The use of spore–pollen assemblages to reconstruct vegetation changes in the Permian (Lopingian) Zechstein deposits of northeast England

New boreholes have enabled, for the first time, extensive palynological sampling through entire Lopingian Zechstein sequence of northeast England. Palynomorph assemblages been recovered from throughout all five evaporation-replenishment cycles (EZ1–EZ5). These are dominated by pollen grains, with rare trilete spores, and even rarer marine forms such as acritarchs foraminiferal test linings. The assemblage grains is low diversity (35 species) taeniate non-taeniate bisaccate pollen. varies to only a limited extent both within between cycles, although some minor variations trends documented. Based on composition dispersed spore–pollen assemblages, previous work megaflora, hinterland vegetation interpreted being conifers that inhabited semi-arid arid landscape. This flora shown persisted sequence, despite assertions it disappeared conditions became increasingly drier over course latest Permian.