Post-Cambrian closure of the deep-water slope-basin taphonomic window

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 2003 Post-Cambrian closure of the deep-water slope-basin taphonomic window Patrick J. Orr; Patrick J. Orr 1Department of Geology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Michael J. Benton; Michael J. Benton 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Derek E.G. Briggs Derek E.G. Briggs 3Geology and Geophysics Department, Yale University, P.O. Box 208109, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8109, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Patrick J. Orr 1Department of Geology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland Michael J. Benton 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, England Derek E.G. Briggs 3Geology and Geophysics Department, Yale University, P.O. Box 208109, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8109, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 18 Sep 2002 Revision Received: 23 May 2003 Accepted: 25 May 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2003) 31 (9): 769–772. https://doi.org/10.1130/G19193.1 Article history Received: 18 Sep 2002 Revision Received: 23 May 2003 Accepted: 25 May 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Patrick J. Orr, Michael J. Benton, Derek E.G. Briggs; Post-Cambrian closure of the deep-water slope-basin taphonomic window. Geology 2003;; 31 (9): 769–772. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G19193.1 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 Exceptional faunas (Konservat-Lagerstätten that preserve traces of volatile nonmineralized tissues) are statistically overabundant in the Cambrian Period; almost all examples preserved in continental-slope and shelf-basin environments are of this age. The hypothesis that an increase in the amount and complexity of bioturbation was an important agent in the elimination of this deep-water slope-basin taphonomic window is supported. Post-Cambrian ichnofaunal assemblages contain a higher proportion of pascichnia and agrichnia, ethologies produced by a mobile infauna. They also illustrate the lateral partitioning of organisms into different environmental niches; both opportunistic and equilibrium infaunas occur in low-oxygen environments in which the preservation of nonbiomineralized tissues was favored. Direct consumption of carcasses by bioturbating organisms was less important than changes to sediment properties as a result of bioturbation, notably enhanced microbial degradation of reactive organic matter, increased permeability, and the disruption of geochemical gradients necessary for mineral authigenesis. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.