No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The Ordovician (485-444 Ma) was a highly dynamic period, characterized by significant evolutionary and climatic change. Paleozoic fauna which evolved during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) populated extensive epicontinental seaways. Major sea level fluctuations during The Hirnantian glaciation are believed to have led to a mass extinction event at the End Ordovician. However, a reassessment of Early Paleozoic fossil assemblages suggests the onset of extinctions began in the mid-Katian, ~3 million years before the Hirnantian. The Kope formation, within the North American succession of the Katian, was deposited during the peak biodiversification of the GOBE at the point which a biological crisis begins. The well-studied series of interbedded shale and fossiliferous limestone beds, deposited within a shallow epeiric sea, provide ideal sedimentological and paleontological context to interpret sediment geochemistry recorded at the onset of a global mass extinction. For a high-resolution section of the Kope, δ34Spyrite show an extraordinary range of variability, up to 64.5‰, with systematic oscillations throughout the core. The isotope signal represents a mix of pyrite formed at the time of deposition and during diagenesis. As sea levels fluctuated, the amount of sediment delivery influenced the connection of sediment porewaters to overlying seawater sulfate and the location of the sulfate reduction zone, which in turn, masked the primary signal. Reactive iron data suggest low oxygen concentrations in the water column, however fossil assemblages found throughout the Kope suggest otherwise. Changes in sedimentation can mask the water column signal, so these data also capture an aggregate signal. δ15Nbulk show an upsection decrease of 4.4‰, followed by a 3.4‰ increase. Though this excursion can be interpreted as a switch to increased denitrification in a low oxygen environment, the fossil record suggests the data capture localized diagenetic reactions that occur below an oxic water column. Perturbations in the ocean-climate system is often based on the interpretation of stable isotope excursions, and although excursions are diagnostic of changes to biogeochemical cycles, they may not fully account for diagenetic reactions that mask primary signals. The results from the Kope demonstrate strong localized, not global, controls on the sediment geochemistry.

Ph. D.

The purpose of the author is to present a geological survey of the Backbone Ridge area in Burnet and Llano counties, Texas. During the summer of 1947 while enrolled in a geologic field course in McCullough County, it was noted that a new classification of the Cambrian and Ordovician formations In central Texas had been presented In the literature. It was noted at the same time that the Paleozoic rocks of the Llano uplift are more highly faulted than had been shown on previous geologic maps of the region. The writer concluded from field observations that the Backbone Ridge area was more complexly faulted then had been previously shown, and it was decided to test this conclusion by making a detailed geologic map of the area using the stratigraphic subdivisions recently established by Bridge, Barnes, and Cloud. A detailed study was made of these subdivisions and a large number of the type sections were visited. It was necessary to study the complete geologic history of the region in order that the events which involved the complex structural pattern and the present physiographic forms might be properly understood. The material contained in this report consists of data obtained from the literature and from field observations which were made in the area during the months of June and July of 1948. / text

No description available.

One of the most important events in the history of life is the evolution of the complex, eukaryotic cell. The eukaryotes are complex organisms with membrane-bound intracellular structures, and they include a variety of both single-celled and multicellular organisms: plants, animals, fungi and various protists. The evolutionary origin of this group may be studied by direct evidence of past life: fossils. The oldest traces of eukaryotes have appeared by 2.4 billion years ago (Ga), and have additionally diversified in the period around 1.8 Ga. The Mesoproterozoic Era (1.6-1 Ga) is characterised by the first evidence of the appearance complex unicellular microfossils, as well as innovative morphologies, and the evolution of sexual reproduction and multicellularity. For a better understanding of the early eukaryotic evolution and diversification patterns, a part of this thesis has focused on the microfossil records from various time periods and geographic locations. Examination of microfossil morphology, cell wall microstructure and biochemical properties, reflect their intracellular complexity and function, and allow reconstructions of their life cycle, as well as observing the evolutionary pattern of change from Mesoproterozoic, to Cambrian-Ordovician transition. Several case studies included assemblages deriving from Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic time intervals that show disparate morphotypes and innovative features indicative of algal clades. The Mesoproterozoic Ruyang Group in northern China has yielded a diverse microfossil assemblage that provides important clues about the diversification of different eukaryotic groups. Furthermore these microfossils contributed an additional evidence for the emergence of the crown group Eukarya by 1.7-1.4 Ga. In another part of this thesis, examination of wall microstructure and chemical properties via Raman spectroscopy has been used to assess the biological affinities of various Neoproterozoic problematic carbonaceous compression fossils. Studies on the early Phanerozoic (c. 545-485 Ma) assemblages from Estonia reconstructed patterns of the early radiations of phytoplankton and its evolutionary innovations. A continuing theme in this thesis has been using a combination of evidence of microfossils’ fine-scale morphology, ecology and chemical properties to determine their function in life, in addition to their systematic position. / Palaeobiology and diversification of Proterozoic-Cambrian photosynthetic eukaryotes

Coronitic metagabbros occur as small isolated bodies along the contact between the Mariánské Lázně and the Teplá crystalline complexesin the NW of the Bohemian Massif. Metagabbros show variable metamorphic and textural characteristics with respect to their magmatic mineral assemblage and degree of metamorphism. The aim of this study is to characterize mineralogical, chemical, and microstructural changes related to metamorphic changes in selected representative samples. In addition, the associated calculation of P-T conditions can help to clarify the evolution of the boundary of both units as well as to provide constraints on formation of corona microstructures. Magmatic mineral assemblages in the metagabbros formed by plagiocase, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, amphibole, biotite and ilmenite occasionally olivine,spinel or quartz are generally well preserved. Metamorphism is mainly reflected by formation of single or multiple coronas at the contact of plagioclase with other primary minerals, the most common constuents are amphibole, garnet and orthopyroxene. Progressive breakdown of the magmatic plagioklase is reflected by formation of mixture An40 and An90 plagioclase associated with spinel,corundum and occasionally kyanite. According to chemical composition metagabbros follow tholeiitic trend and...

A model study about the precise stratigraphy of the Kralodvorian Formation was made on the drill core from Ořech near Prague. The exposure at Levín was used as a reference section. Both sections were sedimentologicaly studied and described in detail. The study of thin sections was a supplemented for exact description of the rocks and lithotypes. Chemostratigraphic methods (?13C and TOC) and method of the rock magnetic susceptibility were used for detailed stratigraphic analyse. All the mentioned methods of both sections. Samples for the measurements of the magnetic susceptibility were taken by 0.5 m of thickness. The measurement of ?13C and TOC was taken from the non-wheathered 80 m of the drill core Ořech and from the upper 20 m Králův Dvůr Formation at Levín profile by 2 m. The available data show that Ořech represents low and middle part of the Kralodvorian strata and that all studied thickness (80 m) belongs to only positive excursion of ?13C. This excursion is interpreted to be the upper Katian. It gives an evidence that sedimentation of the Kralův Dvůr Formation was very fast. Identification and interpretation of this excursion makes possible the accurate interregional corelation of the strata. A precise regional stratigraphic subdivision is based on inhomogenities caused by different materials or...

No description available.

Tiñuformationen i Oaxaca, Mexiko är den enda fossilförande enheten från undre paleozoikum mellan den Laurentiska plattformen i nordvästra Mexiko och de Gondwanska lagerföljderna i Sydamerika. Det har nyligen visats att Tiñusektionen är en koncentrerad passiv kantlagerföljd med Gondwanakaraktär. Formationen delas upp i två delar; Yudachica från översta kambrium, som vilar okonformt på mellanproterozoisk grund, och Río Salinas från undre ordovicium (tremadoc). Formationen har tidigare studerats med avseende på dess avsättningsmiljöer och det fossila innehållet av trilobiter och konodonter vilka båda ger utmärkt biostratigrafisk kontroll över formationen. Ungefär 1000 exemplar av Linguliforma brachiopoder från tolv kalkstenslager från Tiñuformationen har studerats. Detaljerade undersökningar om taxonomi och stratigrafisk distribution av taxa har utförts. Faunan omfattar nio acrotretida taxa och en ny siphonotretid art och ett fåtal lingulida fragment. De acrotretida och det siphonotretida taxa har beskrivits grundligt och klassificerats till släkte. / The Tiñu Formation of Oaxaca State (Mexico) is the only fossiliferous lower Palaeozoic unit between the Laurentian platform in northwest Mexico and the Gondwanan successions in Andean South America. It has recently been shown that the Tiñu section is a condensed passive margin succession with Gondwanan character. The formation is divided into two members, namely, the uppermost Cambrian Yudachica Member, which rests nonconformably on a middle Proterozoic basement, and the Lower Ordovician (Tremadoc) Río Salinas Member. The formation has been studied with respect to its depositional environments and its fossil content of trilobites and conodonts, both providing excellent biostratigraphical control for the formation. About 1000 specimens of Linguliform brachiopods of twelve limestone horizons of the Tiñu Formation have been studied. Detailed investigations on taxonomy and stratigraphic distribution of the taxa have been made. The fauna comprises nine acrotretid taxa, a new siphonotretid species and a few linguloid fragments. The acrotretid and siphonotretid taxa have been thoroughly describes and classified to genus.