Paleogene and Neogene Palynological Record in Brazil and Its Paleoclimatic Significance

The palynomorphs presented here show changes in vegetation over the Brazilian territory throughout the Paleogene and Neogene as a result of climatic variations. We summarize the articles published since the 1970s and display the palynomorphs in tables. It is also possible to glimpse the palinotaxa of each presented geological unit, the corresponding botanical affinities, whenever possible, as well as the respective authors. During the Paleocene and early Eocene, our planet experienced one of its hottest paleoclimatic conditions (greenhouse conditions during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum), and from the middle Eocene onward, it underwent a gradual decrease in temperatures until the Oligocene (coolhouse or icehouse conditions) when abrupt cooling resulted in the settling of the polar cap in Antarctica, traceable by shifts in Brazilian palynofloras. During the Neogene, the rising of the Andes Mountain range caused changes in atmospheric circulation that induced changes in the landscape shown by South America recording changes in vegetation. More complete records are found in the coastal basins, since records in continental basins are usually scarce and discontinuous. We provide a brief overview of the Cenozoic palynofloristic assemblages of each basin.