Provenance of Palaeozoic sandstones from the Carnic Alps (Austria): petrographic and geochemical indicators

An integrated approach of petrographic analysis, whole rock geochemistry and microprobe analysis has been applied to obtain information on the geodynamic development and the provenance for Ordovician to Permian siliciclastic successions exposed within the Carnic Alps (Austria). Sandstone detrital mode and geochemical results refine previous geodynamic interpretations. Late Ordovician samples indicate a stable craton and recycled orogenic and, possible, extensional setting. The Early Carboniferous is interpreted to represent a compressional environment, followed by a Late Carboniferous molasse-type foreland basin, and a Permian extensional geodynamic setting. Contrasting geochemical patterns of post-Variscan and Permian sequences suggest a rift setting. Electron microprobe data of detrital white mica also indicate changes in the provenance. Compositional data reflect a shift from low- to medium-grade metamorphic (Ordovician) to high-grade metamorphic (Carboniferous) to low- to medium-grade metamorphic and plutonic source rocks (Permian). Additionally, our data show that various chemical discrimination diagrams do not include all possible ranges of sandstones, and that high contents of detrital mica and ultra-stable heavy minerals may cause misclassification. Consequently, we propose the use of multi-method approach for provenance studies, including the control of geochemical data by modal analysis and heavy mineral investigations.     

Yaxcopoil-1 and the Chicxulub impact

CSDP core Yaxcopoil-1 was drilled to a depth of 1,511 m within the Chicxulub crater. An organic-rich marly limestone near the base of the hole (1,495 to 1,452 m) was deposited in an open marine shelf environment during the latest Cenomanian (uppermost Rotalipora cushmani zone). The overlying sequence of limestones, dolomites and anhydrites (1,495 to 894 m) indicates deposition in various carbonate platform environments (e.g., sabkhas, lagoons). A 100-m-thick suevite breccia (894–794 m) identifies the Chicxulub impact event. Above the suevite breccia is a dolomitic limestone with planktic foraminiferal assemblages indicative of Plummerita hantkeninoides zone CF1, which spans the last 300 ky of the Maastrichtian. An erosional surface 50 cm above the breccia/dolomite contact marks the K/T boundary and a hiatus. Limestones above this contact contain the first Tertiary planktic foraminifera indicative of an upper P. eugubina zone P1a(2) age. Another hiatus 7 cm upsection separates zone P1a(2) and hemipelagic limestones of planktic foraminiferal Zone P1c. Planktic foraminiferal assemblages of Zone Plc to P3b age are present from a depth of 794.04 up to 775 m. The Cretaceous carbonate sequence appears to be autochthonous, with a stratigraphic sequence comparable to late Cretaceous sediments known from outside the Chicxulub crater in northern and southern Yucatan, including the late Cenomanian organic-rich marly limestone. There is no evidence that these sediments represent crater infill due to megablocks sliding into the crater, such as major disruption of sediments, chaotic changes in lithology, overturned or deep dipping megablocks, major mechanical fragmentation, shock or thermal alteration, or ductile deformation. Breccia units that are intercalated in the carbonate platform sequence are intraformational in origin (e.g., dissolution of evaporites) and dykes are rare. Major disturbances of strata by the impact therefore appear to have been confined to within less than 60 km from the proposed impact center. Yaxcopoil-1 may be located outside the collapsed transient crater cavity, either on the upper end of an elevated and tilted horst of the terrace zone, or even outside the annular crater cavity. The Chicxulub site thus records a large impact that predates the K/T boundary impact and mass extinction.     

The soft-bottom macrobenthos of North Carolina estuaries

The structure of macro infaunal (>0.5 mm sieve size) assemblages was examined in samples of unconsolidated substrates collected during the summers of 1994–1997 at 208 stations throughout North Carolina estuaries. Numerical classification (cluster analysis) of stations resulted in 14 distinct site groups that reflected discernible habitatrelated patterns in species distributions. Multiple discriminant analysis, performed on synoptic abiotic variables (depth, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, percent silt-clay), showed that the separation of site groups was related primarily to salinity. Percent silt-clay had a secondary influence on the separation of sites within similar salinity zones. Species diversity among site groups generally decreased with decreasing salinity and increasing mud content of sediment. Nodal analysis showed a wide range in constancy and fidelity of species assemblages within site groups. Some assemblages dominated by euryhaline species had no particular affinity with any one site group. The strongest affinities, as evidenced by high values of both constancy and fidelity, were displayed by an assemblage of oligochaetes, insect larvae, gammaridean amphipods, and the clamCorbicula fluminea in tidal freshwater muds; and an assemblage of haustoriid amphipods, the bivalveDonax variabilis, the polychaeteParaonis fulgens, and unidentified echinoids at high-salinity sites in outer Pamlico Sound near ocean inlets. A series of stations with impaired benthic assemblages in polluted habitats emerged from the cluster analysis and was distinguishable from other site groups that reflected a greater influence of natural controlling factors (such as salinity and sediment type) on species distributions. These results suggest that the interaction of both anthropogenic and natural environmental controlling factors is important in defining the structure of these infaunal assemblages.     

Interannual and long-term variation in the nearshore fish community of the mesohaline Hudson River estuary

The detection of long-term shifts in species composition and spatial structuring of aquatic communities may be obscured by high levels of interannual variation. Estuarine fish communities are likely to exhibit high levels of variation owing to the influence of riverine forcing and the importance of anadromous and transient species, whose abundances may not be locally controlled. We describe patterns of interannual variation and long-term shifts in the nearshore fish community of the mesohaline Hudson River estuary based on 21 yr of beach seine sampling conducted annually between late August and mid November. Of the 60 species encountered, the most abundant were Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), white perch (Morone americana), American shad (Alosa sapidissima), and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis). Relationships between annual community composition and seasonal flow and temperature regimes were examined with canonical correspondence analysis. Annual variation was most closely correlated with river flows in the 3-mo period preceding fish sampling, indicating a persistent effect of environmental conditions on community structure. Despite significant interannual variation in composition, longer-term trends in community structure were observed. These included declines in catch rates of freshwater and estuarine species and a dramatic increase in the catch of Atlantic silversides, an annual marine species. Associated with these changes were declines in community diversity and increased compositional variation. These results indicate that analyses of temporal changes in community structure need to account for the multiple time scales under which forcing factors and community composition vary.     

Evolution of geochemistry and depositional settings of Early Palaeozoic siliciclastics of the Barrandian (Teplá-Barrandian Unit,Bohemian Massif,Czech Republic)

Cambrian and Ordovician-Middle Devonian sequences of two successive Early Palaeozoic basins of the Barrandian unconformably overlie Cadomian basement in the Bohemian Massif NW interior (Teplá-Barrandian unit) which is the easternmost peri-Gondwanan remnant within the Variscides. Correlation of stratigraphy and geochemistry of the Early Palaeozoic siliciclastic rocks elucidated sediment provenances. Sandstones of the Middle Cambrian Píbram-Jince Basin were derived from a Cadomian Neoproterozoic island arc. The source area of the Ordovician shallow-marine siliciclastics of the successor Prague Basin is a dissected Cadomian orogen. Late Cambrian acid volcanics of the Barrandian and Cambrian (meta)granitoids emplaced in the W part of the Teplá-Barrandian Cadomian basement are also discernible in these sediments. Old sedimentary component increased during the Ordovician. Early Llandovery siliciclastic rocks show characteristics of an abruptly weakened supply of terrigenous material and an elevated proportion of synsedimentary basic volcanics as a result of Silurian transgression. Emsian siliciclastics (intercalated in the Late Silurian to Early Devonian limestone suite) presumably comprise an addition of coeval basic/ultrabasic volcaniclastics. Middle Devonian flysch-like siliciclastics indicate reappearance of Cadomian source near the Barrandian during early Variscan convergences of Armorican microplates that preceeded accretion of the Teplá-Barrandian unit within the Bohemian Massif terrane mosaic.Dr. Patoka deceased in July 2004.     

Carbon isotope stratigraphy of Lochkovian to Eifelian limestones from the Devonian of central and southern Europe

Lower to Middle Devonian carbonates of the Prague Syncline, the Carnic Alps, the Montagne Noire, and the Cantabrian Mountains were investigated for δ¹³C_carb and δ¹³C_org. These values were measured on bulk rocks, selected components and cements. Many carbonates exhibit primary marine values, but some are altered by diagenesis. A δ¹³C curve can be presented for the latest Pridolian to Emsian time interval. Several sharp or broad positive excursions are obvious in the woschmidti-postwoschmidti, sulcatus, kitabicus, Late serotinus, and kockelianus conodont zones. The excursion at the Silurian–Devonian boundary is known worldwide and therefore considered global in nature. Some of the others are described for the first time from central and southern Europe, and their global nature has to be verified by further investigations in other regions. Most excursions relate to and/or started during major regressions whereas sea-level highstands correspond to minimal δ¹³C values. Similar relationships between sea-level changes and δ¹³C have been observed from other early Palaeozoic intervals. The transgressive Chote? (?) and Ka?ák events are marked by positive isotope excursions, this type of combination is usually observed in late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic black shale events.     

Growth of the marsh elder<Emphasis Type="Italic">Iva frutescens</Emphasis> in relation to duration of tidal flooding

Iva frutescens is a common shrub at the upland fringe of salt marshes throughout the East and Gulf Coasts of North America. Within a marsh, its location and relative size are governed largely by the degree of flooding by seawater.Iva’s wide distribution and restricted location within salt marshes may make it a useful indicator of overall conditions of the marshes. This work was designed to provide basic information on the age and growth ofI. frutescens, especially as they relate to the degree of flooding that is needed in order to investigateIva’s potential as an indicator. Cross-sections of older stems (living and standing dead) from salt marshes in Rhode Island, United States, were examined in order to age stems and estimate their growth rate from cumulative increase in woody tissue. Most stems were six yr old or less, suggesting that aboveground structures live for only a few years. Stem diameter correlated with growth rate and aboveground biomass. Elevation at the root zone was used to estimate the duration that plants were flooded, which was negatively correlated with stem diameter. The most robust plants came from sites that were flooded only up to 6–7% of the total time during the growing season. No plants were found in areas flooded more than 30% of the time.     

The effects of two benthic chamber stirring systems on the diffusive boundary layer,oxygen flux,and passive flow through model macrofauna burrows

Diffusive boundary layers (DBL), sediment oxygen flux, and natural passive flow through model macrofauna burrows were compared in two benthic chambers: one with a conventional rotational stirrer and the other with a two-dimensional flow diffuser system. Oxygen microprobe profiles showed that at similar velocities the mean diffusive boundary layer (DBL) thickness induced by a conventional rotor stirrer (453±118 μm) was not significantly different to that produced by the diffuser system (403±53 μm). The rotor produced twice as much DBL spatial variability (coefficient of variation 27%) as the diffuser (CV 11%). Variability between the rotor system’s DBL transect replicates was also two times greater (average CV of 22%) compared to the diffuser (CV 14%). At equivalent stirring speeds over experimental sediments, mean O₂ consumption rates were also not significantly different between the two systems. The diffuser induced consistently greater (16–37%) passive Bernoullian flow through model macrofauna borrows irrespective of the position of inhalant-exhalent openings. The rotor stimulated anomalous burrow flow regimes over a greater area of the chamber floor (36%) compared to the diffuser (23%). Depending on vent orientation the rotor was shown to reverse (exhalent to inhalant) burrow flow regimes in the central 9% of the chamber floor. This artifact of radial pressure and velocity differentials may have severe implications for tube dwelling infauna that rely on unidirectional flow. The diffuser system more closely mimicked natural two-dimensional water flow over the sediment surface and structures therein and is likely to give more representative results when measuring benthic processes within incubation devices.     

Extremely slow slope movements influencing the stability of Spis Castle,UNESCO site

Spis Castle, a monument included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list (Eastern Slovakia) is built on a travertine mound overlying soft Paleogene rocks. Lateral spreading resulting from the subsidence of strong upper travertine into soft claystone strata has fractured and separated the castle rock into several cliffs. The differential movement of individual cliff faces is the primary influence on the stability of the monument. In order to monitor and quantify the movement, two techniques were adopted: a mechanical-optical TM-71 crack gauge and a demec gauge (demountable mechanical—SOMET type crack gauge). This paper presents the results and interpretation of medium and short-term monitoring at the site.