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Ichnofabrics and Their Environmental Interpretation from the Fluvial Deposits of the Middle Triassic Youfangzhuang Formation in Western Henan, Central China

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Ichnofabrics and Their Environmental Interpretation from the Fluvial Deposits of the Middle Triassic Youfangzhuang Formation in Western Henan, Central China Journal of Earth Science, Vol. 25, No. 4, p. 648–661, August 2014 ISSN 1674-487X Printed in China DOI: 10.1007/s12583-014-0454-2 Ichnofabrics and Their Environmental Interpretation from the Fluvial Deposits of the Middle Triassic Youfangzhuang Formation in Western Henan, Central China Min Wang, Yongan Qi*, Da Li, Mingyue Dai, Yuguang Chang Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China ABSTRACT: Fluvial deposits from the Middle Triassic Youfangzhuang Formation in Henan Province, China contain a low-diversity trace fossils. Vertical dwelling burrows of opportunists dominate in active channel, whereas horizontal deposit-feeding, grazing, and vertical dwelling burrows occur in overbank deposits. Seven recurrent ichnofabrics were distingushed. The Palaeophycus tubularis ichnofabric pre- serves below scour interface between two fluvial cycles. The Skolithos linearis ichnofabric forms in middle to high-energy, soft substrates in the middle and upper parts of active channel deposits under semi-arid climate. The Skolithos linearis-Planolites montanus ichnofabric occurs in the sediments just a little above the Skolithos linearis ichnofabric and is formed in middle-energy, soft substrates in the up- per part of active channel deposits. The Planolites montanus ichnofabric is mostly preserved in associa- tion with medium- to thick-bedded brown-red silty mudstones or siltstones in low-energy, perennial muddy bottom ponds in overbank settings. The Taenidium barretti ichnofabric is interpreted as peri- odically exposed ephemeral ponds or low-energy distal floodplain. The Skolithos isp. ichnofabric com- monly occurs in middle to high-energy firm ground of proximal foodplain or crevasse-splay deposits. The root trace ichnofabric occurs in the crevasse splay deposits. The presence of thin palaeosols and the abundance of calcretization in mudstones indicate a seasonal climate ranging from humid to semi-arid, with high temperature, rainfall, and well-defined dry and wet seasons. KEY WORDS: trace fossil, ichnofabric, fluvial deposit, environmental interpretation, Middle Triassic, Youfangzhuang Formation. 0 INTRODUCTION 1993). The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse ichno- The study of the continental ichnofaunas has shown an fabrics from the fluvial deposits of the Middle Triassic You- explosive development during the last decade (e.g., Buatois and fangzhuang Formation in Henan Province, China, in respect to Mángano, 2007, 2004, 2002, 1998, 1995; Hasiotis et al., 2007; environmental interpretations, and comparison with other flu- Kim et al., 2005; Hu et al., 2002; Genise et al., 2000; Sarkar vial deposits. and Chaudhuri, 1992). Most of the studies focused on lacus- trine settings, while fluvial settings received less attention, 1 GEOLOGICAL SETTING because thick successions of fluvial deposits containing trace The west-east trending Jiyuan Mesozoic Basin, Central fossils are commonly restricted to certain beds and depositional China, is filled with 3 km thick continuous fluvial and lacus- surfaces (Buatois and Mángano, 2007). The publications on trine sediments that overlie Upper Paleozoic marine sediments. fluvial ichnology are mainly focused on ichnoassemblages, It is bounded by the Songshan Mountains in the south, Wuzhi ichnocoenosis and continental ichnofacies (e.g., Buatois and Elevation in the east，and the Daiminzai Elevation in the west. Mángano, 2007, 2004, 1995; Hasiotis, 2002; Bromley, 1996; Its northern marginal part dips toward the Taihang Mountains Hasiotis et al., 1993; Sarkar and Chaudhuri, 1992; Woolfe, and is concealed beneath the Taihang overthrust. The basin fill 1990; Fitzgerald and Barrett, 1986; Bradshaw, 1981; Hobbs, contains meandering fluvial to lacustrine, and braided fluvial 1981; Bromley and Asgaad, 1979; Stanley and Fagerstrom, sediments (Qi et al., 2007; Zhang et al., 2005; Hu et al., 2002; 1974). Only a few studies involve in ichnofabric approach (e.g., Buatois et al., 1996; Wu, 1985). The meandering fluvial suc- Buatois and Mángano, 2007, 1998; Bromley, 1996; Smith, cessions, located in lower part of the basin and limited to its northern part, belong to the Lower and Middle Triassic Erma- *Corresponding author: [email protected] ying and Youfangzhuang formations. The lacustrine succes- © China University of Geosciences and Springer-Verlag Berlin sions are widely distributed in the basin, including the Upper Heidelberg 2014 Triassic Chunshuyao and Tanzhuang formations and the Lower–Middle Jurassic Anyao and Yangshuzhuang formations. Manuscript received April 12, 2013. Braided fluvial successions consist of Middle Jurassic Mawa Manuscript accepted November 28, 2013. Formation of yellow and white coarse sandstones in the north- Wang, M., Qi, Y. A., Li, D., et al., 2014. Ichnofabrics and Their Environmental Interpretation from the Fluvial Deposits of the Middle Triassic Youfangzhuang Formation in Western Henan, Central China. Journal of Earth Science, 25(4): 648–661. doi: 10.1007/s12583-014-0454-2 Ichnofabrics and Their Environmental Interpretation from the Fluvial Deposits of the Middle Triassic 649 ern part of the basin. The outcrops are exposed at the western retention and conservation. Most of the burrows, irrespective of part of Jiyuan City, Henan Province, Central China (Fig. 1). orientation, always occur in or are connected with brown-red sediments which are regarded as to be formed under semi-arid 112º15' 112º25' 112º35'E climate. They are seldom preserved in yellow-green sediments N and gradually disappear in the yellow-green sediments at the Z Z top of the formation. Q2 Pt Z Є T3 E Є K P Z 2 ICHNOFABRICS IN ACTIVE CHANNEL DEPOSITS O2 35º10'N Ar Ar Three recurrent ichnofabrics are distinguished in the active T1-2 Jiyuan channel deposits of the Youfangzhuang Formation (Fig. 3). C 35º05' P Environmental interpretations are based on sedimentology, T3 Study area facies analysis, trace fossil composition and diversity, their E cross-cutting relationships, and degree of bioturbation (Taylor O2 J Q2 and Goldring, 1993). 35º00' T1-2 O2 P C T3 T1-2 Є C J 2.1 Palaeophycus tubularis Ichnofabric C Q2 P This ichnofabric has the lowest ichnodiversity and is characterized by the exclusive trace fossil Palaeophycus tubu- Figure 1. Geologic map of the study area. laris (Figs. 4a and 4b). The bioturbation index (BI), which expresses the degree of bioturbation in relation to primary bed- The Youfangzhuang Formation, 415 m thick, comprises ding (Taylor and Goldring, 1993), is BI 2. This ichnofabric seventeen upward-fining fluvial cycles (Fig. 2). Every cycle occurs at intervals of in 0.1–0.3 m thick, with which up to four begins with an undulate scouring surface, 5–10 m thick active horizons containing Palaeophycus tubularis are present. The channel deposits in the lower part and 5–20 m thick overbank abundance of trace fossils gradually decreases from bottom to deposits in the upper part. Purple muddy conglomerates are top (Fig. 8a). This trace fossil is a simple, unbranched, straight locally preserved at the bottom of the lowest two fluvial cycles. to curved, unlined, parallel to inclined, shallow tubular burrow, They are relatively coarse grained (maximum size up to 12 cm), passively filled by the overlying yellow medium sandstone. It poorly-sorted, imbricated, and clast-supported. They occur in has a mean diameter of 0.5 cm and a mean length of 2.3 cm erosionally based, lenticular bodies that usually incised in (Fig. 8a). The maximum observed length of the burrows is purple-red mudstone or silty mudstone of underlying floodplain about 10 cm, being limted by the size of the outcrop. The deposits. The active channels consist of thickly bedded fine to ichnofabric generally abruptly overlies the interface between coarse-grained sandstones and display a variety of internal two fluvial cycles. The parallel laminated, very thin mudstone physical sedimentary structures, including wedge and planar beds below the interface are variably disrupted by shallow, 1–5 cross laminations, parallel beddings, and common wave ripples. cm-thick Palaeophycus tubularis traces crosscutting the bed- The wedge cross beddings and parallel beddings are prevalent. ding in a subvertical to inclined pattern. Above the interface, Trough and planar cross-beddings occur only in one or two of the yellow medium sandstone displays a flow-ravinement sur- seventeen cycles. The depth of individual active channel fills face, massive or thick-bedded lamination near the interface, and always exceeds 7 m in the lower cycles and gradually decreases develops small brown-red muddy conglomerate and parallel upwards. Overbank deposits are dominated by cyclically inter- bedding upward 20 cm above the interface. It is the production laminated to interbedded thin horizontally laminated, occasion- of rapid deposition of the active channel that sharply contacts ally massive or thick-bedded, brown-red calcareous siltstones, with the underlying layer. mudstones of floodplains, natural levees and lenticular, yellow The mudstone beds above mentioned deposited in flood- to pale brown very fine- to fine-grained sandstones of crevasse plain environment of meandering river under semi-arid climate splays. Irregular calcareous concretions occur in mudstone of condition. After their deposition, a new fluvial cycle begans floodplain and become much richer upwards. High sand/mud with the channel migration and the current scour to underlying ratio (1.3 : 1) in the lower strata gradually deceases upwards, mudstone. The trace makers of Palaeophycus
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