(Table 1) Species abundance at DSDP Hole 63-467

Neogene palynofloras of southern California have been all too infrequently studied. Previous investigations of Pacific Coast sediments have been largely restricted to Pacific Northwest locales. Some important studies include those by Gray (1964), Wolfe, Hopkins, and Leopold (1966), Wolfe and Leopold (1967), Hopkins (1968), Piel (1969, 1977), Ballog, Sparks, and Waloweek (1972), and Musich (1973). The only published study of southern California materials is that of Heusser (1978) on Holocene sediments of the Santa Barbara basin. Most of these studies are concerned with the microflora from a particular formation; thus they have limited stratigraphic value and in most cases involve nonmarine to marginal marine rocks where no planktonic zonation was available. Musich's (1973) study was the first attempt at tying pollen assemblages to a planktonic zonation over an extended stratigraphic interval (Miocene to Pleistocene).Its location in the southern California Borderland and the sedimentary sections sampled make Leg 63 extremely valuable in deciphering the palynologic history of the Pacific Coast Neogene. Site 467 was chosen for our initial detailed study, because the relatively slow sedimentation rate provides an almost complete Neogene sequence of mainly terrigenous sediments and reliable planktonic age control is available.The goals of this study were to: (1) establish a reference section of Neogene palynomorph assemblages; (2) develop biostratigraphic criteria for use in correlation with other localities; (3) correlate the palynologic assemblages with the planktonic zonations; and (4) study the paleoenvironmental history in the southern California Neogene.

(Table 1) Sediment descriptions and age at DSDP Legs 5 and 63 Holes

Sediments from immediately above basalt basement and from between sections of basalt recovered from Deep Sea Drilling Project Legs 5 and 63 were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Ba. All of these sediments showed enrichment in Fe and Mn over values typical of detritus supplied to the northeastern Pacific Ocean. X-ray diffractometry and differential chemical leaching indicate that up to 50% of the sediment, by weight, is in amorphous phases and that these phases are rich in Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn. Multivariate statistical analysis and normative partitioning of the chemical data indicate that much of the excess Fe and other transition elements in the sediment originate from hydrothermal sources.