Carboniferous marsh foraminifera from coal-bearing strata at the Sydney basin, Nova Scotia: A new tool for identifying paralic coal-forming environments

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 1993 Carboniferous marsh foraminifera from coal-bearing strata at the Sydney basin, Nova Scotia: A new tool for identifying paralic coal-forming environments Winton G. Wightman; Winton G. Wightman 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David B. Scott; David B. Scott 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Franco S. Medioli; Franco S. Medioli 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Martin R. Gibling Martin R. Gibling 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Winton G. Wightman 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada David B. Scott 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Franco S. Medioli 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Martin R. Gibling 1Centre for Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1993) 21 (7): 631–634. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1993)021<0631:CMFFCB>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Winton G. Wightman, David B. Scott, Franco S. Medioli, Martin R. Gibling; Carboniferous marsh foraminifera from coal-bearing strata at the Sydney basin, Nova Scotia: A new tool for identifying paralic coal-forming environments. Geology 1993;; 21 (7): 631–634. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1993)021<0631:CMFFCB>2.3.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 Assemblages of agglutinated foraminifera from the Carboniferous (late Westphalian to Stephanian) coal-bearing strata of the Sydney basin, Cape Breton Island (documented for the first time in 150 yr of investigation of the Nova Scotian coal basins) indicate that deposition took place on an extensive coastal platform, not in a fluviolacustrine setting as previously suggested. The assemblages contain representatives of genera that are widely distributed in modern estuarine and marsh environments, allowing us to determine Carboniferous paleoenvironments with unusual confidence. Seat earths beneath several coal seams contain assemblages dominated by Trochammina, which suggests deposition within vegetated zones analogous to modern high-marsh environments found within the upper half of the tidal range. A coal-seam split and a coarse siltstone contain assemblages dominated by Ammobaculites and Ammotium, which indicate paleoenvironments analogous to modern low-marsh and estuarine environments. Mixed assemblages of Trochammina, Ammobaculites, and Ammotium also indicate estuarine-low-marsh depositional environments. Detailed analysis of foraminiferal biofacies assists in the recognition of marine influence during deposition of these Carboniferous rocks, and may help distinguish areas of sulfur-rich coal. The findings indicate that environmental and morphological conservatism has characterized agglutinated marsh foraminifera for the past 300 m.y. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.