Tabulate corals across the Frasnian/Famennian boundary: architectural turnover and its possible relation to ancient photosymbiosis

Zapalski, Mikołaj K.; Nowicki, Jakub; Jakubowicz, Michał; Berkowski, Błażej

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.09.028

Cited by 24 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…Likewise, the genus Actinostroma , which dominates the stromatoporoid inventory of the climax stage, is typical of relatively shallow parts of Devonian buildups (e.g., Da Silva et al, ; MacNeil & Jones, ; Wolniewicz, ). Assuming a photosymbiotic lifestyle of highly integrated tabulates (Zapalski, Nowicki, et al, ; Zapalski, Wrzołek, et al, ), the transition from predominantly laminar to massive forms with progressive reef accretion can be also directly related to increasing light availability, as laminar growth forms facilitate light harvesting at depth (for a discussion, see Zapalski, Wrzołek, et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is generally agreed that the Devonian was one the warmest invervals in the Earth history (Copper & Scotese, ; Joachimski et al, ; Zapalski, Nowicki, et al, ). Divergent views exist, however, as to the actual trends in temperature changes over the Devonian.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the history of reef building on Earth dominated by solitary or poorly calcified biota, the Middle Palaeozoic stands out as one of rare intervals that saw reefs dominated by assemblages of massive, possibly photosymbiotic organisms resembling modern reefal ecosystems (Copper, ; Cowen, ; Kiessling, ; Kiessling, Flugel, & Golonka, ; Sepkoski, ; Talent, ; Wood, , ; Zapalski, Nowicki, et al, ). The dominant Silurian and Devonian reef builders included stromatoporoid sponges and colonial tabulate and rugose corals, with various contribution of calcimicrobes, solitary rugosans, crinoids, and brachiopods (Copper, , ; Machel & Hunter, ; MacNeil & Jones, ; Shen, Webb, & Jell, ; Zapalski, Hubert, Nicollin, Mistaen, & Brice, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, most studies of Devonian reefs carried out in the past two decades focused on the Early and Late Devonian, that is, periods of most dramatic environmental changes, rather than on the climax time of the reef building in the Earth history, represented by the Middle Devonian (Copper & Scotese, ; Fagerstrom, ). This is superimposed on the long‐standing lack of consensus as to the extent of analogy between the mid‐Palaeozoic and Recent reefs (e.g., Kiessling et al, ; Wood, ; Zapalski, Nowicki, et al, ), resulting in major descriptive and terminological inconsistencies in palaeoecological interpretations of different coral‐stromatoporoid communities. These problems render our understanding of the community structure, palaeoenvironmental requirements, and palaeogeographical patterns in the development of the mid‐Palaeozoic reefs fragmentary, emphasizing the need of palaeontological and sedimentological studies of Devonian reefal buildups.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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At the southern limits of the Devonian reef zone: Palaeoecology of the Aferdou el Mrakib reef (Givetian, eastern Anti‐Atlas, Morocco)

et al. 2018

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Devonian reefs of north-western Gondwana represent the southernmost record of shallow-water coral reefs in the Palaeozoic. However, few studies have attempted to date palaeoecological reconstructions of these high-latitude reefal buildups. This study provides the first detailed palaeoecological analysis of Aferdou el Mrakib, an isolated, Givetian coral-stromatoporoid reef, which developed in a semirestricted basin in the south-eastern part of the Rheic Ocean. The study documents spatial facies variability and succession of faunal replacements accompanying progressive reef accretion towards the sea surface. The investigations included both autochthonous communities found at the base of the reef and, partially, within the reef core, and allochthonous deposits of reef-derived skeletal debris that accumulated in the fore-reef setting. Contrary to some previous suggestions, the study shows that the Aferdou reef shared many characteristics of classical Middle Devonian coral-stromatoporoid buildups, including the ecological succession, limited role of calcareous algae, and development within the range of the euphotic zone, but likely below the zone of regular water agitation. Critical factors in the facies development and temporal changes in the character of reef building were the palaeobathymetry, dominant sedimentary and circulation regimes, level of wave energy, and, possibly, light availability. Distinctive features of the palaeoecology of Aferdou el Mrakib are the dominance of massive colonies of heliolitid tabulates and a subordinate role of massive stromatoporoids, both explained here primarily as a result of increased water turbidity in the high-latitude sedimentary basin.The growth of the high-latitude coral-stromatoporoid reefs in the south-eastern Rheic Ocean was favoured by a combination of the exceptionally warm climate and plate tectonic configuration typifying the Devonian. Of critical importance appears the palaeogeographic position of the Rheic, which resulted in the seawater circulation in the ocean being dominated by tropical water masses, with restricted inflow of cold water from the circumpolar oceanic circulation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

At the southern limits of the Devonian reef zone: Palaeoecology of the Aferdou el Mrakib reef (Givetian, eastern Anti‐Atlas, Morocco)

et al. 2018

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“…Highsmith 1979;Sadler et al 2015;Tanzil et al 2016) and, more interestingly, photosynthesis efficiency (Stanley & Helmle 2010). For Palaeozoic rugose and tabulate corals, these effects are not easy to test but it is commonly admitted that they shared similar physiology as suggested by similar growth and colony integration (Coates & Jackson 1987;Stanley & Lipps 2011), or stable isotopes of the coral skeleton (Zapalski 2014;Zapalski et al 2016Zapalski et al , 2017 and reference therein). Lelehsus (1982) suggested that the low density bands correspond to the vegetative phase of growth, whereas the high density bands correspond to a slower growth phase that happened during sexual reproduction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From rolling stones to rolling reefs: a Devonian example of highly diverse macroids

Denayer

2018

LET

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The upper carbonate member of the Aisemont Formation (Upper Frasnian, Belgium) yielded a surprisingly diverse assemblage of macroids varying in size, shape and composition, from simplest microbial oncoid to complex, polytaxic circumrotatory macroid. A descriptive classification combining composition and geometry of macroids is proposed. It suits for sedimentological and palaeobiological analyses. Five categories forming a continuum are distinguished as follows: (1) simple oncoids, consisting of microbial coating of various nuclei; (2) composite oncoids, involving several encrusting taxa and microbes‐induced precipitates; (3) simple circumrotatory macroids, constructed by one or few different organisms and forming free‐rolling particle; (4) polytaxic circumrotatory macroids, constructed by diverse organisms, usually in sequential coating and form free‐rolling object; and, (5) polytaxic domed macroids, polytaxic assemblage of encrusting organism forming domed or columnar anchored bioconstructions. The dominant (in number and volume) encrusting organisms are the tabulate corals and stromatoporoids that both possessed the ability to attach to any hard substrate. Microbes also contributed to the formation of macroids although the volume they occupy is relatively limited. Skeletal invertebrates likely grew during the good season when environmental conditions were suitable for the growth, then partly or totally died and was colonized by microbes during the bad season. The surface of the macroid (after rolling or not) was subsequently re‐coated with skeletal organisms when suitable conditions re‐established. Final burial of the macroid occurred during the good season as their outermost surface is rarely coated with microbes. Geopetal sediment filling of cavities displays various directions indicating the rolling of the objects during their formation. Periodical rolling or tilting may be related to seasonal storms and the resulting assemblage formed genuine rolling reefs of crucial importance for birth palaeoecological and sedimentological analysis.

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The Silurian mesophotic coral ecosystems: 430 million years of photosymbiosis

Zapalski

Berkowski

2018

Coral Reefs

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The Silurian Period witnessed one of the most profound intervals of reef development in the history of the Earth, formed in large part by tabulate and rugose corals and stromatoporoid assemblages. One of the best-known examples of Silurian reefs (bioherms) is those exposed on the Baltic island of Gotland (Sweden). The stratigraphic sequence below these bioherms is represented by the Visby Beds (Lower Wenlock, ca. 430 Ma) that record in their lower sections (Lower Visby Beds) environments near the lower limit of the euphotic zone. Here, we describe platy tabulate coral assemblages from the uppermost Lower Visby Beds that represent a mesophotic coral ecosystem (MCE) potentially spread over 40 km. This MCE is dominated by platy tabulate corals, with accessory branching tabulates and solitary and phaceloid rugose corals. Algae are absent, likely as a result of taphonomic bias. It is possible that other MCEs of similar age are recorded on other Silurian tropical shelves: Anticosti Island (Laurentia, present Arctic Canada) and Hiiumaa (Baltica, present Estonia), in particular, may possess candidate early Silurian MCE assemblages. At a minimum, however, tabulate corals acquired photosymbionts during the early Silurian (Wenlock), which resulted in the development of both MCEs and shallow-water reef systems and contributed to the great expansion of the mid-Palaeozoic reef complexes.

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Tabulate corals across the Frasnian/Famennian boundary: architectural turnover and its possible relation to ancient photosymbiosis

Cited by 24 publications

References 108 publications

At the southern limits of the Devonian reef zone: Palaeoecology of the Aferdou el Mrakib reef (Givetian, eastern Anti‐Atlas, Morocco)

At the southern limits of the Devonian reef zone: Palaeoecology of the Aferdou el Mrakib reef (Givetian, eastern Anti‐Atlas, Morocco)

From rolling stones to rolling reefs: a Devonian example of highly diverse macroids

The Silurian mesophotic coral ecosystems: 430 million years of photosymbiosis

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