Petr Skupien

Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Lower Cretaceous sediments in the Outer Western Carpathians (Silesian Unit, Czech Republic)

Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Lower Cretaceous sediments in the Outer Western Carpathians (Silesian Unit, Czech Republic) Almost black shale filling fissures in the Štramberk Limestone belonging to the Silesian Unit, Outer Western Carpathians contain prolific and poorly to moderately well preserved spores, pollen, organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts, foraminifers, and calcareous nannofossils. A detailed micropaleontological analysis of the proved stratigraphical interval from the Valanginian to the Albian indicated sedimentary conditions of brackish, restricted marine, shallow-marine and neritic sedimentation. Moreover, it drew attention to occasional influence from the Boreal province in the depositional area of the NW part of Tethys, especially during the Early Valanginian and Hauterivian, as supported by the presence of highlatitude nannofossils and organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts. Terrestrial miospores form a significant component of palynoassemblages and give evidence of continent proximity in the Valanginian-Barremian interval. Samples were acquired from isolated fissure fills in the Štramberk Limestone and, therefore, they do not represent a continuous section.

The northernmost occurrence of the Lower Berriasian ammonite Pseudosubplanites grandis (Štramberk Limestone, Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

Abstract The first finding of the index ammonite Pseudosubplanites grandis (Mazenot, 1939) in the Lower Berriasian Štramberk Limestone (Outer Western Carpathians, northeastern Czech Republic) is important from the point of view of both the paleogeographical distribution of this species and of more precisely defining the upper boundary of the Štramberk Limestone (Early Berriasian Berriasella jacobi Zone) formerly regarded as Late Tithonian in age. From the taxonomical point of view, new data on a non-deformed cross-section of the adult whorl and above all on the shape of the adult suture line of this species have been obtained.

Minerals formed by the weathering of sulfides in mines of the Czech part of the Upper Silesian Basin

Abstract This study describes the occurrences of sulfate minerals in mines of the Czech part of the Upper Silesian Basin. This mineralization originates from the oxidation of Fe disulfides contained in the coal matrix and enclosing sediments. The oxidation occurs in the presence of formational brines and chemotrophic bacteria. The brines have a pH between 6.3 and 8.5 and total solute content of up to 300 g/l. They are rich in Na, Ca, K, Mg, Ba and Sr and Cl- is the major anion. The minerals of the pickeringite-halotrichite series with coexisting magnesiocopiapite are formed primarily in drier places and areas where the water is only slightly mineralized. In more humid places where the brines are more concentrated, a diverse assemblage of up to 20 different sulfates are found (e.g. natrojarosite, sideronatrite, metasideronatrite, tamarugite, magnesiocopiapite, bílinite, starkeyite, blödite, rozenite and siderotil). These sulfates are accompanied by halite, sulfur, goethite and a number of phases of uncertain identity, such as sulfates containing Sr and REE. This is an example of mineral paragenesis formed by weathering in a saline evaporite environment, which is extremely rare in Europe but is found in arid regions elsewhere (e.g. in the Atacama Desert in Chile).

Some perisphinctoid ammonites of the Stramberk Limestone and their dating with associated microfossils (Tithonian to Lower Berriasian, Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

Abstract The present contribution deals with the taxonomy of seven species of perisphinctoid ammonite from the Štramberk Limestone (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic) deposited in Moravian-Silesian museums. The age of these studied ammonites is compared with that of index microfossils contained in the matrix adhering to or infilling the studied specimens. The ammonites document a stratigraphic range from earliest Tithonian to early Berriasian. In addition to taxonomy and new ontogenetic data on some species, we also present data on their palaeogeographic distribution. The occurrence of Subboreal himalayitids in the Štramberk Limestone of an early Berriasian age is determined by both the microfauna and accompanying ammonites, which indicate connection of the Silesian-part of the Tethyan Carpathian area with the Subboreal Russian Platform Basin. These records also suggest an early Berriasian age (Jacobi Chron) for the lowermost part of the Ryazanian stage in its type area.

New Tithonian and Lower Berriasian aptychi of Štramberk Limestone from the Kotouč Quarry (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic)

A new collection of aptychi from the Štramberk Limestone in the Kotouč Quarry near Štramberk is presented in this paper as seven species (parataxonomic system) of ribbed calcareous valves. Their stratigraphic position is mostly supported by the occurrence of time-diagnostic ammonites. Four species are new: Beyrichilamellaptychus companyi sp. nov., B. hoedemaekeri sp. nov., B. jansseni sp. nov. and Thorolamellaptychus kleini sp. nov. The mentioned new species as well as B. studeri occur in the Upper Tithonian-Lower Berriasian interval, whereas Punctaptychus punctatus and Beyrichilamellaptychus beyrichi are well known by their wider stratigraphic range: Tithonian-Berriasian.

Potential Unconventional Gas Plays in Mature Basin of the Czech Republic

Abstract The presence of unconventional resources has been proven in deeper parts of mature oil and gas provinces and coal basins of the world. In this context, it is worth to focus also on the prospects of unconventional gas production from within hydrocarbon provinces of the Moravian part of the Vienna basin. The estimation of hydrocarbon generation potential of Jurasic marls from the Mikulov Formation of the Czech part of the Vienna Basin was performed based on the Rock Eval pyrolysis.

Geotourism aspects of the lufeng Dinosaur national geopark in Yunnan province, China

Abstract The Lufeng Dinosaur National Geopark in Yunnan province, China, is important part of geoheritage with a great scientific and aesthetic value. The area has been under scientific research since 1938 when the first dinosaur fossils were discovered here by geologist Bian Meinian and technician Wang Cunyi. Professor Yang announced the discovery of new early Jurassic herbivore prosauropod by Lufeng in 1941, which he gave the name Lufengosaurus huenei. In 2004, the area was listed as the China`s National Geopark. It was opened for visitors in 2008. Besides the high scientific value, the geopark is also an important resource for science based and educational tourism. This paper briefly introduces the history of scientific research, the basic geology of the site and the most important fossils discovered here. The main characteristics, geodiversity, and geotourism of fossil geoheritage in the area are discussed here.

Industrial complexes and their role in industrial tourism – example of conversion

Abstract Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and increasing its possibilities for the future. It should lead to management of all resources, so as to meet economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining cultural integrity, the most important ecological processes, biological diversity and the processes that make life possible. Sustainable tourism products are products that work in accordance with the local environment, society and culture so that the environment, society and culture can benefit and not to become the victims of tourism development. At present, luckily, it is possible to observe, in a wide range of tourist activities and especially in industrialized countries, also increasing interest in so-called industrial tourism aimed at exploring technical monuments. This form of tourism was initially the domain of narrow range of technically-based supporters, but gradually becomes more attractive to the broader public. This article deals with the development and transformation of tourism in the Czech Republic on an example of the Podluzi region and one of its centres - the town of Hodonin. From the tourist activities in the region those specifically attractive ones should be mentioned, which are wine and folklore tourism in close connection with gastronomical tourism and then increasingly popular cycling and water tourism. As for the cycling tourism, there are routes (related to the Greenways programme) leading so that they connect all the major winegrowing sites of the region and also the basic backbone network of cycling routes passing through the territory of the Czech Republic. The development of water tourism is closely linked to industrial tourism, where the important technical monument - the Bata’s channel is used as a waterway. The history of the town of Hodonin is briefly mentioned here in the context of the progressive industrialization of the area (lignite and hydrocarbon mining), its significant downturn and subsequent changes in tourist activities.

The origin of native selenium microparticles during the oxidation of sideritic mudstones in the Veřovice Formation (Outer Western Carpathians)

Abstract Microparticles of native selenium were detected in weathered sideritic mudstones of the Veřovice Formation (Aptian) of the Silesian Unit (Outer Western Carpatians, NE part of the Czech Republic). This mineral forms small needle-like crystals with lengths of up to 20 μm, and is confined to fissures in sideritic mudstones covered by goethite or rarely also by hydrated Mn-oxide minerals. The oxidized sideritic mudstones show zonal structure and resemble the initial stage of the formation of the so-called rattle stones. From the superposition of phase diagrams of selenium and Fe-oxyhydroxides, Fe apparently occupies a large field in which Se(0) and FeOOH and/or Fe(OH)3 can co-exist. The reduction of selenites or selenates by pyrite or by any other phase, capable of charge transfer, is likely to have been responsible for the formation of microparticles of native selenium. The crucial factor controlling the origin of these particles is the extremely low solubility of Se(0). The source of Se is not obvious. It can be released in trace concentrations during the weathering of pyrite. Sediments of the Veřovice Formation correspond to the anoxic event OAE1b and accumulation of siderophile elements in similar sediments is very probable. A probable mechanism for the origin of Se microcrystals is gradual crystallization from solution.

PŘEDBĚŽNÉ VÝSLEDKY STUDIA ORGANICKÉ HMOTY SEDIMENTŮ PALEOGÉNU PODSLEZSKÉ JEDNOTKY A JEJÍHO VZTAHU KE VZNIKU UHLOVODÍKŮ

The subject of the present paper is the analysis of the source rock potential of the Paleogene formations in the outer Western Carpathians. In the study area there are deposits rich in organic carbon material (4–11 % TOC), mostly dark coloured claystones and siltstones, which were deposited in the anoxic conditions. Source rocks character of the sediments was studied on the basis of structure of organic material and degree of their transformation. Kerogen of type III (terrestrial type) predominates in the studied samples. Degree of thermal transformation is low and corresponds to the beginning or middle part of the oil window.