonstrates that macrobenthic communities were severely affected by the ecological perturbations in the earliest Eocene. The change in sediment colouration towards red colour in the middle part of the Paleocene-Eocene transition at the Untersberg section, together with decrease in bioturbation degree indicate that oxygen consumption was rather reduced during the PETM, and the loss in bioturbation is thus unrelated to oxygen limitation. Trace fossils can be used to improve the resolution of the benthic extinction interval and provide an excellent proxy for the precise determination of timing of the climax of this global event.

One of the thickest Eocene sedimentary records in the Eastern Alps occurs in the Reichenhall Basin of the Northern Calcareous Alps, a detached part of the Adriatic Plate. Although the Ypresian and Lutetian deep-water deposits in the Reichenhall Basin have already been combined into the Nierental Formation of the Gosau Group, the overlying Bartonian to Priabonian deposits have not been lithostratigraphically formalized until now. This younger part of the succession shows a two-fold subdivision, with a deep-water and a shallow-water facies indicating syn-sedimentary differential vertical displacements of tectonic blocks. This caused subaerial exposure and erosion of local topographic highs, while basinal areas underwent continuous subsidence and sediment accumulation. Biostratigraphic constraints suggest that block-faulting began in the late Lutetian at c. 42 million years ago (Ma) and this event is interpreted to reflect the onset of the collision between the Adriatic and European Plates. After denudation, a transgression occurred on some of the up-lifted blocks in the early Bartonian. The base of this transgressive sequence is within Shallow Benthic Zone SBZ17 and at the transition of orthophragminids Zones OZ12 and OZ13 (c. 40.5 Ma-40 Ma). The lower part of the sequence consists of shallow-water limestone (Kirchholz Formation, nom. nov.) and the upper part of siliciclastic deposits (Hallthurm Formation, nom. nov.). Coeval deposition in the basinal areas was dominated by mass-flow sedimentation of reworked intrabasinal Triassic to Lutetian components derived from the flanks of the topographic highs. These deposits (Marzoll Formation, nom. nov.) are interpreted to be submarine slope aprons, that flanked fault-controlled block margins. The Bartonian to Priabonian deposits of the Reichenhall Basin are considered to be the oldest part of the "Inneralpine Molasse", for which the lithostratigraphically correct term Inntal Group (nom. nov.) is proposed and defined. This group comprises Bartonian to Chattian marine and terrestrial deposits of the Northern Calcareous Alps.

Three European lower Eocene localities comprising sediments from the Paleocene-Eocene Temperature Maximum (PETM, St Pankraz, Austria and Brixton, England) and the Early Eocene Climate Optimum (EECO, Krappfeld, Austria) have been investigated palynologically with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The pollen taxa systematically investigated here have been affiliated to the following families and genera: Vitaceae gen. indet. and Parthenocissus, Euphorbiaceae s.s. (two "Bernardieae clade" types, Cephalocroton), Phyllanthaceae (two Flueggea types, Bischofia), one taxon of Euphobiaceae/Phyllanthaceae fam. indet., Fabaceae ("Millettioid clade" type), Anacardiaceae (two Anacardium types, Gluta, and Lannea), Araliaceae (A. gen. indet., two Aralia types, Panax, and Hydrocotyle) and one Apiaceae gen. indet. Further, we present here the earliest known occurrences of pollen of "Bernardieae clade" type, Cephalocroton, unknown Euphorbiaceae/Phyllanthaceae taxon, Flueggea, Bischofia, "Millettioid clade" type, Anacardium, Gluta, Aralia and Panax types in the fossil record.

This paper is the first systematic documentation of Eocene organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) assemblages from the northwestern shelf of the Tethys. A taxonomic list of the rich and well-preserved dinocyst assemblages found within 28 samples collected at the Adelholzen section in southeastern Germany is presented herein. The sediments accumulated during the Lutetian and Priabonian stages at a ramp-type margin. One-hundred organic-walled dinocyst species were found at the section, which is riddled with unconformities. The composition of the successive dinocyst assemblages reflects the sea-level changes within the depositional area. Areoligera coronata and Cordosphaeridium gracile dominate the assemblage within the glauconite-rich siliciclastic sandstone (lower Adelholzen beds) of the lower transgressive system tract, which spans the calcareous nannoplankton sub-Zones NP15a and NP15b. A hiatus comprising at least c. 1.5 million years truncates these deposits and indicates an erosional episode. Rapid sea-level rise in Biochron NP16 caused a new transgression and the deposition of calcareous marlstone and limestone rich in nummulitids. In this part of the section (middle Adelholzen beds), Homonyblium tenuispinosurn is by far the most abundant dinocyst species, and rare but consistent occurrences of Impagidinium spp. suggest a more open marine environment A lithological shift from limestone to marlstone, a change from nummulitids to discocyclinids, and finally the complete disappearance of larger benthic foraminifera indicates continuous deepening of the environment. An increase in Spiniferites spp., Operculodinium spp., and occurrences of Homonyblium floripes characterize the dinocyst assemblage of this marlstone (upper Adelholzen beds). A 0.5 m thick condensed layer, which consists essentially of iron-coated glauconite grains and scattered phosphate nodules, represents the maximum flooding surface of the transgressive sequence, for which a paleodepth of c. 300 m is assumed. The overlying marlstone ("Stockletten") of the highstand system tract is punctuated by a hiatus of c. 4.3 million years spanning the entire Bartonian. The stratigraphically important species Rhombodinium longimanum, Rhombodinium perforatum, Distatodinium ellipticum, Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus and Selenopemphix nephroides have their lowest occurrences in the Priabonian (Zones NP18 and NPI9) of the section. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fossil pollen from three Lower Eocene localities was investigated by LM and SEM: The Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) section at St Pankraz (Salzburg), three Brixton drill cores covering the PETM and the Early Eocene Climate Optimum locality at Krappfeld. Some pollen taxa found have been affiliated to Laurelia, today a southern hemispheric Atherospermataceae unknown from Europe, to two Annonaceae lineages, such as the African Monodora clade and a probable precursor of the old world Fenerivia/Maasia clades, thus representing two taxa not previously reported from the fossil record. Further two wetland associated Araceae (Limnobiophyllum and Lysichiton) are present as well as various Arecaceae, including not only previously described Salaccinae and Calaminae/Plectocomiinae, but also undocumented Bactridinae, Elaeidinae (both Cocoseae), and Coryphoideae and Arecoideae, although pollen from the latter two subfamilies could not be assigned in more detail.

Laurelia Juss. (Atherospermataceae R. Br.) today is a disjunct genus in the southern hemisphere that inhabit temperate moist forests of South America and New Zealand. Unequivocal Atherospermataceae fossils are still rare and are known since the Upper Cretaceous from the southern hemisphere. Here, we present the first findings of Laurelia pollen in the northern hemisphere, preserved in EECO (Early Eocene Climate Optimum) sediments in southern Austria.

Montfort hill, lying in Morzg, within the southern outskirts of Salzburg, consists of Upper Cretaceous deposits of the Gosau Group. Alluvial fan deposits of the Kreuzgraben Formation (?Turonian) and Coniacian neritic limestone (Glanegg beds of the Paratexanites serratomarginatus ammonite zone) are overlain by bathyal marlstone ("Morzg beds"). Diverse planktonic assemblages (foraminifera, calcareous nannoplankton and dinoflagellate cysts) indicate that they lie in the upper part of the Dicarinella asymetrica planktonic foraminifera zone and the Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii calcareous nannoplankton zone (CC16 resp. UC12) of the middle to upper Santonian. As in the near-by Untersberg region (Eitelgraben section), the succession at Morzg is punctuated by a stratigraphic gap comprising the lower Santonian and probably parts of the middle Santonian.

The middle Eocene Adelholzen beds were deposited on the northern part of the Tethyan shelf of the European Plate. In the Eastern Alps, the Wimmern section near Teisendorf (Germany) is the only known outcrop exposing the basal unconformity of this sequence. The outcrop comprises an 8 m thick condensed transgressive shallow marine succession characterized by glauconite-rich weakly consolidated greensand and mudstone containing abundant larger benthic foraminifera. It spans the lower part of calcareous nannoplankton Zone NP15 (Sub-Zones NP15a and lower part of NP15b), planktonic foraminifera Sub-Zone E7b and Zone E8 partim and the upper part of shallow benthic Zone SBZ13. The landward migration of the paleo-shoreline was not an effect of flexural downbending of the European Plate but can be correlated to the major unconformity at the base of eustatic supercycle TA3. The onset of this sea-level rise was in the latest part of Biochron NP14b and almost coincided with the NP14b/NP15a-boundary.

In this study, dinoflagellate cyst and calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy allowed the recognition of the Cretaceous/Palaeogene boundary (K/Pg boundary) at the neritic Waidach section, north of Salzburg, Austria (Helvetic nappe system). The microfossil assemblages indicate calcareous nannoplankton Zone CC26 of latest Cretaceous age and part of the lowermost Palaeocene Zone NP1. However, the stratigraphic record across the K/Pg boundary is incomplete due to a minor fault. The studied samples have yielded well preserved and high diversity dinoflagellate cyst assemblages with a total of 163 dinoflagellate cyst species and subspecies belonging to 62 genera. The composition of the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages changes drastically from Areoligera-dominated assemblages in the upper Maastrichtian to Hystrichosphaeridium-dominated assemblages in the lower Danian. This composition shows two Manumiella spikes in the upper Maastrichtian and an acme of Spongodinium delitiense in the lower Danian which are interpreted to reflect slight coolings of oceanic surface waters. The earliest Danian markers Carpatella cornuta, Senoniasphaera inornata and Damassadinium californicum have their first occurrences immediately above the K/Pg boundary. The peridinioid/gonyaulacoid (P/G) ratio of most samples suggests high paleoproductivity. Two palynofacies assemblages were distinguished indicating shelf to basin transitions and dysoxic to anoxic conditions.

A high-resolution palynological study carried out across the Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K/Pg) boundary in two sections (Knappengraben and Gamsbach) of the Gosau Group near Gams (Gams Basin, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria) has identified over 178 dinoflagellate species and subspecies from 89 rock samples. In most samples, the dinocysts are moderately well to well preserved, but associated with reworked material. Some well-known marker species around the K/Pg boundary, such as Carpatella cornuta, Spongodinium delitiense, Trithyrodinium evittii, Palynodinium grallator, Manumiella druggii, Cordosphaeridium fibrospinosum, Membranilarnacia? tenella, Senoniasphaera inornata, Damassadinium californicum, and Dinogymnium acuminatum have been recorded from the samples studied. In addition to these, Trabeculidinium quinquetrum, Lejeunecysta izerzenensis, Batiacasphaera rifensis, Impagidinium maghribensis and Cyclonophelium compactum represent local markers. A Spongodinium delitiense acme is recorded in both sections above the K/Pg boundary and is interpreted to indicate a transient cooling event of oceanic surface waters. The stratigraphic distribution of the dinocyst species indicates that they were not seriously affected by the mass extinction event at the K/Pg boundary, but their diversity slightly increases above it. The composition of the assemblages, however, changes drastically. Six dinocyst assemblages and four palynofacies assemblages were identified by means of cluster analysis. Their distribution does not show any regular pattern. The increase of phytoclasts in the Danian clearly indicates enhanced terrestrially derived input into the basin. The palynological and sedimentological differences between the two sections can be explained by small scale local lateral variations.

Topic: Paleocene/Eocene-boundary in a deep-water turbidite setting Tectonic unit: Northern Calcareous Alps Lithostratigraphic unit: Gosau Group, Zwieselalm Formation Chronostratigraphic units: Upper Paleocene to Lower Eocene Biostratigraphic units: Calcareous Nannoplankton Zones NP9 and NP10 Location: Southern tributary of the Gamsbach (Krautgraben) to the west of Haid (Gams, Styria) Coordinates: 014° 50′ 26′′ E, 47° 39′ 49′′ N References: Egger et al., 2009; Wagreich et al., 2011.

A revision of nine planktonic foraminifera species described by Gohrbandt (1963 and 1967) from the lower Paleogene of the Helvetic nappe system north of Salzburg (Austria) is presented. The taxonomic and biostratigraphic positions of the following species are discussed: Globorotalia haunsbergensis Gohrbandt – valid name Globanomalina chapmani (Parr); Globorotalia ? traubi Gohrbandt – valid name Igorina lodoensis (Mallory); Truncorotalia marginodentata aperta Gohrbandt – valid name Morozovella marginodentata (Subbotina); Globorotalia mattseensis Gohrbandt – valid name Igorina broedermanni (Cushman and Bermudez); Globanomalina wilcoxensis globulosa Gohrbandt – valid name Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis (Cushman and Ponton); Globorotalia wartsteinensis Gohrbandt – valid name Igorina wartsteinensis (Gohrbandt); Globorotalia salisburgensis Gohrbandt – valid name Igorina salisburgensis (Gohrbandt); Globorotalia pseudochapmani Gohrbandt – valid name Globanomalina pseudochapmani (Gohrbandt); Globigerina hagni Gohrbandt – valid name Parasubbotina hagni (Gohrbandt).__________________________________________________

New biostratigraphic investigations based on calcareous nannoplankton and dinoflagellates cysts indicate that the, Walserberg Series" near Salzburg comprises deposits from the Upper Aptian to the Mid-Campanian. Generally, deposition took place below the CCD. The major part of the sedimentary succession displays no similarities with coeval deposits of the Northern Calcareous Alps, but can be readily correlated with the Rhenodanubian Group of the Penninic Basin (Rehbreingraben Formation, Lower Varicoloured Marlstone, Reiselsberg Formation, Seisenburg Formation, Kalkgraben Formation, Hallritz Formation). Only one outcrop containing glaucophane bearing sandstone cannot be integrated into the Rhenodanubian Group and might be an equivalent of the Branderfleck Formation of the Northern Calcareous Alps. In any case, the term "Walserberg Series" can be abandoned.

Sediments of the Eocene Holzer Formation from the Pemberger quarry were analysed for palynomorphs, lipid biomarker distributions, and clay mineralogy. The palynoflora is rich in megathermal and mesothermal families and genera, but also contain abundant wind-derived pollen derived from temperate to mesothermal taxa. The co-existence of temperate to megathermal elements suggests a sub/tropical and seasonally controlled passat-like or monsoon-like climate, comparable with the extant forests of the zonoecotone I/II, an interpretation consistent with relatively high temperatures derived from soil bacterial glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) lipid distributions. The lithologies and palynomorph assemblages represent three different facies: (1) coal-bearing palm swamp characterized by Myricaceae, triporate pollen types, fern spores and several palm pollen types, (2) coastal near swamp with mangrove elements such as Nypa, Avicennia and Ceriops, and (3) shrubby back swamp dominated by Myricaceae, triporate pollen, fern spores and palm pollen types. All of these are consistent with a dominance of terrigenous lipids, including triterpenoids and leaf waxes, in all samples. Abundant kaolinite contents in all the sediment samples are consistent with the biomarker and pollen analyses, indicating long periods with deep weathering under a warm and humid climate.

Inner neritic marly claystone of the South-Helvetic thrust unit (Eastern Alps) at St. Pankraz (Salzburg, Austria) yields high percentages of the dinoflagellate genus Apectodinium including the species Apectodinium augustum. The range of this species is almost exclusively restricted to the negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at the base of the Eocene. The associated terrestrial palynoflora consists of common Normapolles s.l. and post-Normapolles types with accessory mesothermal and megathermal families such as Anacardiaceae, Arecaceae, Euphorbiaceae s.l., Hamamelidaceae, Icacinaceae, Malvaceae (subfamilies of Helicteroideae, Sterculoideae, Tiloideae), Rutaceae, Sapotaceae and Schizaeales. This composition is similar to the Upper Thanetian palynological record of the same sedimentary succession. It suggests a warm and humid climate in the northwestern Tethyan realm during the Late Thanetian and Early Ypresian. Three new taxa probably have their lowermost occurrence in the basal Eocene. However, neither a major floral change nor the establishment of fully tropical conditions are indicated for the Palaeocene–Eocene transition.

The newly discovered planktonic foraminifer Hantkenina gohrbandti nov. spec. forms the evolutionary link between the genera Clavigerinella and Hantkenina. This ancestor of the genus Hantkenina is characterized by pointed chamber ends with a nub (prototubulospines) and in some cases by the first tubulospines appearing in a juvenile growth stage. The transition from Clavigerinella caucasica to Hantkenina mexicana is observed in a 2 m thick part of the Middle Eocene Holzhausl section (Mattsee, Austria) within planktonic foraminifera Zone E8 and calcareous nannoplankton Sub-Zone NP15b. The section was deposited in bathyal water-depths in the northwestern Tethyan realm and is now part of the Ultrahelvetic thrust unit.

The initial appearance of the planktonic foraminiferal genus Hantkenina has been used for about fifty years to recognize the base of the Lutetian and middle Eocene. However, probably as a result of incomplete stratigraphic records, discrepant ranges of Hantkenina have been reported by various investigators at many Eocene sections. Here we report the first complete evolutionary transition from Clavigerinella to Hantkenina, front the northwestern Tethyan deep-water section at Holzhausl (Salzburg, Austria). A newly discovered species, Hantkenina nov. sp., is the link between Clavigerinella caucasica and Hantkenina mexicana. This finding unequivocally heralds the initial entry of Hantkenina, which is correlated to the upper part of calcareous nannoplankton Subzone NP15b (Sullivania gigas Subzone), to be defined. This indicates a mismatch of similar to 4.5 m.y. between the base of the Lutetian at the type locality, which has been placed within Subzone NP14b, and the first appearance datum of Hantkenina. Consequently, the first occurrence of Hatakenina can no longer be used as a marker for the base of the middle Eocene.