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Taphonomy pp 79–105Cite as

Taphonomic Bias in Shelly Faunas Through Time: Early Aragonitic Dissolution and Its Implications for the Fossil Record

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Part of the book series: Aims & Scope Topics in Geobiology Book Series ((TGBI,volume 32))

Abstract

Early diagenetic dissolution of skeletal carbonate in environments from seafloor to shallow burial has the potential to skew the marine fossil record of aragonitic shells, particularly molluscs. Taphonomic windows leading to the preservation of labile skeletal components include relatively rare occurrences of early mineral replacement by silica (skeletal lagerstätten). Another, much more frequent process is event deposition where dissolution is halted by rapid burial of shells. Shell plasters form in basinal mud or low energy lagoonal environments during temporary dysoxic episodes, such as are caused by algal blooms. Preservation potential for aragonitic fossils may be enhanced by early cementation during shallow burial (hardgrounds) that protects the delicate dissolution moulds from destruction by bioturbation, or in high energy shoal environments where the drive for microbial dissolution is reduced. A data-based environmental model summarizes the main taphonomic zones, and illustrates significant taphonomic bias against aragonitic shells in lower energy settings of platform interiors and mid-outer ramps/shelves. The temporal distribution of various taphonomic windows shows the limited occurrence of silicified faunas, while the nature and extent of shell beds also change, but there is no obvious correlation with periods of ‘calcite’ and ‘aragonite seas’.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Carl Brett (University of Cincinnati) and Peter Allison (Imperial College, London) for constructive reviews of the original manuscript. JRW is grateful to Robert Raine (University of Birmingham) for help in collecting Jurassic Saltford Shale material, and for discussion on the origins of these shell beds.

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  1. School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3YE, UK

    Lesley Cherns

  2. School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    James R. Wheeley

  3. BG-Group, 100 Thames Valley Park, Reading, RG6 1PT, UK

    V. Paul Wright

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  1. Lesley Cherns
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Correspondence to Lesley Cherns .

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  1. Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2AZ, London, UK

    Peter A. Allison

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 90089-0740, Los Angeles, California, USA

    David J. Bottjer

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Cherns, L., Wheeley, J.R., Wright, V.P. (2011). Taphonomic Bias in Shelly Faunas Through Time: Early Aragonitic Dissolution and Its Implications for the Fossil Record. In: Allison, P.A., Bottjer, D.J. (eds) Taphonomy. Aims & Scope Topics in Geobiology Book Series, vol 32. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8643-3_3

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