Notes: Outcrop sections from the Swiss Jura, consisting of carbonate-siliciclastic deposits spanning the Middle-Late Oxfordian boundary, provide a palaeogeographical cross-section ranging from coastal to shallow platform and intra-platform basin environments. Using a sedimentological and a 3rd order sequence stratigraphic framework based on those sections, the distribution of sedimentary organic matter (palynofacies) has been spatially studied in relation to sequence stratigraphy.The main factors influencing the spatial variations of sedimentary organic matter are the proximity of land, organic productivity, level of biodegradation and hydrodynamic conditions of the palaeoenvironment. These factors determine the distribution of the land-derived, relatively allochthonous organic constituents (phytoclasts, pollen and spores), and marine, relatively autochthonous constituents (phytoplankton and foraminifera linings).Five main palynofacies parameters appear as good indicators of proximal-distal trends: the relative proportion of total phytoclasts; the proportion of fresh, translucent fragments among these phytoclasts; the ratio of marine to continental palynomorphs; and the relative amount and species diversity of dinoflagellate cysts. In lowstand deposits, high-energy hydrodynamic conditions may affect these trends on the shallow platform, where storms tend to increase the proportion of the marine organic fraction landwards. These five palynofacies parameters are largely related to water depth. Therefore, when compared with the established 3rd order sequence stratigraphic framework, their stratigraphic variations indicate relative sea-level changes or, alternatively, proximality changes. Parameters indicative of more distal conditions increase in the transgressive and early highstand, and decrease in the late highstand. The opposite occurs for parameters indicative of more proximal conditions. Foraminifera linings seem to be particularly concentrated near the shelf edge and on the slope. Finally, bisaccate pollen may display cyclicity associated with alternating humid and dry periods. This palaeoclimatic signature may be related to orbital cyclicity.

Notes: A detailed analysis of sedimentary organic matter (or palynofacies) was carried out on thermally immature to early mature Upper Jurassic and Hauterivian condensed intervals in deep-sea carbonate–marl alternations outcropping in the Vocontian Basin (SE France). All the condensed sections studied are characterized by intense bioturbation and very low organic carbon content (〈 0·25 wt.%), indicative of oxic depositional conditions.Oxic condensed sections display variable palynofacies signatures, which are best illustrated by: (1) the ratio of continental to marine constituents; (2) the ratio of opaque to translucent phytoclasts (i.e. woody debris) and (3) the preservation of palynomorphs (based on fluorescence intensity and morphological preservation state in transmitted light microscopy). Both of the ratios increase with the degree of palynomorph degradation, which shows that phytoclasts, especially the opaque ones, become relatively concentrated in the most degraded facies. These observations lead to the classification of oxic condensed sections into three organic facies types showing different degrees of preservation and palynofacies signatures. Type 1 organic facies display intense degradation and are characterized by high values of the ratio of continental to marine fraction. They record unfavourable depositional environments for preservation of organic matter. Type 2 organic facies are most common and are characterized by a decreasing value of the ratio of continental to marine fraction. Type 3 organic facies display the same trend of the ratio of continental to marine fraction as type 2, but the palynomorph assemblage is better preserved. Type 1 and type 3 organic facies are relatively rare.Recognizing these organic facies types is important when analysing the relationship between sedimentary organic matter and sequence stratigraphy, because it allows the use of the appropriate palynofacies parameters. In particular, the use of the ratio of continental to marine constituents, usually a very good indicator of regressive–transgressive trends, becomes questionable in highly degraded intervals. Moreover, distinguishing between well-preserved or highly degraded palynofacies in condensed intervals provides valuable information on the oxicity of the depositional environment.