Petrology of Some Holocene Peat Sediments from the Okefenokee Swamp-Marsh Complex of Southern Georgia

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 1973 Petrology of Some Holocene Peat Sediments from the Okefenokee Swamp-Marsh Complex of Southern Georgia ARTHUR D. COHEN ARTHUR D. COHEN 1Department of Geology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1973) 84 (12): 3867–3878. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1973)84<3867:POSHPS>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ARTHUR D. COHEN; Petrology of Some Holocene Peat Sediments from the Okefenokee Swamp-Marsh Complex of Southern Georgia. GSA Bulletin 1973;; 84 (12): 3867–3878. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1973)84<3867:POSHPS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Ten or more samples of surface peat were obtained from each of six peat-forming environments in the Okefenokee swamp-marsh complex of southern Georgia. These peat-forming environments were chosen for study because they were found from core studies to have been the most important peat producers throughout much of the history of peat formation in the swamp.The peat samples were dehydrated in alcohol, embedded in paraffin (using the methods of Cohen and Spackman, 1972), and sectioned (to 15 µ) with a sliding microtome. The microscopic features found to be most useful in characterizing the peats and relating them to their original depositional and vegetational environments were (1) their color (at 30×); (2) the ratio of framework to matrix; (3) the ratio of nonsedimentary to sedimentary constituents; (4) the proportions of remnants of plants assignable to particular plant species; and (5) the percentages of various accessory ingredients, such as fungal remains, fecal pellets, diatoms, insect parts, sponge spicules, quartz, and charcoal.The peat-forming environments investigated were (1) the Nymphaea environment (open-water marshes dominated by floating aquatic plants); (2) the Carex, Panicum, and Woodwardia environments (glades or island fringes dominated by emergent aquatic plants); and (3) Cyrilla and Taxodium environments (tree islands and swamps). The peat sediments deposited in each of these regions were found to have distinctively different micropetrographic characteristics.Aside from the qualitative and quantitative data collected for the purpose of defining the peat types, data were also collected in a form which could be used to determine the most likely eventual coal compositions of the peats. The herbaceous peats were found to have low percentages of pre-resinites (cell fillings and secretions), pre-sclerotinites (fungal remains), and fusinite (charcoal), and high percentages of pre-micrinites (fine granular debris). On the other hand, peats derived from tree vegetation had higher percentages of pre-resinites, pre-sclerotinites, and fusinites, and had relatively smaller amounts of pre-micrinitic materials. The former would probably result in a massive (unlaminated) dull coal, and the latter would probably become a somewhat brighter laminated type. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.