Facies types and depositional environments of a morphologically diverse carbonate platform: a case study from the Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) of Upper Silesia, southern Poland

Abstract

The detailed sedimentological study of the 150-m-thick Muschelkalk succession, deposited on a small (~200 by 80 km), morphologically diverse Upper Silesian carbonate platform during four major marine-transgressive pulses of the Tethys Ocean, enhanced the understanding of the depositional history, palaeogeography, and facies distribution. A total of thirty-five lithofacies types were identified, described and interpreted in terms of depositional settings. These different lithofacies represent various shallow-marine environments along the platform transect, from peritidal to offshore areas. The vertical and lateral organization of the lithofacies delineated was caused by the interplay of platform morphology, third-order eustasy and the long-term tectonic evolution of the area. Accordingly, the carbonate system studied is a good example of the influence of large-scale processes on the facies architecture of carbonate platforms. In general, all of the four Transgressive Systems Tracts are characterized by similarity in lithofacies composition and vertical succession and by minor lateral change, indicating only limited influence of the three large-scale factors mentioned on lithofacies development and distribution during transgressions. In contrast, each of the four associated Highstand Systems Tracts comprises an individual (unique) lithofacies assemblage displaying substantial regional and local variation, which indicates that the filling of accommodation space during highstands strongly depended on the extrinsic processes.

Underground dinosaur tracksite inside a karst of southern France: Early Jurassic tridactyl traces from the Dolomitic Formation of the Malaval Cave (Lozère)

“…However, the desiccation cracks and the dinosaur imprints indicate that sediments were deposited in an environment which was emergent periodically. Otherwise, the bioturbated dolomudstone observed in the beds without tracks suggest shallow subtidal zone, deposited in protected area of strong tidal currents (e.g., Hamon, 2004;Matysik, 2016). Therefore both dolomudstones facies suggest that depositional environments varied from sub-tidal to intertidal/supratidal areas in a large and flat marsh.…”

“…In the "Super-Blanches" galleries, the cryptalgal laminites are characteristic of the intertidal and supratidal zones of a tidal flat showing microbial mats (e.g., Alsharhan & Kendall, 2003;Hamon, 2004;Matysik, 2016). The lack of bioclasts and coarse sediment suggest limited storm-generated transport.…”

“…This hypothesis is also supported by evidence of putative mud volcanoes which are common in tidal environments (i.e., Eisma, 1998). The absence of invertebrate skeletal fossils suggest restricted life conditions, probably related to increase salinity, but still suitable for pervasive bioturbation (Matysik, 2016). At Mende, 15 km NNW of the Malaval Cave, the Dolomitic Formation yielded halite pseudomorphs, suggesting local evaporitic conditions (Moreau, 2011).…”

Facies and depositional environments of the Upper Muschelkalk (Schinznach Formation, Middle Triassic) in northern Switzerland

“…Bioherm thicknesses do not exceed two meters and despite shallow water depths, bioherms were likely never large enough to restrict and constrain sediments to the backshoal environments. Other frame-building organisms such as corals or sponges are rarely observed in the southern CEB but were important constituents in the Spanish and Polish Upper Muschelkalk (Calvet and Tucker 1995;Tucker and Marshall 2004;Matysik 2016).…”

Integrated bio- and cyclostratigraphy of Middle Triassic (Anisian) ramp deposits, NW Bulgaria

“…The Anisian is a crucial time interval in Earth's history to understand carbonate platform reorganization in the aftermath of the most severe extinction event at the end of the Permian (e.g., Benton 2015) and the incipient break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea (Stampfli et al 2013), the northwestern Tethyan realm being best suited to study the comeback of shallow-marine environments at the beginning of the Mesozoic (e.g., Feist-Burkhardt et al 2008;Stefani et al 2010;Haas et al 2012;Escudero-Mozo et al 2015;Matysik 2016;Chatalov 2018).…”