Análises palinológicas desenvolvidas com depósitos do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul estiveram, em sua maioria, relacionadas ao estudo das jazidas de carvão da Formação Rio Bonito, que resultaram na identificação de associações palinológicas vinculadas a formação de paleoturfeiras. O consequente reconhecimento das demais associações palinológicas da passagem entre o Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito é menos detalhado, necessitando-se aprimorar os limites da paleovegetação e das palinozonas estabelecidas. Esta dissertação compreende a análise palinológica de níveis do poço ST-01-RS, localizado na região de Cachoeira do Sul, centro do Rio Grande do Sul. Um total de 25 (vinte e cinco) amostras de subsuperfície foi coletado, envolvendo o intervalo entre o Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito. A análise palinológica permitiu a identificação de 28 gêneros de palinomorfos, dentre os quais 08 (oito) são relativos a esporos triletes acavados, 04 (quatro) a esporos triletes cavados cingulizonados, 05 (cinco) relativos a grãos de pólen monossacados, 01 (um) a grão de pólen bissacado liso e 09 (nove) a grãos de pólen estriados e pré-colpados, enquanto 04 (quatro) formas são relacionadas a elementos constituintes do microplâncton (algas clorofíceas), 01 (um) gênero de esporo de fungo 01 (um) acritarco não determinado. As características quantitativas dos conjuntos palinológicos recuperados permitiram a proposição de 02 (duas) fases palinoflorísticas, designadas como Fase I, ocorrente entre as porções inferior e média do testemunho (Grupo Itararé) e Fase II, que abrange o topo do Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito. As distribuições dos táxons nas duas unidades revelaram que a Fase I representa uma paleovegetação herbácea composta predominantemente de Pteridospermopsida (esporos) em um ambiente com condições climáticas úmidas; espécimes de Gimnospermopsida (grãos de pólen) são subordinados. Durante a Fase II, a vegetação caracteriza-se por alterações parciais do contexto da Fase I, ainda com Pteridospermopsida dominantes, porém com maior participação da vegetação arborescente (Gimnospermopsida) em paleoambiente de clima úmido nas áreas mais baixas relacionadas aos corpos d’água provavelmente circundado por áreas mais elevadas cobertas por representante de Gimnospermopsida. Em ambas as fases, algas e esporos de fungos são escassos. O Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito apresentam 7 conjuntos palinológicos semelhantes, com variações nas proporções entre gêneros de uma unidade para a outra, bem como registrado em outros trabalhos realizados em depósitos do Rio Grande do Sul, o que demonstra a existência de discretas e locais variações paleoclimáticas e paleoambientais. / Palynological analysis developed with deposits in the State of Rio Grande do Sul were mostly related to the study of the coal deposits of the Rio Bonito Formation, which resulted in the identification of palynological associations related to paleo peat-forming. The consequent recognition of the other palinological associations of the passage between the Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation is less detailed and it is necessary to improve the limits of the palaeovegetation and palinozones established. This dissertation comprises the palynological study of levels of well ST-01-RS, located in the region of Cachoeira do Sul, central Rio Grande do Sul state. A total of 25 (twenty-five) subsurface samples were collected, involving the interval between the Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation. The palynological analysis allowed the identification of 29 (twenty-nine) genera of palynomorphs, of which 08 (eight) were related to trilete spores, 05 (five) related to monosacted pollen grains, 01 (one) the grain of laevigati pollen grains and 09 (nine) pollen grains are praecolpati, while 04 (four) forms are related to constituent elements of the microplankton (algae), 01 (one) genus of fungi spore and 01 (one) acritarch not determined. The quantitative characteristics of the recovered palynological assemblages allowed the proposition of 02 (two) palinofloristic phases, designated as Phase I, occurring between the lower and middle portions of the well (Itararé Group) and Phase II, which covers the top of the Itararé Group and Rio Bonito Formation. The distributions of the taxa in the two units revealed that Phase I presents an herbaceous paleovegegation composed predominantly of Pteridospermopsida (spores) in an environment with humid climatic conditions; specimens of Gimnospermopsida (pollen grains) are subordinate. During Phase II, vegetation is characterized by partial alterations of the Phase I context, still with dominant Pteridospermopsida, but with an increase of the arborescent vegetation (Gimnospermopsida) in a humid climate paleoenvironment in the lower areas related to probably circled water bodies by higher areas covered by representative of Gymnospermopsida. In both phases, algae and fungi spores are scarce. The Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation have similar palynological assemblages, with variations in the proportions between genera from one unit to the other, as well as recorded in other studies carried out in Rio Grande do Sul deposits, which demonstrates the existence of discrete and localy paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-10-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:54:17Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 neves_jp_me_rcla.pdf: 9688721 bytes, checksum: e459ad8bf7d442ee8695ccc1b4c3da9f (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Bivalves fósseis são comuns em rochas siliciclásticas e carbonáticas das formações Teresina e Rio do Rasto (Permiano Médio/Superior), Bacia do Paraná. Entretanto, a gênese das camadas de conchas carbonáticas ainda é pouco conhecida. Cinco camadas de calcários do centro-sul e norte do Estado do Paraná foram selecionados para estudo tafonômico: dois grainstones oolíticos a bivalves (Prudentópolis) e um grainstone a peloides e bivalves com intraclastos e oncoides (Rio Preto) da Formação Teresina; um packstone e um wackestone a bivalves e oncoides (Ribeirão Claro) da Formação Rio do Rasto. As camadas carbonáticas (≤ 45 cm de espessura), estão intercaladas entre rochas pelíticas, possuem contato basal erosivo, quantidade variável de intraclastos pelíticos, valvas caoticamente distribuídas com gradação vertical descontínua e empacotamento denso a disperso. As conchas encontram-se desarticuladas, comumente fragmentadas, às vezes incrustadas por cianobactérias, e correspondem a espécies alóctonas que viviam em substratos distintos. As assembléias de bivalves representam, portanto, tanatocenoses em tempestitos proximais amalgamados, gerados em água rasa com frequentes modificações por bioturbação e baixa taxa de sedimentação. A presente pesquisa corrobora outras evidências de que acumulações de conchas paleozóicas em mares epicontinentais resultaram de história tafonômica complexa com acentuada mistura temporal e espacial dos bioclastos sob influência de tempestades / Bivalve fossils are common in siliciclastic and carbonate rocks of the Teresina and Rio do Rasto formations (Middle to Late Permian), Paraná Basin. However, little is known about shell concentrations in carbonates. Five limestone beds in south-central and northern Paraná State were selected for a taphonomic study: two oolite-bivalve grainstones at Prudentópolis and one peloid-bivalve grainstone with intraclasts and oncoids at Rio Preto, from Teresina Formation; one packstone and one wackestone with bivalves and oncoids at Ribeirão Claro, from Rio do Rasto Formation. The limestone beds (≤ 45 cm thick) are intercalated with pelitic rocks; the basal contact is sharp and erosive, with variable amount of pelitic intraclasts. Shells are randomly oriented (many nested/stacked), showing dense to disperse packing, and discontinuous grading. The shells are disarticulated, commonly fragmented, sometimes encrusted by stromatolites, and correspond to allochthonous specimens winnowed from distinct life-substrates. The bivalve concentrations were generated in shallow water settings punctuated by storms, under very low sedimentation rates, with frequent intrastratal bioturbation. Hence, the concentrations are amalgamated proximal tempestites. This work corroborates previous evidences that Paleozoic shell beds from the epeiric seas have complex taphonomic histories and result from strong temporal/spatial mixing of bioclasts under storm influence

Análises mineralógicas, petrográficas e de palinofácies são registradas em um leito de tonstein associado a camadas de carvão na Jazida do Faxinal, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A integração dos dados revestiu-se de grande importância para atribuir uma origem vulcânica para este argilito caolinítico. O tonstein é uma rocha quase monominerálica, composta predominantemente por caolinita antigênica. Dispersos na massa caolinítica ocorrem os minerais piroclásticos: paramorfos de quartzo-ß bipiramidais euédricos, “splinters” de quartzo transparente, zircão idiomórfico, apatita euédrica, alanita e pseudomorfos de sanidina, os quais são considerados como uma suíte restrita de minerais vulcânicos de tonsteins distais que preservaram durante a diagênese. Os minerais primários e suas feições texturais, bem como as relações de campo, indicam uma origem vulcânica de queda para essa camada. O estudo de palinofácies, inédito para este tipo de rocha, evidenciou uma composição diferenciada da matéria orgânica estruturada ao longo do perfil do tonstein. Análises estatísticas do querogênio de diferentes níveis da camada de tonstein indicaram altas percentagens de fitoclastos (xilema e epiderme) associados à menor representatividade de palinomorfos. Análises microestratigráficas destes níveis demonstraram que a saturação e a precipitação dos palinomorfos foram altamente influenciadas pelo intenso processo de queda de cinzas. O nível basal caracteriza-se por densos aglomerados de esporos e polens, enquanto o topo é marcado pela preservação de fragmentos de colônias de algas Botryococcus evidenciando uma deposição subaquosa desta camada. Alguns fragmentos de epiderme (cutículas) evidenciam, por sua coloração, acentuada alteração termal. Esses dados possibilitaram vincular as peculiaridades do mecanismo de deposição e preservação da matéria orgânica com o processo de formação do tonstein relacionado à rápida precipitação de cinzas vulcânicas. O tonstein intercalado em camada de carvão indica um episódio de sedimentação de tefra durante a deposição da seqüência portadora de carvão no Permiano Inferior no sul da Bacia do Paraná. / Mineralogical and palynofacies analyses are reported from a tonstein layer interbedded with coal seams in the Faxinal coalfield, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Integration of data has far reaching significance for attributing a volcanic origin for this kaolinitic claystone bed. The tonstein is almost monomineralic rock, composed mainly by authigenic kaolinite. Scattered in the kaolinitic mass primary pyroclastic minerals occur: euhedral beta-quartz paramorphs and waterclear quartz splinters, idiomorphic zircons, apatite, allanite and sanidine pseudomorphs; considered as a restricted suite of silicic volcanic minerals of the distal tonsteins which preserved during diagenesis. The primary minerals and their textural features, as well as the field relations, indicate a volcanic air-fall origin. Analyses of the kerogens from different levels of tonstein layer indicate high percentages of phytoclasts combined with very low palynomorph percentages. Microstratigraphic analyses of the tonstein profile demonstrated that saturation and precipitation of palynomorphs were highly influenced by the intense ash-fall process. The preservation of Botryococcus colonies at the top of the tonstein evidenced the subaqueous deposition of this bed. The brown color of several cuticle fragments and tracheids was linked to thermal alteration. The tonstein interbedded in a coal seam indicates an episode of tephra sedimentation during the deposition of the coal-bearing sequence of the Lower Permian in the southern Paraná Basin.

Análises palinológicas desenvolvidas com depósitos do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul estiveram, em sua maioria, relacionadas ao estudo das jazidas de carvão da Formação Rio Bonito, que resultaram na identificação de associações palinológicas vinculadas a formação de paleoturfeiras. O consequente reconhecimento das demais associações palinológicas da passagem entre o Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito é menos detalhado, necessitando-se aprimorar os limites da paleovegetação e das palinozonas estabelecidas. Esta dissertação compreende a análise palinológica de níveis do poço ST-01-RS, localizado na região de Cachoeira do Sul, centro do Rio Grande do Sul. Um total de 25 (vinte e cinco) amostras de subsuperfície foi coletado, envolvendo o intervalo entre o Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito. A análise palinológica permitiu a identificação de 28 gêneros de palinomorfos, dentre os quais 08 (oito) são relativos a esporos triletes acavados, 04 (quatro) a esporos triletes cavados cingulizonados, 05 (cinco) relativos a grãos de pólen monossacados, 01 (um) a grão de pólen bissacado liso e 09 (nove) a grãos de pólen estriados e pré-colpados, enquanto 04 (quatro) formas são relacionadas a elementos constituintes do microplâncton (algas clorofíceas), 01 (um) gênero de esporo de fungo 01 (um) acritarco não determinado. As características quantitativas dos conjuntos palinológicos recuperados permitiram a proposição de 02 (duas) fases palinoflorísticas, designadas como Fase I, ocorrente entre as porções inferior e média do testemunho (Grupo Itararé) e Fase II, que abrange o topo do Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito. As distribuições dos táxons nas duas unidades revelaram que a Fase I representa uma paleovegetação herbácea composta predominantemente de Pteridospermopsida (esporos) em um ambiente com condições climáticas úmidas; espécimes de Gimnospermopsida (grãos de pólen) são subordinados. Durante a Fase II, a vegetação caracteriza-se por alterações parciais do contexto da Fase I, ainda com Pteridospermopsida dominantes, porém com maior participação da vegetação arborescente (Gimnospermopsida) em paleoambiente de clima úmido nas áreas mais baixas relacionadas aos corpos d’água provavelmente circundado por áreas mais elevadas cobertas por representante de Gimnospermopsida. Em ambas as fases, algas e esporos de fungos são escassos. O Grupo Itararé e a Formação Rio Bonito apresentam 7 conjuntos palinológicos semelhantes, com variações nas proporções entre gêneros de uma unidade para a outra, bem como registrado em outros trabalhos realizados em depósitos do Rio Grande do Sul, o que demonstra a existência de discretas e locais variações paleoclimáticas e paleoambientais. / Palynological analysis developed with deposits in the State of Rio Grande do Sul were mostly related to the study of the coal deposits of the Rio Bonito Formation, which resulted in the identification of palynological associations related to paleo peat-forming. The consequent recognition of the other palinological associations of the passage between the Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation is less detailed and it is necessary to improve the limits of the palaeovegetation and palinozones established. This dissertation comprises the palynological study of levels of well ST-01-RS, located in the region of Cachoeira do Sul, central Rio Grande do Sul state. A total of 25 (twenty-five) subsurface samples were collected, involving the interval between the Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation. The palynological analysis allowed the identification of 29 (twenty-nine) genera of palynomorphs, of which 08 (eight) were related to trilete spores, 05 (five) related to monosacted pollen grains, 01 (one) the grain of laevigati pollen grains and 09 (nine) pollen grains are praecolpati, while 04 (four) forms are related to constituent elements of the microplankton (algae), 01 (one) genus of fungi spore and 01 (one) acritarch not determined. The quantitative characteristics of the recovered palynological assemblages allowed the proposition of 02 (two) palinofloristic phases, designated as Phase I, occurring between the lower and middle portions of the well (Itararé Group) and Phase II, which covers the top of the Itararé Group and Rio Bonito Formation. The distributions of the taxa in the two units revealed that Phase I presents an herbaceous paleovegegation composed predominantly of Pteridospermopsida (spores) in an environment with humid climatic conditions; specimens of Gimnospermopsida (pollen grains) are subordinate. During Phase II, vegetation is characterized by partial alterations of the Phase I context, still with dominant Pteridospermopsida, but with an increase of the arborescent vegetation (Gimnospermopsida) in a humid climate paleoenvironment in the lower areas related to probably circled water bodies by higher areas covered by representative of Gymnospermopsida. In both phases, algae and fungi spores are scarce. The Itararé Group and the Rio Bonito Formation have similar palynological assemblages, with variations in the proportions between genera from one unit to the other, as well as recorded in other studies carried out in Rio Grande do Sul deposits, which demonstrates the existence of discrete and localy paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes.

Análises mineralógicas, petrográficas e de palinofácies são registradas em um leito de tonstein associado a camadas de carvão na Jazida do Faxinal, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A integração dos dados revestiu-se de grande importância para atribuir uma origem vulcânica para este argilito caolinítico. O tonstein é uma rocha quase monominerálica, composta predominantemente por caolinita antigênica. Dispersos na massa caolinítica ocorrem os minerais piroclásticos: paramorfos de quartzo-ß bipiramidais euédricos, “splinters” de quartzo transparente, zircão idiomórfico, apatita euédrica, alanita e pseudomorfos de sanidina, os quais são considerados como uma suíte restrita de minerais vulcânicos de tonsteins distais que preservaram durante a diagênese. Os minerais primários e suas feições texturais, bem como as relações de campo, indicam uma origem vulcânica de queda para essa camada. O estudo de palinofácies, inédito para este tipo de rocha, evidenciou uma composição diferenciada da matéria orgânica estruturada ao longo do perfil do tonstein. Análises estatísticas do querogênio de diferentes níveis da camada de tonstein indicaram altas percentagens de fitoclastos (xilema e epiderme) associados à menor representatividade de palinomorfos. Análises microestratigráficas destes níveis demonstraram que a saturação e a precipitação dos palinomorfos foram altamente influenciadas pelo intenso processo de queda de cinzas. O nível basal caracteriza-se por densos aglomerados de esporos e polens, enquanto o topo é marcado pela preservação de fragmentos de colônias de algas Botryococcus evidenciando uma deposição subaquosa desta camada. Alguns fragmentos de epiderme (cutículas) evidenciam, por sua coloração, acentuada alteração termal. Esses dados possibilitaram vincular as peculiaridades do mecanismo de deposição e preservação da matéria orgânica com o processo de formação do tonstein relacionado à rápida precipitação de cinzas vulcânicas. O tonstein intercalado em camada de carvão indica um episódio de sedimentação de tefra durante a deposição da seqüência portadora de carvão no Permiano Inferior no sul da Bacia do Paraná. / Mineralogical and palynofacies analyses are reported from a tonstein layer interbedded with coal seams in the Faxinal coalfield, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Integration of data has far reaching significance for attributing a volcanic origin for this kaolinitic claystone bed. The tonstein is almost monomineralic rock, composed mainly by authigenic kaolinite. Scattered in the kaolinitic mass primary pyroclastic minerals occur: euhedral beta-quartz paramorphs and waterclear quartz splinters, idiomorphic zircons, apatite, allanite and sanidine pseudomorphs; considered as a restricted suite of silicic volcanic minerals of the distal tonsteins which preserved during diagenesis. The primary minerals and their textural features, as well as the field relations, indicate a volcanic air-fall origin. Analyses of the kerogens from different levels of tonstein layer indicate high percentages of phytoclasts combined with very low palynomorph percentages. Microstratigraphic analyses of the tonstein profile demonstrated that saturation and precipitation of palynomorphs were highly influenced by the intense ash-fall process. The preservation of Botryococcus colonies at the top of the tonstein evidenced the subaqueous deposition of this bed. The brown color of several cuticle fragments and tracheids was linked to thermal alteration. The tonstein interbedded in a coal seam indicates an episode of tephra sedimentation during the deposition of the coal-bearing sequence of the Lower Permian in the southern Paraná Basin.

Cette étude a visé à contraindre les processus tectoniques, magmatiques et métamorphiques actifs dans la croûte moyenne, du Permien à l’exhumation des roches pendant les riftings mésozoïques, en se focalisant sur un gabbro permien dans les nappes austroalpines (Italie du nord, sud-est de la Suisse). L’évolution du gabbro de Sondalo, mis en place dans l’unité de Campo, est examinée en combinant géologie structurale, pétrologie magmatique et métamorphique, et géochronologie. Les résultats de cette étude (1) apportent des contraintes sur les relations thermiques et mécaniques entre le pluton et l’encaissant pendant sa mise en place dans la croûte moyenne, (2) décrivent les mécanismes d’ascension de magmas mafiques au travers de la croûte continentale et (3) documentent l’exhumation et le refroidissement de l’unité de Campo et de l’unité sus-jacente de Grosina pendant la formation de la marge riftée adriatique. / This study aims to unravel tectonic, magmatic and metamorphic processes active at midcrustal levels from the Permian to the exhumation of the rocks during the Mesozoic riftings by focusing on a Permian gabbro in the Austroalpine nappes (N–Italy, SE–Switzerland). The evolution of the Sondalo gabbro, emplaced in the Campo unit, is examined by combining structural geology, magmatic and metamorphic petrology, and geochronology. The results of this study bring constrains on (1) the thermal and mechanical relationship between the pluton and the host rock during its emplacement in the middle crust, (2) the mechanisms of mafic magmas ascent through the continental crust and (3) the exhumation and cooling history of the Campo unit and the overlying Grosina unit during the formation of the Adriatic rifted margin.

Le Permien et le Trias (ca. 300 à 200 Ma) sont caractérisés par une réorganisation globale de la dynamique des enveloppes externes de la Terre et en particulier de la biosphère qui traverse l'une de ses plus grandes crises à la transition entre le Permien le Trias. L'évaluation du rôle du domaine Est Téthysien (actuelle Asie du Sud Est) dans les perturbations des enveloppes externes est mal établie en raison d'une mauvaise compréhension de son évolution paléogéographique au Permien et au Trias. Des éléments nouveaux sur la paléogéographie et l'évolution géodynamique du domaine Est Téthysien ont été déduits d'analyses sédimentologiques, géochronologiques et géochimiques réalisées dans les bassins sédimentaires de Luang Prabang (Laos), Sam Nua et Song Da (Nord du Vietnam). Ces études ont montré qu'un ensemble continental majeur du domaine Est Téthysien, le bloc Indochinois, est bordé par deux zones de subduction au Permien supérieur et au Trias inférieur, puis entre en collision avec le bloc Chine du Sud au Trias moyen tandis que le fonctionnement de l'autre zone de subduction, au niveau du Bassin de Luang Prabang, se poursuit jusqu'au Trias supérieur. Les arcs magmatiques liés à la présence des zones de subductions représentaient alors probablement des reliefs topographiques importants dans une zone située à faible latitude. La présence d'un écosystème continental relativement diversifié au Trias inférieur dans le Bassin de Luang Prabang suggère que ces reliefs aient pu constituer des zones refuges favorables au maintient et/ou au renouvellement de la biosphère lors de la crise biologique permo-triasique. / The Permian and the Triassic (ca. 300 to 200 Ma) are characterized by a global change that has impacted the hydrosphere, the atmosphere and especially the biosphere that has underwent one of its biggest crisis at the permian-triassic boundary. Assessing the role of the East Tethyan domain (present day South East Asia) in the reorganization of the biosphere is hampered by a poor understanding of its paleogeographic evolution. Examination of the Luang Prabang Basin (Laos) Sam Nua and Song Da Basin (Vietnam) using sedimentological, geochronological and geochemical analysis brings new information about the geodynamic evolution of the Indochina bloc. These studies revealed the existence of two subduction zones bordering the Indochina bloc during the Late Permian and the Early Triassic, followed by a collision with the Indochina bloc during the Middle Triassic while the other subduction zone was still active up to the Late Triasic. The magmatic arcs related to the subduction zones might have representedimportant topographic heights in an area located at a low latitude. The occurrence of a rather diversified continental ecosystem in the Luang Prabang Basin during the Lower Triassic suggests that these topographic heights could have formed a refuge zone suitable to the maintaining and/or the recovery of the biosphere during or slightly after the Permian-triassic biotic crisis.

The Permian Meade Peak Member of the Phosphoria Formation was examined at four localities in this investigation. Fossils were collected at each locality. The four collecting localities visited in this investigation are: Brazier Canyon, Utah, Montpelier Canyon, Idaho, Coal Canyon, Wyoming, and Cokeville, Wyoming. The environment of deposition of the Meade Peak Member in the study area is inferred to have been an outer shelf or basin characterized by moderately deep and quiet water. This has aided reconstruction of life habits, population dynamics, and growth characteristics of the examined species. The articulate brachiopod Leiorhynchoidea weeksi is inferred to have attached itself to the substrate by means of a pedicle. The observed variability in the sulcus of this species is assumed to have been influenced by intraspecific competition, which may reflect partitioning of nutrient resources at different levels in the water above the substrate. The articulate brachiopod Lissochonetes ostiolatus probably assumed an unattached existence, lying free on the substrate. Several population samples exhibited stunted growth relative to the L. ostiolatus population sample from Montpelier Canyon. Two environmental variants possibly contributed to the inhibition of growth. These are negative Eh, inferred from the associated organic matter in the lithologies, and competition for space. Lingula carbonaria an inarticulate brachiopod, is thought to have had an infaunal mode of life. A population sample of L. carbonaria from Cokeville exhibits substantially larger morphologic mean sizes than two other population samples. These differences can be explained by the fact the sandy lithology from which the larger collection was taken was associated with conditions which facilitated growth. Also, availability of phosphate, inferred from the P2O5 content of the lithology, probably accelerated growth because inarticulates utilize calcium phosphate as shell material. Orbiculoidea missouriensis is an inarticulate brachiopod. It is inferred to have been attached to the substrate by a pedicle. OF the three population samples of O. missouriensis analyzed, the sample from Brazier Canyon displays larger morphologic mean sizes. This is interpreted as indicating that reducing conditions, inferred from associated organic matter, were milder in that environment. The gastropod bablyonites ferrieri displaysa a low, expanded from, and is thought to have crawled over the surface of the sediment. The food source of this gastropod is not known, but may have been algae, carrion, detritus, or soft-bodied invertebrates. Two bivalves collected are assumed to have been shallow burrowing, labial palp feeders. Both Nuculopsis montpelierensis and polidevcia obesa represent this mode of life. Of the two population samples of P. obesa examined, the one from Cokeville displays larger morphologic means. The environmental stimuli proposed for this difference is competition and an inferred softer substrate in the montpelier assemblage. The bivalve Edmondia phosphatica is inferred to have been a shallow burrowing, siphonate species. Streblochondria montpelierensis and Aviculopecten phosphaticus are bivalves related to modern pectenoids. S. montpelierensis is assumed to have been a byssally attached epifaunal bivalve. The environmental factors influencing the morphologic variation are also inferred to have affected size-frequency distributions and survivorship curves. The effects of reducing conditions have resulted in higher juvenille mortality and/or inhibited growth. Coarser substrates have yielded population samples that exhibit negatively skewed distributions, whereas finer-grained substrates have yielded positively skewed distributions. Growth curves constructed for each population sample generally show a decline in growth rate with age. Some linear trends are noted. Growth lines were used to infer an approximate life span for each species. Conservative approximations of the life spans of the examined species are: L. weeksi, 9 years; L. ostiolatus, 5 years; L. carbonaria, 8 years; A. phosphaticus, 4 years; O. missouriensis, 2.3 years; P. obesa, 5 years; and B. ferrieri, 3.4 years.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Basin subsidence analysis, employing the backstripping method, indicates that fundamentally two different basin-generating mechanisms controlled Tanqua depocentre development in SW Karoo Basin. The subsidence curves display initial dominantly decelerating subsidence, suggesting an extensional and thermal control possibly in a strikeslip setting during the depocentre formation; on the other hand, subsequent accelerating subsidence with time suggests that the dominant control on the depocentre formation in SW Karoo was flexure of the lithosphere. Based on these observations on the subsidence curves, it is possible to infer that the first stage of positive inflexion (~ 290 Ma) is therefore recognised as the first stage of Tanqua depocentre formation. Petrographic study show that most of the studied sandstones of the Tanqua depocentre at depth of ~ 7.5 Km were subjected to high pressure due to the overlying sediments. They are tightly-packed as a result of grains adjustment made under such pressure which led also to the development of sutured contacts. It is clear the high compaction i.e. grain deformation and pressure solution occurred on the sediments; leading to total intergranular porosity reduction of the quartz-rich sediments and dissolution of the mineral grains at intergranular contacts under non-hydrostatic stress and subsequent re-precipitation in pore spaces. Furthermore, siliciclastic cover in the Tanqua depocentre expanded from minimal values in the early Triassic (Early to Late Anisian) and to a maximum in the middle Permian (Wordian -Roadian); thereby accompanying a global falling trend in eustatic sea-level and favoured by a compressional phase involving a regional shortening due to orogenic thrusting and positive inflexions (denoting foreland basin formation). The estimate of sediment volume obtained in this study for the Permian Period to a maximum in the middle Permian is therefore consistent with published eustatic sea-level and stress regime data. In addition, this new data are consistent with a diachronous cessation of marine incursion and closure of Tanqua depocentre, related to a compressional stress regime in Gondwana interior during the late Palaeozoic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontleding van komversakking met behulp van die terugstropingsmetode bring aan die lig dat die ontwikkeling van die Tankwa-afsettingsentrum in die Suidwes-Karoo-kom hoofsaaklik deur twee verskillende komvormende meganismes bepaal is. Die versakkingskurwes toon aanvanklike, hoofsaaklik verlangsaamde versakking, wat daarop dui dat ekstensie- en termiese beheer gedurende die vorming van die afsettingsentrum plaasgevind het, waarskynlik in strekkingwaartse opset. Aan die ander kant toon daaropvolgende versnellende versakking wat mettertyd plaasgevind het dat die vorming van die afsettingsentrum in die Suidwes-Karoo eerder oorwegend deur kromming van die litosfeer beheer is. Op grond van hierdie waarnemings met betrekking tot die versakkingskurwes, kan mens aflei dat die eerste stadium van positiewe infleksie (~ 290 Ma) dus as die eerste stadium van die vorming van die Tankwa-afsettingsentrum beskou kan word. Petrografiese studie toon dat die meeste van die sandsteen wat van die Tankwaafsettingsentrum bestudeer is, op diepte van ~ 7,5 Km aan hoë druk onderwerp was weens die oorliggende sedimente. Die sandsteen is dig opmekaar as gevolg van die korrelaanpassing wat onder sulke hoë druk plaasvind, wat op sy beurt ook tot die ontwikkeling van kartelnaatkontakte aanleiding gegee het. Dit is duidelik dat die sediment aan hoë verdigting, dit wil sê korrelvervorming en drukoplossing, onderwerp was, wat gelei het tot algehele afname in interkorrelporeusheid by die kwartsryke sedimente; die ontbinding van die mineraalkorrels in interkorrelkontaksones onder niehidrostatiese spanning, en daaropvolgende herpresipitasie in poreuse ruimtes. Voorts het silisiklastiese dekking in die Tankwa-afsettingsentrum toegeneem van minimale waardes in die vroeë Triassiese tydperk (vroeë tot laat Anisiaanse tydperk) tot hoogtepunt in die mid-Permiaanse tydperk (Wordiaans–Roadiaans). Dié ontwikkeling het gepaardgegaan met algemene dalingstendens in die eustatiese seevlak, en is verder aangehelp deur saamdrukkingsfase wat gekenmerk is deur regionale verkorting weens orogeniese druk en positiewe infleksies (wat met voorlandkomvorming saamhang). Die geraamde sedimentvolume wat in hierdie studie vir die Permiaanse tydperk bepaal is, met die hoogtepunt in die middel van dié tydperk, is dus in pas met gepubliseerde data oor die eustatiese seevlak en spanningstoestand. Daarbenewens strook hierdie nuwe data met diachroniese staking van mariene instroming en die afsluiting van die Tankwaafsettingsentrum wat met spanningstoestand in die Gondwana-binneland gedurende die laat Paleosoïkum verband hou.

This dissertation combines studies of aeolian bedforms and aeolian dune-field patterns to create a comprehensive set of tools that can be used in tandem (or separately) to extract information about climate change and landscape evolution, and to identify the controls on formation for specific modern dune fields or ancient aeolian sequences. The spatial distribution of surface processes, erosion/deposition rates, and lee face sorting on aeolian dunes are each a function of the incident angle. This correlation between stratification style and incidence angle can be used to develop a “toolbox” of methods based on measurements of key suites of parameters found in ancient aeolian deposits. Information obtained from the rock record can be used as input data for different kinds of numerical models. Regional-scale paleowind conditions can be used to validate paleoclimate and global circulation models. Understanding the natural variability in the Earth’s climate throughout its history can help predict future climate change. Reconstructed wind regimes and bedform morphologies can be used in numerical models of aeolian dune-field pattern evolution to simulate patterns analogous to those reconstructed from ancient aeolian systems. Much of the diversity of aeolian dune-field patterns seen in the real world is a function of the sediment supply and transport capacity, which in turn determine the sediment availability of the system. Knowledge of the sediment supply, availability, and transport capacity of aeolian systems can be used to predict the amount of sand in the system and where it might have migrated. This information can be extremely useful for development and production of oil and gas accumulations, where a discovery has been made but the spatial extent of the aeolian reservoir is unknown. / text