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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 65 (1981)

Issue: 5. (May)

First Page: 981

Last Page: 981

Title: Boundary Problems Between Carboniferous and Permian Systems: ABSTRACT

Author(s): Charles A. Ross

Article Type: Meeting abstract

Abstract:

Defining the perplexing systemic boundary between the Carboniferous and Permian Systems may be an unresolvable problem. In northwestern Europe, the type Upper Carboniferous rocks are represented by a nonmarine facies, the Permian rocks are represented incompletely by shallow-water, evaporitic, and dolomitic beds. The type Permian sections along the western flank of the Ural Mountains also have shallow-water, evaporitic, and dolomitic beds and red beds. There, Permian beds overlie a series of marine limestone facies comprising abundant and diverse marine faunas, but whose age relations to the nonmarine Upper Carboniferous beds of northwestern Europe are equivocal. During the last 100 years, Soviet geologists have proposed lowering the base of the Permian to various positio s in these marine limestones and have tried to locate a natural boundary, as defined by faunal changes. However, any boundary established within this succession will be arbitrary because major evolutionary changes in the different marine fossil groups are not synchronous.

In other parts of the world, Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian rocks and faunas reflect strong influences of depositional conditions and faunal provinciality. The faunal provinces comprise cold water faunas for much of Gondwanan continents, warm water to tropical water faunas for the Tethys and western Panthalassa, and tropical water faunas for eastern Panthalassa.

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