Elsevier

Cretaceous Research

Volume 117, January 2021, 104611
Cretaceous Research

Reliability of calcareous nannofossil events in the Tithonian–early Berriasian time interval: Implications for a revised high resolution zonation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104611Get rights and content

Abstract

The latest Jurassic was a crucial time for calcareous nannoplankton as a major speciation episode took place with the appearance and rapid evolution of several new genera and species, particularly of highly calcified nannoliths at low latitudes: this origination pulse provides the opportunity to achieve high-resolution biostratigraphic data amplifying the possibility of dating and correlating.

A thorough revision of published as well as newly updated nannofossil biostratigraphies across the Tithonian–lowermost Berriasian interval was achieved to quantitatively evaluate the reliability of individual nannofossil events. Our database comprises 95 land and oceanic sites from different paleogeographic settings and latitudes (Europe, Atlantic Ocean, America, South Asia). We excluded sections with hiatuses or characterized by uncertain calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy due to scarcity of data and/or poor preservation, as well as taxonomic incongruities. For each stratigraphic section, the critical assessment took into account sampling rates, nannofossil preservation, abundance and taxonomy: biohorizons based on single samples, questionably determined, or based on ambiguous/mismatching taxonomic concepts were excluded. We first performed calibration of nannofossil events against magnetostratigraphy to highlight reproducibility and time variability through the CM22–CM17 interval. The time uncertainties of individual nannofossil events were calculated, considering sampling and sedimentation rates derived from magnetostratigraphy. The reproducibility and variability of nannofossil events were also estimated relative to calpionellid biostratigraphy, as the latter is the primary tool selected by the Berriasian Working Group (ICS) for the definition of the Cretaceous base.

We distinguished highly reliable events characterized by maximum reproducibility, shorter time variability, common and continuous occurrence; moderately reliable events are distinguished by intermediate reproducibility and time variability; unreliable events have minimum reproducibility and longest time variability.

The quantitative evaluation of 37 events against magnetostratigraphy in the CM22–CM17 interval allowed to discriminate among 9 highly reliable first occurrences, 4 reliable first occurrences, 10 moderately reliable events (7 first occurrences, 2 last occurrences and 1 last common occurrence), 6 poorly reliable events (5 first occurrences and 1 last occurrence) and 8 unreliable first occurrences. The evaluation of 18 events against the calpionellid zonation resulted in 4 highly reliable first occurrences.

The revisited taxonomy and reliability assessment of calcareous nannofossil events were used to revise the calcareous nannofossil zonation of the Tithonian–early Berriasian time interval: one zone (NC 0 Zone) and four subzones (NC 0a, NC 0b, NJT 14a, NJT 14b Subzones) are newly defined here. Moreover, one zonal definition is emended (NJT 17 Zone) and the age of top/bases of four zones (NJT 14, NJT 15; NJT 16, NC 1 Zones) are revised. The first appearance datum of Nannoconus wintereri, showing the highest reproducibility and lowest time variability, correlates with magnetochron 19n-2n and results to be the calcareous nannofossil event best approximating the base of the Calpionella alpina Zone equated to the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary.

Introduction

The latest Jurassic was a crucial time interval for calcareous nannoplankton as a major speciation episode took place with the appearance and rapid evolution of several new genera and species (Roth, 1983; Perch-Nielsen, 1985; Roth, 1989; Bralower et al., 1989; Bown et al., 2004; Erba, 2006; Casellato, 2010). In particular, highly calcified nannolith genera appeared and quickly increased in diversity and abundance (Erba and Quadrio, 1987; Roth, 1989; Bornemann et al., 2003; Erba, 2006; Tremolada et al., 2006). This large number of events provides the opportunity to achieve high-resolution biostratigraphy and amplify the possibilities of dating and correlating, especially in the Tethyan and Boreal Realms. In the Pacific Ocean, Tethyan Himalaya and Andes the calcareous nannofossil record is limited due to very few sections and drilled sites characterized by low recovery; however, the presence of some typical genera (Conusphaera, Polycostella and Nannoconus) is documented (Roth, 1973; Thierstein, 1976; Bown, 1992; Liu et al., 2013; Vennari et al., 2014), making at least partial global correlations possible.

The high number of nannofossil events spanning the latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous time interval has been the basis of robust biostratigraphic schemes (Bralower et al., 1989; Casellato, 2010), calibrated with M-sequence magnetic chrons and used to revise the chronostratigraphy of this interval (Channell et al., 1987, 1995, 2010; Bralower et al., 1989; Casellato, 2010; Gradstein et al., 2012) (Fig. 1). In this study we present new calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphies of two stratigraphic sections from the Tethys and Atlantic Oceans (Guidaloca section and DSDP Site 534, respectively). Also, data of two previously documented Tethyan sections (Torre de’ Busi and Mt. Pernice) are revised and implemented with new data.

The overarching goal is the critical evaluation of new and published data to assess the reliability of individual calcareous nannofossil events to revise and improve biozonations and contribute to the integrated stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval. Evaluation is based primarily on the direct calibration of each nannofossil event against magnetostratigraphy in the CM22–CM17 interval and also against calpionellid zonation, when possible. This review is intended to discern highly, moderately and poorly reliable from unreliable nannofossil events in the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval, also discriminating low latitude from cosmopolitan datums.

Section snippets

Geological framework of studied sections

Calcareous nannofossils were investigated for Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 534 (Atlantic Ocean), Guidaloca (Sicily), Torre de’ Busi and Mt. Pernice (Southern Alps). The lithologic description of these sequences was previously published (Sheridan et al., 1983; Erba and Quadrio, 1987; Caracuel et al., 2002; Andreini et al., 2007; Casellato, 2010).

During the Late Jurassic the Central Atlantic Ocean was a NE-SW oriented basin connected to the Alpine Tethys (Sheridan, 1983; Schettino and

Materials and methods

Calcareous nannofossils were analyzed for semi-quantitative biostratigraphy using smear slides and ultrathin sections (Table 1). The use of both smear slides and ultrathin sections has proved to be very useful for this time interval (Erba and Quadrio, 1987; Ozkan, 1993; Casellato, 2010) characterized by small and delicate taxa as well as large-sized and highly calcified ones. Indeed, the use of ultrathin sections facilitates detection of large-sized genera, that are often broken-up during the

Taxonomic notes

Recently, Varol and Bowman (2019) used a mobile mounting technique to investigate morphologic characteristics of some nannofossil taxa in different views through the rotation of specimens in a mobile medium. Specifically, they compared side views to their equivalent top views, and proposed new taxonomic combinations for Polycostella senaria, Nannoconus erbae, Hexalithus geometricus and Nannoconus infans (Fig. 7A-B).

The side view of P. senaria, a species described (and identified) in top view,

DSDP Site 534 (Central Atlantic Ocean)

Calcareous nannofossil preservation is good to moderate through the investigated interval: slightly etched and/or overgrowth nannofloras, with etching more common than overgrowth, characterize the interval from Cores 76-534A-102 to 76-534A-99. Overgrowth increases upwards (from slight to moderate) and slight etching characterizes interval from Core 76-534A-97 until the top of the studied interval. Exceptions are few samples from Cores 76-534A-94 and 76-534A-91, where both etching and overgrowth

Evaluation of nannofossil event reliability

New data obtained with this study and previously published biostratigraphies are critically considered to evaluate the reproducibility, time variability and thus reliability of calcareous nannofossil events in the Tithonian–earliest Berriasian time interval. A database comprising 95 sites from different paleogeographic settings and latitudes (84 land sections and 11 oceanic sites) were initially considered. The first screening eliminated sections without magnetostratigraphy and/or calpionellid

Revised nannofossil zonation of the Tithonian–early Berriasian interval

The reliability estimate of each nannofossil event is used here to revise the zonation proposed by Casellato (2010). Specifically, we build upon the magnetostratigraphic calibration that provides a more solid framework and a higher degree of reproducibility and reliability (Table 4, Table 5). Casellato (2010) distinguished three categories of events: main events (generally distinctive and diagenesis-resistant taxa used to define zones and subzones), secondary events (rare or delicate taxa) and

Calcareous nannofossil events in the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval

The definition of the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary has been long debated by the Berriasian Working Group (Wimbledon et al., 2011) that selected as boundary event the base of the Calpionella alpina Zone, placed at the onset of the acme of Calpionella alpina spherical form, correlating with the middle CM19n-2n (Wimbledon, 2017). The stratigraphic framework compiled by the Berriasian Working Group includes calpionellid zones/subzones, ammonite zones, calcareous nannofossil events and

Conclusions

  • -

    New calcareous nannofossil data were achieved for DSDP Site 534 (Atlantic Ocean) and Guidaloca section (Sicily). Nannofossil biostratigraphies at Torre de’ Busi and Mt. Pernice sections (Southern Alps) were implemented and revised, respectively.

The dataset achieved at DSDP Site 534 was integrated with previous biostratigraphies and used to re-interpret the magnetochron sequence of the 76–534A-102 to 76-534A-88 core interval.

  • -

    A critical reanalysis of 95 nannofossil biostratigraphies across the

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Editor Eduardo Koutsoukos and two anonymous Reviewers who greatly improved the quality of the manuscript with their constructive detailed criticism. This research was funded through the “Piano di Sostegno alla Ricerca 2018-2019 of the Università degli Studi di Milano”.

References (113)

  • B. Galbrun

    Magnetostratigraphy of the Berriasian stratotype section (Berrias, France)

    Earth and Planetary Science Letters

    (1985)
  • J. Grabowski et al.

    Environmental changes around the Jurassic/Cretaceous transition: New nannofossil, chemostratigraphic and stable isotope data from the Lókút section (Transdanubian Range, Hungary)

    Sedimentary Geology

    (2017)
  • J. Grabowski et al.

    Magneto- and biostratigraphy of the Tithonian-Berriasian pelagic sediments in the Tatra Mountains (central Western Carpathians, Poland): sedimentary and rock magnetic changes at the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary

    Cretaceous Research

    (2006)
  • V. Houša et al.

    High-resolution magnetostratigraphy and micropaleontology across the J/K boundary strata at Brodno near Žilina, western Slovakia: summary of results

    Cretaceous Research

    (1999)
  • V. Houša et al.

    Combined magnetostratigraphy, paleomagnetic and calpionellid investigations across Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary strata in the Bosso Valley, Umbria, central Italy

    Cretaceous Research

    (2004)
  • M.P. Iglesia Llanos et al.

    Magnetostratigraphy of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous from Argentina: Implications for the J/K boundary in the Neuquén Basin

    Cretaceous Research

    (2017)
  • D.A. Kietzmann

    Chitinoidellis from the Early Tithonian–Early Valanginian Vaca Muerta Formation in the Northern Neuquén Basin, Argentina

    Journal of South American Earth Sciences

    (2017)
  • D.A. Kietzmann et al.

    Cyclostratigraphy of an orbitally-driven Tithonian–Valanginian carbonate ramp succession, Southern Mendoza, Argentina: Implications for the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in the Neuquén Basin

    Sedimentary Geology

    (2015)
  • Y.Q. Liu et al.

    U-Pb zircon ages of Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks in the Tethyan Himalaya at Yangzuoyong Co Lake, Nagarze, southern Tibet, and implications for the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary

    Cretaceous Research

    (2013)
  • R. López-Martínez et al.

    Tethyan calpionellids in the Neuquén Basin (Argentine Andes), their significance in defining the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and pathways fot the Tethyan-Eastern Pacific connections

    Journal of South American Earth Sciences

    (2017)
  • J. Michalík et al.

    Possible markers of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in the Mediterranean Tethys: A review and state of art

    Geoscience Frontiers

    (2011)
  • G. Muttoni et al.

    An expanded Tethyan Kimmeridgian magneto-biostratigraphy from the S'Adde section (Sardinia): implications for the Jurassic Timescale

    Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

    (2018)
  • J.G. Ogg et al.

    Magnetostratigraphy of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval – Tethyan and English faunal realms

    Cretaceous Research

    (1991)
  • J.G. Ogg et al.

    Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary: Portland-Purbeck magnetostratigraphy and possible correlation to the Tethyan faunal realm

    Geobios

    (1994)
  • P. Pruner et al.

    High-resolution magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphic zonation of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary strata in the Puerno Escaño section (southern Spain)

    Cretaceous Research

    (2010)
  • P.H. Roth

    Ocean circulation and calcareous nannoplankton evolution during the Jurassic and Cretaceous

    Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

    (1989)
  • J.M. Tavera et al.

    Integrated biostratigraphy of the Durangites and Jacobi zones (J/B boundary) at the Puerto Escaño section in Southern Spain (Province of Cordoba)

    Geobios

    (1994)
  • H.R. Thierstein

    Mesozoic calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy of marine sediments

    Marine Micropaleontology

    (1976)
  • F. Tremolada et al.

    Paleoceanographic changes across the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary: the calcareous phytoplankton response

    Earth and Planetary Science Letters

    (2006)
  • G. Andreini et al.

    Calpionellid biostratigraphy of the Upper Tithonian-Upper Valanginian interval in Western Sicily (Italy)

    Swiss Journal of Geosciences

    (2007)
  • V. Arkadiev et al.

    The calcareous nannofossils and magnetostratigraphic results from the Upper Tithonian–Berriasian of Feodosiya region (Eastern Crimea)

    Geologica Carpathica

    (2019)
  • G. Bakhmutov et al.

    Biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy of the uppermost Tithonian–Lower Berriasian in the Theodosia area of Crimea (southern Ukraine)

    Geological Quarterly

    (2018)
  • E. Barrier et al.

    Palaeotectonic maps of the Middle East. Tectono-Sedimentary-Palinspastic maps from late Norian to Pliocene

    (2008)
  • L. Basilione et al.

    Permian-Cenozoic deep-water carbonate rocks of the Southern Tethyan Domain. The case of Central Sicily

    Italian Journal of Geoscience

    (2016)
  • J.A. Bergen

    Berriasian to early Aptian calcareous nannofossils from the Vocontian Trough (SE France) and Deep Sea Site 534: new nannofossil taxa and a summary of low-latitude biostratigraphic events

    Journal of Nannoplankton Research

    (1994)
  • J.A. Bergen et al.

    Low-latitude Oxfordian to Early Berriasian nannofossil biostratigraphy and its application to the subsurface of Eastern Texas

  • D. Bernoulli et al.

    Ancient oceans and continental margins of the Alpine-Mediterranean Tethys: deciphering clues from Mesozoic pelagic sedimens and ophiolites

    Sedimentology

    (2009)
  • P.R. Bown et al.

    Conical calcareous nannofossils in the Mesozoic

  • P.R. Bown

    New calcareous nannofossil taxa from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary interval of site 765 and 261, Argo Abissal Plain

    Proc., scientific results, ODP, Leg 123, Argo Abyssal Plain/Exmouth Plateau

    (1992)
  • P.R. Bown et al.

    Calcareous nannoplankton evolution and diversity through time

  • J.E. Caracuel et al.

    Baia di Guidaloca (Scopello): integrated biostratigraphy in the Rosso Ammonitico facies of the Guidaloca section (Upper Jurassic–Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary)

  • C.E. Casellato

    Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of Upper Callovian–Lower Berriasian successions from the Southern Alps, North Italy

    Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia

    (2010)
  • C.E. Casellato et al.

    Calcareous Nannofossil and Calpionellid calcification events across the Tithonian–Berriasian time interval and low latitudes paleoceanographic implications

    Journal of Nannoplankton Research

    (2008)
  • C.E. Casellato et al.

    Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the S'Adde Limenstone (Mt. Albo, Orosei Gulf): insights into the Middle–Late Jurassic Eastern Sardinia passive margin evolution

    Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia

    (2012)
  • P. Čepek

    Mesozoic Calcareous Nannoplankton of the Eastern North Atlantic, Leg 41

    Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project

    (1978)
  • J.E.T. Channel et al.

    Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous time scales and oceanic magnetic anomaly block models

  • A. Concheyro et al.

    Jurassic calcareous nannofossils from prerift sediments drilled during ODP Leg 173, Iberia Abyssal Plain, and their implications for rift tectonics

  • P. Di Stefano

    An outline of the Jurassic stratigraphy and paleogeography of Western Sicily

  • E. Erba et al.

    Biostratigrafia a Nannofossili calcarei, Calpionellidi e Foraminiferi planctonici della Maiolica (Titoniano superiore–Aptiano) nelle Prealpi Bergamasche (Italia settentrionale)

    Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia

    (1987)
  • E. Erba et al.

    Nannofossil carbonate fluxes during the Early Cretaceous: Phytoplankton response to nutrification episodes, atmospheric CO2, and anoxia

    Paleoceanography

    (2004)

    • Cited by (19)

    • The Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary on the northern Tethyan margin: Karpentná and Ropice sections (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

      2024, Cretaceous Research

    • Integrated stratigraphy across the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary in the Rettenbacher section (Northern Calcareous Alps, Salzburg, Austria)

      2024, Cretaceous Research

    • The integrated biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironments across the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary in the Dedina section (eastern Serbian Carpathians)

      2024, Cretaceous Research

    • Late Tithonian nannofossils from Dejen area, the Blue Nile Basin, central western Ethiopia

      2023, Palaeoworld
      Citation Excerpt :

      Additionally, this interval is marked by an increase in their size and degree of calcification (Casellato, 2010; Casellato and Erba, 2021). Besides this, the latest Jurassic was also a time of a spectacular speciation event with the appearance and rapid evolution of several new species and genera (Roth, 1983; Perch-Nielsen, 1985; Bralower et al., 1989; Roth, 1989; Bown et al., 2004; Erba, 2006; Casellato, 2010; Casellato and Erba, 2021), particularly for the nannoliths (Erba and Quadrio, 1987; Roth, 1989; Bornemann et al., 2003; Erba, 2006; Tremolada et al., 2006). Contextually, Faviconus, Polycostella, Nannoconus and Watznaueria are now recorded from Ethiopia (Jain and Singh, 2019; this study).

    • Calibrating the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous shallow and deep marine bioevents by quantitative biostratigraphy: A synthesis from the Pontides Carbonate Platform (Turkey)

      2022, Earth-Science Reviews
      Citation Excerpt :

      Calpionellids, with their rapid evolving lineages, have become an important group for the upper Tithonian–Hauterivian interval with widely correlatable (over both margins of the Tethys from Himalaya to Mexico, see Wimbledon et al., 2020a, and the extensive list of references therein) and stable biozonations (see Lakova and Petrova, 2013, and Benzaggagh, 2020, for a detailed overview). Calibration of calpionellid zones with other calcareous pelagic groups (e.g., calcareous nannofossils, dinoflagellates) is more or less successful (e.g., Özkan, 1993; Lakova et al., 1999, 2017; Casellato, 2010; Benzaggagh et al., 2015a; Bakhmutov et al., 2018; Elbra et al., 2018; Grabowski et al., 2019; Svobodová et al., 2019; Casellato and Erba, 2021; Wimbledon et al., 2020b; Michalík et al., 2021), although problems still exist in calibration with more endemic ammonites (e.g., Le Hégarat and Remane, 1968; Hoedemaeker et al., 1993; Bulot et al., 1996; Énay, 1997; Zeiss, 2003; Houša et al., 2007; Page, 2008; Frau et al., 2016; Reboulet et al., 2018) and radiolarians (e.g., Baumgartner et al., 1995; Mekik et al., 1997; Ślączka et al., 2018) and sporadically occurring early planktonic foraminifers (e.g., Banner and Desai, 1988; Hudson et al., 2009; Gradstein et al., 2017, 2018, 2021a, 2021b). These developments have mostly led to proposals of stage boundary definitions based on pelagic bioevents and deep open marine sections (especially for the Lower Cretaceous).

    • The early fossil record of Caturoidea (Halecomorphi: Amiiformes): biogeographic implications

      2023, Swiss Journal of Palaeontology
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text
    © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.