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Alternation of stromatolites and vertical burrows controlled by storm processes and sea-level changes in the middle Cambrian carbonates of central China

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Abstract

Abstract

The rapid beginning of modern phyla in the Early Cambrian, which is known as the Cambrian explosion, represents one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the biosphere. During this period, microbes and metazoans coevolved notably under the influence of the environment, and microbiogenic structures and bioturbated structures tended to alternate in the strata, forming a unique Cambrian ecological landscape. A large number of biogenic structures occurred in the carbonates of the Mantou formation (Cambrian series 3) in the Dengfeng complex, western Henan, China. The microbially induced stromatolites are preserved in marlstone and mostly grow upwards on irregular erosive storm surfaces. Stromatolites are laterally discontinuous and dominated by a columnar shape, which locally display inverted cone and finger-like or irregular shapes; they formed in the intertidal zone under alternating high- and low-energy hydrodynamic conditions. The vertical Skolithos burrows and U-shaped Arenicolites occur widely in oolitic limestones, forming Skolithos piperock. Additionally, the clear linings indicate that the burrows represent permanent domiciles of suspension feeders and passive predators and were formed in a high-energy near-shore oolitic beach environment. The microbially induced stromatolites and the metazoan-produced vertical burrows were alternately developed in the carbonate rocks of the Mantou formation, indicating that the Cambrian was a period of co-prosperity of microbes and metazoans, and the development of microbiogenic structures and bioturbated structures was obviously controlled by environmental conditions. In the Cambrian carbonate rocks, the microbial rocks and metazoan-disturbed limestones or bioclastic limestones coexist and show a trend of change. The marine sedimentary substrates are characterised by alternate development of tough matgrounds and soft mixgrounds. The special characteristics of sedimentary substrates reveal that the ‘Cambrian substrate revolution’ was probably a protracted process operating during the entire Cambrian period.

Research highlights

  • Stromatolites grow around the oolitic conglomerates formed by storm action.

  • Metazoans colonize the intertidal zone during intervals between storms.

  • Microorganisms appear in stable water environment before metazoans.

  • Alternation of stromatolites and vertical burrows controlled by storm processes and sea-level changes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41872111), the National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (Nos. 41902115, 41902113). We thank the anonymous reviewer and the editor for their constructive comments and suggestions in improving the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, People’s Republic of China

    Bingchen Liu, Mingyue Dai, Yong’an Qi, Xiaofang Sun, Wei Zheng, Min Wang, Zhifeng Xing, Da Li & Yuchao Fan

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Contributions

Conceptualisation: QYA. Methodology: DMY and LBC. Funding acquisition: QYA, DMY and LD. Fieldwork and collection of specimens: SXF, FYC, ZW and WM. Investigation: LBC and FYC. Writing – original draft: LBC. Visualisation: LBC and XZF. Writing – review and editing: DMY and QYA. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mingyue Dai.

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Communicated by Pratul K Saraswati

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Liu, B., Dai, M., Qi, Y. et al. Alternation of stromatolites and vertical burrows controlled by storm processes and sea-level changes in the middle Cambrian carbonates of central China. J Earth Syst Sci 131, 65 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-01820-5

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