The ecology of Lower Cambrian buildups from Zuune Arts, Mongolia: implications for early metazoan reef evolution

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Abstract
Reefal buildups in western Mongolia of mid‐Early Cambrian (late Atdabanian) age flourished during a period when shelf seas were globally widespread. The succession at Zuune Arts records the transition from shallow marine siliciclastic sediments (Bayan Gol Formation) to shallow marine, but still clastic‐influenced, carbonates (Salaany Gol Formation). The Salaany Gol Formation is interpreted as having been deposited as a series of shallowing upwards cycles on a shallow, gently inclined shelf in a rapidly subsiding epicontinental sea. Cycles commenced with the growth of subtidal metazoan‐calcimicrobe aggregative communities on an open shelf. The resultant buildups were commonly engulfed by extensive, massive microbial stromatolites when they grew in agitated intertidal conditions. Latterly, they were smothered by ooid shoals in response to rapid sea level rise.Four types of reefal buildup are distinguished: (1) green‐coloured calcimicrobe (Tarthinia, Epiphyton, Gordonophyton and Renalcis) boundstones; (2) red‐or green‐coloured Cambrocyathellus‐Tarthinia‐Epiphyton bafflestones; (3) red‐coloured Okulitchicyathus bindstones; and (4) red‐coloured radiocyath‐archaeocyath‐cribricyath bioherms. Each is interpreted as having grown at increasing depths and possibly sedimentation rates. The buildups are commonly enclosed within graded and planar bedded bioclastic grainstones and packstones, and are best developed towards the top of the formation, when sea level was high. Thickets of large, solitary archaeocyaths are also inferred in the deeper interbiohermal areas.These buildups had synoptic relief and constructed porous structures with growth‐framework cavities housing diverse coelobiontic communities. Extensive synsedimentary cements are present, including pseudomorphed aragonitic fans and possible pseudomorphed aragontic botryoids. These early reefs thus have geological fabrics similar to later Phanerozoic representatives. It is proposed however, that this ecosystem was largely composed of generalist and opportunistic filter and suspension feeders which were dependent upon a far higher input of nutrients than modern day reefal developments. Bacteria were probably the main primary producers, from both planktic and benthic cyanobacterial communities. The diversity of each buildup assemblage appears to be controlled by primary cavity size, the richest fauna belonging to the highly tiered radiocyath‐dominated community inferred to have lived in the deepest waters. The communities at Zuune Arts can be compared with other buildups from the early Cambrian, and with Lower Ordovician receptaculid‐calcimicrobe‐solitary sponge bioherms known from the USA and Siberia.