Cyclic and Event Stratification Edited by G. Einsele and A. Seilacher

With 180 Figures

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York 1982

Professor Dr. GERHARD EINSELE Professor Dr. ADOLF SEILACHER

Institut fUr Geologie und Palaontologie U niversitat Tiibingen SigwartstraBe 10 D-7400 Tiibingen

ISBN-13:978-3-540-11373-7 e-ISBN-13:978-3-642-75829-4 DOl: 10.1 007/978-3-642-75829-4

This work is subject to copyright. AU rights are reserved. whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machine or similar means, and storage in data banks. Under § 54 of the German Copyright Law, where copies are made for other than private use, a fee is payable to "Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort", Munich.

© by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1982

The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

2132/3130-543210

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Preface

The problem of bedding, a basic feature of most sedimenta­ry rocks, is as old as the science of geology itself. We use bedding in structural geology, regional correlation and for estimating the time involved in the strati'9Taphic record. Nevertheless we still are far from fully under­standing the processes involved. This is particularly true for carbonate rocks, where primary phenomena are sometimes difficult to separate from the secondary diagenetic over­print. After new interest in the subject had arisen from the International Deep Sea Drilling Project and from pa­leoecological studies in our own research group (Sonder­forschungsbereich 53 "Pal6kologie"), a Rundgesprach (work­shop) was held in Tlibingen on April 25th - 27th 1980. The present volume, which resulted from this symposium, con­tains a variety of contributions, including some by col­leagues that were unable to attend the meeting itself. Papers whose authors did not submit an elaborated manu­script, are represented by abstracts in the form presented for the meeting.

Our own interest in the problem envolved from studies of "Fossil-Bonanzas", such as the Solnhofen lithographic lime­stones or the bituminous Posidonia shales, in which the unusual kind and preservation of fossils indicated extre­me environmental conditions. During these studies (see sununary reports in Zbl. Geol. Palaont. II, 1976 and N. Jb. Geol. Palaont., 157, 1978) we realized that even in these cases one single environmental model is usually insuffi­cient to explain the conflicting evidences. This lack in our approach became still more evident, when we left the extreme end members to study Fossil-Lagerstatten such as shell beds, in more "normal" types of facies.

The title of the symposium focuses on the key questions: to what extent does bedding reflect the gradual cyclic and periodic changes of our telluric system or rather rare and unpredictable events that occur in almost any sedimen­tary regime? Or, more pragmatically: in what environments have telluric cycles a chance to leave a sedimentary re­cord that does not become wiped out by bioturbation or obscured by the effects of catastrophic events? Because this inherent dilemma commonly splits researchers into a "cyclist" and a "catastrophist" camp, we felt it necessary to have both views adequately represented in this volume. The contributions cover a broad spectrum of rock and facies types and paleoecological as well as sedimentological and diagenetic criteria. The well-known turbidites, although being the most prominent group of the event deposits, are, however, dealt with only by a few examples in relation to coexisiting cyclic or black shale phenomena, or in order to demonstrate the role of carbonate diagenesis. The au-

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thors of this volume range from amateurs and undergradu­ate students to established experts. In spite of such in­herent heterogeneities we hope that this collection of papers in some way does justice to the scope of the prob­lem and meets the needs of geoscientists trying to under­stand the meaning of bedded sequences.

Our work at Tlibingen including the workshop mentioned above was sponsored by the German Research Society (Deut­sche Forschungsgemeinschaft) which is gratefully acknow­ledged. Particular thanks are due to Mrs. L. Hagel, E. Himmel, H. Jurczyk, A. Lupke, R. Stephani for typewrit­ing the manuscripts camera-ready, to Mr. H. Vollmer for help in drafting, and to Mr. W. Wetzel for photographic work including the reduction of most of the figures and tables to meet the page size set by the publishers. All this work had to be accomplished besides the daily tasks at our institute. We are grateful to Springer Verlag for accepting our home-made product despite of technical shortcomings, for which the editors alone bear the re­sponsibility.

We hope that in spite of these deficiencies, this volume may convey some of the spirit that united the participants during the symposium and help to free stratigraphy from the blemish of being a dry and purely descriptive science.

Tlibingen, March 1932 G. EINSELE A. SEILACHER

Contents

Part I. Limestone-Marl Rhythms and Climate-controlled

Facies Changes

General Remarks About the Nature, Occurrence, and Recognition of Cyclic Sequences (Periodites)

VII

G. Einsele (With 1 Figure) .......•....•...•......•... 3

Limestone-Marl Cycles (periodites): Diagnosis, Signi­ficance, Causes - a Review G. Einsele (With 14 Figures) ........•.•.•.......•.... 8

Observations on Well-bedded Upper Jurassic Lime­stones W.M. Bausch, J. Fatschel, and D. Hofmann (With 8 Figures) '" ................•.........•..... , . 54

Origin of Marl-Limestone Alternation (Oxford 2) in Southwest Germany W. Ricken and C. Hemleben (With 3 Figures) .•........• 63

Limestone-Shale Bedding and Perturbations of the Earth I s Orbit W. Schwarzacher and A.G. Fischer (With 7 Figures) .•.. 72

Rhythmic Sedimentation Documented in a Late Cretaceous Core (Abstract) L. Pratt............................................. 96

Ecology and Depositional Environments of Chalk-Marl and Limestone-Shale Rhythms in the Cretaceous of North America (Abstract) E.G. Kauffman........................................ 97

Diagenetic Redistribution of Carbonate, a Process in Forming Limestone-Marl Alternations (Devonian and Carboniferous, Rheinisches Schiefergebirge, W. Germany) W. Eder (With 12 Figures) ............................ 98

A Contribution to the Origin of Limestone-Shale Sequences M. Walther (With 2 Figures) ..•......................• 113

Deep-Sea Stratigraphy: Cenozoic Climate Steps and the Search for Chemo-Climatic Feedback W.H. Berger (With 2 Figures) ........•.........•.....• 121

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Part IIA. Event Stratification. Calcareous and

Quartz-Sandy Tempestites

General Remarks About Event Deposits A. Seilacher (With 2 Figures) ....•.....•.•....•...... 161

Experiments on the Distinction of Wave and Current Influenced Shell Accumulations E. Futterer (With 2 Figures) .....•......•.•••........ 175

Calcareous Tempestites: Storm-dominated Stratification in Upper Muschelkalk Limestones (Middle Trias, SW-Germany) T. Aigner (With 10 Figures) ............•..•••...•..•. 180

Allochthonous Coquinas in the Upper Muschelkalk -Caused by Storm Events? (Abstract) H. Hagdorn, and R. Mundlos........................... 199

The role of Storm Processes in Generating Shell Beds in Paleozoic Shelf Environments R.D. Kreisa and R.K. Bambach (With 2 Figures) .•...... 200

Rhythmic Bedding and Shell Bed Formation in the Upper Jurassic of East Greenland F. T. Flirsich (With 5 Figures)........................ 208

Shell Beds in the Lower Lias of South Germany - Facies and Origin G. Bloos (With 7 Figures) ..•.•.•......•..•...•.•..•.• 223

Storm Sedimentation in the Carboniferous Limestones Near Weston-Super-Mare (Dinantian, SW-England) D. Jeffery and T. Aigner (With 1 Figure) ...•.•••..... 240

Event-Stratification in Nummulite Accumulations and in Shell Beds from the Eocene of Egypt T. Aigner (With 7 Figures) .......•....•..•...•....•.• 248

The "Bank der kleinen Terebrateln" (Upper Muschelkalk, Triassic) Near Schwabisch Hall (SW-Germany) - a Tem­pestite Condensation Horizon H. Hagdorn (With 13 Figures) .........••..•.......••.. 263

Glauconitic Condensation Through High-Energy Events in the Albian Near Clars (Escragnolles, Var, SE-France) G. Gebhard (With 4 Figures) ..•••....•••.••..........• 286

Muschelkalk/Keuper Bone-Beds (Middle Triassic, SW­Germany) - Storm Condensation in a Regressive Cycle W.-E. Reif (With 11 Figures) ..•..•.............•..... 299

Condensed Griotte Facies and Cephalopod Accumulations in the Upper Devonian of the Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco J. Wendt and T. Aigner (With 2 Figures) ....•..•.••... 326

Distinctive Features of Sandy Tempestites A. Seilacher (With 7 Figures) ......•......•.•..•..... 333

Multidirectional Paleocurrents as Indicators of Shelf Storm Beds

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D.I. Gray and M.J. Benton (With 2 Figures) ........... 350

Scour and Fill: The Significance of Event Separation R. Goldring and T. Aigner (With 2 Figures) ........... 354

Storm-surge Sandstones and the Deposition of Inter­bedded Limestone: Late Precambrian, Southern Norway M. Tucker (With 5 Figures) ........................... 363

Flat Pebble Conglomerates, Storm Deposits, and the Cambrian Bottom Fauna J.J. Sepkoski, Jr. (With 4 Figures) .................. 371

Part lIB. Event Stratification - Other Event Deposits

Jurassic Bedded Cherts from the North Apennines, Italy: Dyscyclic Sedimentation in the Deep Pelagic Realm T.J. Barrett (With 5 Figures) ........................ 389

Quartz-sandy Allodapic Limestones as a Result of Lime Mud-Raising Clastic Turbidites U. Maier-Harth (With 8 Figures and 2 Plates) ......... 404

Belemnites as Current Indicators in Shallow Marine Turbidites of the Santonian Bavnodde Gr¢nsand, Bornholm (Denmark) R. Schmidt (With 2 Figures) ...........•.............. 419

Habits of Zircon as a Tool for Precise Tephro­stratigraphic Correlation J. Winter (With 1 Figure) ......................... " .. 423

Part III. Cyclicity and Event Stratification

in Black Shales

Cyclic and Dyscyclic Black Shale Formation A. Wetzel (With 5 Figures) ........................... 431

Cyclicity and the Storage of Organic Matter in Middle Cretaceous Pelagic Sediments P.L. deBoer (With 5 Figures) ......................... 456

Types of Stratification in the Kupferschiefer J. Paul (With 2 Figures)............................. 476

Environmental Changes During Oil Shale Deposition as Deduced from Stable Isotope Ratios W. Klispert (With 5 Figures) .......................... 482

The Community Structure of "Shell Islands" on Oxygen Depleted Substrates in Mesozoic Dark Shales and Laminated Carbonates (Abstract) E.G. Kauffman ........................................ 502

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Ammonite Shells as Habitats - Floats or Benthic Islands? (Abstract) A. Seilacher ....•.•...........••...•...••••.•........ 504

Palynology of Upper Liassic Bituminous Shales (Abstract)

W. Wille............................................. 505

The Bituminous Lower Toarcian at the Truc de Balduc Near Mende (Departement de la Lozere, S-France) W. Riegraf (With 2 Figures) ..•.......•.•.........•.•. 506

Bedding Types of the Toarcian Black Shales in NW-Greece J.P. Walzebuck (With 6 Figures) •••..........••....... 512

Stratinomy of the Lower Kimmeridge Clay (Dorset, England) (Abstract) T. Aigner ....••.........•...................•.•.••... 526

The Formation of the Bituminous Layers of the Middle Triassic of Ticino (Switzerland) (Abstract) H. Rieber ••.....••.•....•..••............•.....•....• 527

Summary

Paleogeographic Significance of Tempestites and Periodites G. Einsele and A. Seilacher (With 2 Figures) •..•.•..• 531

List of Contributors 1

*Aigner, T. 180, 240, 248 Kauffman, E.G. 97, 502 326, 354, 526 Kreisa, R.D. 200

Bambach, R.K. 200 *Kiispert, W. 482 Barrett, T.J. 389 *Maier-Harth, U. 404 Bausch, W.M. 54 Mundlos, R. 199 Benton, M.J. 350 Paul, J. 476 Berger, W.H. 121 Pratt, L. 96 Bloos, G. 223 *Reif, W.-E. 299 deBoer, P.L. 456 *Ricken, W. 63 Eder, W. 98 Rieber, H. 527

*Einsele, G. 3, 8, 531 , *Riegraf, W. 506 Fatschel, J. 54 *Schmidt, R. 419 Fischer, A.G. 72 Schwarzacher, W. 72 Fiirsich, F.T. 208 *Seilacher, A. 161 , 333, Futterer, E. 175 504, 531

*Gebhard, G. 286 Sepkoski, J.J. jr. 371 Goldring, R. 354 Tucker, M. 363 Gray, D.!. 350 Walther, M. 11 3 Hagdorn, H. 199, 263 *Walzebuck, J.P. 512

*Hemleben, c. 63 *Wendt, J. 326 Hofmann, D. 54 *Wetzel, A. 431 Jeffery, D. 240 *Wille, W. 505

Winter, J. 423

1All authors marked with an asterisk can be contacted under the following address: Geologisch-Palaontologisches Institut und Museum der Universitat SigwartstraBe 10, 7400 Tiibingen, FRG

Please find the addresses of the remaining authors in the "Address List" (next pages)

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Address List

Bambach, R.K., Prof.

Barrett, T.J., Dr.

Bausch, W.M., Prof.

Benton, M.J., Dr.

Berger, W.H., Prof.

Bloos, G., Dr.

de Boer, P.L., Dr.

Eder, W., Dr.

Fatschel, J.

Fischer, A.G., Prof.

Fursich, F., Dr.

Futterer, E., Dr.

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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Dept. of Geologi­cal Sciences, 4044 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA

University of Toronto, Dept. of Geology, Toronto, OntarioM5S 1A1, Canada

Institut fur Geologie u. Mineralo­gie, Universitiit Erlangen-Nurnberg, SchloBgarten 5, 8520 Erlangen, FRG

Department of Geology University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, England

Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego La Jolla, California 92093, USA

Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde, Arsenalpla tz 3, 7140 Ludwigsburg, FRG

State University of Utrecht, Insti­tute of Earth Sciences, Budapest­laan 4, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Geologisch-Paliiontologisches Insti­tut und Museum der Universitiit, Goldschmidt-StraBe 3, 3400 Gottingen, FRG

Institut fur Geologie u. Mineralo­gie, Universitiit Brlangen-Nurnberg, SchloBgarten 5, 8520 Erlangen, FRG

Princeton University, Dept. of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Guyot Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA

Institut fur Paliiontologie und Historische Geologie der Universitiit, Richard-Wagner-StraBe 10 II, 8000 Munchen 2, FRG

Geologisch-Paliiontologisches Institut der Universitiit, Olshausen­straBe 40/60, 2300 Kiel, FHG

XIV

Goldring, R., Dr.

Gray, 0.1., Dr.

Hagdorn, H. Studienrat

Hofmann, D.

Jeffery, D.

Kauffman, E.G., Dr.

Kreisa, R.D., Dr.

Mundlos, R., Dr.

Paul, J., Dr.

Pratt, L.M.

Rieber, H., Prof.

Schwarzacher, W., Prof.

Sepkoski, J. John, jr., Dr.

Tucker, M., Dr.

walther, M.

Winter, J., Prof.

University of Reading, Dept. of Geology, Whiteknights, Reading Rg6 2AB, England

Department of Geology, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, England

Konsul-Uebele-StraBe 14, 7118 Kunzelsau, FRG

Institut fur Geologie u. Mineralo­gie, Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, SchloBgarten 5, 8520 Erlangen, FRG

Institute of Geological Sciences (Overseas Dept.) Keyworth, Nottingham, NG 12599, England

Dept. of Geosciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80302, USA

Dept. of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA

SchachtstraBe 6, 7107 Bad Fried­richshall, FRG

Geologisch-Palaontologisches Insti­tut und Museum der Universitat, Goldschmidt-StraBe 3, 3400 Gottingen, FRG

Princeton University, Dept. of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Guyot Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA

Palaontolog. Institut und Museum der ETH Zurich, Kunstlergasse 16, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland

University of Belfast, Dept. of Geology, Queen's University, Belfast - BT 71 NN, Ireland

University of Chicago, Dept. of the Geophysical Sciences, 5734 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA

Department of Geology, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, England

Geologisch-Palaontologisches Insti­tut und Museum der Universitat, Goldschmidt-StraBe 3, 3400 Gottingen, FRG

Geologisch-Palaontologisches Insti­tut der Universitat, Senckenberg­Anlage 32-34, 6000 Frankfurt a.M., FRG