PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF A LOWER CRETACEOUS PALEOLAKE FROM THE IGUATU BASIN BASED ON ITS OSTRACOD FAUNA AND XRF DATA

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a paleoenvironmental study of two Hauterivian–Aptian adjacent sections (Transnordestina A/B) of the Iguatu Basin using ostracods and aided by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (S), and spectral analyses. Cluster analysis divided the 10 genera found into two main groups: one composed of Alicenula-Pattersoncypris?-Brasacypris-Hastacypris-Ilyocypris?, and the second composed of Cypridea-Looneyellopsis-Rhinocypris?. The first group is interpreted as representing paleoenvironments with permanent waterbodies, such as lakes, and the second as being indicative of ephemeral settings, such as temporary pools in an inundation plain. XRF analysis using the positive peaks of Ca/Ti and Ca/ΣTi, Fe, Al ratios show a few dry periods, particularly in the lower and middle part of Transnordestina A, between 0 to 175 m and 385 to 475 m, which also display a small number of ostracods. Total S shows several high peaks which might be indicative of gypsum deposition during droughts. Spectral analysis of molar Ti/Al ratio shows two intervals with different sedimentation rates, between 0 and 233 m, and 233 to 836 m. For the first interval, six 100 ka eccentricity cycles were identified; the low number of ostracods for the interval and highly variable Ca/Ti and Ca/ΣTi, Fe, Al values indicate a different sedimentation rate in a drier environment. For the second interval, ten 405 ka cycles were identified; its higher ostracod count and more stable Ca/Ti and Ca/ΣTi, Fe, Al values could be indicative of increasing humidity.

Paleoenvironmental analysis of early Eocene marl and limestone alternations from Mead Stream, New Zealand

<p>This study integrates paleonotology and geochemistry to provide a paleoclimatic analysis of cyclic sedimentation in the Lower Marl at Mead Stream in Marlborough, Aotearoa/New Zealand. The alternating marl and limestone bedding in this outcrop coincide with the warmest period in the Paleogene, the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). An acetic acid leaching method was refined and used successfully to extract microfossils from the indurated limestones and marls from two intervals of the Lower Marl. The technique resulted in foraminiferal tests with improved surface ornament in comparison with samples that were processed using standard washing methodology. The resulting paleontological assessment of leached foraminiferal and radiolarian assemblages coupled with XRF and stable isotope analysis revised the position and detailed the faunal response to the J hyperthermal at the initiation of the EECO. Microfossil assemblages and carbon isotopic data suggest that the J carbon isotopic excursion (CIE) may be a two-stage event. A new L-3 CIE and possible hyperthermal event was identified within the body of the EECO. Both the J and L-3 events contained acmes where Morozovella made up a quarter of the planktic foraminiferal specimens, suggesting the southern expansion of subtropical waters. Fluctuations of Acarinina and Subbotina foraminifera coinciding with the marl and limestone alternations may indicate climate cycles within these hyperthermals.</p>

Paleoenvironmental analysis of the Hautawa Shellbed, Whanganui Basin

<p>The Hautawa Shellbed, Whanganui Basin is described in detail to uncover lateral variations in depositional paleoenvironment. This was achieved through the in situ documentation of the macrofaunal assemblage and its taphonomic attributes at three localities. The sites from west to east are: Ridge Road, Old Hautawa Road, and the type section on West Road. They are all exposures on farm tracks and cover a 20-km range across the central Whanganui Basin. The descriptions were collected at 15-cm intervals and analysed using k-means clustering and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to uncover trends within the data set. Combining the assemblage data with the taphonomic has allowed six major biofacies to be recognised. In turn, the arrangement of the biofacies in the sections suggest three subunits: A, B, and C. Subunits A and C are laterally continuous between all of the sections and always relate to the lowermost and upper-most portions of the Hautawa Shellbed. In contrast, subunit B is only observed to occur at West Road overlying subunit A. These subunits have can also be equated to sequence stratigraphic terminology. Subunits A and B form an onlap shellbed and subunit C a backlap shellbed. Hence, the Hautawa Shellbed represents deposition during the transgressive systems tract of a single cyclothem. This study is unique compared to other Whanganui Basin stratigraphic research in its statistically robust approach for comparing data gathered at various sites along outcrop strike to better understand the preserved paleoenvironment. To support the macro-faunal investigation, census counts of foraminifera were conducted for samples collected from the fine-grained sediments encompassing the Hautawa Shellbed at each of the three sites. Together, the macrofaunal and foraminiferal studies reveal temporal and spatial paleoenvironmental changes within the Hautawa Shellbed. The presence of biostratigraphically important fauna within the Hautawa Shellbed has been used to link the unit to other similar formations in both the Whanganui and East Coast Basins. This key assemblage which highlights the Nukumaruan-Mangapanian Stage boundary at 2.40 Ma includes: Zygochlamys delicatula, Crassostrea ingens, Phialopecten thomsoni, Phialopecten triphooki, and Mesopeplum convexum. The paleoenvironmental variations observed and presented here for the Hautawa Shellbed have been combined with published work on other parallel formations to produce a paleogeographic map of the Whanganui Basin for 2.40 Ma.</p>

Paleoenvironmental analysis of early Eocene marl and limestone alternations from Mead Stream, New Zealand

<p>This study integrates paleonotology and geochemistry to provide a paleoclimatic analysis of cyclic sedimentation in the Lower Marl at Mead Stream in Marlborough, Aotearoa/New Zealand. The alternating marl and limestone bedding in this outcrop coincide with the warmest period in the Paleogene, the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). An acetic acid leaching method was refined and used successfully to extract microfossils from the indurated limestones and marls from two intervals of the Lower Marl. The technique resulted in foraminiferal tests with improved surface ornament in comparison with samples that were processed using standard washing methodology. The resulting paleontological assessment of leached foraminiferal and radiolarian assemblages coupled with XRF and stable isotope analysis revised the position and detailed the faunal response to the J hyperthermal at the initiation of the EECO. Microfossil assemblages and carbon isotopic data suggest that the J carbon isotopic excursion (CIE) may be a two-stage event. A new L-3 CIE and possible hyperthermal event was identified within the body of the EECO. Both the J and L-3 events contained acmes where Morozovella made up a quarter of the planktic foraminiferal specimens, suggesting the southern expansion of subtropical waters. Fluctuations of Acarinina and Subbotina foraminifera coinciding with the marl and limestone alternations may indicate climate cycles within these hyperthermals.</p>

Paleoenvironmental analysis of the Hautawa Shellbed, Whanganui Basin

<p>The Hautawa Shellbed, Whanganui Basin is described in detail to uncover lateral variations in depositional paleoenvironment. This was achieved through the in situ documentation of the macrofaunal assemblage and its taphonomic attributes at three localities. The sites from west to east are: Ridge Road, Old Hautawa Road, and the type section on West Road. They are all exposures on farm tracks and cover a 20-km range across the central Whanganui Basin. The descriptions were collected at 15-cm intervals and analysed using k-means clustering and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to uncover trends within the data set. Combining the assemblage data with the taphonomic has allowed six major biofacies to be recognised. In turn, the arrangement of the biofacies in the sections suggest three subunits: A, B, and C. Subunits A and C are laterally continuous between all of the sections and always relate to the lowermost and upper-most portions of the Hautawa Shellbed. In contrast, subunit B is only observed to occur at West Road overlying subunit A. These subunits have can also be equated to sequence stratigraphic terminology. Subunits A and B form an onlap shellbed and subunit C a backlap shellbed. Hence, the Hautawa Shellbed represents deposition during the transgressive systems tract of a single cyclothem. This study is unique compared to other Whanganui Basin stratigraphic research in its statistically robust approach for comparing data gathered at various sites along outcrop strike to better understand the preserved paleoenvironment. To support the macro-faunal investigation, census counts of foraminifera were conducted for samples collected from the fine-grained sediments encompassing the Hautawa Shellbed at each of the three sites. Together, the macrofaunal and foraminiferal studies reveal temporal and spatial paleoenvironmental changes within the Hautawa Shellbed. The presence of biostratigraphically important fauna within the Hautawa Shellbed has been used to link the unit to other similar formations in both the Whanganui and East Coast Basins. This key assemblage which highlights the Nukumaruan-Mangapanian Stage boundary at 2.40 Ma includes: Zygochlamys delicatula, Crassostrea ingens, Phialopecten thomsoni, Phialopecten triphooki, and Mesopeplum convexum. The paleoenvironmental variations observed and presented here for the Hautawa Shellbed have been combined with published work on other parallel formations to produce a paleogeographic map of the Whanganui Basin for 2.40 Ma.</p>

Paleoenvironmental analysis of wet meadow in the Deseado Massif: Implications for the Holocene occupation of Argentinian Patagonia

Paleoenvironmental data from wet-meadow environments in the arid-semiarid region of Patagonia are still incipient and the paleoenvironmental records came from pollen sequences of caves and rockshelters. The main reasons to study wetland records are their undisturbed (by humans) sedimentologic continuity, in contrast to deposits in rock shelters and caves; and their regional presentation of environmental changes that can be compared to archeological data. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the past hydrological dynamic of a wet-meadow from Deseado Massif and its relationship with the human occupation. For this purpose, we present the results of the sediment and pollen analysis of Mallín La Primavera wet-meadow that provide a sequence starting in the mid-Holocene. The results indicate a lower water table in the mallín prior to 6900 cal yr BP. Sediment analysis indicates low energy sedimentation environment with flood events and very low energy streams. Human occupational data show chronological discontinuities in mid-Holocene in several regions of Patagonia and the southern cone. In the studied region, two chronological hiatuses (7828–6434 cal yr BP and 3005–2710 cal yr BP) where recognized that appear to correlate with shrub steppes, indicating dry conditions. These conditions may explain the lack of archeological radiocarbon dates in the area during this period. The integration of sediment and pollen results from the Deseado Massif indicates dry and windy conditions for the middle Holocene. The lack of archeological radiocarbon dates would have been influenced by the loss of moisture in water sources such as springs and their associated wet meadows ( mallines).

Campanian biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments, a case study from the Central Srednogorie Zone, Central Bulgaria

&lt;p&gt;The Central Srednogorie Zone of Bulgaria represents a chain of strike-slip and pull-apart basins, part of the of the peri-Tethyan arc/back-arc basin system. The Upper Cretaceous volcano-sedimentary sequence in the western part of the Central Srednogorie Zone, forms two strips, spanning the Turonian-Maastrichtian interval. This succession is represented by basal siliciclastic sediments, an interval with magmatic rocks followed by volcanoclastic and epiclastic deposits, covered by white, red, grey limestones, with fast transition to sandy low-density turbidites. One of the most representative and continuous sedimentary record in the Panagyurishte strip is exposed east of the Petrich village (Petrich section). &amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The base of the Petrich section is composed of the rocks from the so-called lower epiclastic unit (Coniacian-Santonian), followed by grey, pink to variegated limestones of the Mirkovo Formation (Santonian-Campanian). The middle and upper part of the section consists of muddy-sandy turbidites of the Chugovitsa Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian). The lower part of this formation, the Voden Member, composed of grey thin bedded marls with rare sandstones beds, has yielded a comparatively rich macro- and microfossil record. Upwards, thin to medium bedded sandstones and marls are in alternation, with documented mudstone dominated intervals. &amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The present study of the Petrich section is focused on integrated biostratigraphical analysis, based on three important fossil groups for the Campanian &amp;#8211; inoceramid bivalves, nannofossils and dinoflagellate cysts. The study in progress creates a comprehensive calibrated dataset, in which the nannofossil and dinoflagellate cyst ranges and inoceramid occurrences, provide valuable markers for age assessment and stratigraphic subdivision of the Campanian. The presence of the nannofossil &lt;em&gt;Ceratolithus aculeus&lt;/em&gt; marks a middle to late Campanian age, followed by a typical late Campanian assemblage including &lt;em&gt;Broinsonia parca parca&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Reinhardtites levis&lt;/em&gt; and rare &lt;em&gt;Eiffellithus eximius&lt;/em&gt;. A high diversity dinocyst association is identified and ranges of key Campanian species as &lt;em&gt;Corradinisphaeridium horridum&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Raetiaedinium truncigerum&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Cannosphaeropsis utinensis&lt;/em&gt; provided valuable markers for the stratigraphic subdivision of the Campanian. Typical middle Campanian &amp;#8220;&lt;em&gt;Inoceramus&lt;/em&gt;&amp;#8221; &lt;em&gt;ellipticus&lt;/em&gt; and &amp;#8220;&lt;em&gt;Inoceramus&lt;/em&gt;&amp;#8221; &lt;em&gt;agdjakendsis&lt;/em&gt; were documented from the Voden Member. The paleoenvironmental analysis, based on dinocyst assemblages and palynofacies data, suggests stable open-marine depositional environment and oligotrophic conditions, with normal marine productivity and nutrient availability during the Campanian in the basin.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acknowledgements. The study is part of the Bilateral Bulgarian-Austrian collaboration within project KP-06-Austria/9.&lt;/p&gt;