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Palynology and Microfacies of Lower Devonian Mixed Carbonate−Siliciclastic Deposits in Podolia, Ukraine

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Palynology and Microfacies of Lower Devonian Mixed Carbonate−Siliciclastic Deposits in Podolia, Ukraine Palynology and microfacies of Lower Devonian mixed carbonate−siliciclastic deposits in Podolia, Ukraine PAWEŁ FILIPIAK, MICHAŁ ZATOŃ, HUBERT SZANIAWSKI, RYSZARD WRONA, and GRZEGORZ RACKI Filipiak, P., Zatoń, M., Szaniawski, H., Wrona, R., and Racki, G. 2012. Palynology and microfacies of Lower Devonian mixed carbonate−siliciclastic deposits in Podolia, Ukraine. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57 (4): 863–877. Investigation of mixed carbonate−siliciclastic Lower Devonian deposits have been carried out in the Ivanye Zolote and Ustechko sections in Podolia, Ukraine. Based on palynomorph evidence, the age of the samples studied is late Lochkovian, not older than the NM Oppel Miospore Zone, specifically the Si Lineage Zone. The presence of acritarchs and chitinozoans points to dominantly marine depositional conditions. However, a regressive environmental change to− ward more brackish conditions is indicated by a decrease in the taxonomic diversity of acritarchs in the topmost samples, the simultaneous disappearance of chitinozoans, and an increase in leiosphaerid frequency. Furthermore, evolution of limestone microfacies demonstrates a progressive transition from a shrinking marine basin toward a brackish, storm−af− fected muddy lagoon, manifested by recurrent profusion of impoverished, mostly opportunistic and euryhaline shelly benthos (nuculanid bivalves, leperditicopids and other ostracods, terebratulid brachiopods), chaetetid demosponges and diverse ichthyofauna. The association of plant (mainly nematophytes and some tracheids) and animal (eurypterid, ?scor− pion, and possibly other arthropod) remains points to the presence of nearby Early Devonian wetland vegetation, provid− ing food and shelter for various semi−aquatic and other terrestrial arthropods. Key words: Eurypterids, palynostratigraphy, palynofacies, carbonate microfacies, cuticles, Lower Devonian, Podolia. Paweł Filipiak [[email protected]], Michał Zatoń [[email protected]], and Grzegorz Racki [grzegorz.racki@us. edu.pl], Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, PL−41−200 Sosnowiec, Poland; Hubert Szaniawski [[email protected]] and Ryszard Wrona [[email protected]], Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, PL−00−818 Warszawa, Poland. Received 29 November 2011, accepted 10 August 2012, available online 13 August 2012. Copyright © 2012 P. Filipiak et al. This is an open−access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons At− tribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original au− thor and source are credited. Introduction Kirjanov (1978) presented comprehensive data concerning phytoplankton (mainly acritarch) distribution in the Silurian of Upper Silurian and Lower Devonian deposits occur as many the Volyno−Podolia region. He described over 70 species, natural exposures in the Podolia region of Ukraine (Fig. 1). some of which were recognized during the current study. However, biostratigraphic subdivision of the sedimentary Arkhangelskaya (1980) identified such miospores as Em− successions remains unsatisfactory, especially of those strata phanisporites cf. micrornatus and Streelispora sp. from the deposited during the late Lochkovian, when conditions Ivanye Horizon, indicative of the middle and upper parts of the changed from marginal marine to alluvial (Uchman et al. Emphanisporites micrornatus–Streelispora newportensis 2004; Małkowski et al. 2009; Drygant 2010; Voichyshyn Spore Zone of Richardson and McGregor (1986). Based on 2011). Palynological studies have proven useful for subdi− thepresenceofEmphanisporites micrornatus,Richardsonet viding and correlating various sedimentary facies, as well as al. (1981) and Richardson and McGregor (1986) assigned the can also assist in interpreting changes in sedimentary envi− Ivanye Horizon to the NM Miospore Zone. Paris and Grahn ronments (e.g., Tyson 1993; Batten 1996; Wicander and (1996) studied chitinozoans of Přidoli and Lochkovian beds of Wood 1997; Filipiak 2002; Filipiak and Zatoń 2011). In Podolia and tentatively dated their youngest low−diversity Podolia, such integrative palynological analyses are espe− Ancyrochitina−dominated assemblage, from the Ivanye Hori− cially needed (Le Hérissé et al. 1997) to decipher the evolu− zon, as Lochkovian. Palynostratigraphic data from two sam− tion of sedimentary conditions during this regressive Early ples from the Ustechko section were presented by Turnau in Devonian interval, supplementing the sedimentological−eco− Uchman et al. (2004). Based on the presence of miospore taxa, logical data provided by Uchman et al. (2004). Turnau recognized the Lochkovian Emphanisporites micro− Acta Palaeontol. Pol. 57 (4): 863–877, 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.2011.0184 864 ACTA PALAEONTOLOGICA POLONICA 57 (4), 2012 Dzhurin 300 km The aim of the present paper is to establish a palyno− BELORUS RUSSIA stratigraphic framework and to characterize, in the paleo− environmental context, the palynofacies and carbonate micro− POLAND Kyiv facies in the upper part of the Lochkovian deposits of Podolia. Lviv UKRAINE In particular, analysis of associations of marine and land−de− MOLDOVA rived palynoflora, as well as plant and animal cuticle remains, Ustechko Dniester refines interpretation of the development of marginal−marine 118 ROMANIA facies in the section under study. Black Sea Institutional abbreviations.—GIUS, Faculty of Earth Sci− ences, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland. Ivanye Zolote Other abbreviations.—AOM, amorphic organic matter; CH., 76 Seret chitinozoa; IZ, Ivanye Zolote; LEIO., leiospheres. Zalishchyky 2km Geological setting Horodok sections studied Lower Devonian deposits of the Dniester Basin are located on the southwestern margin of the East European Platform (Fig. 1; Fig. 1. A. Location of study area in Ukraine. B. Detailed map of study area Nikiforova et al. 1972; Małkowski et al. 2009; Drygant 2010). in Podolia, showing locations of outcrop sections. Numbers of sections af− Their lower part, about 530 m thick, comprises an open marine ter Nikiforova et al. (1972). sedimentary sequence, the Tyver Series (Fig. 2A). This unit is rnatus–Streelispora newportensis Miospore Zone. In the phy− composed mainly of shale and siltstone beds with irregular toplankton assemblage she only noticed the occurrence of limestone interbeds and passes upwards into terrigenous, mar− Leiosphaeridia and Lophosphaeridium. The presence of ginal−marine and fluvial facies of the Old Red Sandstone−type amorphous organic matter and plant tissues was mentioned by referred to as the Dniester Series (Nikiforova et al. 1972; Uchman et al. (2004). Abushik et al. 1985; Małkowski et al. 2009; Drygant 2010; Biostratigraphic Litostratigraphic Spore zones Conodont zones subdivision subdivision Ardenne Old Red Sendstone Chronostr. Horizons Series, members, and beds -Rhenish House and units Streel et al. 1987 Richardson and Gradstein 2004 Oppel Z. Lin. Z. McGregor 1986 Polygnathus Su Vrrucosisporites pireneae Pa polygonalis Eognathodus PoW –Dictyotriletes sulcatus kindlei W emsiensis Eognathus PRAGIAN Po sulcatus Dniester Series Ustechko Member Breconisporites Pedavis pesavis E breconensis Ivanye BZ –Emphanisporites Horizon Ivanye Z zavallatus Ancyrodelloides 131 m Beds 131 m delta Upper G Chortkiv Formation Red) (Old Terebovlya Horizon Chortkiv Si Emphanisporites Beds 207 m Latericriodus 207 m Ikva Series micronatus M –Streelispora woschmidti/ Middle MN Tyver Series Mytkiv newportensis postwoschmidti Borshchiv R LOCHKOVIAN Beds 135 m Horizon Tyver Superhorizon N 192 m Khudykivtsi Celiyiv 57 m Beds Lower Beds SILURIAN Pridoli Skala Horizon Dzvenyhorod Beds Fig. 2. A. Stratigraphical subdivision of the Lower Devonian in Podolia, Ukraine (Drygant 2010). B. Correlation of miospore and conodont zonal schemes (see the updated biostratigraphy in Becker et al. 2012). Dashed area on B presents palynostratigraphy; dotted lines—approximate correlation. Abbreviations: BZ, Breconisporites breconenesis–Emphanisporites zavallatus;E,Dictyotriletes emsiensis;G,Emphanisporites zavallatus var. gedinniensis;M,Emphanisporites micrornatus var. micrornatus;MN,Emphanisporites micrornatus–Streelispora newportensis;N,Streelispora newportensis;Pa,Camarozonotriletes parvus; Po, Verrucosisporites polygonalis;PoW,Verrucosisporites polygonalis–Dibolisporites wetteldorfensis;R,Chelinospora retorrida;Si,Emphanisporites micrornatus var. sinuosus;Su,Dictyotriletes subgranifer;W,Dibolispories wetteldorfensis;Z,Emphanisporites zavallatus; Lin., Lineage; Z., Zone. FILIPIAK ET AL.—PALYNOLOGY OF LOWER DEVONIAN IN PODOLIA 865 OLD-RED Fig. 11A O10 Ustechko Member Dniester Series PRAGIAN O9 sandstone red bed colour O8 silstone pink bed colour Uo-4* limestone Uo-2 Ustechko sample Ustechko section O7 Fig. 11B IZ-12 Ivanye Zolote location Uo-2* * samples for palynology 08 thin section IZ-12 IZ-11 IZ-8* K15 Fig. 10B IZ-7* LOCHKOVIAN IZ-6* Ivanye Horizon – upper part IZ-5* IZ-4* Ivanye Zolote section 5m I4IZ-3* Fig. 3. A. Composite lithological log of the Lower Devonian deposits in IZ-2* Ivanye Zolote and Ustechko sections; indicating the samples (dotted lines) IZ-10 and thin sections (solid lines) stratigraphic position. B. Ivanye Zolote out− I3 Fig. 10A crop section photograph. Upper part of the Ivanye Beds showing typical I2 Fig. 10D IZ-1* I0 Fig. 10C lithology of alternating bedded limestone and siltstone beds. Voichyshyn 2011). All the deposits are well exposed at many (7 samples) of the coeval facies transition
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