Nutrient-triggered bioerosion on a giant carbonate platform masking the postextinction Famennian benthic community

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 2001 Nutrient-triggered bioerosion on a giant carbonate platform masking the postextinction Famennian benthic community Arndt Peterhänsel; Arndt Peterhänsel 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Brian R. Pratt Brian R. Pratt 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Arndt Peterhänsel 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Brian R. Pratt 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 Jun 2001 Revision Received: 20 Aug 2001 Accepted: 29 Aug 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2001) 29 (12): 1079–1082. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<1079:NTBOAG>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 14 Jun 2001 Revision Received: 20 Aug 2001 Accepted: 29 Aug 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Arndt Peterhänsel, Brian R. Pratt; Nutrient-triggered bioerosion on a giant carbonate platform masking the postextinction Famennian benthic community. Geology 2001;; 29 (12): 1079–1082. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<1079:NTBOAG>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Palliser Formation of western Canada constitutes a giant, tropical carbonate platform of Famennian age. Although now mostly composed of peloids, aggregates, intraclasts, and cortoids, a major proportion of these micritic particles originally consisted of bioclasts, primarily crinoidal, that were obliterated by bioerosion. Analogous to modern tropical environments, microendoliths may have proliferated on this platform during widespread mesotrophic conditions owing to excess nutrients derived from the developing Ellesmerian orogen in the Canadian Arctic. The orogeny was coincident with profound changes in the middle Paleozoic biosphere due to increased pedogenesis accompanying the spread of deep-rooting gymnosperms. This evolutionary event may have resulted in the disturbance of the ecological balance in epicontinental seas by causing enhanced nutrient mobilization and riverine nutrient flux. This precursor to the observed Mesozoic increase in bioerosion hides a bountiful, although low-diversity, skeleton- secreting benthos on the Famennian platform, thereby concealing the extent of the Late Devonian faunal crisis and its recovery. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.