Insights into the K–Pg extinction aftermath: The Danish Cerithium Limestone Member
Störling, Tjördis LU ; Demangel, Isaline LU
; Lindskog, Anders
LU
; Andersson, J.
; Calner, Mikael
LU
; Conley, Daniel
LU
and Richoz, Sylvain
LU
(2024)
In Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark
73.
p.175-191
- Abstract
- The Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) mass extinction about 66 Ma ago was one of Earth’s largest mass extinction events. The demise of calcifiers, among others, influenced biogeochemical cycles and changed the conditions for carbonate depo sition in the global ocean. This study addresses the sedimentology and carbonate microfacies of the Cerithium Limestone Member of the Rødvig Formation within the renowned Stevns Klint succession in Denmark. The limestone was deposited in the earliest Danian Stage, immediately after the K–Pg mass extinction. It is a pale yellow, partly cemented unit with a dense network of Thalassinoides burrows and numerous flint nodules. Studies of the thin sections revealed that the Cerithium Limestone Member is more... (More)
- The Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) mass extinction about 66 Ma ago was one of Earth’s largest mass extinction events. The demise of calcifiers, among others, influenced biogeochemical cycles and changed the conditions for carbonate depo sition in the global ocean. This study addresses the sedimentology and carbonate microfacies of the Cerithium Limestone Member of the Rødvig Formation within the renowned Stevns Klint succession in Denmark. The limestone was deposited in the earliest Danian Stage, immediately after the K–Pg mass extinction. It is a pale yellow, partly cemented unit with a dense network of Thalassinoides burrows and numerous flint nodules. Studies of the thin sections revealed that the Cerithium Limestone Member is more variable than expected from its overall homogeneous appearance at the macroscopic scale. The thin sections and scanning electron mi croscope (SEM) images showed that the highly bioturbated limestone consists of four principal microfacies: a mudstone, a wackestone and two different packstones. The 30 to 120-cm thick Cerithium Limestone Member fills depressions between low-amplitude mounds in the Maastrichtian chalk. The lowermost part constitutes a thin layer of a bryozoan-rich packstone, probably reworked from the crests of the Maastrichtian mounds. The successive part of the member is dominated by wacke stone with mainly foraminifera (planktic and benthic), molluscs and echinoderm debris, and in some areas an abundance of peloids. The foraminifera- and mollusc rich packstone appears in lenses. The mudstone contains few foraminifera and is linked to burrows and syn-sedimentary fractures. SEM observations revealed that the Cerithium Limestone Member corresponds to a dispersed micrite, with small calcite crystals ~1–4 µm in size. The general shape of these calcite crystals suggests precipitation from cyanobacterial activity and, thus, a microbial genesis for the micrite of the Cerithium Limestone Member. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3cab098a-e87e-4a06-99ac-355f508454be
- author
- Störling, Tjördis
LU
; Demangel, Isaline
LU
; Lindskog, Anders
LU
; Andersson, J.
; Calner, Mikael
LU
; Conley, Daniel
LU
and Richoz, Sylvain
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-11-13
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Cerithium Limestone Member, microbial micrite, Stevns Klint, Danian, Thin sections, Carbonate, Microfacies, Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary
- in
- Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark
- volume
- 73
- article number
- 10.37570/bgsd-2024-73-10
- pages
- 175 - 191
- publisher
- Dansk Geologisk Forening
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85210022533
- ISSN
- 0011-6297
- DOI
- 10.37570/bgsd-2024-73-10
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 3cab098a-e87e-4a06-99ac-355f508454be
- date added to LUP
- 2024-12-19 01:32:40
- date last changed
- 2025-04-24 13:42:42
@article{3cab098a-e87e-4a06-99ac-355f508454be,
abstract = {{The Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) mass extinction about 66 Ma ago was one of Earth’s largest mass extinction events. The demise of calcifiers, among others, influenced biogeochemical cycles and changed the conditions for carbonate depo sition in the global ocean. This study addresses the sedimentology and carbonate microfacies of the Cerithium Limestone Member of the Rødvig Formation within the renowned Stevns Klint succession in Denmark. The limestone was deposited in the earliest Danian Stage, immediately after the K–Pg mass extinction. It is a pale yellow, partly cemented unit with a dense network of Thalassinoides burrows and numerous flint nodules. Studies of the thin sections revealed that the Cerithium Limestone Member is more variable than expected from its overall homogeneous appearance at the macroscopic scale. The thin sections and scanning electron mi croscope (SEM) images showed that the highly bioturbated limestone consists of four principal microfacies: a mudstone, a wackestone and two different packstones. The 30 to 120-cm thick Cerithium Limestone Member fills depressions between low-amplitude mounds in the Maastrichtian chalk. The lowermost part constitutes a thin layer of a bryozoan-rich packstone, probably reworked from the crests of the Maastrichtian mounds. The successive part of the member is dominated by wacke stone with mainly foraminifera (planktic and benthic), molluscs and echinoderm debris, and in some areas an abundance of peloids. The foraminifera- and mollusc rich packstone appears in lenses. The mudstone contains few foraminifera and is linked to burrows and syn-sedimentary fractures. SEM observations revealed that the Cerithium Limestone Member corresponds to a dispersed micrite, with small calcite crystals ~1–4 µm in size. The general shape of these calcite crystals suggests precipitation from cyanobacterial activity and, thus, a microbial genesis for the micrite of the Cerithium Limestone Member.}},
author = {{Störling, Tjördis and Demangel, Isaline and Lindskog, Anders and Andersson, J. and Calner, Mikael and Conley, Daniel and Richoz, Sylvain}},
issn = {{0011-6297}},
keywords = {{Cerithium Limestone Member; microbial micrite; Stevns Klint; Danian; Thin sections; Carbonate; Microfacies; Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
pages = {{175--191}},
publisher = {{Dansk Geologisk Forening}},
series = {{Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark}},
title = {{Insights into the K–Pg extinction aftermath: The Danish Cerithium Limestone Member}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.37570/bgsd-2024-73-10}},
doi = {{10.37570/bgsd-2024-73-10}},
volume = {{73}},
year = {{2024}},
}