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Environmental significance of trace fossil assemblages in a tide‒wave-dominated shallow-marine carbonate system (Lower Cretaceous), northern Neo-Tethys margin, Kopet-Dagh Basin, Iran

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Abstract

This study integrates ichnological and sedimentological data to interpret depositional environments of the carbonate sediments of the Tirgan Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in the eastern Kopet-Dagh Basin, north-east Iran. Lithofacies analysis shows that these sediments were deposited in inner ramp, middle ramp and offshore (outer ramp) environments. Five ichnoassemblages are identified in the sediments that consist of Thalassinoides, Thalassinoides–Rhizocorallium, Planolites–Rhizocorallium, Arenicolites–Diplocraterion, and Arenicolites. Th, Th-Rh and Pl-Rh with low diversity and abundance of the trace fossils formed during waning phase of storms in a predominantly medium to high-energy hydrodynamic regime. High sedimentation rate and mobile substrate condition featuring a shallow-marine setting. Ar–Di ichnoassemblage, consisting of horizontal and vertical traces of deposit and suspension feeders, respectively, portray two different phases. A predominantly high energy phase with instable substrate is displayed by the vertical traces, while a minor omission phase, associated with a decrease in sedimentation rate or non-deposition, is indicated by the horizontal structures. Arenicolites ichnoassemblage with low bioturbation index and low ichnodiversity is related to a semi-sheltered area of lagoon environments with periodically marine water circulation. The study of the ichnological attributes in the studied successions indicates the presence of a shallowing up-ward trend in the storm‒tide-dominated ramp sequence. Ichnoassemblage development is largely controlled by depositional and ecological conditions, e.g., the stability of substrate, hydrodynamic regime (wave and tide), and food abundance, which altogether control the substrate colonization. Based on an integrated ichnological and sedimentological approach, we characterize the depositional environment, deciphering allogenic and autogenic environmental controls on the trace fossil distribution on a passive margin depositional setting.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the journal reviewers Jens Lehmann (Bremen, Germany) and Jochen Kuss (Bremen, Germany) as well as the journal Associate Editor for their helpful comments and constructive criticism that greatly improved this paper. The Dr. Mehdi Daraei (Zanjan, IASBS) is heartly acknowledged for improving the English of the manuscript. The study by RT was funded by the project PID2019-104625RB-100 (Secretaría de Estado de I + D + I, Spain), Research Group RNM-178 (Junta de Andalucía), B-RNM-072-UGR18 (FEDER Andalucía), and P18-RT-4074 (Junta de Andalucía), and the Scientific Excellence Unit UCE-2016-05 (Universidad de Granada).

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  1. Faculty of Science, Department of Geology, University of Hormozgan, P.O. Box 3995, Bandar Abbas, Iran

    Mahmoud Sharafi

  2. Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad de Granada, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Francisco J. Rodríguez-Tovar

  3. Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Kosice, Letna 9, 042 00, Kosice, Slovakia

    Juraj Janočko

  4. Department of Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), P.O. Box, 45195-1159, Zanjan, Iran

    Aram Bayet-Goll

  5. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

    Maryam Mohammadi & Mohammad Khanehbad

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Sharafi, M., Rodríguez-Tovar, F.J., Janočko, J. et al. Environmental significance of trace fossil assemblages in a tide‒wave-dominated shallow-marine carbonate system (Lower Cretaceous), northern Neo-Tethys margin, Kopet-Dagh Basin, Iran. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 111, 103–126 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-021-02101-0

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