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Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

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A considerable hiatus at the Frasnian/Famennian boundary in


the Rhenish shelf region of northwest Germany
Matthias Piecha 
Geologischer Dienst, Nordrhein-Westfalen ^ Landesbetrieb, 47803 Krefeld, Germany
Accepted 6 December 2001

Abstract

The Frasnian/Famennian (F/F) boundary interval on the Rhenish shelf carbonate platform of northwestern
Germany is characterized by a remarkable stratigraphic gap in two reference sections, which was caused by a rapid
regression phase leading to the omission of the whole triangularis Zone. This eustatic fall in sea level is connected with
the occurrence of phosphatic ooids and phosphatized hardgrounds. The overall duration of the regression is from
Early triangularis to Early crepida Zone, about 1.5 million yr, followed by a transgression phase within the Middle
crepida Zone, as indicated also by conodont biofacies shifts. At least the phosphatized discontinuity surfaces over cm
or dm intervals represent time spans of longer starvation and non-deposition. Thus, several prominent features of the
global Upper Kellwasser Event in the F/F transition, typically recorded in the Variscan basinal facies, are recognizable
also in the extremely shallow water Rhenish shelf settings. 1 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Late Devonian; event stratigraphy; conodont biofacies; hardgrounds; phosphatic ooids; sea level changes

1. Introduction Schindler, 1990; Bender and Piecha, 1991; Piecha,


1993; Ko«nigshof and Schindler, 1997). Pro¢les
Many sections of the basinal facies across the through the F/F boundary in the shelf area of
Frasnian/Famennian (F/F) boundary have been northwest Germany are rare, because outcrops
described and documented in detail in Germany. of Upper Devonian beds are small or mostly cov-
The pelagic to hemipelagic facies can be subdi- ered by thick Tertiary and Quaternary sediments
vided into the siliciclastic facies (mud- and silt- (see Fig. 4).
stones of the basin, ‘Ba«nderschiefer’) and the In this paper two pro¢les from the Rhenish
cephalopod limestone facies (condensed lime- shelf carbonate platform (northwestern Rhei-
stones on submarine rises). The F/F transition is nisches Schiefergebirge) are described: the cores
clearly marked in both facies realms by the dark- of the Viersen research borehole, located south-
colored organic-rich mudstones and limestones of west of Krefeld, where the F/F boundary beds
the Upper Kellwasser Horizon (Buggisch, 1972; were found in a depth of about 1012 m; and
the Wiedenhof section near Ratingen, north of
Du«sseldorf, one of the few sections where the
* Fax: +49-2151-897505. F/F beds of the Rhenish shelf facies crop out on
E-mail address: piecha@gd.nrw.de (M. Piecha). the surface. In both pro¢les an important strati-

0031-0182 / 02 / $ ^ see front matter 1 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 3 1 - 0 1 8 2 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 4 7 9 - 5

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2.1. Lithology

The lithology of the complete borehole section


is described by Ribbert (1998a,c,d). In the follow-
ing, the sediments from 1018^1009 m depth are
examined in detail. In the deepest part, gray £aser
limestones (1018^1013.60 m) are overlain by dark
gray to black nodular limestones (1013.60^1013
m). Above that occur 60 cm massive limestones
of the same color, in the upper part with interca-
lations of marlstone and marl mudstone (Fig. 2).
Above these gray detrital limestones (calcarenites)
are developed, separated by a sharp contact. The
detrital limestone is a packstone to wackestone
with calcareous lithoclastic fragments, few quartz
grains, and fragments of corals, crinoids, bivalves,
brachiopods and forams. The detrital limestones
are interrupted by two phosphatized hardgrounds
Fig. 1. Localities of the Viersen 1001 borehole and the Wie- with few phosphatic ooids. At a depth of 1012.35
denhof section (changed according to Ribbert, 1998b).
m gray nodular limestones without any reef-re-
lated bioclasts overlie them.

graphic gap at the F/F boundary is proved by 2.2. Conodont stratigraphy


investigations of conodont stratigraphy, conodont
biofacies and sedimentological features. The investigated bore cores (1018^1009 m
depth) range from the ?hassi Zone to the Upper
crepida Zone (see Fig. 2 and Table 1). In Frasnian
2. The Viersen 1001 borehole samples (1018^1012.40 m depth), an exact biostra-
tigraphic control is di⁄cult, because the strati-
The Viersen 1001 borehole is located near graphically important Palmatolepis appears only
Viersen-Su«chteln, southwest of Krefeld (Figs. 1 sparsely. The Polygnathus-dominated faunas are
and 4) (mapsheet 4704 Viersen, R 26 548, H 81 not very helpful for determining the exact strati-
889). This borehole was drilled in 1984/85 as a graphic zonation. Especially the dating of the
research borehole by the State Geological Survey lowest part of the Frasnian as ?hassi Zone and
of North Rhine Westfalia to investigate the Pa- the highest part as linguiformis Zone is uncertain.
laeozoic subcrop beneath the Lower Rhine Em- Conodont sample 7520 cannot be identi¢ed cer-
bayment. The total depth of the Viersen 1001 tainly as linguiformis Zone, because the index spe-
borehole is 1573 m. The Palaeozoic sediments cies of this zone, Palmatolepis linguiformis or oth-
range from Givetian up to the Lower Carbonifer- er diagnostic conodonts, are absent. Only the
ous ‘Kohlenkalk’ formation (Tournaisian 1a) and occurrence of Ancyrodella prove that the sedi-
are covered by Tertiary and Quaternary sediments ments of this sample cannot be higher than lingui-
(about 230 m). The results of the Viersen 1001 formis Zone. The Frasnian genus Ancyrodella died
and other boreholes in this region are summarized out within the linguiformis Zone (Sandberg et al.,
in volume 37 of ‘Fortschritte in der Geologie von 1988; Ziegler and Sandberg, 1990). Besides tenta-
Rheinland und Westfalen’, published by the Geo- culites were found in sample 7520, suggesting
logisches Landesamt Nordrhein-Westfalen (1998). Frasnian age too. Tentaculites died out within
For preliminary investigations of the F/F bound- the Frasnian, only the homoctenids (Homoctenus
ary see Piecha (1998). ultimus) overstep the F/F boundary into the Early

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M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211 197

Fig. 2. Lithology, stratigraphy, and conodont biofacies of the investigated cores of the Viersen 1001 borehole.

triangularis Zone (Schindler, 1990). Famennian of the Lower triangularis Zone, Famennian tenta-
tentaculitids ranging into the marginifera Zone culitids are not known.
were reported from China (Li, 2000). However, Sample 7519 consists of two di¡erent lithologies
sedimentological investigations, excluding rework- (Fig. 3): a light detrital limestone in the lower-
ing of the tentaculitids, are missing from the Chi- most part (4.4 cm), and a nodular limestone in
nese localities. In Germany, except the basal part the upper part (10.8 cm). The detrital limestone

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198 M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

Table 1
Distribution of conodonts in the investigated cores of the Frasnian/Famennian boundary layer (Late Devonian) in the Viersen
1001 borehole

above the hardgrounds yielded the same cono- hardgrounds are possibly reworked Frasnian cor-
dont species as the nodular limestone above. als, because most coral genera died out on top of
Thus, this part of sample 7519 belongs to the Frasnian (Schindler, 1990; Birenheide, 1998). The
Lower crepida Zone too. Conodonts are not nodular limestones indicate start of a transgres-
found in the detrital limestones below the hard- sion in the Early crepida Zone.
grounds (perhaps due to a few materials). Thus, Thus the F/F boundary in the Viersen 1001
in all probabilities the phosphatized hardgrounds borehole is marked by a hiatus. The base of the
represent the F/F boundary. The corals above the Famennian, the triangularis Zone, is not recorded,

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M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211 199

and sediments of the linguiformis Zone are over- limestones (Fig. 3). The dark-colored sediments
lain directly by sediments of the Lower crepida (conodont sample 7520) still belong to the Fras-
Zone. The Middle and Upper crepida Zones can nian (?linguiformis Zone or lower) and the light-
be clearly de¢ned, because enough Palmatolepis colored sediments (conodont sample 7519) to the
species are present. Sediments of the uppermost Lower crepida Zone of the lower Famennian. Sedi-
crepida Zone and higher are developed in silici- ments of the triangularis Zone are totally absent.
clastic Condroz facies (mostly siltstones and sand-
stones ; see Ribbert, 1998b). 2.3. Conodont biofacies
In summary, the F/F boundary is located in the
section between the dark detrital limestone and the The Frasnian samples of the Viersen 1001 bore-
phosphatized hardgrounds in the light detrital hole are Polygnathus- and Icriodus- dominated.

Fig. 3. Lithology of the Frasnian/Famennian boundary interval in the Viersen 1001 borehole.

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200 M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

Fig. 4. Geology of the studied area and localities of the Viersen 1001 borehole and the Wiedenhof section (changed according to
Ribbert, 1998d).

Both genera are typical for shallow water regions. single specimen. The sediments of the Middle to
With approximately 61% Polygnathus and 20% Upper crepida Zones belong to the palmatolepid
Icriodus the samples can be assigned to the poly- biofacies which is characteristic for the outer shelf
gnathid^icriodid biofacies, which is characteristic and/or the pelagic basinal facies (Sandberg and
of the shallow water nearshore or inner shelf re- Dreesen, 1984). Thus, a rising sea level is indi-
gion (Sandberg and Dreesen, 1984; Sandberg et cated by the biofacies at the transition from the
al., 1992). The genera Ancyrognathus and Ancy- Lower to the Middle crepida Zone.
roides are totally absent in the Frasnian samples.
Both genera prefer moderately shallow water
realms and reef environment (Sandberg et al., 3. The Wiedenhof section
1992). However they often occur in the Frasnian
of the Wiedenhof section (see below). The Wiedenhof section is located northeast of
While the complete triangularis Zone is absent Du«sseldorf near the A3 motorway (mapsheet 4607
in the Viersen 1001 borehole, it is known from Heiligenhaus, R 25 62490 H 56 85730; Figs. 1 and
Belgian pro¢les. The triangularis Zone is there 4). The section was discovered by F.-G. Lange
dominated by Icriodus with about 50% (Dreesen, (Geological Survey of Northrine-Westphalia) dur-
1984), representing the shallow water icriodid bio- ing the revision of mapsheet Heiligenhaus
facies. (1:25 000) and ¢rst published in an excursion
The Famennian succession starts with the Low- guide by Ribbert and Lange (1993). The investi-
er crepida Zone. Polygnathus (64%) and Palmato- gations of this contribution were made with em-
lepis (35%) dominate. Icriodus is absent. The sedi- phasis on conodont stratigraphy and biofacies. A
ments belong to the polygnathid^palmatolepid publication of the complete section with detailed
biofacies of the middle outer shelf facies. The sedimentological and microfacies investigations
number of Palmatolepis distinctly increases within by F.-G. Lange, K.-H. Ribbert and M. Piecha is
the Middle crepida Zone. Icriodus occurs only as still in preparation.

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M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211 201

Table 2
Distribution of Frasnian conodonts in the Wiedenhof section

3.1. Lithology poids, rugose and tabulate corals, and crinoids. In


the upper part of the limestone, horizons of calca-
For a detailed lithology of the complete section reous sandstones with brachiopods (atrypids) and
see Ribbert and Lange (1993) and Ribbert (1998c). layers of coarse quartz grains appear. Above that
The Frasnian part of the section is composed a unit of about 10 m of brown dolomitic lime-
mostly of limestones with intercalated siltstones. stones is developed. Sandy layers occur in the low-
The limestones are coarse detrital with stromato- er and upper parts of the unit. Higher in the sec-

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202 M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

Table 3
Distribution of Famennian conodonts in the Wiedenhof section

tion calcareous mudstones with limestone lenses 3.2. Conodont stratigraphy


(nodular shales) and nodular limestones with lim-
ited crinoid detritus appear. In the uppermost part The stratigraphic range of the investigated sedi-
of the section sandstones with siltstones and mud- ments in the Wiedenhof section is wider than that
stones of the Velbert formation display lithological in the Viersen 1001 borehole. It ranges from the
characteristics analogous to that of the distal Con- punctata Zone to the Lower marginifera Zone (see
droz shelf facies of the Ardennes in Belgium. Fig. 6 and Tables 2, 3). As in the Viersen section,

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M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211 203

a biostratigraphic control of the Frasnian sedi-


ments of the Wiedenhof section is not possible,
because the important Palmatolepis is rare or to-
tally absent. Nevertheless, the linguiformis Zone in
the Wiedenhof section is clearly de¢ned. Palmato-
lepis linguiformis is not present, but with the aid
of other important species such as Ancyroides
ubiquitus, the linguiformis Zone can be proved.
The F/F boundary is marked by a hiatus between
linguiformis Zone and Lower crepida Zone since
the triangularis Zone is absent. The boundary is
positioned within the uppermost part of the dolo-
mitic limestone sequence, and is characterized
again by phosphatized hardgrounds and layers
with coarse quartz grains (Fig. 5).
From Middle crepida Zone to Upper rhomboi-
dea Zone the zonal boundaries are uncertain, be-
cause not enough conodont samples have been
found in the nodular shales. Lower marginifera
Zone can be certainly de¢ned, even though Pal-
matolepis marginifera is not present. Besides Pal-
matolepis glabra lepta and Palmatolepis perlobata
sigmoidea, also Palmatolepis cf. helmsi (sensu
Dreesen and Dusar, 1974), a species typical of
the Belgian marginifera Zone, often appears.

3.3. Conodont biofacies

The conodont biofacies of the Wiedenhof sec-


tion (see Fig. 6), especially across the F/F bound-
ary, is comparable with the biofacies of the Vier-
sen 1001 borehole. All the Frasnian samples are
Polygnathus- and Icriodus-dominated. In the lower
part of the Frasnian remarkably high percentages Fig. 5. Polished slab of a dolomitic limestone in the uppermost
of Icriodus (icriodid biofacies) are conspicuous, part of the linguiformis Zone. Beneath several phosphatized
whereas Palmatolepis is missing in some samples hardgrounds, a detrital layer with coarse, well-rounded quartz
grains appears on top of the slab.
completely. The Famennian Middle crepida Zone
has the highest percentages of Palmatolepis within
the whole succession (palmatolepid biofacies). In by regression and Early marginifera Zone by a
the Upper rhomboidea Zone Polygnathus began to transgression again.
dominate again and, beginning of the marginifera
Zone, Palmatolepis faunas increased.
The biofacies shifts indicate generally a shallow 4. Phosphatic ooids
water facies during the Frasnian on the carbonate
platform. A conspicuous regression at the F/F The conodont samples of the Lower and Mid-
boundary (see below) is followed by transgression dle crepida Zone contain many ooids. X-ray in-
at the beginning of the Early and Middle crepida vestigations and thin sections determined their
Zone. The Late rhomboidea Zone is characterized mineral content as calcium phosphate (apatite).

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204 M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

Fig. 6. Lithology, stratigraphy, and conodont biofacies of the sediments of the Wiedenhof section.

In the following they are named ‘phosphatic time. In the Ardennes (Belgium), phosphatic
ooids’. Until now phosphatic ooids were un- ooids occur in the Wervik borehole (Flandres)
known from the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge in in the lowermost Famennian in a time-equivalent
Germany and are described here for the ¢rst position (R. Dreesen, personal communication).

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Most of the ooids were found in the residues northern Europe resting directly on phosphatized
(heavy fraction) of the conodont samples but hardgrounds in shallow pools acting as so-called
some of the ooids were detected in thin sections ‘ooid factories’. During the following transgres-
(Plate I, 3; Plate II, 1). A few ooids from the sion (Early crepida Zone) they were redeposited
residues were also prepared for thin section inves- in deeper water environments (outer shelf). Re-
tigation (Plate II, 3). The ooids have a concentric peated reworking of the ooids leads to strati-
lamellar construction, caused by a change of mi- graphic distribution (Dronov and Holmer, 1999;
critic and phosphatic laminae (Plate I, 2 and Plate Sturesson et al., 1999). This could explain the
II, 1^4). Single laminae or the ooid edges are re- foundings of ooids in the Middle crepida Zone
placed by pyrite (Plate II, 1^4). The nuclei of the in the Viersen 1001 borehole.
ooids consist of lithoclastic or bioclastic frag- On the Condroz shelf in the Belgian Ardennes,
ments (Plate II, 1), which cannot be determined west of the pro¢les described here, ¢ve oolithic
more precisely. The ooids have a rounded or weak horizons are developed in the Late Devonian
spheroidal outline and a diameter of up to 2 mm. (Dreesen, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1989; Bultynck et
Internal radial structures are not present in the al., 1988; Reissner, 1990), known as levels I^V.
investigated samples. But the ooids of all ¢ve levels are composed of
Larger ooids with internal concentric structures iron oxides (Fe-ooids). Level I is located at the
are typical for intertidal £ats (Chow and James, transition from the uppermost triangularis Zone
1987) and are formed in extremely shallow and into the basal Lower crepida Zone and level II
moving water (Reijers and ten Have, 1983; Pir- at the base of the Middle crepida Zone. Both lev-
witz, 1986). Little is known about the origin of els correspond in time with the phosphatic ooid
phosphatic ooids. Fu«chtbauer (1988) supposes a horizons from the Viersen 1001 borehole. Levels
secondary phosphatization by replacement of the III^V are younger. Dreesen (1982) suggested a
calcite. Horton et al. (1980) explain the origin of primary origin in a nearshore environment as cal-
Jurassic phosphatic ooids in the English Midlands citic cooids and a secondary impregnation of the
by replacement of primary aragonite ooids by ooids by iron solutions, caused by volcanic activ-
phosphate. Afterwards the phosphatic ooids ity and an o¡shore transport by storms. Sturesson
were redeposited in a low-energy o¡shore envi- et al. (2000) describe modern iron ooids from In-
ronment. Phosphate does not precipitate directly donesia comparing them with Ordovician iron
from seawaters, but phosphate is precipitated ooids from northern Europe. They assign for
within the uppermost layer of organic-rich sedi- both modern and ancient iron ooids a volcanic
ments during early diagenesis (Einsele, 1992). origin. However, Fe-ooids were not found in the
Phosphates often occur on shelf edges, where nu- pro¢les described here, and mineralogical and
trient-rich waters well up from the deeper parts of geochemical investigations on the ooid-bearing
the sea (Heggie et al., 1990). However phosphatic sediments should be realized in the future to
sediments occur not only in upwelling systems, prove links with volcanic activity.
but also on, e.g. shelfs or epicontinental seas,
that have not experienced upwelling at all (Glenn
et al., 1994). 5. Hardgrounds
The origin of the phosphatic ooids from the
Viersen 1001 borehole and the Wiedenhof section Beside phosphatic ooids, discontinuity surfaces
is di⁄cult to explain. Ooids normally formed in also occur at the F/F boundary. They are inter-
extremely shallow, nearshore water, moved by preted as hardgrounds, which resulted from lag
waves. The ooids found directly at the F/F and/or omission (non-sedimentation). Several
boundary perhaps were built in a nearshore shal- hardgrounds occur in the sediment over cm or
low water facies (regression), because they are dm distances and are characterized by sharp limits
connected with hardgrounds and a hiatus. Stures- (Figs. 3 and 5).
son et al. (2000) describe Ordovician ooliths from In the Wiedenhof section phosphatized hard-

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grounds occur in the uppermost linguiformis Zone ooliths. Phosphatized hardgrounds are described
and the lowest part of the Lower crepida Zone also from the upper Frasnian banded shales of the
(Fig. 5). In the Viersen 1001 borehole, at basinal facies in the southeastern part of the Rhei-
1011.97 m depth, a calcarenite is separated from nisches Schiefergebirge (Piecha, 1993).
a £aser limestone by a straight horizontal discon-
tinuity surface. A thin mud layer marks the bor-
derline and single components of the sediment are 6. Conclusions and paleogeographical
cut o¡. This hardground was caused by abrasion interpretation
and the borderline was straightened by pressure
solution. A similar hardground is developed at Two pro¢les, the Viersen 1001 borehole and
1012.15 m depth directly below an ore horizon. Wiedenhof section, were investigated with empha-
A perpendicularly tube, which is ¢lled with sedi- sis on the sediments across the Frasnian/Famen-
ment from the calcarenite above, penetrates the nian boundary. Both pro¢les are characterized by
hardground and is interpreted as a boring from these common features:
an unknown organism. The hardgrounds at ^ A large hiatus, caused by the absence of the
1012.40 m depth are characterized by an uneven complete triangularis Zone. There is no indication
wavy microrelief and are phosphatized. The thick- of a tectonic fault at the Frasnian/Famennain
ness of the phosphatized zone is about 2 mm. The boundary that might cause this stratigraphic gap.
detrital limestones above the hardgrounds bear ^ The conodont biofacies is characterized by a
phosphatic ooids and reworked fragments of remarkable change of some genera, indicating
phosphatized hardgrounds with lengths up to considerable sea level changes.
4 mm (Plate I, 3, 4). ^ Phospathized hardgrounds and phosphatic
The phosphatized hardgrounds are thought to ooids appear around the F/F boundary.
have developed during early diagenesis by replace- ^ Corals and other reef-related organisms are
ment of the calcite in the already-lithi¢ed lime- totally absent from the beginning of the Famen-
stones (Kennedy and Garrison, 1975). The com- nian.
mon occurrence of phosphatized hardgrounds and From the above features, the global event at the
phosphatic ooids in the investigated sections sug- F/F boundary, well known in the basinal facies as
gests a similar genesis for both in a shallow water the Upper Kellwasser Event (see Schindler, 1990;
environment. Hardgrounds mark the lowest sea- Walliser, 1996), is now clearly proved for the
water level in a sequence (Martire, 1992; Dronov Rhenish shelf area in northwestern Germany.
and Holmer, 1999). Thus, they may indicate the The sediments of the Viersen 1001 borehole and
regression phase at the F/F boundary. Wiedenhof section belong to the shelf carbonate
Dreesen (1982) described Famennian hard- platform. The rapid regression phase at the begin-
grounds from Belgium in connection with iron ning of the Famennian (see Johnson et al., 1985)

Plate I. Phosphatized hardgrounds and phosphatic ooids from calcarenites at the F/F boundary in the Viersen 1001 borehole.

1. Thin section of a calcarenite with two phosphatized hardgrounds recognizable by the dark cryptocristalline phosphate.
Hardgrounds sharply bounded against the overlying beds, but showing a gradual transition towards the underlying
sediment, decreasing in phosphate content. The uneven surface of the hardground is presumably caused by solution
processes before phosphatization took place (‘solution bottom’). 1012.37 m depth, parallel nicols.
2. Electron micrograph of a phosphatic ooid with concentric layers, but no visible nucleus. The concentric micritic lamellae
are dissolved by formic acid during the preparation of conodont samples, leaving residual phosphatic and pyritic layers.
1012.25^1012.40 m depth.
3. Thin section of a calcarenite with an indistinct phosphatized hardground (dark area). Above the hardground one
phosphatic ooid (1) and two phosphatic fragments (2) can be recognized. 1,012.37 m depth, parallel nicols.
4. Reworked phosphatic fragment (arrow) from a phosphatized hardground (3). Some marginal components of the
fragment are dissolved and the remaining cavities are ¢lled with sediment. Thin section, parallel nicols.

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is documented on the Rhenish shelf by a hiatus in causes for stratigraphic gaps (e.g. Bultynck et
connection with phosphatic ooids and phosphat- al., 1988; Einsele, 1992; Walliser, 1996). In south-
ized hardgrounds. The sediments of the triangula- ern Belgium, in the type locality of Frasnian and
ris Zone were either not deposited or were com- Famennian, the triangularis Zone, however, is de-
pletely eroded again. At least the phosphatized veloped completely (Bultynck and Martin, 1995).
hardgrounds represent times of longer non-depo- Sandberg et al. (1992) postulate a series of tsuna-
sition. The time span of the hiatus, the duration mis, which during a global regression in the Early
of the complete triangularis Zone, is about 1.5 triangularis Zone swept the shelf region in Bel-
million yr (see Ziegler and Sandberg, 1990). gium. This could be connected with the coarse
The occurrence of ooids and hardgrounds sug- quartz grain layers developed in the Wiedenhof
gests extreme shallow water conditions at the F/F section at the F/F boundary (Fig. 5).
boundary, supported by the conodont biofacies Racki (1998) summarizes hiatuses at the F/F
results. Mountjoy and Becker (2000) describe transition from the nearshore shallow water facies
from the Canadian Alberta Rocky Mountains a of the East European Platform, the Timan-Pet-
sea level fall of about 100 m at the F/F boundary. chora province, the South Urals and the central
Muchez et al. (1996), comparing pro¢les from Kazakhstan. Except the latter, they are situated at
south China and southern Belgium made se- a time-equivalent position (missing parts of trian-
quence stratigraphical investigations around the gularis Zone). Johnson and Sandberg (1988) re-
F/F boundary. They also recognized that the port erosive gaps from western United States on
global extinction event at the F/F boundary co- a carbonate platform. Geldsetzer et al. (1993) de-
incides with an important eustatic fall in sea level. scribe a hiatus from the shelf carbonate platform
The contrary sea level curve concept of Hallam of Alberta (Canada), where the complete triangu-
and Wignall (1999) cannot be accepted, because laris Zone is also missing. Horizons of non-depo-
beneath conodont biofacies aspects sedimentolog- sition and gaps were often found in shallow water
ical features (e.g. hardgrounds, hiatuses, ooid-rich sediments at the F/F boundary (Sandberg et al.,
layers) prove the regression phase during the tri- 1988; Schindler, 1990; Racki, 1998). According to
angularis Zone in Germany and Belgium. Walliser (1996), hiatuses are often connected with
In Belgium, the triangularis Zone is character- global events, and represent sedimentological
ized by the shallow water icriodid biofacies (Dree- signs for regression phases.
sen et al., 1985). Dreesen (1984) describes the ab- In the basinal facies, the F/F boundary is
sence of the Lower triangularis Zone from some marked by the Upper Kellwasser Horizon (see
boreholes of the Belgian Ardennes. He interprets Buggisch, 1972, 1991; Sandberg et al., 1988;
the origin of the hiatus as non-deposition and Schindler, 1990; Walliser, 1996), consisting of
erosion, caused by a regression phase. Sea level black to dark-gray bitumineous mudstones and
changes are considered to be the most frequent limestones. So far, Kellwasser horizons from shal-

Plate II. Phosphatic ooids from calcarenites at the F/F boundary in the Viersen 1001 borehole.

1. Thin section of a phosphatic ooid in a calcarenite (Plate I, 3), partially replaced by pyrite. The nucleus of the ooid is a
calcarenite fragment (lithoclast). The ooid shows uniform concentric layers. The outline of the ooid is identical to that
of its nucleus. Parallel nicols.
2. Enlargement of Fig. 5: uniform concentric lamellae with a black rim (pyritized). The lithoclast as nucleus of the ooid
can be recognized in the top right of the picture. Parallel nicols.
3. Thin section of some phosphatic ooids, isolated from the insoluble residue from processing conodont samples, embedded
with resin. The central part of the ooid is not visible because it is situated outside the section plane. Single lamellae, the
outer rim and greater areas of the ooid are replaced by pyrite (black areas). 1012.25^1012.40 m depth, parallel nicols.
4. Thin section of a phosphatic ooid (3) with replacement by pyrite, partly concretionary, partly by pyritization of a single
lamella following the concentric structure. The outermost rim of the ooid is likewise pyritized. Blocky crystals make up
the ooid. 1012.25^1012.40 m depth, parallel nicols.

PALAEO 2831 29-5-02


210 M. Piecha / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 181 (2002) 195^211

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Buggisch, W., 1991. The global Frasnian-Famennian ‘Kell-
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Frasnian in the Viersen 1001 borehole (between Chow, N., James, N.P., 1987. Facies-speci¢c, calcitic and bi-
1013.60 and 1012.40 m depth) are probably re- mineralic ooids from Middle and Upper Cambrian Platform
lated to the Upper Kellwasser Horizon, but this Carbonates, Western Newfoundland, Canada. J. Sediment.
interpretation needs re¢ned biostratigraphical and Petrol. 57, 907^921.
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