Open AccessIntercontinental correlation of organic carbon and carbonate stable isotope records: evidence of climate and sea‐level change during the Turonian (Cretaceous)
Author(s) -
Jarvis Ian,
TrabuchoAlexandre João,
Gröcke Darren R.,
Uličný David,
Laurin Jiří
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the depositional record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.604
H-Index - 3
ISSN - 2055-4877
DOI - 10.1002/dep2.6
Subject(s) - geology , chemostratigraphy , paleontology , cretaceous , carbonate , isotopes of carbon , isotopes of oxygen , stable isotope ratio , total organic carbon , geochemistry , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , environmental chemistry
Carbon (δ 13 C org , δ 13 C carb ) and oxygen (δ 18 O carb ) isotope records are presented for an expanded Upper Cretaceous (Turonian–Coniacian) hemipelagic succession cored in the central Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Czech Republic. Geophysical logs, biostratigraphy and stable carbon isotope chemostratigraphy provide a high‐resolution stratigraphic framework. The δ 13 C carb and δ 13 C org profiles are compared, and the time series correlated with published coeval marine and non‐marine isotope records from Europe, North America and Japan. All previously named Turonian carbon isotope events are identified and correlated at high‐resolution between multiple sections, in different facies, basins and continents. The viability of using both carbonate and organic matter carbon isotope chemostratigraphy for improved stratigraphic resolution, for placing stage boundaries, and for intercontinental correlation is demonstrated, but anchoring the time series using biostratigraphic data is essential. An Early to Middle Turonian thermal maximum followed by a synchronous episode of stepped cooling throughout Europe during the Middle to Late Turonian is evidenced by bulk carbonate and brachiopod shell δ 18 O carb data, and regional changes in the distribution and composition of macrofaunal assemblages. The Late Turonian Cool Phase in Europe was coincident with a period of long‐term sea‐level fall, with significant water‐mass reorganization occurring during the mid‐Late Turonian maximum lowstand. Falling Δ 13 C (δ 13 C carb – δ 13 C org ) trends coincident with two major cooling pulses, point to p CO 2 drawdown accompanying cooling, but the use of paired carbon isotopes as a high‐resolution p CO 2 proxy is compromised in the low‐carbonate sediments of the Bohemian Basin study section by diagenetic overprinting of the δ 13 C carb record. Carbon isotope chemostratigraphy is confirmed as a powerful tool for testing and refining intercontinental and marine to terrestrial correlations.