Evidence for Badenian local sea level changes in the proximal area of theNorth Croatian Basin

Quantitative analysis of palynomorphs, foraminifera and ostracods enables the recognition of biotic events and the reconstruction of environmental change in the Badenian sediments from the Vrhovčak section of Mt. Samoborsko gorje (NW Croatia). During the Middle Miocene the investigated area of Mt. Samoborska gora was located at the south-western margin of the North Croatian Basin, which represents the south-western edge of the Pannonian Basin System and the Central Paratethys Basin. This marginal position within the basin controlled the specific evolution of the depositional area during the Badenian. The occurrence of coal bearing horizons and freshwater flora and fauna in the middle part of the Vrhovčak section provide surprising details of investigation. A fall in sea level and a probable isolation of this area in the Badenian seems to be responsible for the appearance of a new fauna and flora. The marine sediments from the base of the Vrhovčak section may be correlated to the cycle TB 2.4 of the main Badenian transgression, which affected the entire Central Paratethys. This is followed by a regression and lowstand (Ser2), which is correlated to the middle part of the section with freshwater sediments and coal bearing horizons. The upper part of the Vrhovčak section with marine sediments represents the Late Badenian cycle TB 2.5.