Biostratigraphy

Geology 331
Paleontology

The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River

in Arizona

Lithostratigraphic
correlation
between Grand
Canyon, Zion, and
Bryce Canyon
national parks
allows
construction of a
composite
stratigraphic
column.

Lithostratigraphic
correlation
between Grand
Canyon, Zion, and
Bryce Canyon
national parks
allows
construction of a
composite
stratigraphic
column.

Grand Canyon, Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon

Top of Navaho Ss.

Top of Kaibab Ls.

Zion Canyon National Park, Jurassic

Sedimentary Rocks

Jurassic Navaho Sandstone, Zion National

Park, wind-blown cross-bedding.

Bryce Canyon, Utah, Cretaceous sedimentary rocks

Correlation
Determination of the equivalence of
bodies of rock at different locations.
There are two kinds of correlation:
Lithostratigraphic - matching up
continuous formations.
Chronostratigraphic - matching up
rocks of the same age. Usually done
with fossils using biostratigraphy.

Correlation
Over short distances lithostratigraphic
correlation is the same as
chronostratigraphic correlation.
Over medium distances they are not
the same.
Over long distances only
chronostratigraphic correlation can be
used.

Original Lateral Continuity: permits

lithostratigraphic correlation note the continuous
beds

Lithostratigraphic and
Chronostratigraphic
Relationships

Sedimentary facies, and their subsequent

rocks, are usually time-transgressive.

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331strat.html

Sedimentary Facies

Modern Barrier Island

Time Lines

Sedimentary Facies in the subsurface

Wire line logs

Time Lines

Modern Barrier Island

Sedimentary Facies in the subsurface

Wire line logs

Lewis Shale

Parkman Ss
Cody Shale

Simple
Lithostratigraphic
Correlation: Facies
Boundaries, not
Time Lines

Grand Canyon
Stratigraphy

Cambrian strata of the Grand Canyon: Tapeats Ss., Bright Angel Sh.,
and Muav Ls. Note the two time lines from biostratigraphy.

Correlated Bed contacts

Detailed lithostratigraphic correlation of the Cambrian strata of the

Grand Canyon. Note the facies interfingering. (Stanley, Fig. 6.5)

Interfingering of strata
due to shifting of facies
during deposition

Zone of middle
Cambrian trilobites
Zone of early
Cambrian trilobites

Cambrian strata of the Grand Canyon: Note the two time lines from
biostratigraphy. (Stanley, Fig. 6.6)

Interfingering of strata
due to shifting of facies
during deposition

Time lines established

by biostratigraphy

Depositional Model for the Cambrian strata of

the Grand Canyon: Tapeats Ss., Bright Angel
Sh., and Muav Ls. (Stanley, Fig. 6.6)

Transgression, regression, and stratigraphic cycles

1

Taxon Range Zone:

Between a FAD and a LAD for a given species

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331strat.html

Concurrent Range Zone:

FAD on Sp. D, LAD on Sp. B

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331strat.html

Interval Zone:
Between two successive FADs or LADs

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331strat.html

Hedberg and
Salvador, 1994
http://www.stratigraphy.org/
upload/bak/bio.htm

Hedberg and
Salvador, 1994
http://www.stratigraphy.org/
upload/bak/bio.htm

Ranges may or may

not be concurrent.

Hedberg and
Salvador, 1994
http://www.stratigraphy.org/
upload/bak/bio.htm

Not commonly used.

Can be diachronous.

Examples of Local Range Zones (connect the dots)

http://geoweb.princeton.edu/people/keller/deccan/large/Fig9_Gov_Q_biost_col.jpg

geoweb.princeton.edu/.../massex.html

Forams and Diatoms

Ammonites

Cretaceous
Biozones based
on microfossils
and ammonites

http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2009
_A03/CG2009_A03_Fig_01.htm

Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephaplopoda, a

goniatitic ammonoid with a simple suture pattern

Phylum Mollusca,
Class Cephaplopoda,
a ceratitic ammonoid
with a more complex
suture

Phylum Mollusca, Class

Cephaplopoda, an
ammonitic ammonoid
with the most complex
suture

Trilobites are
the best index
fossils for the
Cambrian.

Conodont Taxon Range Zones in the

Mississippian. Conodonts range from
Ordovician to Triassic.

http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/165_1/index.html

Examples of
conodonts, the
teeth of primitive
chordates

The conodont animal from the

Mississippian of Scotland

1 cm

Conodont
Biozones for
the Ordovician

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Stratigraphicrange-and-diversity-of-conodonts/

Conodont
Biozones for
the Ordovician

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Stratigraphicrange-and-diversity-of-conodonts/

Examples of
Biozones
based on
Graptolites
and Conodonts

Graptolites
Journal of Paleontology; January
2003; v. 77; no. 1; p. 146-171

Putting Radiometric Dates on Biozones: Previous

Example from Radiometric Dating Lecture