Lower Cretaceous carbonate platform facies, Western Carpathians
Jozef Michalik
Geological Institute, Slovakian Academy of Sciences, Dfibravsk& cesta 9, 842 26 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Received 18 February, 1993; revised and accepted 21 February, 1994
Abstract
Two principal belts with "Urgonian" carbonate platform sedimentation evolved during the Barremian-Early Albian in the Western Carpathians. The northern grew on an accretionary belt in the convergence zone between the external and internal units. The limestones here contain rich ophiolite detritus. The other belt formed on the Tatric Ridge. In both belts, carbonate platforms were subsequently destroyed: only slope sediments, clastic fan sediments and calciturbidites are preserved in the studied successions.
1. Introduction
During the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, several shallow marine carbonate platforms evolved along both sides of the Penninic Oceanic Trough of the Mediterranean Tethys. Those plat- forms formed a part of the widespread "Urgonian" complexes in the Tethyan Realm. Well-preserved sequences of this type have been documented from Tunisia (Philip et al., 1989), Spain (Babinot et al., 1991), the Prfalpes and the Jura Mrs. of France and Switzerland (Arnaud-Vanneau et al., 1979, 1982; Masse et al., 1990), and from the Helvetic Zone of Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Strong tectonism during Alpine orogenesis, collision of the Alpine mobile belt with the Bohemian Massif, and formation of the Carpathian Arc resulted in considerable thrust faulting and deformation. As a consequence, elevated blocks bearing carbonate platforms were mostly uplifted, thrusted over its foreland, and subsequently eroded. The only rem- nants of the Urgonian carbonate platform deposits are slope, near-slope, slope fan sediments, calcitur- bidites, slumped blocks or olistoliths, as well as pebbles in younger (Late Cretaceous or Tertiary)
clastic formations. However, by studying their lithology and micro-biofacies, a reconstruction was made of the principal features of the Cretaceous carbonate platform and its development in the Western Carpathians.
2. Regional setting
Late Jurassic carbonate platform complexes evolved along the edge of the North European Craton. Early Cretaceous post-Kimmerian exten- sional stresses formed an extensive W-E oriented horst-and-basin system in the Outer Carpathians. Edges of its elevated blocks could also support reef constructions and local carbonate platforms, including the famous Stramberk Reef. Their eroded material supplied olistostromes, clastic wedges and turbidites to nearby basins of the Outer Carpathian area.
In contrast, no shallow marine carbonates have been found in breccia horizons, which simulta- neously originated in Central Carpathian area in very similar conditions. Fragments of the oldest Lower Cretaceous shallow marine limestones and
264 J. Michalik/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277
organic skeletons (Borza et al., 1980; Va~i~ek et al., 1983; Michalik and Sot~ik, 1990) indicating exis- tence of unknown carbonate platforms somewhere close to this area occur in calciturbidite intercal- ations of the Hauterivian pelagic limestone sequence. Similar facies have not been found in outcrops elsewhere in the Western Carpathians.
A much wider variety of platform carbonates has been preserved in Barremian, Aptian and Lower Albian sequences. At that time, the carbon- ate platform belt evolved around the deep oceanic (.9) Penninic Trough separating the Outer- and Central Carpathian regions. Cretaceous and Paleogene conglomerates in the Pieniny Klippen Belt (border of Paleoeuropean shelf, now forming part of the Paleoalpine Accretion Belt (PAB) between Outer and Central Carpathians) contain large olistoliths (up to 24 m) of Urgonian lime- stones (along with ophiolite detritus) derived from unknown older platform deposits, rimming the Outer Carpathian region on the south.
In the Central Carpathians, Tatric sequences comprise locally remnants of another carbonate platform system, including biohermal and lagoonal facies. However, practically only platform margin facies of Lower Cretaceous shallow marine carbon- ates are known from the majority of the Tatric and Manin sequences. The occurrences, which were described from the Vysokfi-, Bel~i-, Havran-, and Humenn6 Units (belonging to a more internal, Fatric Unit of the Central Carpathians) contain slope and turbiditic sediments, deposited near to, or even below the carbonate platform slope (Fig. 1 ).
Fossils and structures preserved in the rock fragments allowed to reconstruct paleoenviron- ments of the source area. Their occurrences plotted into a palinspastic scheme indicate the extent of ancient platforms. The combination of microfacies analysis and heavy mineral studies support the dynamic interpretation of the depositional condi- tions. Microfacies study and analyses of terrige- nous grains show that the Urgonian limestones in preserved sequences never contain ophiolite detri- tus and glaucophane derived from subduction met- amorphites; their microfaunas are impoverished in comparison with the pebble material.
The limestones of Urgonian facies were found
in several areas of the Outer and Central Western Carpathians (Migik, 1990). The "Urgonian" of the Outer Carpathians is represented by secondary deposits in flysch sequences of the PAB. Fragments of another, Central Carpathian belt are preserved in the Tatric Zone (northern slopes of the High Tatra Mrs., Qerven~i Magura in Low Tatra Mts., Tribe6 Mts.), in the Manin Unit (Mt. Manin, Mt. Butkov, Haligovce, Ni2n~i in Orava Valley) and in the peripheral units of the Kri~na Nappe: Humenn6 Unit (Humenn6 Mts.), Havran Unit (Belianske Tatry Mts.), Bel~i Unit (Str~izov Mts.), Boca Unit (Biele Karpaty Mts.), Vysok~i Unit (Mal6 Karpaty Mts.; Figs. 1, 2). Pebbles of the Urgonian limestones occur in younger conglomer- ate deposits (Upper Cretaceous Valchov Conglomerate, Paleogene Sambron Conglomerate, or Borov6 Formation).
3. Urgonian facies of the Outer Carpathians
Abundant pebbles and blocks of Urgonian Orbitolina-bearing limestones in post-Early Albian conglomerates of the PAB pose a special problem. They frequently contain a considerable admixture of ophiolite detritus (chromian spinels; Mi~ik and S~,kora 1981, etc.). It is remarkable that the Urgonian limestones known from pebbles are better microscopically investigated than those outcropping in continuous sequences. Another handicap is connected with the lack of information about ophiolite detritus from the East and South Carpathian Urgonian limestones.
These Western Carpathian occurrences yield the only data about a lost segment of the Paleoeuropean Urgonian belt between the Helvetic localities of the Bavarian Alps (Mialler, 1985), or the Penninic Schrattenkalk localities of the Switzerland Alps and the East Carpathian Marmarosh outcrops (Chernov et al., 1980).
The exotic origin of the Outer Carpathian Urgonian pebbles could be demonstrated by their clastic component (ophiolite detritus) and by the composition of microfaunal remnants. The ophio- lite detritus is represented by chromian and ferroan spinels (Mi~ik et al., 1981 ) and rare tiny serpentine fragments (Mi~ik, 1990). Spinels were found in
J. Michalik/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994)263 277 265
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266 J. Michalik/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277
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approximately one fifth of the Urgonian pebbles from the Upohlav Conglomerates (western part of the Klippen Belt; they contain locally up to 67% of the spinel in their heavy fraction), in one tenth of the Urgonian pebbles from the Pro~ Conglomerates (eastern part of the Klippen Belt). On the other hand, spinels were found only in one of 18 Urgonian pebbles from the Strihovce Conglomerates (Krynica Subunit of the Magura Unit, East Slovakian part of the Flysch Belt). According to Mi~ik (1990), the ophiolite detritus was derived from strongly tectonized triturated ultramafic rock bodies which have been obducted into the source area at the end of Early Cretaceous. These ultramafic rocks were involved in an intensely thrust, partially emerged structural high, called "Andrusov Ridge" by Birkenmajer (1988). This opinion is supported by the co-occurrence of clastic glaucophane with the spinels (Mi~ik, 1978). These facts, as well as the transport direction in the Urgonian limestone-bearing olistostromes and flysch beds in the Pieniny Klippen Belt of Poland (Birkenmajer and Lefeld, 1969) which is from the S and SE, indicate the probable position of scat- tered small "Urgonian" platforms on structural elevations (partially with obducted oceanic crust?) along the very southern margin of the Outer Carpathian Pieniny Klippen Belt (Fig. 3).
From a micropaleontological point of view, the presence of many species of Orbitolinopsis, Choffatella decipiens, Archalveolina and other ele- ments (Fig. 4) unknown from the "Urgonian" limestone outcrops in the Central Carpathians is noteworthy. A typical lagoonal facies with milio- lids and dasycladaceans (Fig. 5) occurs rarely. Archalveolines are regarded as south Neo-Tethyan elements (Bassoullet et al., 1985). Recently, they were mentioned from the Vill~ny Mts in Hungary
by Schlagintweit (1990). This fact, together with the spinel content in Urgonian limestones in some Dinaric localities, inspired several authors to for- mulate the hypothesis of a Dinarian source of the West Carpathian exotic pebbles, contrary to Migik and Marschalko (1988). The special faunal com- position could be rather explained by the proximity of the area to the Vardar sea-way (Fig. 2).
4. Urgonian facies in the central western Carpathians
The Alpine-Carpathian shelf fragment has been dissected by tensional faults during the late Early Cretaceous. The northern edges of several elevated blocks provided suitable conditions for the origin, stabilization and development of "Urgonian" car- bonate platforms, similar to those which rimmed the opposite, northern side of the Penninic Trough (Fig. 3).
Cretaceous and Paleogene conglomerates in PAB contain large Urgonian limestone blocks and olistoliths. Several of them belong probably to remnants of tectonic bodies transported from the south.
4.1. Carbonate plat forms and upper slope
Pale cream-yellow organodetrital biocalcirudites to biocalcarenites are equivalent to the Alpine Schrattenkalk, and to the Zirc- or Krrnyes Formation of the Hungarian Transdanubian Central Mts. These limestones were deposited in reef-, fore-reef- and also slope zones of a carbonate platform. Lefeld et al. (1985) analysed the com- position of the reef builders in the Wysoka Turnia Formation in the High Tatra Mts. They were
Fig. 4. A. Chromium spinel grains in an intraclast: arenaceous oobiosparite in contact with intrabiomicrite. Barremian Aptian pebble from Upper Cretaceous conglomerates of the Klippen Belt. Z~istranie, magn. × 43. B. Cylindroporella sugdeni Elliott, Barremian-Aptian "Urgonian" limestone pebble from Upper Cretaceous conglomerates of the Klippen Belt, Kotrcina Lfika, magn. × 30. C. Concentration of chromite grains in Barremian/Aptian pebble with Palorbitolina lenticularis. Coniacian conglomerates of the Kysuca Unit, Klippen Belt, magn. x 136. D. Serpentine clast in Barremian/Aptian sandy Orbitolina limestone. Pebble in Albian/ Cenomanian conglomerates of the Klape Unit, PAB. Nosice, magn. x 43. E. Cuneolina sp. and Mesorbitolina ? sp. in Upper Aptian biomicrite. Pebble from Paleogene Proc Conglomerate, magn. x 20. F. Orbitolina (Mesorbitolina) sp. in Upper Aptian biomicrite. Pebble from Paleogene Proc Conglomerate. Ladickovce, magn. x 30. G. Sabaudia capitata Arnaud-Vanneau, Upper Aptian pebble from Proc Conglomerate. Inovce, magn. x 30.
270 J. Michalik/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277
Fig. 5. A. Orbitolinidae sp. ind. and Cuneolina sp. in biomicrite with Mesorbitolina parva. Upper Aptian pebble from Pro~ conglomerate. N. Ladickovce, magn. x 48. B. Orbitolinopsis ? sp. in Barremian micrite pebble in Cenomanian conglomerate, Klippen Belt. Povazsk~, Hrad castle, magn. x 30. C. Orbitolinopsis cuvillieri MouUade in Barremian biosparite pebble from Paleogene Proc Conglomerate. Pro~ locality, magn. x 48. D. Palorbitolina ? sp. and Munieria grambasti Bystrick~ in Upper Barremian/Lower Aptian biosparite pebble from Senonian Valchov Conglomerate. Hrabov6, magn. x 39. (Large foraminifers were determined by Dr. E. K6hler and Prof. A. Arnaud-Vanneau).
J. Michallk/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277 271
dominated by colonial corals, hydrozoans and calcareous algae, and accompanied by bivalves, gastropods and other organisms. The formation is about 60-90 m thick, dated as Barremian to Lower Aptian. It is covered by Middle Albian glauconite- phosphoritic marls of the Zabijak Formation.
Deformations of the pelagic substrate, described from Mt. Butkov by Michalik and Va~i6ek (1987), were interpreted as a loading effect by organoclas- tic slope debris of the Podhorie Formation (Borza et al., 1987; Fig. 6). The base of this complex is formed by a 4-5 m thick rough carbonate breccia (in 70-80 cm thick gradational cycles). The clasts were derived from underlying rocks, the youngest of them containing late Early Aptian Deflandronella veracruzana (Michalik and Sotfik, 1990).
A substantial part of the Podhorie Formation (65-75 m thick) consists of fine-grained cherty limestones rich in organic matter. Biomicrites, biopelsparites and intrabiosparites contain frag- ments of bivalves, crinoid columnalia, hedbergellid foraminifers and other microfauna (Michalik and Sotfik, 1990). Microplankton is represented by Praecolomiella trejoi, P. boneti, Deflandronella veracruzana, Parachitinoidella cuvillieri and other more-or-less typical late Aptian forms.
Massive pale organogenic limestones of the Manin Formation cover detrital slope carbonates of the Podhorie Formation in the Manin Unit (Figs. 6 and 7). Biomicrites and biomicrosparites contain fine biogenic detritus, crinoid columnalia, bivalves, microfossils, including Lower Albian col- omiellids. Intercalations with rudist shell fragments were found in the Manin Narrows. The sequence is terminated by a hard-ground horizon, covered by marls with Upper Albian foraminifers. Clastic material derived from growing and contempora- neously destroyed carbonate platforms was trans- ported through the adjacent channels (Michalik and Va~i6ek, 1984) into fans on the basinal slope.
A hill near Haligovce in the eastern sector of the Klippen Belt (Birkenmajer, 1959; Birkenmajer and Lefeld, 1969; Kotanski, 1963) exposes another type of Urgonian-like sequence: the Haligovce Formation, similar to the Manin Formation. The lower part of an about 40 m thick sequence is formed by bituminous bedded cherty limestones
analogous to the Podhorie Formation, the upper part consists of pale massive organodetrital lime- stones with bivalves, arenaceous foraminifers, echi- noderm plates and scarce bryozoans.
4.2. Lower slope of the carbonate platform
The majority of the Western Carpathian Lower Cretaceous limestones represent bathyal, deep neritic and slope facies; a substantial part of the platform bodies has been destroyed either by sub- sequent erosion or by tectonic reduction. Slope facies show dinstinct progradation in time and space. The base of the Tatric slope sequences is of Late Hauterivian age. The same sedimentation in the Manin Zone started in the early Barremian, but in the Butkov area of the same zone, or in the Belfi Unit, during the Aptian (Michalik et al., 1987; Michalik and Vagi~ek, 1987).
Submarine channels and canyons in the lower part of the platform slope supported extensive debris fans below their base. The Mur~fi Formation (Borza, 1957; Michalik and Sot/tk, 1990; Figs. 6 and 7) illustrates well such a develop- ment. It attains more than a hundred meters in thickness.
The basal member of the Mur~ifi Formation is about 15-20 m thick. It contains numerous marly intercalations with pelagic microfauna wedging out in fine detrital grainstones with packstone layers (Michalik and Sotfik, 1990). Calpionellids, sponge spicules, and bivalve and echinoderm frag- ments occur together with ooids and microoncoids in carbonate intra- and extraclasts. Sporadic fora- minifers indicate a Valanginian to early Hauterivian age of the clasts. Moreover, small forms of Calpionella alpina found in clasts in the lower part of one of the Mt. Mur~fi sections (Michalik and Sotfik, 1.c.) indicate considerable erosion of the bottom in the supporting channels.
The middle part of the Mur~fi Formation con- sists of about 30 m of well-bedded fine detrital limestones, characterized by alternation of the grainstones (with an increased share of the matrix and fine grains) with the packstones. Pseudo- oolitic limestones occur locally. Chert nodules form local stratiform horizons as in the Podhorie Formation (Michalik and Vagi~ek, 1987). They
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Fig. 7. A. Steep rock walls of Mt Muran consisting of the Murfin Limestone Formation (Hauterivian-Barremian debris fan of the Tatric carbonate platform slope, resting on basinal marlstones of the Koscieliska Fm). Havran Nappe Unit, Belianske Tatry Mts. B. Cherts in coarse organodetrital limestone of the Murb_n Formation. NW slope of Mt Mur~n, Belianske Tatry Mts. C. A p t i a ~ Lower Albian platform carbonates of "Urgonian type" (PF= slope sediments of the Podhorie Formation) covered by Upper Albian basinal shales of the Butkov Formation (BF). Butkov Quarry, Manln Unit. Str~zovsk6 Vrchy Mts.
274 J. Michallk/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277
contain rare, well preserved fossils of Acrasiales (Misik and Locquin, 1983). The foraminifer asso- ciation (Michalik and Sot~ik, 1990) indicates a Late Hauterivian to Early Barremian age.
The upper member is more than 50 m thick. Massive pale limestones are formed by fine detrital grainstones containing packstone intercalations. Coarse bioclastic rudstones occur relatively fre- quently. They contain intraclasts of lithified grainstones and extraclasts of micrite mudstones with calpionellids and sponge spicules, indicating continuing erosion in transport channels. Rudstones are formed by detritus of bioherm organisms, predominantly by corals, hydrozoans, bryozoans, the encrusting alga Ethelia alba, the sessile foraminifer Koskinobullina socialis, coralline algae and the microproblematic Pieninia oblonga. Dasycladacean algae occur more rarely, layers with rudist fragments seldom (Michalik and Sot~tk, 1.c.; Lefeld, 1974). The foraminifers indicate a Barremian age.
The Mur~fi Formation in the top part of Mt Mur~in (Fig. 7) is covered by a shaly sequence of the Mur~inska LOka Formation, several tens of meters thick, consisting of dark intensely biotur- bated marlstones with black- to gray limestone intercalations. Nannoconid wackestones and mud- stones contain cadosinids, calcisphaerulids, colo- misphaerids, globochaetes, ostracods, and echinoderm fragments. Nodosariid foraminifers dominate, the planktonic foraminifers indicate a Bedoulian-Gargassian age. The sequence contains gradational cycles, slump breeeias and olistoliths. Lefeld (1974) has found Palorbitolina lenticularis, Va~irek (in Michalik et al., 1990) identified early Aptian ammonites and the belemnite rostrum Duvalia grasiana. Michalik and Sot~ik (1990) rec- ognized colomiellids, which indicate a late Aptian (or even early Albian?) age.
5. Caleiturbiditic intercalations in basinal sediments
Gravity flows originating on the slope of the Lungau Swell deposited below its foot a complex of coarse detrital to brecciated limestones with marly intercalations (Mahel, 1959; Mahel et al., 1967). Jablonsk~, et al. (1993) described this, about
30-60 m thick, Barremian to Aptian sequence of the Ore~any and Solirov Unit as the Sollrov Formation. The components of turbidite cycles (Td and Te Bouma intervals) consist of lithoclasts (quartzite blocks up to 1-2 m3), fragments of organisms, predominantly crinoids, and dismicrite limestones. Cross-bedding and the orientation of grains and lithoclasts indicate transport currents from NW. Structural elements of clastic beds, as well as their rich fossil content indicate erosion of older pelagic carbonates. Pelagic intervals consist of argillaceous calcilutite with Barremian to Aptian microplankton and benthic foraminifers. The for- mation rests on the Lurivn~i Formation, being overlain by the Albian Homrlka Marl of the Poruba Formation.
Dark, almost black, fine- organodetrital lime- stones with brownish cherts crop out above the pelagic Lower Cretaceous limestone sequence in the Tatric units of the High Tatra- and Mahi Fatra Mts. Lefeld (1968) and Lefeld et al. (1985) described this development as the Osobit~i Forma- tion belonging to a "distal Urgonian facies", 45-60 m thick. Barremian and early Aptian orbitolinids occur sporadically, belemnites, brachiopods and bivalves are rare. The sequence contains relatively frequent calciturbiditic gravellites to calcarenites with gradation and with rests of a neritic fauna (Michalik et al., 1990: in the Bralo quarry). Mikro- planktic remnants are represented by cadosinids and calpionellopseUas (Michalik and Sot~ik, 1990).
A rhythmically bedded complex of organodetri- tal cherty and marly limestones of calciturbidite origin named the Str~i~.ovce Formation character- izes the deeper basinal slope of the Kri~na Nappe sedimentary area (Vasisek et al., 1983). The base of each rhythm consists of a coarse-grained grada- tionally bedded horizon with frequent extraclasts. Organic remnants are fragmented, belonging to neritic organisms (gastropods, solenoporid algae, bryozoans, etc.). The formation attains 1-65 m in thickness, it wedges into a terminal Lower Hauterivian micritic spotted marly basinal lime- stone complex (Mr~iznica Formation).
6. Decline of the Urgonian carbonate platforms
Diastrophic events, which affected the Western Carpathians during the late Barremian and Aptian,
J. Michalik/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111 (1994) 263-277 275
are manifested as breccias, turbidites, paracon- glomerates (Michalik and Va~irek, 1984), basic volcanics and tufts.
Blocking of sea currents by the dissected mor- phology of the sea bottom caused expansion of the anoxic black shale sedimentation area in the Outer Carpathians. Deposition of pelitic distal flysch (Verovice, Kapusnica, Konhora, Brodno lithostratigraphic units) characterized the depres- sions, while carbonate sedimentation was restricted to the surface of elevated blocks (Chmielowa Formation). The tensional regime spread over a great part of the area.
Subsequent shortening of the sedimentary area in PAB caused formation of accretionary prisms consisting of coarse conglomerates with clasts derived from tectonically deformed zones (Mi~ik et al., 1980; Mi~ik and Marschalko, 1988). Structural highs and subduction complexes emerged as an outer accretionary arc ("Andrusov Ridge" or "Pieniny Cordillera"). This elevation was rimmed by shallow marine Urgonian lime- stone containing a high admixture of ophiolite detritus. The complex structure and fragmentary knowledge of the zone between the Outer- and Central Carpathians make the reconstruction of its paleogeography and paleotectonic development extremely difficult. During the Middle Albian, sudden depth increase (collapse-like) in the Central Carpathian area caused lowering of carbonate platforms below the photic zone. Removal of shallow marine barriers opened way to cold upwelling currents (Michalik and Kov~ic, 1982), which definitively blocked the carbonate sedi- mentation in this part of Mediterranean Tethys. Consecutively, monotonous relatively deep marine pelites and siltites (Zabijak Marls, Butkov- and Poruba Formations) were deposited in this, for- merly diversified, area.
material was transported southwards in calcitur- bidite intercalations (Kri~na Unit, etc.).
The Andrusov Ridge (sensu Birkenmajer, 1988) formed by obducted slices of accretionary prism at the transition between the Outer and Central Carpathians (PAB) was the substrate of Urgonian limestone sedimentation with a relatively rich content of microorganic remnants. Exotic pebbles derived from this ridge contain, unlike the sequences mentioned above, rich ophiolite detritus. Besides this source (Ultrapieninic Ridge, Roumanian Ridge), another, southerly located, source from the limestones, covering the Tirolic Domain is supposed by several Alpine geologists (Hagn, 1982 ; Faupl and Pober, 1991; Schlagintweit, 1987, 1990). This southern source is known also from the Dinarides and from the Hungarian Gerecse Mts, where Orbitolina lime- stones contain detritus rich in ophiolite, as well (Sztanr, 1990).
Acknowledgments
My sincere thanks is directed to M. Mi~ik (Bratislava), who actively contributed to this paper, H. Arnaud (Grenoble), K. Birkenmajer (Krakow), W.A. Morgan (Houston), J.-P. Masse (Paris), T. Simo (Madison), and Finn Surlyk (Copenhagen) are gratefully acknowledged for valuable inspiring comments, as well as to Martin C. Styan for linguistic correction of the English text. The work was partially sponsored by Grant Agency of the Slovakian Academy of Sciences (Grant Project GA-126). The paper resulted in the frame of the IGCP Project no. 362.
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