John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit
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John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon GEOLOGY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS OF THE CLARNO UNIT John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon By Erick A. Bestland, PhD Erick Bestland and Associates, 1010 Monroe St., Eugene, OR 97402 Gregory J. Retallack, PhD Department of Geological Sciences University of Oregon Eugene, OR 7403-1272 June 28, 1994 Final Report NPS Contract CX-9000-1-10009 TABLE OF CONTENTS joda/bestland-retallack1/index.htm Last Updated: 21-Aug-2007 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/index.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:25 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Table of Contents) JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND REGIONAL GEOLOGY INTRODUCTION PREVIOUS WORK AND REGIONAL GEOLOGY Basement rocks Clarno Formation John Day Formation CHAPTER II: GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION Stratigraphic nomenclature Radiometric age determinations CLARNO FORMATION LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS Lower Clarno Formation units Main section JOHN DAY FORMATION LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS Lower Big Basin Member Middle and upper Big Basin Member Turtle Cove Member GEOCHEMISTRY OF LAVA FLOW AND TUFF UNITS Basaltic lava flows Geochemistry of andesitic units Geochemistry of tuffs STRUCTURE OF CLARNO UNIT AREA Structural analysis of folded strata SEDIMENTATION AND VOLCANISM Clarno Formation depositional setting John Day Formation depositional setting LATE EOCENE PALEOCLIMATE AND TECTONICS http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/contents.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:27 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Table of Contents) Step-wise change in paleosol weathering trends CHAPTER III: PALEOSOLS AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS INTRODUCTION FEATURES OF THE PALEOSOLS Traces of land life Soil horizons Soil structure BURIAL ALTERATION OF PALEOSOLS DESCRIPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF PEDOTYPES Acas paleosols Cmuk paleosols Lakayx paleosols Lakim paleosols Luca paleosols Luquem paleosols Micay paleosols Pasct paleosols Patat paleosols Pswa paleosols Sayayk paleosols Scat paleosols Sitaxs paleosols CHAPTER IV: PALEOENVIRONMENTAL SUMMARY Deposition of Clarno volcaniclastic deposits Deposition of "Red Hill" claystones Deposition of "Mammal Quarry" siltstones Summary REFERENCES APPENDICES Appendix 1. Individual named paleosols in the Clarno area Appendix 2. Textures of paleosols Appendix 3. Mineral composition of the paleosols Appendix 4. Chemical analysis of the paleosols Appendix 5. Trace element analysis of the paleosols Appendix 6. Molecular weathering ratios of the paleosols Appendix 7. Radiometric age data Appendix 8. Chemical analysis of igneous rocks Appendix 9. New fossil collections Appendix 10. Checklist of middle Clarno fossils Appendix 11. Checklist of upper Clarno fossils Appendix 12. Checklist of late Eocene John Day fossils Appendix 13. Checklist of early Oligocene John Day fossils Appendix 14. Checklist of late Oligocene fossils http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/contents.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:27 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Table of Contents) GLOSSARY <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> joda/bestland-retallack1/contents.htm Last Updated: 21-Aug-2007 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/contents.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:27 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Abstract) JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon ABSTRACT The Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument includes a complex sequence of Eocene volcaniclastic sediments, volcanic flows and intrusions. Through section description and mapping in this type area of the Clarno Formation we have generated a geologic framework for numerous fossil sites, including several newly discovered sites. Two widespread conglomeratic units of andesitic composition in the middle Eocene (Bridgerian-Uintan) part of the Clarno Formation are separated by red claystones including several paleosols. The lower unit, conglomerates of the Palisades, consists of channel and floodplain debris-flow conglomerates and hyperconcentrated flood flow or lahar runout deposits. The overlying conglomerates of Hancock Canyon also contain channel and floodplain debris-flow conglomerates, but have in addition, fluvially reworked conglomerates and pebbly sandstones, reworked tuff beds, a distinctive amygdaloidal basalt flow and the "Nut Beds" fossil site. The Palisades unit is interpreted as a debris flow apron on which there was little fluvial reworking. The Hancock Canyon unit is interpreted as a debris flow apron to a braidplain in an area of complex topography, including hills of a pre-existing dacite intrusion. Both accumulated on footslopes of a large andesitic stratovolcano. Above the conglomerates are thick but discontinuous red claystones, which record a long period of local volcanic quiescence, slow floodplain aggradation and soil formation. An abrupt climatic change is inferred during accumulation of the red beds because the lower sequence of paleosols is mainly Ultisols, whereas the upper sequence is mainly Alfisols. The fossil Ultisols, like paleosols and fossil plants from the "Nut Beds" can be taken as evidence of a climate that was subtropical (mean annual temperature or MAT 23-25°C) and humid (mean annual precipitation of MAP of 1500-2000 mm). Both fossil plants and soils are more like those of modern southern Mexico, than northern Mexico or Central America. Most fossil plants were transported, but aguacatilla (Meliosma) dominated paleosols of both swamps and lowland colonizing forest, and fresh ash was colonized by ferns (Saccoloma) and fresh alluvium by horsetails (Equisetum). Permineralized forests with sycamore (Macginitea) and katsura (Joffrea) of temperate climatic affinities in the lahars are similar to montane forests of southern Mexico. Thus they reflect an ecotone boundary rather than paleoclimatic change. The abrupt transition to Alfisols in the upper Clarno red beds may represent a decline in both temperature (to MAT 19-23°C) and rainfall (MAP 1000-1500 mm), with dry seasons. Disconformably overlying the red beds are gray-brown siltstones and conglomerates of the "Mammal Quarry" which has yielded a titanothere-dominated fossil fauna. This is the most ancient known fauna of the late Eocene Duchesnean NALMA and of the White River Chronofauna. Paleosols in the beds of the "Mammal Quarry" show better preservation of primary volcanic grains, and may represent a climatic drying (MAP 550-1000 mm) or increased sedimentation due to volcanic influences. The Clarno Formation is overlain abruptly by an ash-flow tuff of the basal John Day Formation, here newly dated by single-crystal 40Ar/39Ar techniques at 39.22±0.03 Ma. Additional new radiometric dates include 38.4±0.07 Ma for a tuff and 33.62±0.19 Ma for the http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/abstract.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:28 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Abstract) "Slanting Leaf Beds", both in the lower John Day Formation. The fossil leaf beds are thus very earliest Oligocene in age because the Eocene-Oligocene boundary is currently recognized at 34 Ma. Thus the Clarno Formation is entirely Eocene and the John Day Formation ranges from late Eocene to early Miocene in age. <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> joda/bestland-retallack1/abstract.htm Last Updated: 21-Aug-2007 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/abstract.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:28 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Acknowledgments) JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This three year project was funded by contract No. CX-9000-1-0009 from the National Park Service. The contract was administered by Beth Faudree with Theodore Fremd as the technical contract advisor. Dr. G.J. Retallack and Dr. E.A. Bestland were the principal investigators and Dr. C. Swisher was consultant in geochronology and provided age determinations. Consultations with Allan Kays, Dave Blackwell, John Stimac, John Dilles, Andrea Mindzenty, Judit German, Edward Taylor, Mike Woodburne, Joseph Jones, and Theodore Fremd have added to our understanding of the geology of central Oregon and the Clarno Unit area. XRF analyses were done in Peter Hooper's laboratory at Washington State University under the direction of Diane Johnson. Christine McBirney analyzed samples for loss on ignition and ferric iron. Petrographic thin sections were made by Tim Tate and specimens were currated by Wendy Abel. <<< Previous <<< Contents>>> Next >>> joda/bestland-retallack1/ack.htm Last Updated: 21-Aug-2007 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/joda/bestland-retallack1/ack.htm[4/18/2014 12:20:29 PM] John Day Fossil Beds NM: Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit (Chapter 1) JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS Geology and Paleoenvironments of the Clarno Unit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND