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51. Middle Miocene Salinity Crisis and Paleogeography of the Paratethys (Middle and Eastern Europe)

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51. Middle Miocene Salinity Crisis and Paleogeography of the Paratethys (Middle and Eastern Europe) 51. MIDDLE MIOCENE SALINITY CRISIS AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF THE PARATETHYS (MIDDLE AND EASTERN EUROPE) F. Rögl, Geologisch-Palaeontologische Abteilung Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria F. F. Steininger, Paleontological Institute University Vienna, Vienna, Austria and C. Müller, Geologisch-Paleontologisches Institut Senckenberg-Anlage, Frankfurt/Main, West Germany ABSTRACT Miocene plate tectonic activity created regions of relatively restricted marine sedimentation—the Mediterranean and the Para- tethys Seas—which evolved from the Tethyan Ocean. These result- ing configurations brought about periodic faunal exchanges be- tween central Europe, the marine realms of the Indo-Pacific and the terrestial realms of Africa. Rapid change in marine depositional environments occurred during the middle Miocene in the Para- tethys Sea. After a peak in marine sedimentation during the early Badenian, there was a widespread desiccation in the late middle Badenian in the Carpathian foredeep and eastern intramontaine basins. This "salinity crisis" was caused by the closing of the ma- rine seaway to the Indo-Pacific and gave rise to the brackish water "Spaniodon" beds of the Karaganian Stage of the eastern Para- tethys Sea. Late Badenian floral and faunal assemblages indicate that the seaway to the Indo-Pacific was reopened and the Paratethys area again flooded, whereas the seaway to the Mediterranean had disappeared. Finally, within the late Miocene and Pliocene the Paratethys area was isolated from any marine influence and has be- come progressively more fresh since that time. INTRODUCTION middle Miocene faunal assemblages between the Para- tethys and the Mediterranean seas and raised questions Application of the concepts of plate tectonics to the which led to the following study. Alpine System demonstrates that during the Tertiary a change in relative African-European plate motions occurred during which earlier counterclockwise rotation EARLY MIOCENE SEAWAYS and trascurrent motion became mainly convergent Early and middle Oligocene faunal assemblages are motion (Dewey et al., 1973; Hsü, 1971; McKenzie, more or less uniform throughout Europe. The begin- 1970; Neev, 1975). This collision broke up the Tethys ning of faunal differentiation began in the late Oligo- oceanic realm which had existed since the early Meso- cene in the northern and western Mediterranean and zoic and resulted in the (T 9—Tethys phase of Dewey Paratethyan-faunal realms. et al., 1973) formation of several relatively small The early Miocene of the Paratethys area (Eggen- basins and troughs during the Neogene. These basins burgian/Sakaraulian and Ottnangian/Kozachurian) is and troughs are the Mediterranean and Paratethys characterized by uniform, widespread faunal renewal. seas, the Mesopotamian Basin, and the oceanic trough The fauna includes a most distinctive and diverse which stretches towards the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Con- molluscan fauna, which includes numerous "giant" tinuing compressional forces from the Oligocene on- taxa as a result of exlosive evolution and migration ward, markedly increased subduction, transform fault- during that time (Steininger et al., 1975). This fauna ing, and thrusting developed several sedimentary re- indicates a connection existed with the Indo-Pacific gions within the Central Paratethys: the Alpine- Ocean and its deposition is generally concurrent with a Carpathian foredeep and a number of intramontaine worldwide transgressive phase, probably related to an basins (Senes et al., 1971). The evolution of progres- accelerated spreading rate in the early Miocene. The sively differentiated faunal assemblages within these seaway can easily be traced from the Persian Gulf and Neogene seas resulted in the development of regional western Iran, including the Quom Basin, across Iraq stage concepts for the Mediterranean, and the central and the Mesopotamian trough to eastern Turkey and and eastern Paratethys (Figures 1 and 2). across southern Russia (Crimea area) into the Para- Investigations of nannoplankton and foraminifera of tethys. Moreover, it can be traced across the Mesopo- DSDP Leg 42A revealed major differences in the tamian Basin and northwest Syria into the 985 F. ROGL, C. MULLER Biostratigraphic Zonations s d 1 s Central Stage 9 s use y 197 Bizon, 1972 Mediterranean Paratethys , Year s 196 n Cita, 1973 European Regional , Leg 42A Stages Stages Formerl Martini Epoch Paratethy Millio Blow Globorotalia Dacian Daz PLIO- NN13 N19 - margaritae CENE Zanclian 5- NN12 ~ N18~~~ Ss. acme Zone Z] Dnn+ - Globorotalia Messinian mediterranea N17 Globorotalia n - NN11 humerosa c lia r < e lat - Tortonian Pann N16 Globorotalia Panno 10- acostaenis NN10 HM Globorotalia •D N15 NN9 menardii Sarmatian E N14 CO NN8 N1 ^ E Globorotalia e NN7 Serravallian - N12 mayeri OCEN NN6 niddl c 15 N11 Badenian o r Gr. fohsi r NN5 N10 N9 peripheroronda Langhian - — N8 Po. g/omerosa To Vindobo NN4 Globigerinoides Karpatian \ t Φ N7 trilobus Burdigalian Ottnangian Φ NN3 I N6 / y Globigerinoides 20- D altiaperturus- <•J> earl NN2 5 N5 Globigerinita Eggenburgian h dissimilis 5 Aquitanian ù NN1 n N4 / / Gr. kugleri/ Egerian Gs. primordius NP25 Chatt Aquita 25" OLIGO. I Figure 1. Neogene biostratigraphy and tentative correlation of central paratethys stage concept. Levantine Sea (eastern Mediterranean), on the basis of way extended further west and connected the western a transgressive phase into the Red Sea rift zone. Alpine foredeep across Bavaria, Switzerland, and the The existence of this oceanic strait from the Indo- Rhone Valley to the western Mediterranean Sea. A Pacific to the Paratethys and the Mediterranean seas is regional late Ottnangian/Kozachurian regressive phase consistent with the configurations resulting from plate is characterized by the "Rzehakia" mollusk assem- tectonics in this area (Dewey et al, 1973, p. 3169, fig. blage, which was deposited from Bavaria to the eastern 18; Hsü, 1971 and personal communication). By late Paratethys. This regressive phase ended the first ma- Eggenburgian/early Ottnangian time this marine sea- rine Miocene cycle within the Paratethys. 986 PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF PARATETHYS CENTRALPARATETHYS INTRAMONTANEOUS BASINS CARPATHIAN FOREDEEP Oco SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH EAST NORTH WEST E-Austria, Slovakia E-Hungary, Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia W-Hungary N-Hungary Transylvania Rumania Ukraine Poland, CSSR, NE - Austria Karpato-Ukraine local: Cerithium limestones "Volhynian" EARLY Rissoa SARMAT Rissoa - Ervilia - Elphidium marls, basal with Cibicides and Anomalinoides marls 13 lithothamnium - limestones and Bulimina - Bolivina fauna beds with Venus /Bulimina - Bolivina \ konkensis / and Rotalia faunas marls and clays with pteropods marls and clays with pteropods 3.EN radiolaria beds CD > local: lithothamnium - limestones local: lithothamnium - limestones 14- silty clays with arenaceous foraminifers local: If lithothamnium - limestones arenaceous foraminifers and Uvigerina beds 15- marls and clays with Praeorbulina - Orbulin and characteristic lagenid faunas 16- local - basal: shallow water facies, sands and gravels, and lithothamnium - limestones «J L variegated clays marine variegated clays, sands, marine pelitic KARPAT marine pelitic sediments coal beds pelitic conglomerates sediments conglomerates sediments Figure 2. Middle Miocene sedimentary sequences of the central Paratethys regions (simplified according to Cicha et al, 1975). THE MIDDLE MIOCENE SALINITY CRISIS the stratigraphic position of the Devinska Nova Ves (situated at the river March fissure mammal fauna [loc. The Karpatian Transgression, 17.5-16.5 m.y.B.P. 8]) to the Karpatian (Cicha et al., 1972; Steininger et (Figure 4) al., 1975) stage. Throughout the entire central Paratethys, in addi- tion to the central Pannonian Basin, the Karpatian stage is marked by a pronounced transgressive phase The Badenian Marine Peak, 16.5-14.5 m.y.B.P. and a mollusk fauna of Mediterranean affinities. (Figure 5) Within the central Pannonian Basin marine sedimenta- A far-reaching transgression coming from the Indo- tion seems to be continuous from the Ottnangian to the Pacific characterizes the Badenian marine peak. Even Karpatian stages. The pectinid fauna of this area is within tbe areas of deposition of the Karpatian, for closely related to the western Mediterranean/Atlantic example, northern Yugoslavia (loc. 1), the Styrian fauna (Kokay, 1967, 1973, loc. 1). The facies develop- Basin (loc. 2) and Pannonian Basin (loc. 3), and the ment of the Lorn Basin (loc. 2) also suggests an open western Carpathian foredeep (loc. 4), we recognize a marine seaway existed toward the Indo-Pacific Ocean. distinct unconformity (see also Figure 3) between the Variegated clays, sands, conglomerates, and coal Karpatian and Badenian stages. This transgression beds which lack marine fossils (see Figure 3) occur reaches to the Transsylvanian Basin (loc. 5) and throughout the entire Carpathian foredeep from south- flooded the entire Carpathian foredeep from Austria to east Poland (loc. 3) to Rumania (loc. 4) and within the Rumania (loc. 6)! The marine environment spread out intramountaine basins in Transsylvania (loc. 5) and the of the Carpathian foredeep far east across the Russian Carpatho-Ukraine (loc. 6). This confirms our view that platform, and is represented by the Tarkhanian facies marine equivalents to the Karpatian stage are missing with an endemic fauna best characterized by the in the entire eastern Paratethys. Marine sediments are mollusks (Nevesskaya et al., 1975a). also missing throughout
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