Review of Devonian-Carboniferous Boundary sections in the Rhenish Slate Mountains (Germany)

Becker, Ralph Thomas; Hartenfels, Sven; Kaiser, Sandra

doi:10.1007/s12549-020-00469-6

Cited by 22 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…In the modern ocean, low rates of reverse weathering have been attributed to their silica‐depleted condition, because of high biogenic opal mineralization (Isson & Planavsky, 2018). In the DCB interval, chert/siliceous rocks are widely present in deep‐water basins (e.g., South China, Qie & Wang, 2012; Rhenish Region, Becker et al., 2021). In addition, radiolarians are abundant in the HC interval of the Moravian Karst, Czech Republic (Kumpan et al., 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enhanced Continental Weathering as a Trigger for the End‐Devonian Hangenberg Crisis

Qie

Zhang

Luo

et al. 2023

Geophysical Research Letters

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The Hangenberg Crisis coincided with a large decline of biodiversity and widespread anoxia in the end‐Devonian ocean. Previous research attributed marine anoxia to the spread of deeply‐rooted plants and/or increased volcanism on the continents, but crucial links have not been thoroughly explored. Herein, we propose enhanced weathering as a key trigger, as evidenced by a negative shift (∼8‰) in lithium isotopes and a coupled response in carbon isotopes of marine carbonates in South China. Our findings imply that rapid weathering of crustal rocks increased nutrient delivery to the ocean, as indicated by an increase in the carbonate‐associated phosphate levels, contributing to oceanic eutrophication. In the absence of massive volcanic emissions and intense orogeny, the cause of enhanced continental weathering was likely the expansion of the terrestrial rhizosphere, highlighting the potential for land plant evolution to initiate weathering changes of sufficient severity to trigger a major bio/environmental crisis in the Earth system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conodont biozonation after Becker et al. (2021) and rugose coral biozonation after Qie et al. (2021).…”

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Continental Weathering as a Trigger for the End‐Devonian Hangenberg Crisis

Qie

Zhang

Luo

et al. 2023

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…The Hagen-Balve Formation, therefore, represents a time interval when the arrival of silt and fine sand stopped for a long time, lasting in the Hönne Valley region until well after the reef extinction, to the top of the Famennian (e.g. Becker et al 2021a).…”

Section: Geological Setting Litho- and Biostratigraphymentioning

confidence: 99%

The initial phase of the Hönne Valley Reef at Binolen (northern Rhenish Massif, Middle Devonian)

Löw

Söte

Becker

et al. 2022

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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The Hagen-Balve Reef Complex of the northern Rhenish Massif, Germany, is one of the best examples for the globally widespread Givetian to Frasnian reefs. At its eastern end, in the Hönne Valley, it reaches up to 1000 metres in thickness. In general, there is limited knowledge concerning the faunas and palaeoecology of Rhenish initial reef phases. A unique section at Binolen exposes the sharp boundary between the underlying, siliciclastic Upper Honsel Formation and the lower part of the reefal Hagen-Balve Formation. A ca. 14 m thick succession is assigned to the new Binolen Member and investigated in terms of carbonate microfacies, micro-, and macrofaunas. Seven microfacies types (MF) characterise a crinoidal coral-stromatoporoid garden setting (MF-2 to MF-6) or allobiostrome of an initial open platform turning upsection into a coral parabiostrome (MF-7/8). The base of the Asbeck Member is locally defined by the appearance of back-reef facies types, such as fenestral limestones (MF-9), which indicate the transformation into a bioherm. Low-diversity conodont faunas prove an influx of open shelf organisms for the Binolen Member and suggest a lower Givetian age (probably Polygnathus timorensis Zone). There are two new Givetian conodont biofacies types characteristic for open biostrome settings, the Bipennatus Biofacies and a Simple Cone Biofacies. Thin sections reveal over 40 different reef builders (rugose and tabulate corals, stromatoporoids, and chaetetid sponges). Around 4200 microfossils from conodont residues consist of agglutinating foraminifers, calcareous sponge spicules (e.g. Heteractinida), scolecodonts, echinoderms (mostly crinoid ossicles and holothurian sclerites), pyritised benthic ostracods, assumed calcified moulds of chitinozoans, subordinate microvertebrates, and other groups. They were analysed quantitatively in order to document changing distribution patterns and environments through time. We distinguish six microfossil-based biofacies types (BF), namely the Ostracoda Biofacies (BF-O), Foraminifera Biofacies (BF-F), Scolecodont Biofacies (BF-S), Chitinozoa Biofacies (BF-C), Porifera-Scolecodont Biofacies (BF-PS), and Porifera-Echinodermata Biofacies (BF-PE). Microfacies and microfossil assemblages led to a reconstruction of the local facies development, consisting of seven successive depophases with further subdivisions. At the base, the sudden termination of siliciclastic influx enabled a proliferation of reef builders and microfaunas (Depophase I), followed by a longer deepening phase characterised by exclusive bioclastic wackestones (Depophase II). Depophase III is a short regressive phase with crinoidal coral-stromatoporoid floatstones. Depophase IV is characterised by fluctuations in facies and relative sea-level, which results in three subphases. Depophase V resembles Depophase III, but with argillaceous interbeds and more abundant scolecodonts. It is followed by an interval with coral-stromatoporoid rudstones, which grade into coral-dominated bafflestones of an (auto)parabiostrome (both Depophase VI). Depophase VII represent the back-reef facies, including fenestral pack-bindstones of the basal Asbeck Member. The systematic analysis of reefal microfaunas represents pioneer work that should be tested and expanded to other reefs of the Rhenish Massif and beyond.

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“…In typical European sections, the Hangenberg Crisis succession consists of the Hangenberg black shale (HBS), Hangenberg shale, and Hangenberg sandstone in ascending order (Becker et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotopic evidence of environmental changes during the Devonian–Carboniferous transition in South China and its implications for the biotic crisis

Cao

Wang

et al. 2023

Geobiology

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The Devonian–Carboniferous (D–C) transition coincides with the Hangenberg Crisis, carbon isotope anomalies, and the enhanced preservation of organic matter associated with marine redox fluctuations. The proposed driving factors for the biotic extinction include variations in the eustatic sea level, paleoclimate fluctuation, climatic conditions, redox conditions, and the configuration of ocean basins. To investigate this phenomenon and obtain information on the paleo‐ocean environment of different depositional facies, we studied a shallow‐water carbonate section developed in the periplatform slope facies on the southern margin of South China, which includes a well‐preserved succession spanning the D–C boundary. The integrated chemostratigraphic trends reveal distinct excursions in the isotopic compositions of bulk nitrogen, carbonate carbon, organic carbon, and total sulfur. A distinct negative δ15N excursion (~−3.1‰) is recorded throughout the Middle Si. praesulcata Zone and the Upper Si. praesulcata Zone, when the Hangenberg mass extinction occurred. We attribute the nitrogen cycle anomaly to enhanced microbial nitrogen fixation, which was likely a consequence of intensified seawater anoxia associated with increased denitrification, as well as upwelling of anoxic ammonium‐bearing waters. Negative excursions in the δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg values were identified in the Middle Si. praesulcata Zone and likely resulted from intense deep ocean upwelling that amplified nutrient fluxes and delivered 13C‐depleted anoxic water masses. Decreased δ34S values during the Middle Si. praesulcata Zone suggests an increasing contribution of water‐column sulfate reduction under euxinic conditions. Contributions of organic matter produced by anaerobic metabolisms to the deposition of shallow carbonate in the Upper Si. praesulcata Zone is recorded by the nadir of δ13Corg values associated with maximal △13C. The integrated δ15N‐δ13C‐δ34S data suggest that significant ocean‐redox variation was recorded in South China during the D–C transition; and that this prominent fluctuation was likely associated with intense upwelling of deep anoxic waters. The temporal synchrony between the development of euxinia/anoxia and the Hangenberg Event indicates that the redox oscillation was a key factor triggering manifestations of the biodiversity crisis.

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Review of Devonian-Carboniferous Boundary sections in the Rhenish Slate Mountains (Germany)

Cited by 22 publications

References 56 publications

Enhanced Continental Weathering as a Trigger for the End‐Devonian Hangenberg Crisis

Enhanced Continental Weathering as a Trigger for the End‐Devonian Hangenberg Crisis

The initial phase of the Hönne Valley Reef at Binolen (northern Rhenish Massif, Middle Devonian)

Isotopic evidence of environmental changes during the Devonian–Carboniferous transition in South China and its implications for the biotic crisis

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