Hutchison Medallist 1. Wave-Dominated to Tide-Dominated Coastal Systems: A Unifying Model for Tidal Shorefaces and Refinement of the Coastal- Environments Classification Scheme

Coastal depositional systems are normally classified based on the relative input of wave, tide, and river processes. While wave- through to river-dominated environments are well characterized, environments along the wave-to-tide continuum are relatively poorly understood and this limits the reliability and utility of coastal classification schemes. Two tidal shoreface models, open-coast tidal flats (OCTF) and tidally modulated shorefaces (TMS), have been introduced for mixed wave-tide coastal settings. Following nearly two decades of research on tidal shorefaces, a number of significant insights have been derived, and these data are used here to develop a unified model for such systems. First, OCTFs are components of larger depositional environments, and in multiple published examples, OCTFs overlie offshore to lower shoreface successions that are similar to TMS. Consequently, we combine OCTFs and TMSs into a single tidal shoreface model where TMS (as originally described) and TMS-OCTF successions are considered as variants along the wave-tide continuum. Second, tidal shoreface successions are preferentially preserved in low- to moderate-wave energy environments and in progradational to aggradational systems. It is probably difficult to distinguish tidal shorefaces from their storm-dominated counterparts. Third, tidal shorefaces, including both TMSs and OCTFs, should exhibit tidally modulated storm deposits, reflecting variation in storm-wave energy at the sea floor resulting from the rising and falling tide. They may also exhibit interbedding of tidally generated structures (e.g. double mud drapes or bidirectional current ripples), deposited under fairweather conditions, and storm deposits (e.g. hummocky cross-stratification) through the lower shoreface and possibly into the upper shoreface.The development of the tidal shoreface model sheds light on the limitations of the presently accepted wave-tide-river classification scheme of coastal environments and a revised scheme is presented. In particular, tidal flats are components of larger depositional systems and can be identified in the rock record only in settings where intertidal and supratidal deposits are preserved; consequently, they should not represent the tide-dominated end-member of coastal systems. Instead, we suggest that tide-dominated embayments should occupy this apex. Tide-dominated embayments exhibit limited wave and river influence and include a wide range of geomorphological features typically associated with tidal processes, including tidal channels, bars and flats.Les systèmes de dépôts côtiers sont normalement classés en fonction de l’apport relatif des processus liés à la houle, aux marées et aux rivières. Si les environnements dominés par la houle et les rivières sont bien caractérisés, les environnements le long du continuum houle-marée sont relativement mal compris, ce qui limite la fiabilité et l’utilité des systèmes de classification des côtes. Deux modèles d’avant-plages tidales, les estrans ouverts (open-coast tidal flats; OCTF) et les avant-plages modulées par la marée (tidally modulated shoreface; TMS), ont été introduits pour les milieux côtiers mixtes, houle-marée. Suite à près de deux décennies de recherche sur les avant-plages tidales, un certain nombre d’informations importantes ont été obtenues et ces données sont utilisées ici pour développer un modèle unifié pour ces systèmes. Tout d’abord, les OCTF sont les composants de systèmes de dépôt plus vastes et, dans de nombreux exemples publiés, les OCTF recouvrent des successions sédimentaires allant du large à l’avant-plage inférieure, similaires à celle des TMS. Par conséquent, nous combinons les OCTF et les TMS en un seul modèle d’avant-plage tidale où les TMS (tel que décrit à l’origine) et les successions TMS-OCTF sont considérés comme des variantes le long du continuum houle-marée. Deuxièmement, les successions d’avant-plages tidales sont préférentiellement préservées dans des environnements ayant une houle faible à modérée et dans des systèmes progradant et aggradant. Il est probablement difficile de distinguer les avant-plages tidales de leurs homologues dominés par les tempêtes. Troisièmement, les avant-plages tidales, incluant à la fois les TMS et les OCTF devraient présenter des dépôts de tempête modulés par la marée, reflétant ainsi la variation de l’énergie des vagues de tempête sur le fond marin liée à la marée montante et descendante. Les avant-plages tidales peuvent également présenter une interstratification de structures générées par la marée (par exemple, des doubles drapages argileux ou des rides de courants bidirectionnelles) déposées pendant des conditions de beau temps, et des dépôts de tempête (par exemple, des stratifications en mamelons) au niveau de l’avant-plage inférieure et éventuellement de l’avant-plage supérieure.Le développement du modèle d’avant-plage tidale met en lumière les limites de la classification tripartite (houle-marée-rivière) des environnements côtiers actuellement acceptée et une classification révisée est présentée. En particulier, les OCTF et les estrans sont des composantes de systèmes dedépôt plus importants et ne peuvent être identifiés que dans le registre sédimentaire dans les milieux où les dépôts intertidaux et supratidaux sont préservés; par conséquent, ils ne devraient pas représenter le membre extrême des systèmes côtiers dominé par la marée. Nous suggérons plutôt que les baies dominées par la marée occupent cette place. Les baies dominées par les marées présentent une influence limitée des vagues et des rivières et comprennent un large éventail de caractéristiques géomorphologiques généralement associées aux processus de marée, notamment des chenaux, des barres et des platiers tidaux

Early Tremadocian cephalopods from Santa Rosita Formation in NW Argentina: the oldest record for South America

We describe early Tremadocian (Kainella meridionalis Biozone) cephalopods from the Cordillera Oriental, Jujuy, NW Argentina. They consist of numerous small specimens collected at the Quebrada de Arenal, Trancas section, near the town of Tilcara, in the Alfarcito Member of the Santa Rosita Formation. All but three specimens were assigned to a new species of Ellesmeroceras (Family Ellesmeroceratidae), E. humahuacaensis sp. nov., based on its slightly endogastric curvature, the characteristics of the siphuncle and chambers dimensions. Micro CT scanning of one specimen aided in the description of the apex and facilitated the construction of a 3D model of the species. A single, similar specimen was assigned to Ellesmeroceras sp. pending the availability of additional material. Two specimens differ from the rest, being exogastric with a lower angle of expansion. They are tentatively assigned to Bassleroceras sp. This material indicates that Cambrian and early Tremadocian cephalopods are not as different as previously thought. “Diversification” and “extinction” events during the late Cambrian may be attributed to taxonomic “over-splitting” and taphonomic and/or sampling biases, respectively. These specimens are currently the oldest recorded in the Central Andean Basin and of West Gondwana, and probably represent the first migration of cephalopods into the region, when the water column was still poorly colonized. During the middle Tremadocian, subsequent immigrations and originations of several cephalopod orders accounted for a rise in diversity and expansion into new niches during this interval. Some of these taxa persisted into the middle Floian, at which time, a second increase in diversity is recorded. Ellesmeroceras humahuacaensis sp. nov. is interpreted as a sub-vertical nektobenthic organism.Fil: Cichowolski, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber"; ArgentinaFil: Vaccari, Norberto Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Pohle, Alexander. Ruhr Universität Bochum; AlemaniaFil: Moron Alfonso, Daniel Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber"; ArgentinaFil: Vaucher, Romain. Universidad de Ginebra; Suiza. Universite de Lausanne; SuizaFil: Waisfeld, Beatriz Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentin

Insolation-paced sea level and sediment flux during the early Pleistocene in Southeast Asia

Global marine archives from the early Pleistocene indicate that glacial-interglacial cycles, and their corresponding sea-level cycles, have predominantly a periodicity of ~ 41 kyrs driven by Earth’s obliquity. Here, we present a clastic shallow-marine record from the early Pleistocene in Southeast Asia (Cholan Formation, Taiwan). The studied strata comprise stacked cyclic successions deposited in offshore to nearshore environments in the paleo-Taiwan Strait. The stratigraphy was compared to both a δ18O isotope record of benthic foraminifera and orbital parameters driving insolation at the time of deposition. Analyses indicate a strong correlation between depositional cycles and Northern Hemisphere summer insolation, which is precession-dominated with an obliquity component. Our results represent geological evidence of precession-dominated sea-level fluctuations during the early Pleistocene, independent of a global ice-volume proxy. Preservation of this signal is possible due to the high-accommodation creation and high-sedimentation rate in the basin enhancing the completeness of the stratigraphic record

New fossil assemblages from the Early Ordovician Fezouata Biota

The Fezouata Biota (Morocco) is a unique Early Ordovician fossil assemblage. The discovery of this biota revolutionized our understanding of Earth’s early animal diversifications—the Cambrian Explosion and the Ordovician Radiation—by suggesting an evolutionary continuum between both events. Herein, we describe Taichoute, a new fossil locality from the Fezouata Shale. This locality extends the temporal distribution of fossil preservation from this formation into the upper Floian, while also expanding the range of depositional environments to more distal parts of the shelf. In Taichoute, most animals were transported by density flows, unlike the in-situ preservation of animals recovered in previously investigated Fezouata sites. Taichoute is dominated by three-dimensionally preserved, and heavily sclerotized fragments of large euarthropods—possibly representing nektobenthic/nektic bivalved taxa and/or hurdiid radiodonts. Resolving whether this dominance reflects a legitimate aspect of the original ecosystem or a preservational bias requires an in-depth assessment of the environmental conditions at this site. Nevertheless, Taichoute provides novel preservational and palaeontological insights during a key evolutionary transition in the history of life on Earth

Characterization of hybrid sedimentary environments (wave-tide) in ancient and modern systems

La reconnaissance de systèmes sédimentaires hybrides (houle-marée) dans l'enregistrement sédimentaire n'est pas triviale lorsque l'un des processus (ici la marée) ne laisse pas de traces sédimentaires directes permettant de l'identifier. La succession sédimentaire de l'Ordovicien inférieur (formations des Fezouata et du Zini) de la région de Zagora (Anti-Atlas ; Maroc) enregistre une dominance de la houle. Cependant, de nombreuses structures et géométries de dépôts sédimentaires sont atypiques de l'action de la houle. L'explication proposée dans ce travail est la modulation de l'action de la houle par la marée qui va s'exprimer de différentes façons en fonction de la bathymétrie. Un modèle sédimentaire de dépôt est proposé pour ce système hybride. Les Fezouata ont non seulement un intérêt sédimentologique mais aussi un grand intérêt paléontologique par la présence de gisements à préservation exceptionnelle qui enregistrent les débuts de la Grande Biodiversification Ordovicienne. L'élaboration du modèle sédimentaire de dépôt a permis de contraindre les faciès sédimentaires associés aux fossiles retrouvés, permettant ainsi de définir un contexte paléoenvironnemental de vie de ces communautés primitives. Afin de mieux caractériser les différentes structures sédimentaires ainsi que leurs distributions au sein de la zone intertidale d'un environnement mixte, deux analogues, un méga- et un macro-tidal tout deux dominés par la houle, ont été choisis : Berck-Plage (Pas-de-Calais ; France) et la pointe du Cap-Ferret (Gironde ; France). La zone intertidale de Berck-Plage a permis de montrer que la quasi majorité des structures sédimentaires est formée par un courant oscillatoire et que la géomorphologie côtière (barres-et-bâches), induisant la réfraction des fronts d'ondes (houle) incidentes, joue un rôle majeur dans la distribution et la formation des structures sédimentaires. Des morphologies particulières en mamelons ont été observées à Berck-Plage mais l'homogénéité granulométrique de la zone d'étude n'a pas permis l'observation de leurs structures internes. Des morphologies similaires ont ainsi été étudiées à la pointe du Cap-Ferret. Cette dernière étude met en avant la formation de structures sédimentaires en mamelons comme étant le résultat de flux supercritiques initiés par le reflux de la houle préalablement réfractée par la géomorphologie non linéaire de la côteRecognition of hybrid sedimentary systems (wave-tide) in the sedimentary record is not trivial when one of the processes (here, the tide) does not leave direct sedimentary traces allowing its identification. The Lower Ordovician sedimentary succession (Fezouata and Zini formations) of the Zagora region (Anti-Atlas, Morocco) records a dominance of wave action. However, many sedimentary structures and depositional geometries are atypical of a wave dominated sedimentary system. The explanation proposed in this work is a modulation of the wave action by tides, which is expressed in different manners depending to the bathymetry. A model of deposition is then proposed for this hybrid sedimentary system. The Fezouata not only have a sedimentological interest but also a great paleontological interest due to the presence of exceptionally well-preserved fossils dating from the initial steps of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. The development of the model deposition allowed to constrain the sedimentary facies associated with the fossils discovered, thus allowing to provide a paleoenvironmental life context for these primitive communities. In order to better characterize the different sedimentary structures and their distribution through the intertidal zone of hybrid environments, two analogues, one mega- and the other macro-tidal, both dominated by wave action were chosen: Berck-Plage (Pas-de-Calais; France) and the tip of Cap-Ferret (Gironde; France). The analysis of the intertidal zone of Berck-Plage has shown that the majority of the sedimentary structures are formed under oscillatory flows and that the coastal geomorphology (in ridges-and-runnels), inducing refraction of the incident wave fronts, plays a major role in the distribution and formation of the sedimentary structures. Peculiar dome-like morphologies were observed at Berck-Plage but the grain size homogeneity in this area did not allow the observation of their internal structures. Similar morphologies have been studied at the tip of Cap-Ferret. This last study highlights that the formation of dome-like bedforms is the result of supercritical flows initiated by the backwash of waves previously refracted by the non linear coastal geomorpholog

Caractérisation des environnements sédimentaires hybrides (houle-marée) dans des systèmes anciens et actuels

Recognition of hybrid sedimentary systems (wave-tide) in the sedimentary record is not trivial when one of the processes (here, the tide) does not leave direct sedimentary traces allowing its identification. The Lower Ordovician sedimentary succession (Fezouata and Zini formations) of the Zagora region (Anti-Atlas, Morocco) records a dominance of wave action. However, many sedimentary structures and depositional geometries are atypical of a wave dominated sedimentary system. The explanation proposed in this work is a modulation of the wave action by tides, which is expressed in different manners depending to the bathymetry. A model of deposition is then proposed for this hybrid sedimentary system. The Fezouata not only have a sedimentological interest but also a great paleontological interest due to the presence of exceptionally well-preserved fossils dating from the initial steps of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. The development of the model deposition allowed to constrain the sedimentary facies associated with the fossils discovered, thus allowing to provide a paleoenvironmental life context for these primitive communities. In order to better characterize the different sedimentary structures and their distribution through the intertidal zone of hybrid environments, two analogues, one mega- and the other macro-tidal, both dominated by wave action were chosen: Berck-Plage (Pas-de-Calais; France) and the tip of Cap-Ferret (Gironde; France). The analysis of the intertidal zone of Berck-Plage has shown that the majority of the sedimentary structures are formed under oscillatory flows and that the coastal geomorphology (in ridges-and-runnels), inducing refraction of the incident wave fronts, plays a major role in the distribution and formation of the sedimentary structures. Peculiar dome-like morphologies were observed at Berck-Plage but the grain size homogeneity in this area did not allow the observation of their internal structures. Similar morphologies have been studied at the tip of Cap-Ferret. This last study highlights that the formation of dome-like bedforms is the result of supercritical flows initiated by the backwash of waves previously refracted by the non linear coastal geomorphologyLa reconnaissance de systèmes sédimentaires hybrides (houle-marée) dans l'enregistrement sédimentaire n'est pas triviale lorsque l'un des processus (ici la marée) ne laisse pas de traces sédimentaires directes permettant de l'identifier. La succession sédimentaire de l'Ordovicien inférieur (formations des Fezouata et du Zini) de la région de Zagora (Anti-Atlas ; Maroc) enregistre une dominance de la houle. Cependant, de nombreuses structures et géométries de dépôts sédimentaires sont atypiques de l'action de la houle. L'explication proposée dans ce travail est la modulation de l'action de la houle par la marée qui va s'exprimer de différentes façons en fonction de la bathymétrie. Un modèle sédimentaire de dépôt est proposé pour ce système hybride. Les Fezouata ont non seulement un intérêt sédimentologique mais aussi un grand intérêt paléontologique par la présence de gisements à préservation exceptionnelle qui enregistrent les débuts de la Grande Biodiversification Ordovicienne. L'élaboration du modèle sédimentaire de dépôt a permis de contraindre les faciès sédimentaires associés aux fossiles retrouvés, permettant ainsi de définir un contexte paléoenvironnemental de vie de ces communautés primitives. Afin de mieux caractériser les différentes structures sédimentaires ainsi que leurs distributions au sein de la zone intertidale d'un environnement mixte, deux analogues, un méga- et un macro-tidal tout deux dominés par la houle, ont été choisis : Berck-Plage (Pas-de-Calais ; France) et la pointe du Cap-Ferret (Gironde ; France). La zone intertidale de Berck-Plage a permis de montrer que la quasi majorité des structures sédimentaires est formée par un courant oscillatoire et que la géomorphologie côtière (barres-et-bâches), induisant la réfraction des fronts d'ondes (houle) incidentes, joue un rôle majeur dans la distribution et la formation des structures sédimentaires. Des morphologies particulières en mamelons ont été observées à Berck-Plage mais l'homogénéité granulométrique de la zone d'étude n'a pas permis l'observation de leurs structures internes. Des morphologies similaires ont ainsi été étudiées à la pointe du Cap-Ferret. Cette dernière étude met en avant la formation de structures sédimentaires en mamelons comme étant le résultat de flux supercritiques initiés par le reflux de la houle préalablement réfractée par la géomorphologie non linéaire de la côt

Large-scale bedforms induced by supercritical flows and wave–wave interference in the intertidal zone (Cap Ferret, France)

The Cap Ferret sand spit is situated along the wave-dominated, tidally modulated Atlantic coast of western France, characterized by a semidiurnal macrotidal range. It displays peculiar dome-like bedforms that can be observed at low tide across the intertidal zone. These bedforms exhibit a wavelength of ca. 1.2 m and an elevation of ca. 30 cm. They occur only when the incident wave heights reach 1.5 a 2 m. The internal stratifications are characterized by swaley-like, sub-planar, oblique-tangential, oblique-tabular, as well as hummocky-like stratifications. The tabular and tangential stratifications comprise prograding oblique sets (defined as foresets and backsets) that almost always show variations in their steepness. Downcutting into the bottomsets of the oblique-tangential stratifications is common. The sets of laminae observed in the bedforms share common characteristics with those formed by supercritical flows in flume experiments of earlier studies. These peculiar bedforms are observed at the surf-swash transition zone where the backwash flow reaches supercritical conditions. This type of flow can explain their internal architecture but not their general dome-like (three-dimensional) morphology. Wave-wave interference induced by the geomorphology (i.e. tidal channel) of the coastal environment is proposed as explanation for the localized formation of such bedforms. This study highlights that the combination of supercritical flows occurring in the surf-swash transition zone and wave-wave interferences can generate dome-like bedforms in intertidal zones.Fil: Romain, Vaucher. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1; Francia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Pittet, Bernard. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1; FranciaFil: Humbert, Thomas. Laboratoire D'acoustique de L'universite Du Maine; FranciaFil: Ferry, Serge. Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1

Large-scale bedforms induced by supercritical flows and wave–wave interference in the intertidal zone (Cap Ferret, France)

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Structure of trilobite communities along a delta-marine gradient (lower ordovician; northwestern Argentina)

Throughout their long history, trilobites occupied various ecological niches, colonizing a wide variety of marine environments. However, the paleoecology of this group is mostly based on shelf-slope environments and less is known about their distribution in marginal environments. To understand how trilobite communities respond to a deltaic influence, we studied changes in the taxonomic composition and structure of a diverse and well-known Lower Ordovician olenid-dominated fauna from the Argentine Cordillera Oriental along a delta-marine gradient. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct associations, and ordination analysis revealed a clear biotic gradient within each. The ecological structure and diversity trends of both associations follow a predictable response to a depth-related gradient. Impoverished communities with a highly nested structure characterize the lower offshore, whereas rich and even communities occur in the upper offshore. The trend towards higher diversity and greater taxonomic turnover in shallower environments corresponds to greater habitat heterogeneity. Towards the other extreme, only the ubiquitous genus Jujuyaspis was a successful colonizer in deltaic settings. This marked contrast with the more diverse and abundant assemblages of fully marine deposits indicates stressful physiological conditions in marginal-marine environments, where alternating and contrasting normal-marine to brackish-water conditions and high input of siliciclastic material were among the key factors controlling the distribution of these early trilobite communities.Fil: Serra, Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Balseiro, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Romain, Vaucher. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Waisfeld, Beatriz Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentin