University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences Earth and Environmental Sciences 2018 OCCURRENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF TWO ECHINODERM- BEARING FAUNAS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN (CHESTERIAN; LOWER SERPUKHOVIAN) RAMEY CREEK MEMBER, SLADE FORMATION, EASTERN KENTUCKY, U.S.A. Ann Well Harris University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2018.361 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Harris, Ann Well, "OCCURRENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF TWO ECHINODERM-BEARING FAUNAS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN (CHESTERIAN; LOWER SERPUKHOVIAN) RAMEY CREEK MEMBER, SLADE FORMATION, EASTERN KENTUCKY, U.S.A." (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences. 59. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ees_etds/59 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Earth and Environmental Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Ann Well Harris, Student Dr. Frank R. Ettensohn, Major Professor Dr. Edward W. Woolery, Director of Graduate Studies OCCURRENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF TWO ECHINODERM-BEARING FAUNAS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN (CHESTERIAN; LOWER SERPUKHOVIAN) RAMEY CREEK MEMBER, SLADE FORMATION, EASTERN KENTUCKY, U.S.A. _________________________________ DISSERTATION _________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Ann Well Harris Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Frank R. Ettensohn, Professor of Geology Lexington, Kentucky 2018 Copyright Ann Well Harris 2018 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION OCCURRENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF TWO ECHINODERM-BEARING FAUNAS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN (CHESTERIAN; LOWER SERPUKHOVIAN) RAMEY CREEK MEMBER, SLADE FORMATION, EASTERN KENTUCKY, U.S.A. Well-preserved echinoderm faunas are rare in the fossil record, and when uncovered, understanding their occurrence can be useful in interpreting other faunas. In this study, two such faunas of the same age from separate localities in the shallow-marine Ramey Creek Member of the Slade Formation in the Upper Mississippian (Chesterian) rocks of eastern Kentucky are examined. Of the more than 5,000 fossil specimens from both localities, only 9–34 percent were echinoderms from 3–5 classes. Nine non-echinoderm (8 invertebrate and one vertebrate) classes occurred at both localities, but of these, bryozoans, brachiopods and sponges dominated. To understand the attributes of both localities (Valley Stone and 213 quarries), the geologic and structural settings, lithofacies and depositional environments, as well as faunal makeup and abundances (diversity, evenness, density), were compared and contrasted. Faunas from the Valley Stone Quarry were located on an uplifted fault block in more shallow, open-marine waters with higher energies. As indicated by four distinct lithofacies, the depositional setting was more extensive and varied with interspersed shoals and basins that could accommodate a greater richness (65 species), even though organism densities and abundance were less. In contrast, fauna from the 213 Quarry were located on a downdropped fault block in a more localized, deeper, storm-shelf setting, characterized by a single lithofacies. Although organism density and abundance were nearly twice as high as that at the Valley Stone Quarry, species richness was lower (45 species), and only one species, a bryozoan, predominated. Overall, echinoderm classes, species and individuals were more abundant at the Valley Stone Quarry, and I suggest that this is related to the shallower and more varied depositional environments that developed in response to presence on the shallow, uplifted fault block. This suggests the importance of regional features like faults in controlling environments and organism distribution through time. Although the faunas were originally collected for their echinoderm-dominated “crinoid gardens,” in fact, echinoderms were in the minority, and bryozoans and brachiopods predominated in the communities. Hence, the communities might better be described as bryozoan “thickets” and brachiopod “pavements.” KEYWORDS: Late Mississippian, Slade Formation, echinoderms, diversity, richness, depositional environments. Ann Well Harris June 28, 2018 Date OCCURRENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF TWO ECHINODERM-BEARING FAUNAS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN (CHESTERIAN; LOWER SERPUKHOVIAN) RAMEY CREEK MEMBER, SLADE FORMATION, EASTERN KENTUCKY, U.S.A. By Ann Well Harris Dr. Frank R. Ettensohn Director of Dissertation Dr. Edward W. Woolery Director of Graduate Studies June 28, 2018 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It is a pleasure to thank many people who made this dissertation possible. Foremost, I want to thank my advisor Dr. Frank R. Ettensohn. It has been an honor to be his Ph.D. student. With his enthusiasm, inspiration, and his efforts to explain things clearly, he helped to make geology enjoyable for me. Throughout my dissertation, he provided encouragement, sound advice, good teaching, and any good ideas. I appreciate all his contributions of time, ideas, to make my Ph.D. experience productive and invaluable. I am also thankful for the excellent example he has provided as a successful geologist and professor. My deepest gratitude is due to the members of the supervisory committee, Dr. Rebecca Freeman, Dr. Alan E. Fryar, Dr. Stephen F. Greb, and Dr. Carol Baskin, without whose knowledge and assistance, this study would not have been successful. My committee members have been an excellent source of advice, feedback, and collaboration. In addition, they have contributed immensely to my personal and professional time at the University of Kentucky. I want to thank my outside examiner, Dr. Timothy Taylor. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Jill Carnahan-Jarvis, Eastern Kentucky University, for her guidance with the statistics, math, graphs, and charts that made this dissertation possible. Her help has been invaluable and has ranged from being my mentor and best friend at a time when I needed someone the most. I would have been lost without her mentorship, encouragement, and friendship. I am thankful for my late master’s thesis advisor, Dr. Robert T. Lierman, Eastern Kentucky University. His encouragement and support throughout the years have been instrumental in my success as a graduate student and adjunct instructor. I will always carry your memory and teaching methods with me. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Stephen Moore, Studiospectre, for providing assistance as a paleoartist for the figures and drawings in this dissertation. His efforts are greatly appreciated and made this dissertation possible. I would like to thank Ms. Adrianne Gilley, Department Manager, for her invaluable help and support during my graduate student career at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky. Lastly, I wish to express my love and gratitude to my family for their understanding and support. Being a first-generation college student, their support has been instrumental in my success. I am grateful for wonderful parents that always believed in me. To my late father, Mr. Billy Wayne Harris, I dedicate this dissertation. Although it has been a few months since you have passed, I carry your life lessons (and my middle name) with me, every day. Ann Well Harris, Class of 2018 University of Kentucky iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iii List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................