Abstract The extensive, predominantly siliciclastic deposits of the Upper Ordovician of the Tafilalt have long been the subject of scientific investigation. In the past 25 years, intensified collecting for commercial purposes has resulted in the discovery of several exceptionally-preserved faunas (Konservat-Lagerstätten) in the Tafilalt region, preserving a range of non-biomineralized and soft-bodied organisms. The preservation of these fossils in the coarse clastic sediments of the Tafilalt is surprising, and in the case of soft-bodied organisms, remarkably similar to the preservational mode of typical Ediacaran biotas. These relatively recent discoveries have increased the scientific significance of the Tafilalt Biota, providing an unparalleled insight into the composition and temporal evolution of the shallow, open-marine ecosystems and their denizens during the later stages of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. At least nine different phyla, in addition to several soft-bodied problematica are represented in the Tafilalt. While the highly diverse and remarkably well-preserved echinoderm and euarthropod faunas are most emblematic for the Tafilalt Biota, further studies have revealed a relatively high diversity of molluscs and brachiopods. Among soft-bodied fossils, the problematic paropsonemid eldonids are iconic for the Tafilalt and stand out both through their abundance, and their wide temporal and geographical range throughout the area.

Abstract Nine non-pollen palynomorph (NPP) groups occur in Quaternary marine and brackish-water sediments; these groups represent various planktonic or micro- to macrobenthic organisms. Some extant NPP were previously classified as fossil Acritarcha, Chitinozoa or scolecodonts. We refer to reviews of these fossils and their applications for Paleozoic–Mesozoic biostratigraphy and palaeoecology but focus on extant marine NPP that can be studied by laboratory culture, genetics or micro-geochemical methods. Marine NPP include resting cysts of planktonic dinoflagellates and prasinophytes, tintinnids and other cilates, copepod eggs and skeletal remains, and various microzoobenthos: microforaminiferal organic linings, ostracod mandibles and carapace linings, various worm egg capsules and mouthparts. New micro-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy spectra suggest the probable affinities of the tintinnid cyst type P and Beringiella . Our applications in marine biodiversity and provincialism studies emphasize under-studied polar regions and neglected ice-algae nano-plankton and compare climate-based NPP distributions to Ocean Biogeographic Information System realms. Trophic relationships are outlined using sediment-trap studies. Seasonal to annual-scale investigations of palaeoproduction provide new perspectives on ocean carbon budgets during times of rapid climate change and atmospheric carbon increase. More taxonomic and source-linkage studies of non-dinocyst marine NPP are needed but we outline potentials for studies of hemispheric or global-scale shifts in marine food webs as driven by ocean warming.