Palynological Characterisation of Depositional Environment: Peat Swamps

The palynology of Late Quaternary, low lying peat swamps is based on studies of the extensive peat swamps on the deltaic plains of Brunei Darussalam and adjoining parts of Sarawak (Muller,1963; van Niel, 1965; Anderson and Muller, 1975). These swamps extend to eighty kilometres inland along the rivers (Figures 1.3, 1.27 and 6.1). Comparisons between recent swamps and coal deposits of Miocene age are valuable sources of information on the development of peat swamps and their palynological characterisation (Anderson and Muller, 1975). The varied but poorly mixed microflora is mainly derived from the rich local vegetation, most probably from plants within 100 metres of the depositional site. There is only a small contribution of airborne pollen from the neighbouring forest. Very little is brought in by the river system due to the convex surface of most of the larger peat bogs (the raised mires, discussed in "peat" and "peat & coal formation").

The microfloral assemblages from Miocene coal deposits (for example at Berakas in Brunei Darussalam), closely resemble those from the mixed swamp forest stage of peat development observed at Marudi in Sarawak. Both coal and swamp have significant quantities of the genera Calophyllum, Cephalomappa and Durio. Blumeodendron, Gonystylus, Garcinia, Dactylocladus, Nepenthes and Combretocarpus are typical peat swamp genera known also from the microfloral record (Muller, 1972).

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