O presente estudo integra informações bioestratigráficas e paleoecológicas obtidas através da análise de foraminíferos planctônicos e bentônicos recuperados dos sedimentos provenientes de cinco poços (1-MAS-1, 1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A, 1-MAS-14 e 1-MAS-15) da Bacia de Barreirinhas, perfazendo um total de 127 amostras de calha preparadas e analisadas. Os sedimentos aqui analisados abrangem os andares Albiano superior ao Campaniano superior com registro geológico inserido nos grupos Caju (Albiano - Cenomaniano) e Humberto de Campos (Turoniano - Maastrichtiano). Através dos dados bioestratigráficos obtidos foi possível estabelecer sete biozonas de foraminíferos, de caráter local, com base na última ocorrência do táxon guia (LAD - Last Appereance Datum). O Albiano superior foi definido com base nas biozonas do foraminífero planctônico Ticinella primula Lauterbacher (1963) e foraminíferos bentônicos Lingulogavelinella albiensis Malapris (1965)-Gyroidina bandyi Trujillo (1960); o Cenomaniano inferior foi determinado através das biozonas do foraminífero planctônico Globigerinelloides bentonensis Morrow (1934) e foraminífero bentônico Coronorotalites aptiensis Bettenstaedt (1952); o Cenomaniano superior foi reconhecido através das biozonas do foraminífero planctônico Rotalipora appeninica Renz (1936) e foraminífero bentônico Gavelinella intermedia Berthelin (1880); o Campaniano superior foi determinado com base na biozona do foraminífero planctônico Heterohelix pulchra Brotzen (1936). Após a identificação da microfauna, foi possível reconhecer 108 espécies de foraminíferos pertencentes a cinco subordens: a Subordem Globigerinina, de foraminíferos planctônicos, é representada por 40 espécies e 15 gêneros; os foraminíferos bentônicos são compostos por 68 espécies e 48 gêneros, pertencentes as Subordens Rotaliina, Textulariina, Lagenina e Miliolina. Através da análise da assembléia de foraminíferos, foi possível traçar a CCD (Carbonate Compensation Depth - Profundidade de Compensação do Carbonato) nos poços e separá-los com base na profundidade em: distais (1-MAS-1 e 1-MAS-14) e proximais (1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A e 1-MAS-15). Observou-se que a Bacia de Barreirinhas possui uma tendência geral transgressiva ao longo do Período Cretáceo, caracterizada por meio do influxo sedimentar através de variações climáticas, como o aquecimento global ocorrido neste período. Esta teoria é reforçada pela completa ausência de tecas calcárias, tanto de foraminíferos bentônicos, quanto planctônicos, associada à ocorrência exclusiva de bentônicos aglutinantes e silicosos (Reophax globosus) nos poços distais ao final do Período Cretáceo. Nos poços 1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A e 1-MAS-15, a fauna de foraminíferos identificada apresenta adaptações morfológicas a condições de baixa oxigenação na coluna d'água, características normalmente observadas durante os Eventos Oceânicos Anóxicos (Oceanic Anoxic Event - OEA). Como exemplo destas adaptações morfológicas, foram identificadas três espécies pertencentes ao gênero Schakoina, que possui câmaras alongadas e a espécie Biticinella breggiensis, que possui câmaras bilobadas, sugerindo um aumento na produtividade primária, disponibilidade de nutrientes e paleoambientes depletados em oxigênio. Com base nestas informações foi possível identificar que um Evento Anóxico de caráter local tenha ocorrido durante o Albiano superior, registrado somente nos poços 1-MAS-3A e 1-MAS-4A, enquanto que o Evento Anóxico Global 2 foi registrado no poço 1-MAS-15. / This study integrates biostratigraphic and paleoecological information obtained through of planktonic and benthic foraminifera analysis from sediment recovered from five wells (1-MAS-1, 1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A, 1-MAS-14 and 1-MAS-15) of Barreirinhas Basin, making a total of 127 samples prepared and analyzed. The sediments analyzed here cover the upper Albian to upper Campanian stages with geological record inserted in the Caju (Albian - Cenomanian) and Humberto de Campos (Turonian - Maastrichtian) groups. Through the biostratigraphic data obtained it was possible to establish seven foraminiferal biozones, of local character, based on the last occurrence of taxon guide (LAD - Last Appereance Datum). The upper Albian was defined based on planktonic foraminifera biozones of Ticinella primula Lauterbacher (1963) and benthic foraminifera Lingulogavelinella albiensis Malapris (1965)-Gyroidina Bandy Trujillo (1960); the lower Cenomanian was determined through the planktonic foraminifera biozones of Globigerinelloides bentonensis Morrow (1934) and benthic foraminifera Coronorotalites aptiensis Bettenstaedt (1952); the upper Cenomanian was recognized through the planktonic foraminifera biozones of Rotalipora appeninica Renz (1936) and benthic foraminifera Gavelinella intermedia Berthelin (1880); the upper Campanian was determined based on the planktonic foraminifera biozone Heterohelix pulchra Brotzen (1936). After the identification of microfauna, was possible to recognize 108 species of foraminifera belonging to five suborders: the Suborder Globigerinina, of planktonic foraminifera, is represented by 40 species and 15 genera; the benthic foraminifera are composed of 68 species and 48 genera, belonging to the suborders Rotaliina, Textulariina, Lagenina and Miliolina. Through analysis of foraminifera assemblage it was possible to trace the CCD (Carbonate Compensation Depth) in the wells and separate them based on depth in: distal (1-MAS-1 and 1-MAS-14) and proximal (1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A and 1-MAS-15). It was noted that the Barreirinhas Basin has an overall transgression during the Cretaceous Period, characterized by sedimentary influx through weather changes, like global warming that occurred during this period. This theory is enhanced by the complete absence of calcareous tests, both of benthic as planktonic foraminifera associated with the exclusive occurrence of agglutinating and arenaceous benthic (Reophax globosus) in the distal wells of the end of Cretaceous Period. In the wells 1-MAS-3A, 1-MAS-4A and 1-MAS-15, the foraminifera fauna identified presents morphological adaptations to conditions of low oxygen in the water column, features typically seen during the Oceanic Anoxic Event (OEA's). As examples of these morphological adaptations, was identified three species of the Schakoina genera, which has elongated chambers and Biticinella breggiensis species, which has bilobeted chambers, suggesting an increase in the primary productivity, nutrient availability and paleoenvironments depleted in oxygen. Based on this information it was possible to identify a local character anoxic events occurred during the upper Albian, recorded only in a well 1-MAS-3A and 1-MAS-4A, while the global anoxic event 2 was recorded in a well 1-MAS-15.

A presente dissertação de mestrado apresenta uma descrição detalhada do primeiro dicinodonte reportado para o Permiano da América do Sul. O material (PV 0226) é composto por um crânio parcial e mandíbulas associadas, proveniente da Serra do Cadeado, estado do Paraná, Formação Rio do Rasto. O espécime foi descrito preliminarmente na década de 70 e atribuído ao gênero Endothiodon. Tal classificação implicava em uma correlação direta com algumas das consagradas biozonas do Grupo Beaufort da África do Sul, já que este táxon é encontrado nesse depósito. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho era verificar a identidade taxonômica do material brasileiro, e a partir da confirmação ou da proposição de outra identificação para o espécime, discutir brevemente as implicações bioestratigráficas e paleobiogeográficas da presença deste fóssil no Brasil. O exemplar em questão foi comparado com espécimes de Endothiodon da coleção do American Museum of Natural History, e uma extensa revisão bibliográfica foi realizada para obter informações sobre espécimes depositados em outras instituições. Por fim, o material brasileiro foi confirmado como pertencendo ao táxon Endothiodon, devido à presença de: forame pineal situado em uma bossa, protuberâncias em forma de bulbo localizadas na face antero-lateral dos dentários, bossa situada na margem ventral do jugal, grande número de dentes inseridos na superfície dorso-medial do dentário, sulco do dentário lateral à fileira de dentes na mandíbula, porção mais anterior da mandíbula em forma de um bico curvo e pontiagudo, entre outras características. Entretanto, não foi possível atribuir a este exemplar uma das quatro espécies do gênero, visto que a atual separação das espécies é dada basicamente por diferenças no comprimento do crânio. Esta feição pode refletir meramente o estágio ontogenético dos indivíduos e não diferenças em nível específico, exceto para E. mahalanobisi que aparenta ser uma forma de pequeno porte. Na realidade, outras características (região interorbital larga, presença de sínfise do dentário grácil ou robusta) apontadas como diagnósticas para o táxon são problemáticas e deveriam ser evitadas ou substituídas por outras mais informativas. Além disso, a forma de Endothiodon do Brasil apresenta uma estrutura denominada “dentary table”, recentemente identificada neste gênero. Em relação à bioestratigrafia, as correlações propostas para as faunas de tetrápodes da Formação Rio do Rasto ressaltam a semelhança dessas com associações faunísticas do Meso e Neopermiano da África do Sul e do Leste Europeu. Porém, até o momento, essas correlações são tentativas, pois poucos elementos dessas faunas são conhecidos para o Brasil e sobre estes, faltam informações relativas aos níveis estratigráficos em que foram coletados. Este último fator gera incertezas em relação à contemporaneidade dos fósseis encontrados em uma mesma localidade. Sobre a aparente escassez de vertebrados para esta formação, quando comparada a outros depósitos de mesma idade, esta parece advinda de um artifício de coleta, ou seja, o material conhecido até o momento não reflete a diversidade que essas localidades devem abrigar. O estudo detalhado de PV 0226 resultou em um artigo submetido para publicação em um periódico de cunho paleontológico. / The present master´s thesis presents a detailed description of the first dicynodont reported for the Permian of South America. The material (PV 0226) comprises a partial skull and associated lower jaws, collected in the Serra do Cadeado locality, Paraná state, Rio do Rasto Formation. The specimen was described preliminary during the 1970´s and assigned to the genus Endothiodon. This identification implied a direct correlation with some of the well-established biozones of the Beaufort Group, South Africa, since this taxon is found in this deposit. Thus, the main objective of this work was to verify the taxonomic identity of the Brazilian material and based on the confirmation or proposition of another classification for the specimen, to discuss briefly the biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeogrpahic implications of the presence of this fossil in Brazil. The specimen studied herein was compared with Endothiodon material housed in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History, and an extensive review of the literature was carried out in order to collect information about specimens housed in other institutions. Finally, it was confirmed the material from Brazil belongs to Endothiodon, due to the presence of: pineal foramen situated on a boss, prominent bulbous swellings on the anterolateral sides of the dentary, boss situated on the ventral margin of the jugal, extensive number of teeth on the mid-dorsal surface of the dentary, dentary sulcus lateral to the lower teeth row, anterior portion of the lower jaw prolonged into upwardly curved and pointed beak, among other characteristics. However, it was not possible to assign the material to one of the four species of the genus, as the current distinction of them is based mainly on differences in the skull lenghth. This feature may reflect merely the ontogenetic stage of the specimens and not differences at species level (except from E. mahalanobisi, which seems to be a small form). In fact, other characters (wide interorbital region, slender or robust dentary symphysis) pointed as diagnostic for this taxon are problematic and should be avoided or substituted for others more informative. Besides, the Brazilian form of Endothiodon bears a dentary table, recently indentified in this genus. Regarding biostratigraphy, the correlations proposed for the tetrapod faunas of the Rio do Rasto Formation highlight the similarities between these associations and others from the Mid and Late Permian of South Africa and Eastern Europe. But, until now, these correlations are tentative because few elements of these faunas were recovered from Brazil and most of them lack data about the stratigraphic levels from where they were collected. The latter leads to uncertainty concerning the age of the fossils found in the same locality. About the apparent poverty of vertebrates for this formation when compared to other deposits of the same age, it seems to be a collecting artifact, i.e. the amount of material recovered from this formation until the present does not reflect the potential diversity of it. The detailed study of PV 0226 resulted in an article submitted to a palaeontological journal.

A presente dissertação de mestrado apresenta uma descrição detalhada do primeiro dicinodonte reportado para o Permiano da América do Sul. O material (PV 0226) é composto por um crânio parcial e mandíbulas associadas, proveniente da Serra do Cadeado, estado do Paraná, Formação Rio do Rasto. O espécime foi descrito preliminarmente na década de 70 e atribuído ao gênero Endothiodon. Tal classificação implicava em uma correlação direta com algumas das consagradas biozonas do Grupo Beaufort da África do Sul, já que este táxon é encontrado nesse depósito. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho era verificar a identidade taxonômica do material brasileiro, e a partir da confirmação ou da proposição de outra identificação para o espécime, discutir brevemente as implicações bioestratigráficas e paleobiogeográficas da presença deste fóssil no Brasil. O exemplar em questão foi comparado com espécimes de Endothiodon da coleção do American Museum of Natural History, e uma extensa revisão bibliográfica foi realizada para obter informações sobre espécimes depositados em outras instituições. Por fim, o material brasileiro foi confirmado como pertencendo ao táxon Endothiodon, devido à presença de: forame pineal situado em uma bossa, protuberâncias em forma de bulbo localizadas na face antero-lateral dos dentários, bossa situada na margem ventral do jugal, grande número de dentes inseridos na superfície dorso-medial do dentário, sulco do dentário lateral à fileira de dentes na mandíbula, porção mais anterior da mandíbula em forma de um bico curvo e pontiagudo, entre outras características. Entretanto, não foi possível atribuir a este exemplar uma das quatro espécies do gênero, visto que a atual separação das espécies é dada basicamente por diferenças no comprimento do crânio. Esta feição pode refletir meramente o estágio ontogenético dos indivíduos e não diferenças em nível específico, exceto para E. mahalanobisi que aparenta ser uma forma de pequeno porte. Na realidade, outras características (região interorbital larga, presença de sínfise do dentário grácil ou robusta) apontadas como diagnósticas para o táxon são problemáticas e deveriam ser evitadas ou substituídas por outras mais informativas. Além disso, a forma de Endothiodon do Brasil apresenta uma estrutura denominada “dentary table”, recentemente identificada neste gênero. Em relação à bioestratigrafia, as correlações propostas para as faunas de tetrápodes da Formação Rio do Rasto ressaltam a semelhança dessas com associações faunísticas do Meso e Neopermiano da África do Sul e do Leste Europeu. Porém, até o momento, essas correlações são tentativas, pois poucos elementos dessas faunas são conhecidos para o Brasil e sobre estes, faltam informações relativas aos níveis estratigráficos em que foram coletados. Este último fator gera incertezas em relação à contemporaneidade dos fósseis encontrados em uma mesma localidade. Sobre a aparente escassez de vertebrados para esta formação, quando comparada a outros depósitos de mesma idade, esta parece advinda de um artifício de coleta, ou seja, o material conhecido até o momento não reflete a diversidade que essas localidades devem abrigar. O estudo detalhado de PV 0226 resultou em um artigo submetido para publicação em um periódico de cunho paleontológico. / The present master´s thesis presents a detailed description of the first dicynodont reported for the Permian of South America. The material (PV 0226) comprises a partial skull and associated lower jaws, collected in the Serra do Cadeado locality, Paraná state, Rio do Rasto Formation. The specimen was described preliminary during the 1970´s and assigned to the genus Endothiodon. This identification implied a direct correlation with some of the well-established biozones of the Beaufort Group, South Africa, since this taxon is found in this deposit. Thus, the main objective of this work was to verify the taxonomic identity of the Brazilian material and based on the confirmation or proposition of another classification for the specimen, to discuss briefly the biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeogrpahic implications of the presence of this fossil in Brazil. The specimen studied herein was compared with Endothiodon material housed in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History, and an extensive review of the literature was carried out in order to collect information about specimens housed in other institutions. Finally, it was confirmed the material from Brazil belongs to Endothiodon, due to the presence of: pineal foramen situated on a boss, prominent bulbous swellings on the anterolateral sides of the dentary, boss situated on the ventral margin of the jugal, extensive number of teeth on the mid-dorsal surface of the dentary, dentary sulcus lateral to the lower teeth row, anterior portion of the lower jaw prolonged into upwardly curved and pointed beak, among other characteristics. However, it was not possible to assign the material to one of the four species of the genus, as the current distinction of them is based mainly on differences in the skull lenghth. This feature may reflect merely the ontogenetic stage of the specimens and not differences at species level (except from E. mahalanobisi, which seems to be a small form). In fact, other characters (wide interorbital region, slender or robust dentary symphysis) pointed as diagnostic for this taxon are problematic and should be avoided or substituted for others more informative. Besides, the Brazilian form of Endothiodon bears a dentary table, recently indentified in this genus. Regarding biostratigraphy, the correlations proposed for the tetrapod faunas of the Rio do Rasto Formation highlight the similarities between these associations and others from the Mid and Late Permian of South Africa and Eastern Europe. But, until now, these correlations are tentative because few elements of these faunas were recovered from Brazil and most of them lack data about the stratigraphic levels from where they were collected. The latter leads to uncertainty concerning the age of the fossils found in the same locality. About the apparent poverty of vertebrates for this formation when compared to other deposits of the same age, it seems to be a collecting artifact, i.e. the amount of material recovered from this formation until the present does not reflect the potential diversity of it. The detailed study of PV 0226 resulted in an article submitted to a palaeontological journal.

As informações palinológicas da Bacia do Pelotas são relativamente escassas para a seção pré-quaternária, ensejando estudos sistematizados, iniciados nos últimos anos. Com base na análise bioestratigráfica e a técnica de palinofácies, este trabalho apresenta resultados palinológicos obtidos de testemunhos de sondagem de três poços selecionados da bacia: 2-CA-1-RS, 2-TG-96-RS e BP-01 para investigar as variações paleoambientais preservadas nos depósitos neogenos e obtenção de datações relativas. Condições de deposição em ambiente marinho foram registradas para os três poços, com variações significativas entre eles. No poço 2-CA-1-RS, as formas registradas de dinoflagelados nas amostras basais caracterizam ambiente plataformal de nerítico médio a profundo, enquanto os níveis superiores são interpretados como nerítico interno. Para o poço 2-TG-96-RS, o padrão de distribuição da matéria orgânica particulada (mop) e as espécies de dinoflagelados registradas sugerem deposição em condições de ambiente nerítico interno, em todas as amostras. Entretanto, a maior representatividade da mop continental, nos níveis de topo, caracteriza certa proximidade com o continente. De maneira geral, é verificada uma tendência regressiva para os poços 2-CA-1-RS e 2-TG-96-RS. A distribuição da mop ao longo da seção estudada do poço BP-01 indicam condições marinhas distais. Esses resultados são distintos dos dois outros poços. As associações de dinoflagelados somadas aos demais palinomorfos registrados sugerem condições de deposição da seção, entre o ambiente nerítico externo a oceânico. Os resultados encontram apoio na literatura disponível sobre os mesmos poços assim como em outros trabalhos sobre a evolução geológica geral da bacia, durante o Neógeno. Espécies-índices foram identificadas nas associações palinológicas; dinoflagelados foram mais úteis para o posicionamento bioestratigráfico das seções. A seção estudada do poço 2-CA-1-RS é datada entre o Mioceno inferior–Pleistoceno inferior; do poço 2-TG-96-RS entre o Mioceno superior–Plioceno inferior; e do poço BP-01 no Mioceno inferior. Esses resultados demonstram o potencial de aplicação da palinologia para a interpretação paleoambiental e bioestratigráfica da Bacia de Pelotas. / Palynological data for the pre-Quaternary section from the Pelotas Basin are relatively scarce; in this way, systematic studies have been started in this theme from the last years. This work presents palynological results obtained from core samples collected in three selected wells: 2-CA-1-RS, 2-TG-96-RS and BP-01, based on biostratigraphy and palynofacies analyses, to offer their relative ages and paleoenvironmental changes. Marine environment depositional conditions were recorded for the three wells, with significant changes among them. For the 2-CA-1-RS well, assemblages from the basal samples characterize neritic to distal shelfl marine environments, while associations recorded from upper samples suggest proximal marine environment. The particulate organic matter (mop) distribution pattern and the dinoflagellate cysts species registered from the well 2-TG-96-RS suggest a depositional inner neritic environment, for all samples. However, the great representation of continental mop in the upper section of this well allows to indicate a closeness to the continental environment. In general terms, a regressive trend for the 2-CA-1-RS and 2- TG-96-RS wells is recognized. The distribution of mop along the BP-01 well samples suggest distal marine conditions. These results are different from the other two wells. The dinoflagellate associations, along with the other recorded palynomorphs, suggest that this section developed between the outer neritic and oceanic environments. These results are in accordance with the available literature from the same well as well as other studies on the general geological succession of the basin, during the Neogene. Index species were identified among the palynologic associations; dinoflagellates were more useful for biostratigraphic positioning of the sections. The study section of the 2- CA-1-RS is dated between the lower Miocene and the lower Pleistocene; samples from the 2-TG-96-RS are regarded as upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene; section of the BP- 01 is dated as lower Miocene. These results demonstrate the application potential of palynology to interpret the paleoenvironment and biostratigraphy of the Pelotas Basin.

Jusqu'à récemment, l'essentiel de l'information sur les premiers ecosystèmes marins complexes provenait de gisements dits à préservation exceptionnelle, d'âge Cambrien, répartis à travers le globe. Leur caractéristique est de préserver des organismes faiblement sclérotisés, reflétant ainsi fidèlement les faunes de l'époque. Cependant, la découverte de tels sites dans l'Ordovicien inférieur du Maroc permet non seulement d'évaluer pour la première fois avec précision la biodiversité marine de cette époque mais aussi, à qualité de préservation égale, de comparer la vie marine cambrienne et ordovicienne. L'établissement d'un cadre biostratigraphique et envrionnemental précis des niveaux fossilifères a montré que la préservation exceptionnelle était restreinte au sein de deux intervalles stratigraphiquesresserrés datant du Trémadocien supérieur et du Floien moyen. Les donnéessédimentologiques ont mis en évidence un environnement de plateforme peu profond. Ces résultats étaient un prérequis à l'ouverture de fouilles systématiques permettant des analyses paléoécologiques qualitatives et quantitatives à haute résolution. Les résultats préliminairesindiquent l'existence probable de conditions environnementales inhospitalières, du moins temporairement, associées aux niveaux à préservation exceptionnelle. Elles ont également distingué des assemblages in situ (biocénoses) et des associations d'éléments transportés (taphocénoses). Parallèlement, de nouvelles données importantes sur la morphologie, l'écologie, et le mode de vie présumé chez certains groupes ont pu être acquises / Until recently, most of the information on the first complexe marine ecosystems came from Cambrian Konservat-Lagerstätten, distributed all over the world. Their particularity is to preserve a wide array of soft-bodied and lightly sklerotized organisms, accurately reflecting past communities. However, the discovery of such Lagerstätten in the Lower Ordovician ofMorocco offers unique insights into the first animal biodiversifications. Indeed, the Fezouata Shale does not only allow for the time to document Lower Ordovician marine communities, but also to draw comparisons between Cambrian and Ordovician marine realms with the same precision. The establishment of a sound biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmentalframework for the fossiliferous localities demonstrated that exceptional preservation was restricted to two relatively narrow intervals: a 60-meter-thick late Tremadocian lower interval and a 15-meter-thick middle Floian one. Sedimentological data suggest relatively shallow offshore conditions. These results were a prerequistie to the opening of systematic excavation in order to perform high-resolution quantitative and qualitative palaeocological analyses. Preliminary results point to the likely occurrence of -at least temporarily- unhospitable environmental conditions associated with exceptional preservation. They also enabled the recognition of original in situ communities (biocoenoses) and time-averaged associations including transported elements (taphocoenoses). Simultaneously, important new data on the morphology, ecology and presumed mode of life of fossil groups have been collected

4 Abstract The work is based on a revision of collection from several scientific institutions from the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Saxony (National Museum in Prague, Chlupáč Museum of Earth History, Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, etc.). The collection is based on samples published by Oskar Lenz and George Bruder from the second half of the 19th century. Both authors also processed the findings of other researchers (e.g. Cotta, Weisse). The belemnite rostra were systematically divided into four families, five genera and seven identifiable genera. One rostrum has not exactly been determined. The age of the samples was established to be the Middle and Upper Jurassic (Bajocian- Kimmeridgian). The length of the expected sedimentation in this area has been prolonged to the past (deeper to the Middle Jurassic), mainly due to the finding of the species Megateuthis gigantea Schlotheim, 1820. Earlier research (especially in the 20th century) assumed the extent of preserved carbonate rocks only in the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian age, with a not much fossiliferous Callovian Brtníky Formation. The studied sedimentary rocks show a significant influence of Milankovich cycles with repeated alternation of carbonate and non- carbonate layers in the sequence. Preliminary results of isotope...

The Mesozoic is punctuated by several rapid global warming events that are marked by the worldwide deposition of organic-rich marine sediments. These events, known as oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), are characterised by intervals where the worldwide carbon cycle suffers a disruption due to major palaeoceanographic and climatic shifts, leading to anoxic marine environments and the creation of black shales. For this study, the Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a), which occurred during the Early Cretaceous Aptian age (~120 Ma) was analysed. It was likely triggered by the Greater Ontong Java underwater volcanic event and is associated with major changes in marine environments and ecosystems, including nekton and plankton turnover, and sea water composition changes. The impact of this event on terrestrial land-based ecosystems is, however, less well understood. Here I document well preserved and diverse spore-pollen assemblages spanning OAE 1a from southern Sweden by examining the Höllviken I core. Before the OAE, palynofloras are dominated by conifers, suggestive of a relatively mild and dry coastal environment. At the onset of the OAE a fern spike occurs, where there is a shift to early successional stage vegetation. Gymnosperm diversity and abundance sharply decrease, and the palynofloral assemblages become dominated by ferns, indicating a shift to warm and wet conditions. Gymnosperms gradually recover thereafter, but the formerly abundant conifer pollen Classopollis does not recover and remains rare. Dinoflagellate cysts and microforaminiferal test linings increase in abundance after OAE 1a, suggesting a higher degree of marine influence. These findings show that OAE 1a had a substantial impact on the composition and diversity of high latitude terrestrial vegetation and marine plankton communities. / <p>The work for this thesis was financially supported by the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree PANGEA programme.</p>

This PhD thesis is a commentary to the attached publications. The thesis deals with two microfossil groups Ostracoda and Foraminifera in the Upper Cretaceous of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin. Contribution of these microfossils for biostratigraphy and application in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction with the modern approach is the main goal of this work. Basic ecology, biogeography and previous work in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin is included. Studied fossil sites, methods, microfossil preservation and data evaluation are described below. Obtained palaeontological, geochemical and lithological data are interpreted in the context with available data from studied fossil sites. Ostracoda assemblage from Úpohlavy fossil site is correlated with the Ostracoda assemblage from Great Britain. The similarity of the Ostracoda taxa suggests a possible communication of compared areas. Thanks to this work, biostratigraphy occurrence of six Ostracoda species (Cythereloidea stricta, Nemoceratina (Pariceratina) montuosa, Cythereis ornatissima ornatissima, Phodeucythere cuneiformis, Pterygocythereis robusta a Bairdoppilata litorea) is extended to Upper Turonian. Taxonomical changes in studied ostracoda assemblage expressed by PSH hypothesis (Platycopid Signal Hypothesis) support previous palaeoenvironmental...

<p>The Middle Jurassic Tecocoyunca Group of northeastern Guerrero, Mexico is situated on the allochthonous Mixteca tectostratiqraphic terrane. This group represents an overall transgressive trend with a few minor fluctuations of base level. Foreshore, shoreface, barrier island, washover, and laqoonal facies are identified within five coarsening-upward sequence. Abundant hummocky cross stratification, low-angle inclined stratification, and swash cross stratification indicate dominance of wave processes. These nearshore sequences are overlain by offshore marine shales, which are thought to represent a major global eustatic sea-level rise in the latest Bathonian, continuing into the Early Callovian. During the transgression, deep portions of the basin developed anoxic bottom conditions, resulting in the deposition of bituminous black shales. The combined effects of basinal subsidence and eustatic sea-level rise resulted in a rapid rate of transgression which exceeded that of sedimentation; ca. 110 cm/Ka. </p> <p> Five ammonite associations date the Tecocoyunca Group as Upper Bathonian (Retrocostatum Zone) to Lower Callovian (Calloviense Zone). Biogeoqraphic affinity of the ammonite fauna is mostly Andean with signicant west-Tethyan/mediterranean elements and a few endemic species. The ammonite faunas show: 1) a rapid faunal replacement, 2) shell morphology trends, and 3 ) varying degrees of endemism/cosmopolitanism, all in relation to sea level variation. </p> <p>Biostratiqraphy and lithostratigraphy of the Tecocoyunca Group suggest that: 1) the Mixteca terrane had a paleoposition, during the Middle Jurassic, near the Pacific opening of the Hispanic Corridor (proto-AtlanticJ, 2) the Hispanic corridor provided marine connections between the eastern Pacific Ocean and the western Tethys Sea, and 3) preponderance near shore sediments suggests close proximity to the Andes of South America. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

The Paradox Basin is a northwest-southeast trending intracratonic basin that formed in southwestern Colorado, southeastern Utah and adjacent parts of Arizona and New Mexico during the late Paleozoic Era. During rise of the adjacent Uncompahgre Uplift (Ancestral Rocky Mountains), the rapidly subsiding basin was filled with over 2000 m of Permo-Pennsylvanian sediments that reflect a complex interplay of changing tectonic, paleoecological, and climatic conditions that resulted in cyclic packages of mixed lowstand and non-marine siliciclastics and highstand shallow-platform carbonates. The 150 m-thick Honaker Trail formation straddles the transition from mostly marine carbonates to mostly non-marine siliciclastics on the southwest shelf of the Paradox Basin during late Moscovian to early Gzhelian (late Desmoinesian to early Virgilian) time. The carbonate-dominated lower 70 m of the formation were divided into two 4th-order sequences and thirteen 5th-order cycles by Goldhammer et al. (1991). We subdivide the remaining overlying 80 m of the Honaker Trail Formation, up to the top of the Shafer Limestone into an additional five 4th-order sequences named, from lowest to highest, the Raplee Limestone (named herein as a replacement for "unnamed limestone" of previous literature), Little Loop Limestone, W"“130 Limestone, Mendenhall Sandstone, and Shafer Limestone sequences and provide a detailed sequence stratigraphic framework of the Raplee, Little Loop, and W-130 sequences. In addition, we provide a conodont sequence biostratigraphic framework for the southwestern (carbonate) shelf of the Paradox Basin to correlate these sequences to Midcontinent (eastern Kansas) cycles using Idiognathodus and Streptognathodus-dominated conodont faunas. From the conodont fauna described herein, the Raplee Limestone sequence likely correlates with the Dennis major cycle of the Midcontinent, and suggests a correlation between the Little Loop Sequence and the minor Hogshooter cyclothem. We also propose the extension of these species' biostratigraphic zones within the Paradox Basin: I. swadei, I. papulatus, I. eccentricus, and I. sulciferus; all of which have been defined by Barrick and Rosscoe (2013) and others as extinct in the Midcontinent Basin at the end of the Swope cyclothem.