Daniel Habib

Ejecta layer at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, Bass River, New Jersey (Ocean Drilling Program Leg 174AX)

A continuously cored borehole drilled at Bass River, New Jersey, recovered a Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) succession with a 6-cm-thick spherule layer immediately above the boundary. Below the spherule layer, the Cretaceous glauconitic clay is extensively burrowed and contains the uppermost Maastrichtian Micula prinsii calcareous nannofossil zone. Spherical impressions of spherules at the top of the Cretaceous indicate nearly instantaneous deposition of ejecta from the Chicxulub impact. The thickest ejecta layer shows clearly that a single impact occurred precisely at K-T boundary time. Above the spherule layer, the glauconitic clay contains the planktonic foraminiferal P0 and P-alpha Zones, indicating (1) a complete K-T succession and (2) continuous deposition interrupted only by fallout of the ejecta layer. Clay clasts within a 6 cm interval above the spherule layer contain Cretaceous microfossils and may be rip-up clasts from a tsunami or possibly a megastorm event. Extinction of the Cretaceous planktonic foraminifers and burrowing organisms occurs abruptly at the K-T boundary. Thus, the Bass River K-T succession unequivocally links the Chicxulub bolide impact to the mass extinctions at the end of the Mesozoic.

Calcareous nannofossil and dinoflagellate stratigraphy across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary at Hor Hahar, Israel

In Israel, the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary at Hor Hahar occurs within the interval from the top of the Ghareb Formation (Maastrichtian) to just below the horizon of dark marl and clay within the overlying Taqiye Formation (Paleocene). The studied interval contains all the calcareous nannofossil zones:Micula prinsii (latest Maastrichtian),Markalius inversus — NP1 (earliest Paleocene), andCruciplacolithus tenuis — NP2 (Early Paleocene). They correlate in sequence with theAbathomphalus mayaroensis, P0 P1a, P1b, and P1c planktic foraminiferal zones. The palynological assemblages consist mainly of dinocysts with only few pollen grains and spores. These assemblages are used to interpret five stratigraphic phases of environmental change across the K/T boundary in the Hor Hahar section. In the latest Maastrichtian, there is an overwhelming dominance of the nannofossilMicula decussata, which probably reflects environmental stress preceding the terminal Cretaceous mass extinction. A nearshore marine environment at the boundary is suggested by the increase in number of specimens of the dinocystCyclonephelium, and by the predominance of terrigenous organic matter sediment. There followed two episodes of transgression and regression. The calcareous cyst-producing dinoflagellateThoracosphaera (Futterer, 1976) becomes dominant in two episodes at the boundary and approximately one meter above it. It alternates in abundance with the organic-walled dinoflagellates, which suggests that different environmental parameters were operating for each group. Maastrichtian dinocysts decline in abundance toward the K/T boundary. They reach greatest abundance and species diversity at the same strata where foraminiferids recover after their mass extinction at the boundary. Calcareous nannofossils recover only later in the early Paleocene. Changes in δ13C and total organic carbon, as as well as dinocyst and nannofossil composition indicate an episode of strong ecological stress about one meter above the boundary.

Dinoflagellate species and organic facies evidence of marine transgression and regression in the atlantic coastal plain

Abstract Palynological evidence is used to date and interpret depositional environments of sediments of Campanian, Maestrichtian and early Danian ages cored in three wells from South Carolina and Georgia. The evidence is usefil for distinguishing environments which lithofacies evidence indicates a range from nonmarine to coastal to inner neritic shallow shelf. Numerous dinoflagellate species and an organic facies defined abundant amoprphous debris (amorphous debris facies) distinguish shallow shelf sediments deposited during marine transgression. The nearshore amorphous debris facies of late Campanian age consists of heterogenous assemblages dominated by Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides Deflandre or Hystrichosphaerina varians (May). The farther offshore amorphous debris facies of late early Maestrichtian to late Maestrichtian age consists of heterogenous assemblages dominated by Glaphyrocysta retiintexta (Cookson) and/or Areoligera medusettiformis (Wetzel). The larger number of dinoflagellate species in the offshore facies represents the maximum transgression detected in the investigated interval. A multiple occurrence datum defined by the combination of first appearance, klast appearances and sole occurrence of dinoflagellate species at the base of each interval distinguished by the amorphous debris facies provides the first evidence of marine transgression. Relatively small organic residues consisting of intertinite and few or no palynomorphs define the inertinite facies in nonmarine deltaic and in coastal (lagoonal, tidal flat, interdistributary bary) sediments. Dinocyt☆s are absent in the nonmarine sediments and are represented by few species and few specimens in the coastal inertinite faceis. A third organic facies (vascular tissue facies) is defined by the abundance of land plant tissue. Sporomorph species, including those of the Normapolles pollen group and of pteridophyte spores, comprise a large proportion of the total palynomorph flora in the inertinite and vascular tissue facies. The vascular tissue facies occurs in the proximal prodelta and nearshore shallow shelf lithofacies of early Maestrichtian age. Baed in the sequence of organuic facies, dinoflagellate species abundance, and lithofacies in the investigated wells, the nonmarine and coastal inertinite facies was first deposited and was followed during the late Campanian by a marine trangression when the nearshore amorphous debris facies was deposited. This was followed in the early Maestrichtian by the influx of terrigenous organic matter (vascular tissue facies) in response to deltaic progradation on the shallow shelf. A marine regression occured towards the close of the early Maestrichtian, emplacing the coastal inertinite facies. The major marine transgression occured near the end of the early Maestrichtian, developing a farther offshore amorphous debris facies on an expanded continental shelf which persisted through the late Maestrichtian. The inertinite facies returned during marine regression in the approximate position of the Maestrichtian/Danian boudnary.

Synthetic Fibers as Indicators of Municipal Sewage Sludge, Sludge Products, and Sewage Treatment Plant Effluents

Because of concerns regarding health, safety, and aesthetics, a test that identifies the presence of sewage sludge or its products (biosolids) in commercial materials such as soil conditioners and composts would be useful. This test could also trace the effluent plume from a sewage treatment plant. We have discovered that synthetic fibers serve as such an indicator. Synthetic fibers are abundant in sludge, sludge products, and sewage treatment plant effluents. The fibers evidently are introduced from clothes-washing machines and survive the sewage treatment process. Synthetic fibers were identified using polarized light microscopy, which provided a simple, rapid method for determining the presence or absence of municipal sewage sludge or its products. False positives or false negatives have not occurred with any of the materials examined so far. We also monitored synthetic fibers in surface sediments of Huntington Harbor, Long Island, NY, a harbor receiving the effluent from a trickling filter sewage treatment plant. Fibers generally decrease in size and abundance with distance from the source. In Oyster Bay Harbor, Long Island, an advanced sewage treatment plant is operated with a final microfiltration step. Synthetic fibers are less abundant in the sediments of this harbor.

Dinoflagellate and calcareous nannofossil response to sea-level change in Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sections

Stratigraphic sections in south-central Alabama were studied to test palynological evidence of sea-level change across the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. New evidence from both calcareous nannofossils and dinoflagellate cysts places the regional disconformity in Alabama (Type 1 sequence boundary) virtually at the K-T boundary. This suggests that sea-level fall may have contributed to the mass-extinction event. Dinofagellate diversity varies between systems tract components of coastal onlap. This parameter is useful for interpreting sea-level change in this part of the section, because dinoflagellates did not participate in the mass extinction. The iridium spikes in the roadcut near Braggs are of earliest Danian age and correlate in relative magnitude with the lower values reported from directly above the K-T boundary in the Gubbio stratotype section. Iridium was concentrated in marine flooding surfaces in episodes of higher productivity of algal organic matter at the time when the iridium-enriched ocean encroached on the shelf during the first Cenozoic episode of sea-level rise.

Angiosperm like pollen from the ammonite dated oxfordian upper jurassic of france

Abstract Two species of angiosperm-like pollen are described from an outcrop of lower Oxfordian Oxford Clay at Normandy, France. An Oxfordian age is established by ammonites (Quenstedtoceras mariae zone) and substantiated by associated age-diagnostic dinoflagellates. The angiosperm-like taxa are determined to be in place by their state of preservation and unique morphology. The more abundant taxon, Stellatopollis pocockii n. sp., closely resembles the pollen of extant Lilium bulbiferum in size and sculpture, but also closely resembles similar but smaller pollen found in the Lower Cretaceous. Stellatopollis Doyle 1975 is emended to include a wider range of Early Cretaceous reticulate monosulcate grains with crotonoid sculpture. A diporate species, Multimarginites sp. A, closely resembling the pollen of extant Bravaisia and Sanchezia (Acanthaceae) in size and sculpture is described and compared to a similar morphotype (Cornetipollis) from the late Triassic Richmond basin of Virginia The genus Multimarginites Germeraad, Hopping et Muller 1968 is emended as di- or triporate and polyplicate, since its multimarginate “colpi” are non-apertural harmomegathic furrows. The significance of these unusual pollen types in pre-Barremian strata is discussed and they are placed in perspective with angiosperm-like pollen and megafossils from the Late Triassic of North America. The new combination Carollina chateaunovii (Reyre) nov. com. was made.

Middle Cretaceous Palynomorph Assemblages from Clays near the Horizon Beta Deep-Sea Outcrop

Spores and pollen, dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs, systematic descriptions, new taxa, source area close to locus of deposition, Atlantic Ocean

Sedimentation of organic particles: Palynology of sedimentary cycles

Introduction The palynology of sedimentary cycles is based on the study of dispersed organic matter in rocks of various depositional lithofacies. This chapter describes how different kinds of organic particles can be used to detect depositional environments and their migration in response to change in sea level relative to the land surface. Episodes of marine transgression and regression affect the distribution and concentration of organic particles such as pollen grains and spores, algal fossils, the conductive tissue and cuticle of land plants, recycled palynomorphs and inertinite, and fecal amorphous debris. Several examples illustrate the evidence that palynology provides for cycles of transgression and regression. These were selected from contrasting lithological types, for example, siliciclastic sand to lime mud; different depositional environments, for example, shallow shelf versus carbonate platform; and different geologic ages, for example, Middle Jurassic, Late Cretaceous-Danian. An example of Permian-Triassic age illustrates how reworked palynomorphs can be used to detect cyclicity in the sedimentary record. Organic particle sedimentology The vast majority of particulate organic matter deposited in marine sediments consists of admixtures of material of both terrestrial and marine origin. The mixing of material from both sources occurs on the deep sea floor as well as on the shallow shelf. Commonly, one or two components predominate over others, and these can be used to trace the principal origin of the organic matter. Other parameters, such as the diversity and morphological sorting of organic particles, can be used to interpret hydrodynamic and ecological processes operating in the area of deposition.

Comparison of Lower and Middle Cretaceous Palynostratigraphic Zonations in the Western North Atlantic

Abstract Cretaceous palynomorph zonations, based respectively on the stratigraphy of dinoflagellate cysts and sporomorphs, are presented for six Deep Sea Drilling Project sites in the western North Atlantic. Eight dinoflagellate zones and four sporomorph zones are described from the reference section at site 105, which ranges in age from Berriasian (core 30) to Cenomanian (core 9). Published nannofossil and planktonic foraminifera studies of site 105 permit the direct comparison of part of the palynomorphic zonations with a published geochronological scale. The sporomorph zonation is compared with that published for the largely nonmarine Lower Cretaceous facies of the adjacent U. S. Atlantic coastal plain.

Spore and pollen paleoecology of the Redstone seam (Upper Pennsylvanian) of West Virginia

Spore and pollen assemblages occurring in an Upper Pennsylvanian Redstone coal seam are used to interpret phytoecological history of the swamp in which source material was deposited. Punctatosporites minutus and other bilaterally symmetrical monolete spore species predominate through the thickness of the seam, masking vertical variation of other more significant species. With their removal, additional assemblages were recognized, some of which correspond closely to variations in maceral content of the seam. As a result, three phases in the ecological development of the Redstone coal were distinguished. Forty-nine sporomorph species in 34 genera were recognized, 10 species and one genus, Stripites, being new. Densosporites and Cristatisporites are reported for the first time from an Upper Pennsylvanian coal seam in the United States.