Exceptionally favourable life conditions for macrobenthos during the Late Cenomanian OAE-2 event: Ichnological record from the Bonarelli Level in the Grajcarek Unit,Polish Carpathians

Pelagic and hemipelagic sediments of the Bonarelli Level (uppermost Cenomanian) in the Sztolnia section (Grajcarek Unit, Polish Carpathians) contain trace fossils of the Zoophycos ichnofacies, including (in descending order of abundance): Chondrites (smaller and larger forms), Planolites, Thalassinoides, Palaeophycus, Taenidium, Teichichnus, and Zoophycos. They occur in thick bioturbated layers, which are interbedded with rare, thin layers of unbioturbated black shales. The black shale layers mark the Bonarelli Level and are interpreted as a record of anoxia or dysoxia. Coeval sections in the Western Tethys contain similar trace fossils but they are less abundant and these sections are characterized by thicker unbioturbated black shale layers and thinner bioturbated layers. This confirms the exceptionally favourable life conditions in sediments of the Sztolnia section, which do not record strong global anoxia during the OAE-2 event. Such favourable conditions were probably caused by effective oxygenation of pore waters and deep burial of organic matter, which are a consequence of high rates of accumulation and the palaeogeographical location of the section on a flank of a submarine high, under strong circulation.     

Mineralogical and geochemical indicators of anoxic sedimentation conditions in local depressions within the Sea of Okhotsk in the late Pleistocene-Holocene

This paper reports specific mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of deposits from the local depressions of the Derugin Basin. They were formed in an environment with periodic changes from oxic to anoxic conditions and show evidence for the presence of hydrogen sulfide in bottom waters. The deposits of this type can be considered as a modern model for ancient ore-bearing black shale associations. Compared with typical metalliferous black shale sequences, which are characterized by high contents of organic matter, the sediments described here are depleted in the elements of the organophilic association (Mo, Ni, Cu, Zn, V, and U) but have higher Mn contents.     

黔北牛蹄塘组的地球化学特征及形成环境

贵州北部早寒武世的黑色岩系-牛蹄塘组。主要为黑色页岩,含浮游生物,其中产钼、钒等矿床。其具有独特的元素地球化学特征:K、Ti元素在黑色页岩中的含量高于底部硅质岩,而P元素的含量却相反,硅质岩中的含量显著高于其上覆的黑色页岩;岩孔和菜园两地的共同特点是V、Ba、U的含量明显偏高,富集系数在3以上,显著的差别是Ta元素,其在岩孔是亏损的,而在菜园却明显富集;西部岩孔的稀土总量高于东部菜园,稀土配分曲线形态近于水平或略向左倾,具弱的负Eu异常或不显异常。硅质岩较页岩的负Ce异常程度高。地层特征、元素地球化学特征及特征元素和比值,所反映的是下寒武统牛蹄塘组形成于缺氧的还原环境。     

Oceanographic and eustatic control of carbonate platform evolution and sequence stratigraphy on the Cretaceous (Valanginian–Campanian) passive margin,northern Gulf of Mexico

An integrated sequence stratigraphic study based on outcrop, core and wireline log data documents the combined impact of Cretaceous eustacy and oceanic anoxic events on carbonate shelf morphology and facies distributions in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The diverse facies and abundant data of the Comanche platform serve as a nearly complete global reference section and provide a sensitive record of external processes affecting Cretaceous platform development. Regional cross‐sections across the shoreline to shelf‐margin profile provide a detailed record of mixed carbonate–siliciclastic strata for the Hauterivian to lower Campanian stages (ca 136 to 80 Ma). The study window on the slowly subsiding passive margin allows the stratigraphic response to external forcing mechanisms to be isolated from regional structural processes. Three second‐order supersequences comprised of eight composite sequences are recognized in the Valanginian–Barremian, the Aptian–Albian and the Cenomanian–Campanian. The Valanginian–Barremian supersequence transitioned from a siliciclastic ramp to carbonate rimmed shelf and is a product of glacial ice accumulation and melting, as well as variable rates of mid‐ocean ridge volcanism. The Aptian–Albian supersequence chronicles the drowning and recovery of the platform surrounding oceanic anoxic events 1a and 1b. The Cenomanian–Campanian supersequence similarly documents shelf drowning following oceanic anoxic event 1d, after which the platform evolved to a deep‐subtidal system consisting of anoxic/dysoxic shale and chalk in the time surrounding oceanic anoxic event 2. Each period of oceanic anoxia is associated with composite sequence maximum flooding, termination of carbonate shelf sedimentation and deposition of condensed shale units in distally steepened ramp profiles. Composite sequences unaffected by oceanic anoxic events consist of aggradational to progradational shelves with an abundance of grain‐dominated facies and shallow‐subtidal to intertidal environments. Because they are products of eustacy and global oceanographic processes, the three supersequences and most composite sequences defined in the south Texas passive margin are recognizable in other carbonate platforms and published eustatic sea‐level curves.     

藏北羌塘地区地层新资料

新的牙形石化石资料证实在羌塘北部地区有泥盆纪查桑组地层，它是该盆地保存的最古老海相沉积地层，羌塘地区中西部广大地区上侏罗统索瓦组顶部产有丰富的以Virgatosphinctes和Aulacosphinctes两属为主的菊石化石，可初步建立5个菊石组合，其中Berriasella和Blanfordiceras菊石的出现使最高海相层位上延至提塘阶顶部或贝利阿斯阶，而圆笠虫(Orbitolina)、似异卷虫（Heterohelix）出现可能反映有海相白垩纪地层的存在，在晚三叠世肖茶卡组中发现有Epigondolella牙形石动物群，这是我国晚三叠世最高位牙形石带又一产地，首次在双湖比隆组油页岩剖面顶部发现产Harploceras sp.菊石化石的层位，时代属早上托阿尔斯（Toarcian）。解决了这一特殊沉积地层单位长期争论的时代归属问题，并指出它与早侏罗世海侵高峰期全球缺氧事件有关。     

Time dependence of organic matter decay and mixing processes in Framvaren, a permanently anoxic fjord in South Norway

Three different layers have been identified in Framvaren, which has a maximum water depth of 184 m. One oxic layer above the redoxcline at 18–20 m. One anoxic layer from 20 to 100 m which is occasionally ventilated by a flow over the sill (which has a depth of 2.5 m), and finally a stagnant layer below 100 m. Using the release rate of silica from the bottom and measurements of the concentration of HTO it is possible to make some calculations on the annual volume of interleaving in the layers 25–50 m, 50–75 m, and 75–100 m together with the advective flows. Reliable values of the sulfide concentration were obtained by precipitating and weighing HgS together with careful protection of all anoxic water samples with argon. The light yellow color of the precipitate in the depth range 25 to 80 m indicates that the occasional ventilation will cause such reactions as 0.50₂ + H₂S S(colloidal) + H₂O. The elemental sulfur, being stabilized with HS^–, is set free upon the precipitation of HgS. The new data for the concentration of sulfide give an acceptable stoichiometry for the decay reaction of organic matter. This is not the case with the data of Yao and Millero. The mean values for the concentrations of ammonium and phosphate agree with the new data of Yao and Millero. The mol/mol C/N ratio of 10.1 found in trapped material by Naess and coworkers (1988) agrees with the stoichiometry of the dissolved constituents, i.e. C/N = 9.92 ± 0.45. A denitrification reaction is suggested to explain the high values of C/N. The vertical diffusion coefficient at 100 m calculated from the depth profile of silica was 0.92 × 10^–6 m² s^–1 which lies in the range of values given by Fröyland. Finally, the ¹⁴C age of the total dissolved inorganic carbon (Ct) in the water below 90 m was about 1600 years indicating a bioproduction in the period 8000 years B.P. to A.D. 1853 when a channel was opened between the fjord outside (Helvikfjord) and Framvaren.     

Sedimentary Characteristics of the Cretaceous in the Songliao Basin

The rupture of the lithosphere in Late Jurassic brought about the eruption of basaltic magma in the Songliao Basin. The evolution of the basin in Cretaceous progressed through six stages: pre-rift doming, extensional fracturing, fault subsidence, fault downwarping, downwarping and shringkage, resulting in the deposition of terrstrial facies nearly 10,000 m thick. There are different depositional sequences in these stages: the depositional period of the Early Cretaceous Shahezi and Yincheng Formations is the development stage of the down-faulted basin, forming a volcanic rock-alluvial fan-fan delta-lacustrine (intercalated with episodic turbidites)-swamp facies sequences; the period of the Early Cretaceous Dengluku Formation is the transformation stage of fault subsidence into fault downwarping of the basin, forming a sequence mainly of alluvial plain-lacustrine facies; the depositional period of the Early Cretaceous Quantou Formation-Late Cretaceous Nenjiang Formation is the downwarping stage of the basin, forming an alluvial plain-delta-lacustrine facies sequence; the period of the Late Cretaceous Sifangtai Formation-Mingshui Formation is the shringkage stage of the basin, forming again a sequence mainly of alluvial plain-alluvial fan and small relict lacustrine facies. These vertical depositional sequences fully display the sedimentary characteristics of a failed continental rift basin. Many facts indicate that the two large-scale lake invasions, synchronous with the global rise of sea level, which took place in the downwarping stage of the basin development, led to the connection between the lake and sea.     

青藏高原羌塘盆地早侏罗世晚期海螂蛤页岩及其年代地层学意义

发现于德国南部的早侏罗世土亚辛期的海螂蛤页岩相沉积是中生代最早一次,也是唯一保存在大陆地层中的全球性大洋缺氧事件的典型代表。近年中国羌塘盆地已相继发现4处海螂蛤页岩相地层。北羌塘天然气水合物钻探试验井QK-5井钻遇含海螂蛤页岩相特有化石组合的地层,厚度逾150m,是迄今所知羌塘盆地纬度最高的海螂蛤页岩相产地,其他3处分布在羌塘盆地中间隆起带以南的双湖和色哇等地。海螂蛤页岩相的分布纵贯南、北羌塘,意味着羌塘盆地在早侏罗世并没有受到中间隆起带的制约而分成南、北2个独立的沉积凹陷。北羌塘西部白龙冰河、半岛湖一带与东部雀莫措、雁石坪一带的早侏罗世沉积相截然不同,形成早侏罗世西海东陆的沉积格局。海螂蛤页岩相在羌塘盆地的发现,有助于进一步认识中生代羌塘盆地沉积和古海洋演化历史。该区以海螂蛤黑色页岩为代表的富碳沉积无论是分布面积还是沉积厚度都十分可观,对盆地的天然气水合物、页岩气及常规油气勘探具有重要的意义。     

The Albian to Turonian carbon isotope record from the Shilaif Basin (United Arab Emirates) and its regional and intercontinental correlation

The sedimentary record of the Arabian Shelf offers a unique opportunity to study the Cretaceous (Albian–Turonian) greenhouse climate from a palaeoequatorial perspective. In particular, hemipelagic to pelagic carbonate successions from the extensive Shilaif intra‐shelf basin have the potential to produce an excellent record of carbon cycle perturbations during this interval. This study presents a 269 m thick chemostratigraphic (carbonate δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) record from the Middle Albian to Early Turonian of central Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), representing over 14 Myr of uninterrupted carbonate sedimentation. The Mauddud to Shilaif formations represent outer ramp to basinal intra‐shelf carbonates with variations from laminated organic‐rich to clean bioturbated intervals. Isotopic evidence of the latest Albian Anoxic Event (Oceanic Anoxic Event 1d), Middle Cenomanian Event I and the Cenomanian–Turonian Anoxic Event (Oceanic Anoxic Event 2) are confirmed and biostratigraphically calibrated by means of calcareous nannofossils. The carbon isotope record allows correlation with other regional records and well‐calibrated records across the Tethyan Ocean and represents a significant improvement of the chronostratigraphic framework of the United Arab Emirates (Shilaif) and Oman (Natih) intra‐shelf basins. The study further confirms that low carbon isotope values corresponding to the two source rock intervals in the Shilaif Formation clearly precede the isotopic expressions of Oceanic Anoxic Event 1d and Oceanic Anoxic Event 2.     

Fluxes of iron and manganese across the sediment–water interface under various redox conditions

Fluxes of dissolved forms of iron and manganese across the sediment–water interface were studied in situ in the Gulf of Finland and the Vistula Lagoon (Baltic Sea), and in the Golubaya Bay (Black Sea) from 2001 to 2005. Fluxes were measured using chamber incubations, and sediment cores were collected and sliced to assess the porewater and solid phase metal distribution at different depths. Measured and calculated benthic fluxes of manganese and iron were directed out of sediment for all sites and were found to vary between 70–4450 and 5–1000 µmole m^− 2 day^− 1 for manganese and iron, respectively. The behavior of the studied metals at various redox conditions in the near-bottom water and in the sediment was the main focus in this study. Our results show the importance of bottom water redox conditions for iron fluxes. We measured no fluxes at oxic conditions, intermediate fluxes at anoxic conditions (up to 200 μmole m^− 2 day^− 1) and high fluxes at suboxic conditions (up to 1000 μmole m^− 2 day^− 1). Total dissolved iron fluxes were generally dominated by iron(II). Contribution of iron(III) to the total iron flux did not exceed 20%. Obtained fluxes of manganese at all studied regions showed a linear correlation (r² = 0.97) to its concentration in the porewater of the top sediment layer (0–5 mm) and did not depend on dissolved oxygen concentrations of bottom water. Organically complexed iron and manganese were in most cases not involved in the benthic exchange processes.