Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Facies and palaeoecology of Upper Jurassic (Middle Oxfordian) coral reefs in England

  • Published:
Facies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

This study documents the facies and fauna of Late Jurassic (Middle Oxfordian) coral reefs in England. Sedimentological and palaeoecological analysis of these reefs distinguishes three generic reef types: (1) small reef patches and thickets associated with siliciclastic deposits; (2) small reef patches and thickets associated with siliciclastic-free bioclastic grainstones and packstones; and (3) biostromal units associated with deep water facies. The depositional environments of these reef types are discussed. Two coral assemblages are identified: (1) the microsolenid assemblage; and (2) theThamnasteria, Isastraea, Fungiastraea andThecosmilia assemblage (Thamnasteria assemblage). TheThamnasteria assemblage developed in all shallow water environments in the study area, regardless of local environmental conditions. The fauna is very eurytopic,r-selected and can tolerate significant environmental fluctuations on short temporal scales (sub-seasonal). The main control on the development of the microsolenid assemblage was low light intensity, low background sedimentation rates and low hydrodynamic energy levels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali, O.E. (1978): The sedimentology and palaeoecology of the Corallian (Upper Jurassic) rocks of England.—Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Reading, 248 pp Reading

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1983): Microsolenid corals as rock-formers in the Corallian (Upper Jurassic) rocks of England.—Geological Magazine,120/4, 375–380, London

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1984): Sclerochronology and carbonate production in some Upper Jurassic reef corals.—Palaeontology,27, 537–548, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Arkell, W.J. (1929–1937): A monograph of British Corallian Lamellibranchia.—Monograph of the Palaeontological Society of London,90, 580 pp, London

  • Arkell, W.J. (1933): The Jurassic system in Great Britain.— 681 pp, Oxford (Clarendon Press)

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1935): On the origin, nature and climatic significance of the coral reefs in the vicinity of Oxford.—Quaternal Journal of Geological Society of London,91, 77–100, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertling, M. (1993a): Ecology and distribution of the Late Jurassic ScleractinianThamnasteria concinna (Goldfuss) in Europe.—Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology,105, 311–335, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — (1993b): Riffkorallen im norddeutschen Malm-Taxonomie, Ökologie, Verteilung.—Palaeontographica A,226/4–6, 77–123, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake, J.F. &Hudleston, W.H. (1877): The Corallian Rocks of England.—Quaternal Journal of the Geological Society of London,33, 260–405, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, M.J., Cope, J.C.W., Cripps, D.W., Donovan, D.T., Howarth, M.K., Rawson, P.F., West, I.M. and Wimbledon, W.A. (1992): Jurassic. 107–129.—In:Cope, J.C.W., Ingham, J.K. and Rawson, P.F. (eds.): Atlas of Palaeogeography and Lithofacies.—The Geological Society, Memoir13, London

  • Chafetz, H.S. &Buczynski, C. (1991): Bacterially induced lithification of microbial mats.—Palaios,7, 277–293, Tulsa

    Google Scholar 

  • Cope, J.C.W., Duff, K.L., Parson, C.G., Torrens, H.S., Wimbledon, W.A. & Wright, J.K. (1980): A correlation of the Jurassic rocks of the British Isles.—Geological Society of London, Special Report,15, 42 pp, London

  • Enay, R., &Mangold, C. (1980): Synthèse paléogéographique du Jurassique Français.—Documents des Laboratoirs de Géologie Lyon, H.S.5, 280, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

  • Fürsich, F.T. (1976): The use of macroinvertibrate associations in interpreting Corallian (Upper Jurassic) environments.— Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimateology and Palaeoecology,20/3, 235–256, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — (1977): Corallian (Upper Jurassic) benthic associations from England and Normandy.—Palaeontology,20, 337–385, London

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1994): Palaeoecology and evolution of Mesozoic salinitycontrolled benthic macroinvertebrate associations.—Lethaia,26, 327–346, Oslo

    Google Scholar 

  • Fürsich, F.T. &Sykes, R.M. (1977): Palaeogeography of the European Boreal Realm during Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) times: a quantitative approach.—Neues. Jb. Geol. Paläontol. Abh.,65/1–2, 35–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallois, R.W., &Cox, B.M. (1977): The stratigraphy of the Middle and Upper Oxfordian sediments of Fenland.—Proceedings of the Geological Association,88, 207–228, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Geister, J. & Lathulière, B. (1991): Jurassic coral reefs of the north-eastern Paris Basin (Luxembourg and Lorraine).— Excursion 3A, Guidebook, International Symposium on Fossil Cnidaria, Münster

  • Gordon, W.A. (1975): Origin of the Mesozoic Boreal Realm.— Geological Magazine,112, 199–201, London

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hitchings, V. (1981): The Corallian reefs of North Yorkshire.— Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Swansea, 302 pp, Swansea

    Google Scholar 

  • Insalaco, E. (1995): Growth banding in two Jurassic corals: regional and local variations.—In:Lathuiliere, B. & Geister, J. (eds.): Coral Reefs in the Past, Present and Future.— Proceedings of the Second European Regional Meeting of the International Society for Reef Studies, Publications du Service Géologique du Luxembourg,29,154, Luxembourg

  • Insalaco, E. (1996a): Upper Jurassic microsolenid biostromes of northern and central Europe: facies and depositional environment.— Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology,121, 169–194, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — (1996b): The use of Late Jurassic coral growth bands as palaeoenvironmental indicators.—Palaeontology,39, 413–431, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Insalaco, E. (1996c): A sedimentological and palaeoecological study of Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) coral-dominated reefal carbonates in Western Europe.—Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Birmingham. (Volume I: 261 pp; Volume II: 100 pp), Birmingham

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1998): The descriptive nomenclature and classification of growth fabries in fossil scleractinian reefs.—Sedimentary Geology,118, 159–186, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Insalaco, E., Hallam, A. &Rosen, B. (1997): Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) coral reefs in Western Europe: reef types and conceptual depositional model.—Sedimentology,44, 707–734, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, S.R.A. (1985): Jurassic and Cretaceous deposits of Upware Cambridgeshire.—Bulletin of The Geological Society of Norfolk,35, 3–38, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, B., Matzie, W. & Clark, M. (1993): Phosphorus inputs and eutrophication on the Florida reef tract.—Proceedings of the Colloquium on Global Aspects of Coral Reefs: Health, Hazards and History, University of Miami, 106–112, Miami

  • Leinfelder, R. (1992): A modern-type Kimmeridgian reef (Ota Limestone, Portugal): Implications for Jurassic reef models. —Facies,26, 11–34, Erlangen

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1993): Upper Jurassic reef types and controlling factors.— Profil,5, 1–45, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1994): Karbonatplattformen und Korallenriffe innerhalb siliziklastischer Sedimentationbereiche (Oberjura, Lusitanisches Becken, Portugal). Carbonate platforms and coral reefs within a siliciclastic setting (Upper Jurassic, Lusitanian Basin, Portugal).—Profil,6, 1–207, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinfelder, R., Krautter, M., Laternser, R., Nose, M., Schmid, D., Scheigert, G., Werner, W., Keupp, H., Brugger, H., Herrmann, R., Rehfeld-Kiefer, U., Schroeder, R., Reinhold, C., Kock, R., Zeiss, A., Schweizer, V., Christmann, H., Menges, G., &Luterbacher, H. (1994): The Origin of Jurassic Reefs: Current Research Developments and Results. —Facies,31, 1–56, Erlangen

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinfelder, R., Werner, W., Nose, M., Schmid, D., Krautter, M., Laternser, R., Takacs, M., & Hartmann, D. (1996): Palaeoecology, growth parameters and dynamics of coral, sponge and microbolite reefs from the Late Jurassic.—In:Reitner, J., Neuweiler, F., & Gunkel, F., (eds): Global and regional controls on biogenic sedimentation. I. Reef evolution.— Göttinger Arb. Geol. Paläont., Spec., Vol.2, 227–248, Göttingen

  • Leinfelder, R., Nose, M., Schmid, D. &Werner, W. (1993): Microbial crusts of the Late Jurassic: Composition, paleoecological significance and importance in reef construction.— Facies,29, 195–230, Erlangen

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, S.L. (1996): Cotton Valley Lime Pinnacle Reef Play: Branton Field.—Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., Bulletin,80/5, 617–629, Tulsa

    Google Scholar 

  • Negus, P.E. (1983): Distribution of British Jurassic corals.—Proceedings of the Geological Association,94/3, 251–257, London

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nose, M. (1991): Stratigraphic table of scleractinian coral genera and species occcurring in the British Jurassic.—Proceedings of the Geological Association,102/4, 251–259

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1995): Vergleichende Faziesanalyse und Palökologie korallenreicher verflachungsabfolgen des iberischen Oberjura. —Profile,8, 1–237, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Nose, M. &Leinfelder, R. (1997): Upper Jurassic coral communities within siliciclastic settings (Lusitanian Basin, Portugal): Inmplications for symbiotic and nutrient strategies.— Proceedings of the Eighth International Coral Reef Symposium,2, 1737–1742, Panama City

    Google Scholar 

  • Pümpin, U.F. &Woltersdorf, F. (1964): Riffsedimentologische untersuchungen im Rauracien von St. Ursanne und Umgebung (zentral Schweizer Jura).—Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae,58, 799–976

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, D.U. (1996):Marine Mikrobolithe und Mikroinkrustierer aus dem Oberjura.—Profile,9, 191–251, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Reitner J. (1993): Modern cryptic microbialite/metazoan facies from Lizard Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia)-formation and concepts.—Facies,29, 3–40, Erlangen

    Google Scholar 

  • Reitner, J., Böttcher, G., Brüning, J., Krüger, B.;Maurer, J., Oppermann, K. andOtto, A. (1994): Mikrobialith-Porifera Fazies eines Exogyren/Korallen Patch reefs des Oberen Korallenooliths im Steinbruch Langenberg bei Oker (Niedersachsen).—Berliner geowiss. Abh., Reihe E,13, 397–417, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, S.Q., &Wright, V.P. (1989): Peloidal fabrics from the Upper Jurassic reefs of the Weald Basin, southern England.— Sedimentary Geology,65, 165–181, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, S.Q., Fallick, A.E. &Williams, B.P.J. (1992): Influence of original fabric on subsequent porosity evolution: an example from the Corallian (Upper Jurassic) reefal limestones, the Weald Basin, southern England.—Sedimentary Geology,79, 139–160, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veron, J.E.N. (1995): Corals in space and time: the biogeography and evolution of the Scleractinia.—University of New South Wales Press, 321 pp, New South Wales

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R.C.L. (1968): Upper Oxfordian palaeogeography of southern England.—Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology,4, 5–28, Amsterdam

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J.K. (1972): The stratigraphy of the Yorkshire Corallian.— Proceedings of the-Yorkshire Geological Society,39, 225–266, London

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK

    Enzo Insalaco

Authors
  1. Enzo Insalaco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Insalaco, E. Facies and palaeoecology of Upper Jurassic (Middle Oxfordian) coral reefs in England. Facies 40, 81–99 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537470

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537470

Keywords

Search

Navigation