Quaternary fluvial tufas of Sarıkavak area, southwestern Turkey: Facies and depositional systems

In the Quaternary Sarıkavak fluvial tufa deposits, situated in south-western Turkey, different facies have been identified and their mutual relationships have been unravelled. This tufa formation is located at the northern part of Acıgöl Graben. The development of the Sarıkavak tufas represents typical fluvial and fluvio-palustrine environments. In total eight tufa lithofacies have been differentiated, namely: moss tufa facies, oncolitic tufa facies, stromatolitic tufa facies, phytoclastic tufa facies, intraclastic tufa facies, extra-formational clastic tufa facies, sapropelitic tufa facies, and palaeosol. Preliminary U/Th datings indicate that these deposits formed prior to 219 ka and continued until 80 ka (MIS 7 till 5). δ13C signatures (0.78‰ to −1.63‰ V-PDB) best can be explained by limestone dissolution processes or respiration from C4 plant vegetation into the soil or both. For that reason, the Sarıkavak tufa deposits can be classified as ‘travitufa’ which precipitated in a distal facies system of travertine occurrences. δ18O values (−7.49‰ to −10.83‰ V-PDB) of the whole data set reflect some significant changes, which is interpreted in terms of temperature variations reflecting warm and cold periods among MIS 7 (interglacial), MIS 6 (glacial) and MIS 5 (interglacial). The development of the Sarıkavak tufa deposits are related to the Maymundağı fault that borders the Acıgöl Graben in the north. This fault and its synthetic fault segments play a pivotal role with regard to the palaeo-flow direction of water and control the basin topography. These structural structures are likely responsible for all active and ancient springs in the study area, as well as their respective carbonate precipitates. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and INQU

TECTONO-SEDIMENTARY EVOLUTION OF THE EOCENE TRANSGRESSIVE DEPOSITS IN THE ACIGÖL, BURDUR AND ISPARTA AREAS (SW TURKEY)

The Eocene transgressive deposits of the Acıgöl, Burdur and Isparta basins are the best exposed of the SW Turkey and shed light on one of the outstanding problems of the tectono-sedimentary evolution during paleotectonic and neotectonic period. In the present paper we describe a tectonic model of the progressive foreland migration of the allochthonous units such as Lycian and Antalya nappes, initial emplacement onto stable carbonate platform in the Early Oligocene, carrying piggy-back basins and incorporating from alluvial fan to deep-marine deposits recognized in these terrigenous successions. In general, the facies and structural observations on the overall Mid-Late Eocene clastic sequences, outcropping in behind the Lycian nappes, indicate: i) the alluvial fan to shallow marine settings of the Başçeşme Fm in Acıgöl, ii) the Varsakyayla Fm in Burdur and iii) proximal to distal flysch facies trend of the Kayıköy Fm in Isparta. The collected data allow us to hypothesize that the Mid-Late Eocene tectono-sedimentary history was characterized by a terrigenous clastics, probably lying on the constructing tectonic edifice and then deformed and covered by a piggy-back like sequence. The tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Eocene transgressive in SW Turkey has been probably developed through a progressive migration towards the foreland basin

Depositional system and palaeoclimatic interpretations of Middle to Late Pleistocene travertines: Kocaba, Denizli, south-west Turkey

Travertine deposits in western Turkey are very well-exposed in the area of Kocaba, in the eastern part of the Denizli Basin. The palaeoclimatic significance of these travertines is discussed using U/Th dates, stable isotope data and palynological evidence. The Kocaba travertine occurrences are characterized by successions of depositional terraces associated with palaeosols and karstic features. The travertines have been classified into eight lithotypes and one erosional horizon, namely: laminated, coated bubble, reed, paper-thin raft, intraclasts, micritic travertine with gastropods, extra-formational pebbles and a palaeosol layer. The analysed travertines mostly formed between 181ka and 80ka (Middle to Late Pleistocene) during a series of climatic changes including glacial and interglacial intervals; their C-13 and O-18 values indicate that the depositional waters were mainly of basinal thermal origin, occasionally mixed with surficial meteoric water. Palynological results obtained from the palaeosols showed an abundance of non-arboreal percentage and xerophytic plants (Oleaceae and Quercus evergreen type) indicating that a drought occurred. Marine Isotope Stage 6 is represented by grassland species but Marine Isotope Stage 5 is represented by Pinaceae-Pinus and Abies, Quercus and Oleaceae. Uranium/thorium analyses of the Kocaba travertines show that deposition began in Marine Isotope Stage 6 (glacial) and continued to Marine Isotope Stage 4 (glacial), but mostly occurred in Marine Isotope Stage 5 (interglacial). The travertine deposition continued to ca 80ka in the south-west of the study area, in one particular depression depositional system. Palaeoenvironmental indicators suggest that the travertine depositional evolution was probably controlled by fault-related movements that influenced groundwater flow. Good correlation of the stable isotope values and dates of deposition of the travertines and palynological data of palaeosols in the Kocaba travertines serve as a starting point for further palaeoclimate studies in south-west Turkey. Additionally, the study can be compared with other regional palaeoclimate archives

Çardak, Burdur ve İncesu havzalarında orta-üst eosen birimlerinin sedimanter özellikleri, GB Türkiye

The integration of sedimentological, palynological and palaeontological data in three dif erent outcrops in SW Turkey provides a clearer understanding of the palaeoenvironments in an area between the Çardak-Dazki{dotless}ri{dotless} Basin and the Isparta region during the Middle-Late Eocene. In this study, the Çardak-Dazki{dotless}ri{dotless} (Başçeşme Formation), Burdur (Varsakyayla Formation) and Isparta (Kayi{dotless}köy Formation) areas have been studied for facies and facies associations. These formations contain alluvial fan, fan delta, shelf and related marine deposits. Detailed field observations allowed 34 lithofacies and 10 facies associations to be identified. The palynomorph assemblages in the Başçeşme and Varsakyayla formations contain biostratigraphically important taxa such as Aglaoreidia cyclops, Triatriopollenites excelsus, Plicatopollis lunatus, Subtriporopollenites constans and Subtriporopollenites anulatus ssp. nanus. The mangrove and back mangrove elements such as Psilatricolporites crassus and Spinizoncolpites sp. also occur in these palynomorph assemblages. The upper parts of the Başçeşme and Varsakyayla formations, which of en exhibit reef developments, contain an assemblage of orthophragmines (Discocyclina sp.), nummulitids (Nummulites sp., Assilina sp., Heterostegina sp., Operculina sp.) and other benthic taxa (Halkyardia sp., Fabiania sp., Asterigerina sp., and Sphaerogypsina sp.). These assemblages indicate shallow benthic zones 18-20 (SBZ 18-20). The absence of foraminifera in the Kayi{dotless}köy Formation does not allow a precise age of the unit to be determined. However, the occurrence of some planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinidae) and the presence of clastic sediments suggest a marine environment with turbidity currents. The lateral and vertical relations of the Başçeşme, Varsakyayla and Kayi{dotless}köy formations suggest a marine transgression from west to east in SW Anatolia during the late Middle Eocene-Late Eocene. © TÜBİTAK