Siliciclastic input and sedimentation rate as controls on paleoecological distribution of Lower Miocene benthic carbonate producers in a fan–delta: Zagros foreland basin, Iran

This paper aimed to study Lower Miocene (Burdigalian) mixed carbonate-siliciclastic deposits within an Upper Cenozoic synorogenic conglomerate-dominated succession in north of Shalamzar in the Zagros foreland basin, Iran. The deposits are composed of nine facies: foraminiferal mudstone, silty mudsto...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Historical biology 2018-07, Vol.30 (5), p.608-626
Main Authors: Rahiminejad, Amir Hossein, Yazdi, Mehdi, Ashouri, Ali Reza, Kangazian, Abdolhossein
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Basins
Cenozoic
Colonization
Corals
Deposits
Limestone
Marine environment
Miocene
Mudstone
Paleoecology
Plant debris
Sandstone
Sedimentation
Sedimentation & deposition
Shelves
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Summary:This paper aimed to study Lower Miocene (Burdigalian) mixed carbonate-siliciclastic deposits within an Upper Cenozoic synorogenic conglomerate-dominated succession in north of Shalamzar in the Zagros foreland basin, Iran. The deposits are composed of nine facies: foraminiferal mudstone, silty mudstone, sandy mudstone, fossiliferous sandy mudstone, fossiliferous argillaceous mudstone, fossiliferous calclithite, coral limestone, calcareous claystone and hybrid sandstone. The facies represent a mixed carbonate- siliciclastic shelf-type fan-delta. The subenvironments of the fan-delta include muddy pro-delta, sandy delta- front, clastic proximal mouth bar and a subordinate delta plain. Siliciclastic input and sedimentation rate controlled the paleoecological distribution of different benthic carbonate-producing fauna in the fan-delta during its progradation into a shelf marine environment. Input of siliciclastic deposits and sedimentation rate limited the diversity and development of corals and controlled their colonization and growth morphologies in the sandy delta-front. Siliciclastic input (including plant materials and coal debris) and sedimentation rate controlled the trophic habitats of many gastropods and their abundance and distribution in the sandy delta- front and clastic proximal mouth bar. Also, increased siliciclastic input favored abundance of larger benthic foraminifera in most parts of the fan-delta with the exception of the muddy pro-delta.
ISSN:0891-2963
1029-2381
DOI:10.1080/08912963.2017.1312360