Sedimentary fades, depositional environments, and faunal associations of the lower Llandovery (Silurian) Beechill Cove Formation, Arisaig, Nova Scotia
- 1 December 1983
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
- Vol. 20 (12) , 1761-1779
- https://doi.org/10.1139/e83-169
Abstract
Six facies are recognised in the Beechill Cove Formation. These are: (1) conglomerate facies deposited as a transgressive beach lag; (2) red shale facies deposited in shoreface environments; (3) mottled mudstone facies; extensively bioturbated sediments indicative of shallow subtidal areas influenced by low sedimentation rates; (4) regular layered facies; shelf turbidites generated by storm activity and superimposed on quiescent subtidal environments; (5) lenticular facies, including a thinner bedded more persistent and a thicker bedded lenticular subfacies, induced by storm activity and deposited in shallow subtidal environments; and (6) laminated shale facies produced by sediment fallout from suspension in a low-energy environment where the oxygen, minimum layer intersected the sediment–water interface. Three faunal associations occur, which have distinct distributional patterns. The Lingula clintoni association, which is characterized by L. clintoni in life position and a moderately diverse but abundant trace-fossil assemblage, is restricted to the mottled mudstone facies. The Leptostrophia beechillensis association, a transported residue, is dominated by brachiopods and restricted to the regular layered facies. The low-diversity Dalmanella primitiva association is transported and restricted to the lenticular facies. No faunas are known from the conglomerate or laminated shale facies, and only rare trace fossils occur in the red shale facies.This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
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