An integrated chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic framework and benthic foraminifera morphogroup response to paleoenvironmental conditions of the Upper Cretaceous Kanguk Formation, Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Abstract

The Kanguk Formation, a unit of dominantly shales and siltstones deposited within the Sverdrup Basin, records the Late Cretaceous history of the Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This project aimed to refine foraminiferal biostratigraphy and to understand the benthic foraminiferal response to spatial and temporal changes in paleoenvironmental conditions of the Late Cretaceous Polar Sea by integrating chemostratigraphic, lithologic, geochemical, and faunal records at two study localities on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. Two biostratigraphic zones with refined ages from

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Campanian) Dinoflagellate Cyst Assemblages and Palaeoproductivity Signals from the Kanguk Formation, Sverdrup Basin, Nunavut, Canada

“…Their record of Slidre Fiord is directly comparable to data presented here since both studies share the same section and sample intervals. Davies (2016) noted that elements such as Al, Fe, S, Ca and V increase in concentrations within the upper member of the Kanguk Formation indicating increased proximity to the sediment source.…”

“…Recently, carbon perturbations of the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary interval have been described from Cretaceous strata within the Arctic Sverdrup Basin Lenniger et al, 2014;Herrle et al, 2015;Davies, 2016). Less pronounced positive carbon isotope signals, from the Santonian, were detected on Ellef Ringens and Ellesmere islands have been cited as possible signals for "OAE 3" within the Canadian Arctic Davies, 2016).…”