ALBERT

Description: Die in der Stratigraphischen Tabelle von Deutschland 2016 (STD 2016) verwendete Zeitskala beruht mit kleinen Modifikationen auf den Komposit-Altern der Stratigraphischen Tabelle von Deutschland 2002 (STD 2002). Sie differiert von der ,,Geological Time Scale 2012" (GTS 2012). Die geochronologischen Einheiten zeigen auch die westeuropäischen Regionalstufen; die traditionelle deutsche Kulm-Gliederung wurde nicht mehr übernommen. Abfolgen des Mississippiums (unteres Karbon) sind in den deutschen Mittelgebirgen und im Untergrund Norddeutschlands weit verbreitet. Paralische Abfolgen des Pennsylvaniums (oberes Karbon) kommen übertage in der subvariszischen Saumsenke zwischen Aachen und Osnabrück sowie im Untergrund Norddeutschlands vor. Bis auf wenige Ausnahmen im Pennsylvanium einset- zende intramontane Abfolgen sind aus mehreren, zum Teil ausgedehnten Becken in Südwest- und Mitteldeutschland über- und untertage bekannt. Die vielgestaltige Fazies des deutschen Karbons wird von der nach Nordwesten progradierenden variszischen Orogenese und deren Ende im späten Westfalium gesteuert. Die Fazies reicht von Beckensedimenten und Flyschablagerungen sowie lateral anschließenden Plattformkalken im Mississippium (,,Kulm-Fazies" bzw. ,,Kohlenkalk- Fazies") zu paralischen und intramontanen, fast ausschließlich pennsylvanischen Molasse-Ablagerungen. Gegenüber der STD 2002 wurden die traditionellen Namen in den Standard-Profilen des Mississippiums von Aachen, Velbert und des Sauerlandes durch neue Formationsbezeichnungen ersetzt. Neu ist auch die Untergliederung des nordöstlichen und östlichen Rheinischen Schiefergebirges (Kellerwald, Lahn-Dill-Gebiet), wo durch Zirkon-Provenienz-Analysen rhenoherzynische und armorikanische Decken unterschieden wurden. Das Mississippium des Thüringisch-Vogtländischen Schiefergebirges und des Frankenwaldes wurde stärker differenziert und mit Formationsnamen belegt. Kleinere Änderungen gab es im Namurium der subvariszischen Saumsenke am NW-Rand des Rheinischen Schiefergebirges und in den intramontanen Pennsylvanium-Abfolgen der mitteldeutschen Becken. The Carboniferous timescale in the Stratigraphic Table of Germany 2016 (STD 2016) relies on slightly modified composite ages already used in the Stratigraphic Table of Germany 2002 (STD 2002). They differ from the Geological Time Scale 2012 (GTS 2012). Besides the international stages, the western European Mississippian regional stages are shown. The traditional German subdivision of the Kulm was discarded. Mississippian (lower Carboniferous) sedimentary successions are widespread in the mountainous regions and hills in the central part of Germany (Rhenish Mountains, Harz, Thuringian Forest, Franconian Forest and adjoining regions of Saxony). They are also widespread in the subsurface of Northern Germany. Paralic Pennsylvanian (upper Carboniferous) successions crop out in the Subvariscan Basin between Aachen and Osnabrück, and continue into the subsurface of Northern Germany. Intramontane successions, with few exceptions starting in the Pennsylvanian, occur in several, in part extended basins in southwestern and central Germany. They are known from outcrop and subsurface. The diversified facies of the Carboniferous in Germany is controlled by the northwestern progradation of the Variscan Orogeny and its finalisation during the late Westphalian. During the Mississippian, megafacies realms include deeper water basinal sediments and flysch deposits, and laterally adjoining shallow-water platform carbonates ("Kulm facies" and "Carboniferous Limestone facies", respectively). Locally starting in the later Mississippian (upper Viséan), paralic and purely continental intramontane molasse deposits prevail during the Pennsylvanian. The traditional lithostratigraphic terms of the Mississippian regional standard profiles of Aachen and the western and northern Rhenish Mountains (Velbert, Sauerland) were completely substituted by new formations. Lithostratigraphic terms of the northeastern and eastern Rhenish Mountains (Kellerwald, Lahn-Dill area) were completely revised, as provenance analyses of detrital zircons enabled the differentiation of Rhenohercynian and Armorican nappes. Also the Mississippian of the ThüringischFränkisches Schiefergebirge and the Frankenwald (Franconian Forest) are better differentiated; formations were introduced for most lithostratigraphic units. Minor modifications concern the Namurian of the Subvariscan Basin at the northwestern border of the Rhenish Mountains and the intramontane Pennsylvanian successions of several basins in central Germany.

Description: The middle and upper parts of the Skały Fm, Early to Middle Givetian in age, were investigated in four sections at Miłoszów Wood in the Łysogóry Region (northern region of the Holy Cross Mountains, central Poland). The dating is based on conodonts (Polygnathus timorensis Zone to the later part of the Polygnathus varcus/Polygnathus rhenanus Zone; early Polygnathus ansatus Zone cannot be excluded) and spores (Ex1–2 subzones) and, coupled with cartographic analysis and geophysical investigation, allows correlation within the strongly faulted succession. Significant lateral facies variations within the carbonate ramp depositional system in comparison with the better studied Grzegorzowice–Skały section, about 3 km distant, are documented, thanks to conodont-based correlation of both successions. Foraminifers, fungi, sponges, rugose and tabulate corals, medusozoans, microconchids and cornulitids, polychaetes (scolecodonts), molluscs (bivalves, rostroconchs, and gastropods), arthropods (trilobites and ostracods), bryozoans, hederelloids, ascodictyids, brachiopods, echinoderms (mostly crinoids, rare echinoids, holuthurians, and ophiocistoids), conodonts, fish, plants (prasinophytes, chlorophycophytes, and land plant spores), and acritarchs are present. Brachiopods are the most diverse phylum present (68 species), other richly represented groups are bryozoans and echinoderms; in contrast, cephalopods and trilobites are low in diversity and abundance. The muddy, middle to outer ramp biota (200 marine taxa, including 170 species of marine animals, 22 photoautotrophs, 6 forams) represents a mixture of allochthonous shallower-water communities (upper BA3), including storm- and possibly tsunami-affected coral mounds, and autochthonous deep-water soft-bottom brachiopod (e.g., Bifida–Echinocoelia) communities (BA 4–5). The richness and diversity of the Miłoszów biota is relatively high, comparable with other approximately coeval pre-Taghanic ecosystems during the Devonian climatic deterioration (cooling). Preliminary data indicate that in the Holy Cross Mountains, no large-scale replacement of brachiopod (and probably many other benthic ones, like crinoids) communities took place between the Early–Middle Givetian and the Early Frasnian, in contrast to the demise of the Hamilton/Upper Tully fauna in the Appalachian Basin. Such a similarity of pre- and post-Taghanic faunas does not exclude the occurrence of environmental perturbations and transient community turnovers, caused by immigrations during the Taghanic Biocrisis, but evidences the successful recovery of the indigenous biota.