See more from this Division: Topical Sessions
See more from this Session: River-Dominated Continental Margin Processes: Modern and Ancient
Abstract:
This study concludes that substrate composition, water salinity (and gradient), and hydrologic energy are the dominant controls on neoichnofaunal abundance and diversity. Medium to low energy, sand-prone facies, such as bayhead deltas, cross-valley spits and bay marine tidal flats, are dominated by a low diversity opportunistic fauna that would produce burrows and traces that could be assigned to either Skolithos or a mixed Skolithos/Cruziana ichnofacies. The low energy, muddy sand facies of the abandoned portions of the bayhead delta and the muddy facies of the shallow central basin contain a more diverse equilibrium fauna that produces burrows and traces that would be assigned to the Cruziana ichnofacies.
Since micro-tidal estuarine and barrier island/lagoon systems are stressed ecosystems, it is essential when working in ancient micro-tidal facies, to continually evaluate the trophic and environmental factors controlling the ecology of benthic organisms and condition ichnological and sedimentological interpretations with that information.
See more from this Division: Topical Sessions
See more from this Session: River-Dominated Continental Margin Processes: Modern and Ancient