Badenian evolution of the Central Paratethys Sea : paleogeography, climate and eustatic sea-level changes

The Miocene Central Paratethys Sea covered wide areas of the Pannonian Basin System, bordered by the mountain chains of the Alps, Carpathians and Dinarides. The epicontinental sea spread not only in the back-arc basin area, but flooded even the Alpine-Carpathian Foredeep, situated along the front of gradually uplifting mountains. The Early Badenian (early Langhian) transgressions from the Mediterranean toward the Central Paratethys realm, via Slovenia and northern Croatia (Transtethyan Trench Corridor or Trans Dinaride Corridor) flooded the Pannonian Basin and continued along straits in the Carpathian Chain into the Carpathian Foredeep. The isolation of eastern parts of the Central Paratethys at the end of this period (late Langhian) resulted in the "Middle Badenian" salinity crisis. Thick evaporite sediments, above all halite and gypsum were deposited in the Transcarpathian Basin, Transylvanian Basin and Carpathian Foredeep. During the Late Badenian (early Serravallian), the latest full marine flooding covered the whole back-arc basin and a great part of the foredeep. The main problem is to create a model of sea connections during that time, because some authors consider the western Transtethyan Trench Corridor (Trans Dinaride Corridor) closed and there is no evidence to prove a supposed strait towards the Eastern Mediterranean. A proposed possibility is a connection towards the Konkian Sea of the Eastern Paratethys. The Badenian climate of the Central Paratethys realm can be characterized as fairly uniform, reflecting the stable subtropical conditions of the Miocene Climatic Optimum. No considerable changes in terrestrial ecosystems were documented. Nevertheless, evolution of steep landscape associated with rapid uplift of the East Alpine and Western Carpathian mountain chains (including high stratovolcanoes) caused development of vertical zonation of dry land and consequently close occurrence of different vegetation zones in a relatively small distance during this time. In the Central Paratethys Sea a slight N-S climatic gradient seems to be expressed already from the Early Badenian, but a biogeographic differentiation between basins in the North and South starts to become more prominent first during the Late Badenian, when a moderate cooling of the seawater can also be documented. The Late Badenian sea-level highstand coincides with the appearance of stress factors such as stratification of the water column and hypoxic conditions at the basin bottom in the whole area. Taking into account all bioevents and changes of paleogeography in the Central Paratethys realm, we can very roughly correlate the Early (and "Middle") Badenian with the eustatic sea-level changes of TB 2.3, TB 2.4 or Bur5/Lan1, Lan2/Ser1 and the Late Badenian with TB 2.5 or Ser2 cycles (sensu Haq et al. 1988; Hardenbol et al. 1998). Generally, we can assign the Early Badenian transgressions to be controlled by both, tectonics (induced mainly by back-arc basin rifting) and eustacy, followed by forced regression. The Late Badenian transgression and regression were dominantly controlled by sea-level changes inside the Central Paratethys realm

<i>Bolboforma</i> (Phytoplankton Incertae Sedis), <i>Bachmayerella</i> and other Calciodinelloidea (Phytoplankton) from the Middle Miocene of the Alpine–Carpathian Foredeep (Central Paratethys)

Bolboforma is a microfossil of uncertain origin with affinities to protophytic algae. It generally occurs at high latitudes and/or in cool and temperate waters and has a high stratigraphic potential especially for the Miocene. Calcareous cysts of dinoflagellates represent the ‘benthic cyst stage’ of unicellular organisms belonging to the marine phytoplankton.The occurrence of Bolboforma, Bachmayerella is documented here and, for the first time, some calcareous cysts of dinoflagellates tentatively attributed to Alasphaera and Pithonella from Badenian (Langhian–Middle Miocene) sediments in Austrian and Moravian localities. Alasphaera and Pithonella were previously described from Cretaceous and Danian sediments only, therefore, their range has been extended into the Paratethyan Middle Miocene.Correlation of Bolboforma bioevents with standard geological time-scales allows confirmation, and in some cases refinement, of age assignments based on other microfossil groups, such as foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils, in Paratethyan areas. In particular, this paper presents a case study of the biostratigraphy of the Grund Formation outcropping at its type locality in Lower Austria. Age attribution of the Grund Formation has been uncertain for some time. The recovery of Praeorbulina glomerosa circularis and Uvigerina macrocarinata, associated with Bolboforma reticulata, allows the correlation of the Grund Formation with the Early Badenian (Middle Miocene). As planktonic foraminifera are generally very rare or absent in shelf deposits of many other Austrian and Moravian Middle Miocene sedimentary sequences, Bolboforma, and in particular B. reticulata, remains an important biomarker to identify lower Badenian sediments.Additionally, the new species Bolboforma gneixendorfensis Spezzaferri & Rögl is described. It is generally double-chambered with a weakly reticulate wall texture and is associated with Bolboforma reticulata, B. bireticulata and/or B. moravica

Foraminifera

Lists of planctic and benthic Foraminifera isolated from the collected samples. Comments on dating and possible correlations.Listes des foraminifères planctiques et benthiques isolés dans les échantillons récoltés. Commentaires sur les datations et corrélations possibles.Rögl Fred. Foraminifera. In: Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon. Hors-série n°7, 1982. Nouveaux résultats biostratigraphiques dans le bassin molassique, depuis le Vorarlberg jusqu’en Haute-Savoie. Projet P.I.C.G. 73/I/25, section 5. pp. 25-30

Biostratigraphische Gliederung und Korrelation : Zentrale und westliche Paratethys, Rhône-Tal und mediterraner Raum

Discussion of biostratigraphic results obtained so far. Possibilities of correlations by means of various groups of fossils. Evidence for possible markers.Discussion des résultats biostratigraphiques obtenus jusqu'ici. Possibilités de corrélations au moyen de divers groupes de fossiles. Mise en évidence d'éventuels marqueurs.Steininger Fritz F., Rögl Fred, Carbonnel Gilles, Jĭrĭcek Rudolf, Hugueney Marguerite. Biostratigraphische Gliederung und Korrelation : Zentrale und westliche Paratethys, Rhône-Tal und mediterraner Raum. In: Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon. Hors-série n°7, 1982. Nouveaux résultats biostratigraphiques dans le bassin molassique, depuis le Vorarlberg jusqu’en Haute-Savoie. Projet P.I.C.G. 73/I/25, section 5. pp. 87-91

Revised Middle Miocene datum for initial marine fl ooding of North Croatian Basins (Pannonian Basin System, Central Paratethys)

The Pannonian Basin System (PBS) originated during the Early Miocene as a result of extensional processes between the Alpine-Carpathian and the Dinaride Orogenic Belts. The Paratethys Sea flooded the new basins successively during the Karpatian (late Burdigalian, Early Miocene) and the Early Badenian (middle Langhian, Middle Miocene). The North Croatian Basins (NCB) occupied the south-western margin of the PBS and the Central Paratethys Sea. Their initial marine flooding has until now been dated as Karpatian in age. The transgression into the NCB invaded a lacustrine environment, representing the northern prolongation of the vast Dinaride Lake System extending southwards as far as the Adriatic Plate. We reinvestigate two sections from opposite margins of the NBS – from Mt. Medvednica in the west and from Mt. Požeška in the east, including the corresponding lowermost marine Miocene deposits, in order to critically examine the Karpatian datum. Our new biostratigraphic data, integrating calcareous nannoplankton, planktic and benthic foraminifera, diatom and mollusc records, have substantially revised the previous interpretation. The presence of a calcareous nannoplankton assemblage of the NN5 Zone and the planktic and benthic foraminifera of the regional Lower Lagenidae Zone now place the transgression into the main Early Badenian transgressive pulse of Central Paratethys. Consequently, the initial marine transgression correlates accurately with the middle part of the Early Badenian, which is more than 2 m.y. younger than the previously inferred datum, and at least 1 m.y. younger than the lower boundary of the Badenian and the Middle Miocene, respectively. Finally, the basal lacustrine infill of the NCB, previously dated as Ottnangian (middle Burdigalian, Early Miocene) and continuously grading into marine deposits, has also to be reconsidered as Early Badenian