Palynology of the Permian succession of Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Abstract

Palynological investigations of 16 sections from Spitsbergen, Svalbard, covering the uppermost Carboniferous, Permian and lowermost Triassic succession have been carried out. Because of general poor preservation and barrenness of the majority of the samples, it was not possible to establish a formal zonation for the Permian succession. The study resulted, however, in the recognition of three Permian palynological assemblages, restricted downwards by a Carboniferous assemblage and upwards by an earliest Triassic (Griesbachian) assemblage. The dating of these assemblages is based on palynological correlation with similar palynofloras elsewhere in the present Arctic region as well as dating by marine faunas, which in general give better stratigraphic resolution. The Permian assemblages recognised include (1) the Vittatina assemblage of late Gzhelian to early Asselian age recorded in the lower parts of the Tyrrellfjellet Member (Nordenskioldbreen Formation), (2) the Hamiapollenites tractiferinus assemblage of late Asselian to Artinskian age recorded in the upper parts of the Tyrrellfjellet Member and in the Gipshuken Formation and (3) the youngest Permian Kraeuselisporiles assemblage of late Artinskian to earliest Tatarian age recorded in the Kapp Starostin Formation.

The Permian Extinction and the Tethys: An Exercise in Global Geology

“…In fact, the biospheric events in east Greenland seem intimately tied up with the lithospheric and/or hydrospheric evolution of the east Greeenland Norwegian rift system. ski, 1982;Nakamura et al, 1987;Mangerud and Konieczny, 1993;Wignall et al, 1998). A very similar picture to that encountered in eastern Greenland is present in Spitsbergen, from where Małkowski (1982) has provided very detailed litho-and biostratigraphic data later supplemented by further paleontology and geochemistry.…”

Carbon and oxygen isotope records of Permian brachiopods from relatively low and high palaeolatitudes: climatic seasonality and evaporation

“…The lowermost part of the Kapp Starostin Formation is dominated by sandy bioclastic limestone with a rich brachiopod and bryozoan fauna in the up to 20 m thick Vøringen Member (the so-called 'Spirifer limestone'; late Artinskian -early Kungurian age), overlaid by alternating shales, siltstones and cherts and siliceous limestones of the Svenskeegga Member (Kungurian-Kazanian). The uppermost unit, the c. 50 m thick Hovtinden Member (Kazanian -Tatarian), is composed of shales and siltstones with few fossils (Nakamura et al 1987;Małkowski 1988;Stemmerik 1988;Mangerud & Konieczny 1993;Nakrem 1995;Dallmann et al 1999). The age of the Vøringen Member is based on conodonts (Szaniawski & Małkowski 1979), non-fusulinid foraminiferans in the underlying Gipsdalen Group (Sosipatrova 1967(Sosipatrova , 1969Błażejowski 2009), palynomorphs (Mangerud & Konieczny 1993) and bryozoans (Nakrem 1995).…”

“…The uppermost unit, the c. 50 m thick Hovtinden Member (Kazanian -Tatarian), is composed of shales and siltstones with few fossils (Nakamura et al 1987;Małkowski 1988;Stemmerik 1988;Mangerud & Konieczny 1993;Nakrem 1995;Dallmann et al 1999). The age of the Vøringen Member is based on conodonts (Szaniawski & Małkowski 1979), non-fusulinid foraminiferans in the underlying Gipsdalen Group (Sosipatrova 1967(Sosipatrova , 1969Błażejowski 2009), palynomorphs (Mangerud & Konieczny 1993) and bryozoans (Nakrem 1995). Although the age of the upper part of the Kapp Starostin Formation is somewhat problematic, Nakrem et al (1992) indicate a Kazanian age (see also Nakrem 2005).…”

Strontium Isotope Dating of Spiculitic Permian Strata From Spitsbergen Outcrops and Barents Sea Well‐cores

“…This unit, which is 100 to 450 m thick in most locations, is dated by biostratigraphy as late Artinskian -early Kungurian in its basal subunit, the Vøringen Member (1 to 34 m thick), and Guadalupian -(? )Lopingian in its upper portion (Nakrem et al, 1992;Mangerud and Konieczny, 1993;Angiolini and Long, 2008). The Kapp Starostin Formation disconformably overlies the Gipshuken Formation, a unit of gypsum, dolostone, and shallow-marine limestone (Lauritzen, 1981;Keilen, 1992), which is dated as late Sakmarian -early Artinskian based on rather limited constraints (Nakrem et al, 1992).…”

“…In both areas, this contact is sharp because of abrupt transition over less than a few centimetres from spiculitic, fossiliferous chert into poorly fossiliferous shale and siltstone. These contacts could be erosional, but no evidence has been reported, either in central Spitsbergen or the Finnmark Platform, indicating subaerial exposure or a hiatus at this surface (Mørk et al, 1989;Egorov and Mørk, 2000;Malkowski et al, 1989;Mangerud and Konieczny, 1993;Mangerud, 1994;Ehrenberg et al, 1998b;. Wignall et al (1998) suggested that the Permo-Triassic boundary occurs within the lower several metres of the shale overlying the Kapp Starostin Formation, corresponding with a major negative excursion in the carbon isotope composition of organic matter.…”