Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-02T15:10:01Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação final.pdf: 8181941 bytes, checksum: 644c77808b1a817d56598a81727f0da5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-02T15:10:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação final.pdf: 8181941 bytes, checksum: 644c77808b1a817d56598a81727f0da5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-19 / CAPEs / Os afloramentos fitofossilíferos da margem nordeste da Bacia Sedimentar do Parnaíba, em estratos do Permiano (Cisuraliano) da Formação Pedra de Fogo, ainda estão pouco estudados. Este trabalho visou o reconhecimento e análise de alguns dos afloramentos da margem supracitada, tendo se concentrado no estudo de áreas nos municípios de Altos, no Piauí, e de Duque Bacelar e Coelho Neto, no Maranhão. Em Altos, detectou-se em um único afloramento, uma associação autóctone?/parautóctone, dominada por grandes lenhos gimnospérmicos (com até 1,80 m de diâmetro). A área de Duque Bacelar e Coelho Neto apresentou mais de cinco afloramentos contendo associações formadas, especialmente, por lenhos gimnospérmicos de grande porte (de até 1,15 m de diâmetro), alguns em posição de vida, e, secundariamente, por caules de pteridófitas horizontalizados, e.g. Psaronius sp. (com até 5 m de comprimento). Análises espectroscópicas em amostras de fósseis do Maranhão apresentaram um elevado nível de sílica e a permanência residual de carbono amorfo, evidenciando nestes troncos um processo de permineralização por sílica. Foram confeccionadas lâminas petrográficas de troncos fósseis com o intuito de verificar o grau de preservação de tecidos e determinar o seu potencial para futuras análises taxonômicas. Finalmente, foi possível corroborar que as associações encontram-se inseridas em rochas lacustres da base da Formação Pedra de Fogo (Membro Sílex Basal), próximas ao contato com a infrajacente Formação Piauí (Carbonífero, Pensilvaniano). Esta observação contrasta com estudos anteriores, realizados na margem sudoeste da bacia, que referem o posicionamento dos fitofósseis na parte superior da Formação Pedra de Fogo (Membro Trisidela) ou, ainda, na sobrejacente Formação Motuca. / Petrified plant-bearing outcrops of lower Permian (Cisuralian) strata of the Pedra de Fogo Formation located in the northeastern margin of the Parnaíba Sedimentary Basin, are still poorly studied, and dominated mostly by gymnosperm trunks and, rarely, pteridophyte stems (Psaronius sp.). This work aimed prospection and analysis of some of the outcrops in the aforementioned margin of the basin, being focused on two new areas in the municipalities of Altos, Piauí state, and Duque Bacelar-Coelho Neto, Maranhão state. In Altos, an autochthonous?/parautochthonous assemblage dominated by huge gymnosperm trunks (reaching 1,8 m in diameter) was recorded in a single outcrop. The Duque Bacelar-Coelho Neto area evinced more than five exposures formed mostly by large gymnosperm trunks, some of them in life position (reaching 1,15 in diameter) and, less often, by pteridophyte stems in horizontal position, e.g. Psaronius sp. (reaching 5 m long). Invertebrate traces and stromatolites are exposed here too. Spectroscopic analyses in fossil samples from Maranhão showed a high concentration of silica and the residual presence of amorphous carbon, evincing a process of silica-permineralization. Petrographic thin-sections of fossil trunks were produced in order to verify the degree of tissue preservation and determinate its potential for future taxonomic analyses. Finally, it was possible to assess that these assemblages are placed within lacustrine rocks at the base of the Pedra de Fogo Formation (Sílex Basal Member), close to the contact with the underlying Piauí Formation (Carboniferous, Pennsylvanian). This observation contrasts with former studies made at the southwestern margin of the basin that refer the placement of fossil-plant horizons of the Pedra de Fogo Formation to the uppermost Trisidela Member or even to the overlying Motuca Formation.

Orientador: Fresia Soledad Ricardi Torres Branco / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T01:31:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Callefo_Flavia_M.pdf: 11737292 bytes, checksum: 8072787b62f7e014cd2301d513fc4a17 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Esteiras microbianas são estruturas organossedimentares laminadas, desenvolvidas a partir do acréscimo de lâminas de sedimentos aprisionados através do metabolismo de microrganismos, que induzem a precipitação de carbonato. Microbialitos são depósitos organossedimentares formados pela interação de microrganismos com sedimentos detríticos, através dos processos de trapeamento e aglutinação dos grãos e minerais. Esta pesquisa apresenta os resultados obtidos com o estudo tafonômico e paleoecológico de estruturas desenvolvidas por atividade de microrganismos, como estromatólitos, microbialitos e esteiras microbianas, com o intuito de comparar os resultados e traçar similaridades e diferenças nas relações ecológicas e ambientes de formação . Foram utilizados modelos recentes (Holoceno), como a Lagoa Salgada e Lagoa Pitanguinha, RJ, para compreender modelos fósseis (Permiano), afloramentos em Taguaí e Santa Rosa do Viterbo, SP. A metodologia se constituiu em análise de sedimentos associados, petrografia, análises composicionais (como MEV/EDS e Espectroscopia Raman) e estudo de campo. Foram levados em consideração os aspectos ambientais e biota contemporânea ao crescimento e desenvolvimento dos microbiais. As principais conclusões obtidas foram que os ambientes apresentam similaridades com relação a biota desenvolvida, bem como as relações ecológicas que estas mantinham com as comunidades microbianas responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento dos microbialitos e esteiras microbianas. O ambientes de crescimento das estruturas eram marinhos de águas rasas e hipersalinas, com o clima quente e alta taxa de evaporação. A alternância de eventos de tempestades e águas calmas, com posterior período de calmaria no qual foi possível o desenvolvimento de esteiras microbianas foram evidenciados no afloramento de Taguaí e na Lagoa Pitanguinha. Os microbialitos recentes da Lagoa Salgada sofreram maior influência de atividade de predação e herbivoria por parte de invertebrados, o que pode ter sido um fator relevante para a limitação do crescimento destas estruturas em comparação com aquelas existentes em Santa Rosa do Viterbo / Abstract: Microbial mats can be defined as laminated organosedimentary structures developed from the addition of laminaes of sediments trapped trough microorganisms metabolism, which leads to carbonate precipitation. Microbialites are organosedimentary deposits generated by the interation between microorganisms and detritic sediments through trapping and agglutination of minerals and grains play a key role. This research present the results of taphonomic and paleoecological studies from of structures developed by the activity of microorganisms such as microbialites, stromatolites and microbial mats aiming to comparison between the results obtained and to map similarities and differences on the ecological relations and formation environments. Recent models such as Salgada Lagoon and Pitanguinha Lagoon (Holocene), both located on Rio de Janeiro, were used to understand permian fossils models, outcrops located in Taguaí and Santa Rosa do Viterbo/SP. The methodology was based on the analysis of associated sediments, petrography and compositional analysis (MEV/EDS and Raman Spectroscopy) besides field studies. Aspects such as recent environments and biotas were considered to the analysis. The main conclusions were that the environments present similarities based on the development of the biotas as well as the ecological relations which those developed within the microbial communities responsible for the development of the microbialites and microbial mats. The growth environments of the structures were classified as shallow marine hypersaline waters, with warm weather and high evaporation rates. There was an alternation between storm events and calm waters. The growth of microbial mats became possible when the waters were predominantly calm evidenced by the outcrops from Taguaí and Pitanguinha Lagoon. The recent microbialites from Salgada Lagoon had a greater influence by activities from predators and herbivorous organisms such as invertebrates, which may be a relevant factor for the limitation growth of these structures when compared with those founded at Santa Rosa do Viterbo / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestra em Geociências

La transition Permien – Trias est une période importante dans l’histoire de la Terre. L’extinction en masse de la fin du Permien est l’événement d’extinction le plus sévère de l’histoire de la vie sur Terre. Les études précédentes se sont principalement focalisées sur les événements biotiques en milieux océaniques. Récemment, de plus en plus de nouvelles recherches se sont développées sur les événements en milieu continental.Les bassins de Junggar et de Turpan en Chine du Nord, présentent une opportunité unique d’étudier la limite Permien – Trias en milieu continental grâce à de nombreux affleurements avec des séries continues.Les facies continentaux de la coupe de Dalongkou sur le flanc sud du bassin de Junggar et de la coupe de Taoshuyuan sur le flanc nord du basin de Turpan, ont été sélectionnés pour cette thèse. Les niveaux de l’intervalle de transition Permien – Trias correspondent aux formations “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” et “Jiucaiyuan”. D’abondants bois fossiles et empreintes de plantes ont été découverts dans ces coupes. Des logs sédimentaires détaillés ont été levés. L’approche utilisée ici est pluridisciplinaire pour reconstruire les Paléoenvironnements avec les bois fossiles et les plantes, les patrons des cernes croissance des bois et l’analyse des microfaciès sédimentaires.Cinq genres et six espèces de bois fossiles ont été découverts. Nous établissons trois nouveaux genres: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et un nouveau genre (soumis pour publication). La courbe CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) a été utilisée pour analyser les cernes de croissance dans le but de déterminer les conditions d’intersaisonnalité et la longévité des feuilles des arbres. Nous avons déterminé que Junggaropitys dalongkouensis est une espèce à feuilles persistantes avec les feuilles à longévité de 3 à 6 ans; le XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. est également à feuilles persistantes mais avec une longévité des feuilles de 3 à 15 ans.Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon et XTT-C-4 gen. nov. montrent tous un xylème secondaire de type Protophyllocladoxylon. En accord avec l’analyse paléobiogéographique, les bois de type Protophyllocladoxylon sont principalement distribués dans une zone climatique tempérée froide dans l’hémisphère sud, dans des zones climatiques variables dans l’hémisphère nord et dans la zone équatoriale au Paléozoïque supérieurLes résultats obtenus sur les bois fossiles montrent que le climat sur la région de Junggar devait être, à la limite Permien – Trias, chaud et humide, avec des températures et une humidité restant relativement stables.Il n’existe pas de période de forte sécheresse au Trias basal. Les méga-moussons de la Paléo-Téthys n’ont pas d’influence sur la région de Junggar sur la côte est de la Pangée aux latitudes moyennes. Combiné avec les résultats précédemment obtenus, nous montrons que le climat n’a pas subit de très fortes variations entre le Permien moyen et le Trias basal.L’analyse des plantes fossiles montre que le nombre de genres et d’espèces diminue progressivement de 26 genres et 53 espèces connues dans le Wuchiapingien à 10 genres et 15 espèces dans le Changhsingien et seulement 6 genres et 7 espèces dans l’Induen. La tendance à la réduction des assemblages floristiques dans les bassins de Junggar et Turpan semble montrer que le processus d’extinction est long et graduel et a débuté bien avant la limite Permien – Trias. Durant la période de récupération post-crise des flores, les lycopsides (Annalepis) et les fougères (Neocalamites et Pecopteris) ont joué un rôle d’espèces pionnières. Trois logs stratigraphiques ont été levés pour l’analyse des facies sédimentaires. Quatre principaux environnements de dépôts ont été reconnus dans la coupe de Dalongkou. Les séries de la Formation Wutonggou se sont déposées dans un environnement de rivières en tresse et de systèmes fluviaux éphémères ou d’étangs et de plaines alluviales. / Permian-Triassic transition is an important period in the Earth’s history. The end-Permian mass extinction is the Earth's most severe known extinction event. Previous studies mainly focused on the biotic events in the ocean. Recently more and more researches on the terrestrial events during the Permian-Triassic transition attracted many attentions. The Junggar and Turpan basins of Northwest China command a unique and significant position in the study of terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) events as it contains well and continuously exposed PTB sections. The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and cyclostratigraphy have been well established in the two basins. The problem we are trying to solve, based on paleobotanical studies associated with sedimentological analyses, is the environmental changes during the Permian-Triassic transition in the research area.The terrestrial facies in the Dalongkou section on the south flank of Junggar Basin and the Taoshuyuan section on the north flank of Turpan Basin have been selected as the researching ones for this thesis. The Permian-Triassic transition strata have been included in the “Wutonggou”, “Guodikeng” and “Jiucaiyuan” formations. Abundant fossil woods and plant impressions have been discovered and collected in these sections. Detailed sedimentary logs of the sections were drawn. The approach that we adopt to recognize the environmental changes is the fossil wood and plant impression species, growth-ring pattern, and sedimentary facies analysis.Five genera and six species of fossil woods were discovered. We establish three new genera: Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and a new genus (submitted for publication). The CSDM (Cumulative Sum of the Deviation from Mean diameter) curve was used to analyse the growth rings to determine the intraseasonal conditions and leaf longevity patterns of the trees. We recognise that Junggaropitys dalongkouensis is evergreen, and the leaf longevity may be 3–6 years; XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov. is evergreen too, and the leaf longevity may be 3 to 15 years. Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon and XTT-C-4 gen. nov. all show a Protophyllocladoxylon-type secondary xylem. According to palaeobiogeographic analysis, the Protophyllocladoxylon-type woods distributed mainly in the cool temperate climate zone of the southern hemisphere, various climate zones of the northern hemisphere and equatorial zone during the Late Paleozoic. The results of fossil woods analysis obtained in this research shows the climate in the Junggar terrane around the PTB was warm and humid and the temperature and precipitation remained relatively stable. It did not exist a heavy dryness in the earliest Triassic. Meanwhile, the Palaeo-Tethys megamonsoons did not influence the Junggar terrane along the east coast of mid-latitude Pangaea. Combined with the previously reported fossil woods, it shows that the climate had no prominent change from the Middle Permian to earliest Triassic.Plant fossil analysis show that the numbers of plant genera and species gradually decreased from 26 genera and 53 species in the Wuchiapingian, to 10 genera and 15 species in the Changhsingian, and only 6 genera and 7 species in the Induan. The trend in the plant assemblage reduction in the Junggar and Turpan basins appears to be indicative of a long, protracted extinction process that may have started well before the Permian-Triassic boundary. During the plant recovery period, the lycopsids (Annalepis) and ferns (Neocalamites and Pecopteris) played roles of pioneer species during the plant recovery period. / 二叠-三叠纪之交是地球历史上的关键时期。发生在二叠纪末期的大灭绝事件是最严重的生物灭绝事件。前人对此次灭绝事件的研究主要集中于海洋生物的变化，近年来越来越多的研究开始关注于这一时期陆地生态系统的变化。 位于中国西北部的准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地出露了完整的陆相二叠-三叠系界线附近地层，因此在这一研究方面具有独特的优势。前期研究中在这一个地区建立了良好的岩石地层，生物地层和旋回地层格架。本文将集中解决二叠-三叠纪之交研究区的环境变化问题。我们选择了位于准噶尔盆地南缘的大龙口剖面和吐鲁番盆地北缘的桃树园剖面，两个陆相地层剖面作为论文的研究对象。在这一区域，二叠-三叠系之交地层是由梧桐沟组，锅底坑组和韭菜园组组成。我们在大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面二叠-三叠系地层中发现了大量木化石和植物印模化石，对剖面绘制了详细的地层柱状图。我们鉴定了木化石和植物印模化石种属,木化石年轮类型，分析了沉积相变化，进而用来识别研究区的环境变化。 我们对所采集到的130块木化石进行了切片，通过生物显微镜对其解剖结构进行研究，共发现了木化石5属6种，包括建立的三个新属：Junggaropitys，Xinjiangoxylon和 XTT-C-4 gen. nov.（还在审稿中）。这三个属均具有内始式的初生木质部和Protophyllocladoxylon 型次生木质部，其中Junggaropitys具有同质但异细胞的髓部；Xinjiangoxylon拥有具薄壁细胞和分泌管的髓部；XTT-C-4 gen. nov.的髓部中具有独特的板状支撑结构。我们应用CSDM曲线（平均值偏差累计曲线）分析木化石的年轮用以识别其生长季的条件和叶的寿命。CSDM曲线分析表明Junggaropitys dalongkouensis为一种常绿植物，叶的寿命为3-6年；XTT-C-4 gen. et sp. nov.也为常绿植物，叶的寿命3-15年。Septomedullopitys, Junggaropitys, Xinjiangoxylon和XTT-C-4 gen. nov.四个属的木化石均展示出Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部。我们对晚古生代全球发现的具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部的木化石进行了生物古地理分析，我们发现，在晚古生代，具有Protophyllocladoxylon型次生木质部植物，在南半球仅分布在冷温带地区；而在北半球和赤道地区，其分布在不同的气候带。对木化石的分析显示准噶尔地块在二叠-三叠系界线附近古气候温暖湿润，温度和降雨量相对稳定；古特提斯洋巨季风没有影响到东岸的泛大陆中纬度地区。结合前人对这一地区其他木化石研究，我们认为研究区的古气候自中二叠世至早三叠世早期没有显著的变化。植物化石分析显示，植物种属由吴家坪期的26属53种逐渐减少到长兴期的10属15种再到早三叠世印度期的6属7种。在准噶尔盆地和吐鲁番盆地，二叠-三叠系之交，植物显示了一个长时间的逐渐灭绝的过程。通过对比白垩纪-第三纪植物灭绝事件和现代恶劣环境下植物恢复的实例，我们发现石松类（脊囊属）和蕨类（新芦木属和栉羊齿属）在植物复苏阶段扮演着先驱分子的角色。我们对大龙口剖面，桃树园A和C剖面进行了沉积相分析。在大龙口剖面我们识别出4个主要的沉积相。梧桐沟组上部主要由辫状河相，短暂的河流系统或湖和冲积平原相组成。锅底坑组为湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。韭菜园组主要由冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积组成。在桃树园地区，梧桐沟组上部至锅底坑组底部的一套地层主要是湖（或池塘）相和洪泛平原相沉积。锅底坑组下部为一套辫状河沉积。而锅底坑组上部为冲积平原和湖（或池塘）相沉积。韭菜园组主要为辫状河和洪泛平原沉积。对碎屑岩的样品岩相学分析显示跨越二叠-三叠系界线，沉积物物源一致。其中火山碎屑物来源于多个火山源。大龙口剖面和桃树园剖面在界线附近沉积物的物源保持一致，这说明，这两个剖面在二叠-三叠系之交时期处于同一个盆地，而博格达山隆起晚于这一时间。灰岩样品指示了湖泊环境的沉积。二叠纪末期的植物灭绝降低了河岸的强度，增加了坡地的沉积物的提供，进而增加了河道中沉积物的卸载。这导致了研究区在吴家坪期和长兴期界线附近和早三叠世的两次沉积相的改变。

Les thérapsides se diversifient au cours du Permien et du Trias partout à la surface de la Pangée mais sans être épargné par la crise de la fin du Permien, extinction de masse la plus meurtrière de tous les temps. Ils représentent un groupe de transition entre les reptiles permiens et les premiers mammifères et sont le centre de plusieurs questions lié aux différences entre ces deux grands groupes. Cette thèse s'intéresse à la question de l'apparition et du développement de l'endothermie dans ce groupe, ainsi que les conditions environnementales présentes à cette époque. Pour répondre à ces questions, plusieurs espèces, provenant des grands groupes de vertébrés de l'époque (thérapsides, diapsides, parareptiles, stéréospondyles et dipneustes) ont été analysés pour leurs compositions en isotopes de l'oxygène et du carbone.Ces données ont permis de montrer que l'endothermie serait apparu au moins dans le groupe des Kannemeyeriiformes + Lystrosauridae ainsi que dans le groupe des Eucynodontia, deux lignés de thérapsides, la seconde ayant donnée les mammifères actuels. Temporellement, ces deux mises en place de l'endothermie se sont produites dans un intervalle de temps autour de la limite Permo-Trias, certainement avant celle-ci pour le groupe Kannemeyeriiformes + Lystrosauridae. Ce qu'il se passe climatiquement à cette période a été déterminé avec des espèces provenant exclusivement du bassin du Karoo en Afrique du Sud. D'après les résultats, à la fois les variations des isotopes de l'oxygène et du carbone se corrèlent avec celles observées dans le milieu marin et les valeurs obtenues à partir de matériel continental est tout autant pertinent à utiliser que celles provenant de matériel marin.Ces données appuient l'hypothèse d'un intense réchauffement et le quantifient à environ +16 °C au moment de la crise puis continua d'augmenter pendant le Trias Inférieur.Bien que les données ne permettent pas de le prouver, il est possible que l'endothermie ait permis à ces groupes de survivre ces variations de températures et de pouvoir se rediversifier par la suite / Therapsids diversified during the Permian and the Triassic all around the world on the supercontinent, Pangea, where they were not spared by the end-Permian crisis, the most destructive mass extinction of all time. The represent a transitional group between the Permian reptiles and the first mammals, and therefore are in the middle of several questions link to the difference between those two groups. This thesis focuses on the question of the emergence and development of the endothermy within this group, and the climate conditions of this period. To answer those questions, several species from the different groups of vertebrates (therapsids, diapsids, parareptiles, stereosponyls and lungfish) have been analyzed for their oxygen and carbon isotopes compositions.Such data showed that the endothermy seemed to appear within the group of Kannemeyeriiformes + Lystrosauridae as well as the Eucynodontia group, two therapsids groups with the latter being the ancestors of the extant mammals. Those two emergences of the endothermy occurred within a small timespan around the Permo-Triassic boundary, much more certainly before for the Kannemeyeriiformes + Lystrosauridae. What happened during this short period has been estimated with species from the Karoo Basin in South Africa only.According to the results, both variations in oxygen and carbon isotopes fit with those observed in marine data and therefore, values from continental material can be used, same as marine material.Those data support the hypothesis of an intense warming and quantify it to +16 °C during the end-Permian crisis and continue to increase during the Lower Permian.Even if the data don’t allow proving it, it is possible that the endothermy made those groups able to survive through such temperature variations and to diversify after

A Formação Teresina, Neopermiano da Bacia do Paraná, é uma unidade estratigráfica principalmente terrígena, com algumas ocorrências de fácies carbonáticas, sendo depositada durante a última fase regressiva do mar epicontinental da bacia. O ambiente deposicional da Formação Teresina, especialmente no que se refere às suas fácies carbonáticas, ainda é alvo de debate. As fácies carbonáticas da Formação Teresina e fácies evaporíticas associadas ocorrem em toda a formação, mas são mais frequentes no norte do Estado do Paraná e no sul do Estado de São Paulo, na porção superior da unidade. Esta região constitui a área de estudo desta dissertação, que visou interpretar os processos sedimentares básicos, assim como fatores tectônicos e climáticos que influenciaram a formação destes depósitos carbonáticos e evaporíticos. Para isto, foram utilizadas informações de poços e realizados levantamentos detalhados de seções colunares, com coleta de amostras para análises petrográfìcas por microscopia óptica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Foram identificadas e descritas oito fácies carbonáticas e/ou evaporíticas: mudstone com conchas de ostracodes, mudstone peloidal, packstone bioclástico, wackstone bioclástico, boundstone tabular, packstone-grainstone oolítico, brecha de mudstone-chert e chert enterolítico-nodular. O sistema deposicional foi interpretado como uma rampa carbonática com zona interna alta protegida por barreiras arenosas influenciadas por ondas e correntes associadas. Nas partes mais rasas, os períodos áridos e de intensa evaporação e baixo aporte terrígeno provocariam aumento da salinidade e induziria a deposição das fácies evaporíticas de chert enterolítico-nodular e brecha de mudstone-chert. A porção intermediária corresponderia à zona protegida da ação das ondas, com águas rasas e baixa energia. Isto permitiria a deposição de sedimentos finos por decantação, que constituem as fácies mudstone com conchas de ostracodes e wackstone bioclástico. Nesta mesma porção, as condições geoquímicas da água teriam incentivado atividade microbiana, gerando as fácies mudstone peloidal e boundstone tabular. Bandas ricas em dolomita identificadas em fácies de boundstone tabular no norte do Estado do Paraná estariam relacionadas com precipitação mineral induzida por atividade microbiana. Filamentos e nanoestruturas orgânicas observadas podem corresponder a remanescentes fossilizados de extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), usados por bactérias redutoras de sulfato nos processos de precipitação da dolomita-calcita. A ação das ondas causava agitação constante da água, o que originaria a sedimentação das fácies packstone-grainstone oolítico em baixios e das fácies heterolíticas terrígenas em zona distal entre o nível de base das ondas de tempo bom e o nível de base das ondas de tempestade. Mapas de isópacas e de frequência de ocorrência de calcários elaborados a partir da integração dos dados de poços e seções colunares demonstraram aumento da concentração de calcários no flanco norte do Arco de Ponta Grossa (APG). A espessura da formação aumenta em direção ao APG. Em algumas regiões próximas ao APG, as isópacas tornam-se paralelas ao eixo desta estrutura tectônica. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o Arco de Ponta Grossa atuou como barreira geográfica que restringiu a entrada de águas do oceano vindas do sul e influenciou a deposição das fácies carbonáticas e evaporíticas. A restrição da circulação das águas promoveu o aumento da salinidade na área imediatamente ao norte do arco. Além disso, uma provável zona de convergência de ventos paralela ao Arco de Ponta Grossa e situada ao sul da área de estudo teria dificultado a entrada de massas de ar úmido provenientes do Oceano Panthalassa vindas de sul. Isto favoreceu a instalação de condições áridas na área de estudo. O significado tectônico e climático das fácies carbonáticas e evaporíticas da Formação Teresina podem auxiliar as correlações entre a Bacia do Paraná e bacias na África, tais como as bacias do Huab e Karoo, além de contribuir para reconstruções paleogeográficas do Gondwana no final do Permiano. / The Teresina Formation, Late Permian of the Paraná Basin, is mainly composed of terrigenous sediments, with some occurrences of carbonate and evaporite facies. It corresponds to the upper portion of the last regressive phase of the Paraná Basin epicontinental sea. The depositional system responsible for the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation is still target of discussion. These facies occur in a huge area of the basin, but they have a greater thickness and are more frequent in the north of the Paraná State and in the southern of the São Paulo State, in the upper portion of the formation. This region constitutes the study area of this dissertation in order to interpret the depositional processes as well as the tectonic and climatic factors acting during the formation of these deposits. The study included the interpretation of data from wells, detailed description of columnar sections, with sampling for petrographical analysis under the optical and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Eight carbonate and/or evaporite facies were identified: mudstone with ostracod shells, peloidal mudstone, bioclastic wackstone, bioclastic packestone, tabular boundstone, oolitic packstone-grainstone, nodular and enterolithic chert and mudstone-chert breccia. The depositional system was interpreted as a carbonate ramp with a protected zone by growth of oolitic sand bars and sediment transport dominated by wave action and associated currents. In the inner regions, arid periods of intense evaporation and low terrigenous input would increase the salinity, causing the deposition of enterolithic and nodular chert and mudstone-chert breccia facies. The intermediate portion corresponds to a lagoon with shallow and low energy waters, allowing the deposition of fine grained sediments recorded in the mudstone with ostracod shells and bioclastic wackstone facies. In the same portion, the hypersaline conditions of the water would have stimulated microbial activity, promoting the deposition of peloidal mudstone and tabular boundstone facies. Dolomite bands identified in the tabular boundstone facies in the north of the Paraná State are enriched in organic matter and they would be associated to mineral precipitation induced by microbial activity. Organic filaments and nanostructures may correspond to fossilized remains of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which are used by sulfate-reducing bacteria in the precipitation of dolomite-calcite. The wave action remobilized bottom sediments, causing constant waters agitation. This induced sedimentation of oolitic packstone-grainstone facies in shoals and the terrigenous heterolithic facies between the fair-weather and storm wave bases. Maps of isopachs and frequency of occurrences of limestones show concentration of limestones in the north flank of the Ponta Grossa Arch (PGA). The thickness of the formation increases from south to north towards the PGA. In some regions near the PGA, isopachs are parallel to the axis of this tectonic structure. The obtained results suggest that the Ponta Grossa Arch influenced the deposition of the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation, acting as a geographical barrier that restricted the entry of ocean waters from south. This promoted reduced terrigenous input, low water circulation and the increase of salinity in the northern flank of the PGA. Furthermore, a possible winds convergence zone, parallel to the Ponta Grossa Arch, would affected the climatic conditions in the study region during the Late Permian, difficulting the northward migration of wet air masses coming from the Panthalassa Ocean. This favored arid conditions in the study area. The tectonic and climatic significance of the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation have important implications for correlations between the Paraná Basin and basins from Africa, such as the Karoo and Huab basins, as well as for paleogeographic reconstructions of the Gondwana in the Permian.

This study is a partial replication of research conducted by Perkes (1973). The problem in this study is to assess the magnitude of the relationship between student knowledge of the environment, student gender, grade level, and size of school attended; and the level of attitudinal differences between students based upon student gender, grade level, and the size of school that students attend. Methods of data collection include the use of an environmental knowledge and attitude inventory used by Perkes (1973) and modified by Hardy and Fox (1976). This thesis includes an added dimension, a survey of environmental education curricula in the Permian Basin Region of Texas.

Computertomographie (CT) ist eine nicht-destruktive bildgebende Methode, die in den letzten Jahren häufig bei fossilen Wirbeltierschädeln angewendet wird und Paläontologen ermöglicht bisher unbekannte interne Schädelmerkmale zu untersuchen. Letztere sind bedeutend um die Gehör- und Gehirnevolution, Gesichtsinnervation, den Zahnwechsel und den Ursprung von Endothermie entlang der Stammlinie der Säugetiere (Synapsida) zu verdeutlichen. Obwohl interne Schädelmerkmale in den letzten Jahren bei zahlreichen Therapsiden beschrieben wurden, sind sie bisher von der Wissenschaft weitestgehend vernachlässigt worden, verglichen mit den gut erforschten äußeren craniodentalen Merkmalen bei Synapsiden und wurden daher in phylogenetischen Analysen überwiegend vernachlässigt. In dieser Doktorarbeit stelle ich eine Neubewertung der der Phylogenie der Eutheriodontier (die Synapsidengruppe bestehend aus Cynodontia+Therocephalia) und eine Beurteilung der Merkmalsevolution innerhalb dieser Gruppe bereit. Der Ursprung der Cynodontier, die Ahnen der Säugetiere, stellt einen der bedeutendsten, bisher ungelösten Probleme in der Evolution der Therapsiden dar. Es ist bekannt, dass die Cynodontier am engsten mit den Therocephaliern verwandt sind, jedoch sind die genauen Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse bisher nicht eindeutig geklärt. Obwohl eine wesentliche Dichotomie in der abgeleiteten triassischen Subklade Eucynodontia in der Phylogenie der Cynodontia gut unterstützt wird, bleiben die Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse basalerer Cynodontier derzeit ungelöst. Anhand von CT Daten, die anhand eines ausgiebigen Datensatzes von Exemplaren der am frühesten bekannten (oberpermischen und untertriassischen) Cynodontier, sowie einiger ausgewählter Therocephalier und höherer (mitteltriassischer) Cynodontier (Eucynodontia) gewonnen wurden, konnte ich neue interne Schädelmerkmale dieser Tiere beschreiben. Diese Daten wurden anschließend in einem neuen, umfassenden phylogenetischen Datensatz dieser Gruppe integriert. / Computed tomography (CT) is a non-destructive imaging technique that has been widely used on fossil vertebrate crania in recent years and allowed paleontologists to investigate previously-obscure endocranial data. The latter have been instrumental in elucidating patterns of ear and brain evolution, facial innervation, tooth replacement and the origin of endothermy along the mammalian stem lineage (Synapsida). Although endocranial characters have been described for various synapsids in recent years, they remain understudied compared to the well-known external craniodental features in synapsids and have been largely ignored in phylogenetic analyses. In this thesis, I provide a re-evaluation of the phylogeny of Eutheriodontia (the synapsid subclade consisting of Cynodontia+Therocephalia) and an assessment of character evolution within the group. The origin of cynodonts, the group ancestral to (and including) mammals, is one of the major outstanding problems in therapsid evolution. It is well-established that cynodonts are most closely related to Therocephalia among the major synapsid groups, but the exact nature of this relationship is uncertain. Furthermore, although a fundamental dichotomy in the derived Triassic subclade Eucynodontia is well-supported in cynodont phylogeny, the relationships of more stemward cynodonts are currently unresolved. Using CT data derived from extensive sampling of the earliest known (late Permian and Early Triassic) cynodonts and selected exemplars of therocephalians and later (Middle Triassic onwards) cynodonts (eucynodonts), I described novel aspects of the endocranial anatomy of these animals. These data were incorporated into a new, taxonomically comprehensive phylogenetic dataset of the group.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Foreland basins commonly fill with sediment derived from the adjacent fold/thrust belt, providing a relatively simple source-to-basin configuration. However, that is not true for the early southwestern Karoo Basin, since the composition of the Ecca Group sedimentary rocks do not match the composition of the adjacent fold/thrust belt. The southwestern Karoo Basin is bordered to the west and south by the Cape Fold Belt (CFB) and provides the opportunity to study the linkage between its early structural evolution and deposition in the two spatially and temporally distinct Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentres. The CFB was formed when the early Palaeozoic passive continental margin, which formed a large section of the southern edge of Gondwana, evolved into an active convergent margin during the late Palaeozoic. Orogenesis resulted in a northwest-trending Cedarberg branch and an eastwest-trending Swartberg branch. The oroclinal bend between the two branches includes large-scale northeast-trending syntaxis structures, such as the Hex River and Baviaanshoek anticlinoria, which influenced the sedimentation path into the basin. Spectral gamma ray (SGR), mineralogical and geochemical studies of exposed rocks from the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentres indicate a near uniform provenance for both, dominated by granitic and metamorphic material derived from a provenance seemingly far beyond the CFB. SGR data, combined with lithology, show that regional stratigraphic correlation is possible in the Skoorsteenberg, Kookfontein and Waterford Formations in the Tanqua depocentre. The same is true for the Laingsburg and Fort Brown Formations in the Laingsburg depocentre. There are no major changes in the SGR data set between the successive sandstone or shale units that could imply different origin, and no distinct signals in the SGR pattern of the shale intervals that could potentially correspond to maximum flooding surfaces. The Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sandstones are very fine- to lower mediumgrained, tightly packed, poorly to well sorted, and have undergone mechanical compaction and pressure solution. The mineralogical composition and texture of these sandstones suggest that they have undergone high-grade diagenesis to low-grade regional burial metamorphism to the lower greenschist facies (250 ± 50ºC; ~2 kbars). They are mineralogically and geochemically classified as lithic arenites and greywackes, and the Tanqua depocentre sandstones are slightly more mature than the Laingsburg depocentresandstones. REE patterns for the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sandstones are similar, suggesting that both form part of the same evolutionary pattern and that the sediments have one common origin, i.e. a provenance predominantly composed of granitic material. Homogenous εNd-values for all sandstone samples of around –5 at the time of deposition indicate that there is little or no variation in provenance between the Tanqua and Laingsburg depocentre sediments. TCHUR model ages of 0.70 to 0.95 Ga, and TDM model ages of 1.19 to 1.49 Ga, resulted from a mixture of Archaean and Proterozoic material in unknown proportions. The most likely source terrane is thought to be the North Patagonian Massif. The latter show Nd isotopic compositions corresponding to an average εNd-value of -5 at 265 Ma. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voorlandkomme word oor die algemeen gevul met sediment afkomstig van die aanliggende plooigordel, wat lei tot ‘n redelik eenvoudige brongebied-tot-afsettingskom konfigurasie. Dit is egter nie van toepassing vir die vroeë suidwestelike Karookom nie, aangesien die samestelling van die Ecca Groep sedimentêre gesteentes nie ooreenstem met die samestelling van die aanliggende plooigordel nie. Die suidwestelike Karookom word aan die weste en suide begrens deur die Kaapse Plooigordel en bied die geleentheid om die verwantskap tussen die vroeë strukturele evolusie en afsetting in die twee ruimtelik en temporeel afsonderlike Tankwa en Laingsburg subkomme te bestudeer. Die Kaapse Plooigordel het gevorm toe die vroeë Palaeosoïkum kontinentale grens, wat ‘n groot deel van die suidelike grens van Gondwana was, ontwikkel het tot ‘n aktiewe konvergerende grens gedurende die laat Palaeosoïkum. Orogenese het gelei tot die vorming van ‘n noordwes-strekkende Sederberg tak en ‘n ooswes-strekkende Swartberg tak. Die oroklinale buig tussen die twee takke sluit grootskaalse noordoosstrekkende sintaksis strukture in, soos die Hex Rivier en Baviaanshoek antiklinoria, wat die sedimentasie rigtings na die kom beïnvloed het. Spektrale gammastraal (SGR), mineralogiese en geochemiese studies op die dagsome van die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkomme dui ‘n byna identiese brongebied aan vir beide, oorheers deur granitiese en metamorfe materiaal vanaf ‘n brongebied oënskynlik vêr vanaf die Kaapse Plooigordel. SGR data, gekombineer met litologie, dui aan dat dit moontlik is om regionale stratigrafiese korrelasies in the Skoorsteenberg, Kookfontein en Waterford Formasies in die Tankwa subkom te maak. Dieselfde geld vir die Laingsburg en Fort Brown Formasies in die Laingsburg subkom. Daar is geen groot veranderinge, wat ‘n verskil in oorsprong kan aandui, in the SGR datastel tussen die opeenvolgende sandsteen of skalie eenhede nie, en ook geenuitstaande tekens in the SGR patroon van die skalie-intervalle wat moontlik kan ooreenstem met ‘n maksimum vloedingsvlak nie. Die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkom sandsteenlae is baie fyn- tot laervlak mediumkorrelrig, dig gekompakteer, swak tot goed gesorteer, en het meganiese kompaksie en drukoplossing ondergaan. Die mineralogiese samestelling en tekstuur van hierdie sandsteenlae dui daarop dat hulle hoë-graadse diagenese tot lae-graadse regionale begrawingsmetamorfose tot laervlak groenskis fasies (250 ± 50ºC; ~2 kbars) ondergaan het. Hulle word mineralogies en geochemies geklassifiseer as litiese areniete en grouwakke. Die Tankwa subkom sandsteenlae is effens meer volwasse as die Laingsburg subkom sandsteenlae. Die lantanietgroep patroon vir die Tanqua en Laingsburg sandsteenlae is eenders, wat aandui dat beide deel gevorm het van dieselfde evolusionêre ontwikkeling en dat die sedimente een gesamentlike oorsprong gehad het, naamlik ‘n brongebied bestaande hoofsaaklik uit granitiese materiaal. Homogene εNd-waardes van ongeveer –5 by tye van afsetting vir al die sandsteen monsters dui daarop dat daar min of geen verandering in brongebied vir die Tankwa en Laingsburg subkom sedimente was nie. TCHUR model ouderdomme van 0.70 tot 0.95 Ga, en TDM model ouderdomme van 1.19 tot 1.49 Ga, is afkomstig van ‘n mengsel van Argeïese en Proterosoïese materiaal in onbekende hoeveelhede. Die mees waarskynlike brongebied is die Noord Patagoniese Gebergtes. Dit wys Nd isotopiese samestellings wat ooreenstem met ‘n gemiddelde εNd-waarde van –5 by 265 Ma.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fan System 5 forms the uppermost submarine fan system of the Permian-age Tanqua Fan Complex (Ecca Group) of the southwestern Karoo Basin. It is the most widespread system and represents the final phase of fan deposition in the Tanqua sub-basin. Depositional characteristics differ markedly from the rest of the fan systems, mainly because it lacks sedimentary features indicative of a single point source basin floor fan. The entire system consists of six different stages of fan growth and development in the lower slope settings. A hypothetical model was composed for Fan System 5 to understand the spatial/temporal distribution of reservoir and seal facies in slope turbidite settings. The facies vary from massive amalgamated sandstone beds to thin-bedded, ripple cross-laminated sand and siltstone beds. A thick shale unit identified as a regional marker layer overlies Fan System 5. lts base is defined by the presence of a regionally developed 20 cm thick hemipelagic shale unit. Six sand-rich units with channel-complexes are present in the Klein Hangklip, Groot Hangklip, Kalkgat, Tongberg, Skoorsteenberg and Blauwkop localities. The facies characteristics in the southernmost outcrops of Fan System 5 (Groot Hangklip, Tongberg and Kalkgat) reflect deposition in a lower slope setting where local structural control seems to have played a major role in the distribution and regional development of channel-fill and overbank depositional elements. The channel-fills are arranged in vertical to off-set stacking patterns and are comprised of massive, amalgamated [me to very fine-grained sandstone units up to 30 m in thickness. They are separated by thinner sandstone/siltstone units of varying thickness. The channelization displayed by the more proximal outcrops are interpreted to represent an upper fan, deposited in a lower- to mid-slope setting. In contrast to the channel-fill deposits at Skoorsteenberg, Klein Hangklip and Groot Hangklip, ripple cross-laminated overbank deposits, associated with smaller channel-fill units, predominate in the northeastern and eastern parts of the outcrop area. Massive- and thinbedded frontal sheet sandstones constitute the down-dip extensions to the most northern outcrops of Fan System 5. Highly erosive, stacked base-of-slope channel complexes, seemingly controlled by subtle early structural features, were able to construct significant thicknesses of regionally well-developed overbank deposits, marginal to the channel complexes. These facies changes occur over relatively short distances, which hold significant implications for the prediction of and the heterogeneity of reservoir facies in slope settings. Gradients are much steeper in the lower slope to mid-slope area than on the proximal basin floor. The occurrence of soft-sediment deformation in the overbank and upper parts of the channel-fill deposits supports a slope origin. Weakly developed wave-ripple marks in the uppermost layers of Fan System 5 further indicate that water depths approached wave base prior to deposition of the upper markerbed shales. Paleotransport for Fan System 5 was towards the north, northeast and east. The palaeocurrent directions of the channel-fill complexes in Klein- and Groot Hangklip seem to roughly correspond to the structural trend of synclinal depressions in this area. However, the effect and influences of basin floor topography and structural features on deposition were determined to be minimal on the regional development and local facies control of the fan. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Waaiersisteem 5 vorm die laaste submarine waaiersisteem van die Perm-ouderdom Tankwa Waaierkompleks (Ecca Groep) in die suidwestelike Karoo-kom. Dit vorm die mees wydverspreide sisteem en verteenwoordig ook die fmale fase van waaierafsetting in die Tankwa sub-kom. Afsettingseienskappe verskil aansienlik van die onderliggende waaiersisteme, omdat kenmerkende sedimentêre eienskappe van 'n enkele toevoer bron ontbreek. Die hele sisteem bestaan uit ses verskillende periodes van waaiergroei en ontwikkeling in die laer kornhelling omgewmgs. 'n Voorspellingsmodel is opgestel vir Waaiersisteem 5 om die ruimtelike/temporele verspreiding van die reservoir en seël fasies in kornhelling turbidiet omgewings te kan verstaan. Hierdie fasies varieer van massiewe, geamalgameerde sandsteen tot dun gelaagde riffel- lamineerde sand- en sliksteenlae. 'n Dik regionale skalie eenheid oorlê Waaiersisteem 5 en vorm die boonste merkerlaag. Die basis word onderlê deur 'n 20 cm dik regionaalontwikkelde hemipelagiese skalie laag wat die onderste merkerlaag vorm. Ses sandige eenhede met geassosieerde kanaalkomplekse is onderskeidelik teenwoordig in: Klein Hangklip, Groot Hangklip, Kalkgat, Tongberg, Skoorsteenberg en Blauwkop omgewings. Die fasies-eienskappe van die mees suidelike dagsome van Waaiersisteem 5 (Tongberg, Groot Hangklip en Kalkgat) toon afsetting in 'n laer kornhelling omgewing, waar plaaslike tektoniese effekte moontlik 'n groot rol gespeel het in die verspreiding en regionale ontwikkeling van die kanaalvulsels en geassosieerde oewerwal-afsettings. Die gestapelde, wegstand kanaalvulsels-afsettings bestaan uit massiewe, geamalgameerde fyn tot baie fynkorrelrige sandsteen eenhede, wat diktes tot ongeveer 30 m kan bereik. Dit word van mekaar geskei deur dun sandsteenlsliksteen eenhede van afwisselende diktes. Die kanaal komplekse in die mees proksimale dagsome word interpreteer as 'n bo-waaier, wat afgeset is in 'n laer- tot middel kornhelling omgewmg. In teenstelling met die kanaalvulsels in die Skoorsteenberg, Klein Hangklip en Groot Hangklip omgewings, domineer riffel kruisgelamineerde oewerwal-afsettings, geassoseer met klein kanaalvulsels, die noordoostelike en oostelike dagsome van Waaiersisteem 5. Massiewe en dungelaagde frontale plaat sandstene, kom voor in die distale helling-omgewings in die mees noordelike dagsome van Waaiersisteem 5. Hoogs eroderende, gestapelde kanaalkomplekse, aan die basis van die komhelling wat moontlik beheer is deur vroeë komvloer topografie, was die oorsaak vir regionaal goed-ontwikkelde oewerwalafsettings. Hierdie fasies-verandering vind plaas oor 'n baie kort afstand wat betekenisvolle gevolge inhou vir die voorspelling van heterogeniteit van petroleum reservoir fasies in komhelling afsetting-omgewings. Die gradiënt vir die laer komhelling tot mid-komhelling omgewings is baie steiler as die distale komvloer omgewings. Die voorkoms van sagte-sediment deformasies in die oewerwal en boliggende dele van die kanaalvulsels weerspeël 'n moontlike komhelling omgewing. Swakontwikkelde golfriffelmerke in die boonste lae van Waaiersisteem 5 dui 'n waterdiepte aan wat nabyaan golf-basis is, voordat dit deur diepmariene skalies oorlê word. Paleovloeirigtings vir Waaiersisteem 5 was in 'n noord, noordoostelike en oostelike rigting. Die paleovloeirigting vir die Klein- en Groot Hangklip kanaalkomplekse stem min of meer ooreen met die strukturele grein van die sinklinale laagtes in die omgewing. Die effek en beheer van komvloer topografie en ander strukturele faktore op afsetting was minimaalop die regionale ontwikkeling en plaaslike fasies verspreiding van die waaier.

The San Andres Formation (Permian, Guadalupian) is the most prolific oil reservoir in the Permian basin. However, despite more than 60 years of production, an estimated 70% of the original oil in place remains. Recovery of this huge resource requires a better understanding of facies and reservoir framework, which, in turn, must be accomplished using a rock-based reservoir characterization process. This high resolution correlation method is essential for understanding the complex heterogeneities found in shallow water platform carbonates. Steps in the construction of a rock-based reservoir model in the Fullerton San Andres Unit (FSAU) included (1) defining depositional facies and primary facies groups; (2) creating an outcrop depositional model; (3) integrating facies descriptions with gamma-ray and porosity log data; (3) defining field-wide high frequency sequences based on wireline logs and cycle stacking patterns; (4) developing a sequence-based reservoir framework and 3-dimensional reservoir architecture; (5) defining porosity and permeability relationships for facies groups based on rock fabric characteristics. In Fullerton Field, the San Andres Formation comprises high frequency cycles of upward shoaling shallow-marine carbonates. Studies of nine cores (1730 ft) in FSAU reveal four peritidal and five shallow subtidal depositional facies based on texture, fossil assemblages, and sedimentary structures. Peritidal facies are dominantly laminated carbonate mudstones, interpreted as deposited on an intermittently exposed tidal flat. Shallow subtidal facies are peloid and mollusk dominated wackestones and packstones, interpreted as deposited in a shallow protected lagoon. Cycle stacking patterns indicate four complete upward shallowing high frequency sequences. Comparison of high frequency sequences between cored wells shows a high degree of similarity in the overall generalized vertical sequence, especially in the proportions of peritidal and subtidal components within each sequence. Three-dimensional reservoir characterization, using 132 gamma ray and porosity logs, reveals that depositional sequences are largely flat-lying with local topographic variation identified as the fundamental influence on lateral facies distribution within the reservoir section. Integration of core and petrophysical data from surrounding fields places FSAU in the larger sequence stratigraphic framework of the Central Basin Platform. The regional depositional sequence formed a series of depositional environments ranging from intermittently exposed to open marine. San Andres facies developed during south-easterly progradation of shallow water tidal flat and sabkha sediments over a deeper open marine shelf. / text