The Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and high resolution biostratigraphy of the pelagic sequences of the kurovice section (Outer Western Carpathians, the northern Tethyan margin)

Abstract

Microfacies and high resolution studies at the Kurovice quarry (Czech Republic, Outer Western Carpathians) on calpionellids, calcareous and non-calcareous dinoflagellate cysts, sporomorphs and calcareous nannofossils, aligned with paleomagnetism, allow construction of a detailed stratigraphy and paleoenvironmental interpretation across the Jurassic/Cretaceous (J/K) boundary. The Kurovice section consists of allodapic and micrite limestones and marlstones. Identified standard microfacies types SMF2, SMF3 and SMF4 indicate that sediments were deposited on a deep shelf margin (FZ 3), with a change, later, into distal basin conditions and sediments (FZ 1). The sequence spans a stratigraphic range from the Early Tithonian calcareous dinoflagellate Malmica Zone, nannoplankton zone NJT 15 and magnetozone M21r to the late Early Berriasian calpionellid Elliptica Subzone of the Calpionella Zone, nannoplankton NK-1 Zone and M17r magnetozone. The J/K boundary is marked by a quantitative increase of small forms of Calpionella alpina, the base of the Alpina Subzone (that corresponds to NJT 17b and M19n.2n) and by the rare occurrence of Nannoconus wintereri. Palynomorphs include Early Berriasian terrestrial elements - non-calcareous dinoflagellate cysts Achomosphaera neptunii, Prolixosphaeridium sp. A and Tehatnadinium evittii. The depositional area for Kurovice was situated at the margin of the NW Tethys. The influence of cold waters from northern latitudes and potential upwellings is highlighted by: 1) the high proportion of radiolarians and sponge spicules, 2) rare calpionellids represented mostly by hyaline forms, 3) the absence of microgranular calpionellids - chitinoidellids, 4) the small percentage of the genera Nannoconus, Polycostella and Conusphaera in nannofossil assemblages, as compared to other sites in Tethys, 5) scarce Nannoconus compressus, which has otherwise been mentioned from the Atlantic area.