Project

P-14366-Bio

Stable Isotopes and changing Miocene palaeoenvironments in the East Alpine region

Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF) Vienna, Austria
by
Werner E. Piller
Institute for Geology and Palaeontology Karl-Franzens-University Graz Austria

Project aims

The major aim of this project is the recognition of reasons for the changes in fossil assemblages of the Eastern Alpine Miocene. Within the project cluster it is the aim of this specific project to gather this type of information using stable isotopes. The following questions should be answered:

• Is it possible to proof the supposed climatic differences between the Early and Late Eggenburgian in using stable isotope data?
• Is there an isotope signal supporting the idea of “coastal upwelling” for the Ottnangian sediments (fine detritic “Zellerndorf Formation” and particularly the diatomitic Limberg Member) overlying the Eggenburgian (Roetzel, Rehakova & Rupp, 1991)? Is there a similar signal in the “Phosphoritic sands” (Roetzel et al., 1991) and “Coarse sands” at the southern margin of the Bohemian Massif in Upper Austria?
• Was there a major change in isotope signals after the Late Ottnangian regression which was also related to a change in basin configuration (e.g., Steininger et al., 1986)? One effect of this change in basinconfiguration was a restriction of sedimentation to eastern parts of Austria. A comparison between the sedimentation in the northeasternmost parts (Laa Formation, Grund Beds - Vienna Basin) with that of the Styrian Basin has to be carried out.
• Can the supposed changes in salinity within the Badenian which are expressed by the sequence of foraminiferan assemblages (“Lagenidae-Zone”, “Zone with agglutinated foraminifera” and “Bulimina-Bolivina-Zone”) (Steininger, 1977; Piller, 1993, 1997, 1999; Piller et al., 1996) be supported by stable isotope data or/and are there additional causes for these changes (e.g., depletion in nutrients in the Late Badenian or separation from the Mediterranean or Indo/Pacific by vanishing seaways)?
• Is there clear evidence for normal or even hypersalinity during the Sarmatian and is the proposed high alkalinity detectable in stable isotope compositions?
• Does the comparison of isotope data of benthic and planktic foraminifera show a differentiation of surface and bottom water? If yes, occur pronounced differences between the time slices?
• Which isotope data can be obtained from echinoid skeletons? How differ the echinoids data from that of benthic foraminifera? How different are isotope data in different echinoid taxa and how different are isotope data in different parts of echinoid skeletons?

Staff

• Mag. Christine Latal (Stable Isotopes, Foraminifera)
• Mag. Andreas Kroh (Echinoidea)

References

Piller, W. E., 1993: Facial development and coralline algae in the Vienna and Eisenstadt Basins (Miocene). - [in:] Höfling, R., Moussavian, E. & Piller, W.E. (eds.): Facial development of algae-bearing carbonate sequencies in the Eastern Alps. Field Trip Guidebook. - B7, 1-24, 6 Fig., 4 Pl., München.

Piller, W.E., 1997: The Neogene of the Vienna Basin. - [in:] Piller, W.E., Summesberger, H., Draxler, I., Harzhauser, M. & Mandic, O.,: Meso - Cenozoic tropical/subtropical climates - Selected examples from the Northern Calcareous Alps and the Vienna Basin. - [in:] Kollmann, H.A. & Hubmann, B. (eds.): Second European Palaeontological Congress, Climates: Past, Present and Future, Excursion Guides, 70 - 111, 21 Fig., Wien.

Piller, W. E., 1999: The Neogene of the Vienna basin. – Berichte der Geologischen Bundesanstalt, 49: 11-19, 2 Fig., Wien.

Piller, W.E., Decker, K. & Haas, M., 1996: Sedimentologie und Beckendynamik des Wiener Beckens. - Berichte der Geologischen Bundesanstalt, 33, (Exkursionsführer, 11. Sedimentologentreffen, Exkursion A1), 1-41, 24 Abb., Wien.

Roetzel, R., Rupp, C., Pervesler, P. & Schultz, O., 1991: E/8: Weinzierlbruck, Sandgrube Hellmayr. - [in:] Roetzel, R. & Rupp, C.: Die westliche Molassezone in Salzburg und Oberösterreich. - [in:] Roetzel, R. & Nagel, D. (Hrsg.): Exkursionen im Tertiär Österreichs - Molassezone-Waschbergzone-Korneuburger Becken-Wiener Becken-Eisenstädter Becken. - 114-57, 11 Abb., Wien.

Roetzel, R., Rehakova, Z. & Rupp, C., 1991: F/10: Limberg, Diatomitbergbau. - [in:] Steininger, F.F. & Roetzel, R., 1991: Die tertiären Molassesedimente am Ostrand der Böhmischen Masse. - [in:] Roetzel, R. & Nagel, D. (Hrsg.): Exkursionen im Tertiär Österreichs - Molassezone-Waschbergzone-Korneuburger Becken-Wiener Becken-Eisenstädter Becken. - 13-117, 1 Abb., Wien.

Steininger, F. F., 1977: Integrated Assemblage-Zone Biostratigraphy at Marine-Nonmarine Boundaries: Examples from the Neogene of Central Europe. - [in.:] Kauffmann, E. G. & Hazel, J. E. (eds.): Concepts and Methods of Biostratigraphy, 235 - 256, 11 Text-Fig., Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania (Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross).

Steininger, F. F., Wessely, G., Rögl, F. & Wagner, L., 1986: Tertiary sedimentary history and tectonic evolution of the Eastern Alpine Foredeep. - Giornale di Geologia, ser. 3, 48/1-2, 285-297, 10 Fig., Bologna.

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last updated: 30.04.2007