The initial phase of the Hönne Valley Reef at Binolen (northern Rhenish Massif, Middle Devonian)

Löw, Mieke; Söte, Till; Becker, Ralph Thomas; Stichling, Sören; May, Andreas; Aboussalam, Zhor Sarah; Zoppe, Simon Felix

doi:10.1007/s12549-022-00540-4

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 73 publications

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“…In contrast to T. astrictum, the thick peripheral wall of T. latum is nearly completely developed. All thin sections belong to a microfacies type described by Löw et al (2022) as coral-stromatoporoid ba e-oatstones (their MF8 including subtypes), representing deposits of an initial reef platform of the Hagen-Balve Reef. Ca: calcium carbonate, Sp: sparite, Mx: sedimentary matrix.…”

Section: Supplementary Filesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Photosymbiosis on Mid-Devonian Reefs

Jung,

Zoppe,

Söte

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The ability of scleractinian corals to thrive in the oligotrophic (low-nutrient, low-productivity) surface waters of the tropical ocean is commonly attributed to their symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates1,2. The evolutionary history of this symbiosis might clarify its organismal and environmental roles. It is currently unclear whether photosymbiosis first arose in the Triassic, with the emergence of scleractinian corals, or if it was already prevalent amongst older coral groups that have since gone extinct3–5. Here, we report the first measurements of nitrogen isotope ratios of coral-bound organic matter (CB-δ15N) in samples from Mid-Devonian reefs (Givetian, ca. 385 Ma), which represent the oldest isotopic constraint on the evolution of photosymbiosis to date. The colonial tabulate and loosely colonial (dendroid) corals analyzed have low CB-δ15N values (1.59‰±0.53‰ and 1.45±0.66‰, respectively) in comparison with co-occurring solitary rugose corals (4.38‰±1.34‰). The isotopic difference between Devonian colonial and solitary corals (2.86‰±0.86‰) is statistically indistinguishable from that observed between modern symbiont-bearing and symbiont-barren corals (3.38‰±1.05‰). From this evidence we infer that Mid-Devonian colonial tabulate and loosely colonial (dendroid) corals hosted active photosymbionts, while solitary rugose corals did not. The low CB-δ15N values of the Devonian colonial tabulate and dendroid corals relative to the modern range suggest that Devonian reefs formed in biogeochemical regimes analogous to the modern oligotrophic subtropical gyres. Widespread oligotrophy during the Devonian likely may have promoted coral photosymbiosis, potentially explaining why Devonian reefs were the most productive reef ecosystems of the Phanerozoic.

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Section: Supplementary Filesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Photosymbiosis on Mid-Devonian Reefs

Jung,

Zoppe,

Söte

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Drowning, extinction, and subsequent facies development of the Devonian Hönne Valley Reef (northern Rhenish Massif, Germany)

Stichling

Becker

Hartenfels

et al. 2022

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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The Hagen-Balve Reef is one of the largest Devonian carbonate complexes in the Rhenish Massif exposed in many former or active, economically significant quarries, especially in the Hönne Valley region at its eastern end. The timing and patterns of reef drowning, final extinction, and the middle Frasnian to middle Famennian post-reefal facies history, including details of the global Kellwasser Crisis, were studied based on two boreholes (HON_1101 and B102) and one outcrop at the Beul near Eisborn. More than 100 conodont samples provided a fine biostratigraphic framework and included new forms left in open nomenclature. The ca. upper 80 m of the new Asbeck Member of the Hagen-Balve Formation consists of relatively monotonous lagoonal successions assigned to four microfacies types. The local diversity of reef builders, mostly stromatoporoids, is low. Fenestral microbialites indicate very shallow and rather hostile back-reef settings. Near the Middle/Upper Devonian boundary, the eustatic pulses of the global Frasnes Events led to a significant backstepping of the reef margin, with reef core/outer slope facies overlying lagoonal facies. This flooding drastically reduced the carbonate accumulation rate and enabled the invasion of drowned back-reef areas by open-water organisms, such as polygnathid conodonts. Within this Eisborn Member, five microfacies types and numerous subtypes are distinguished including low-diversity “coral gardens” and a final, top lower Frasnian parabiostrome dominated by tabulate and colonial rugose corals. There was no cap stage (“Iberg Facies”). Two phases of the Basal Frasnes Event are marked by dark, organic rich limestones with subordinate reef builders. Based on conodont fauna from overlying nodular limestones of the new, (hemi-)pelagic Beul Formation, the final Hönne Valley reef extinction was caused by the eustatic Middlesex Event at the lower/middle Frasnian boundary. Within the Beul Formation, eight subphotic submarine rise microfacies types are distinguished. After a lower middle Frasnian phase of extreme condensation, rich conodont faunas enable the recognition of most upper Frasnian to middle Famennian zones. The global semichatovae Event led to a regionally unique intercalation by four phases of organic-rich, laminated black shales and intervening thin limestones in core HON_1101. The Lower Kellwasser Event is represented in HON_1101 by atypical, moderately Corg-rich, recrystallized, peloidal ostracod-mollusk pack-grainstones. The Upper Kellwasser level begins with an ostracod bloom, followed either by recrystallized mollusk wacke-packstones (HON_1101) or laminated, argillaceous mudstones (B102). The first indicates a rarely documented shallow subphotic, better oxygenated setting than typical Upper Kellwasser facies. As elsewhere, the top-Frasnian conodont extinction was severe. The lower/middle Famennian carbonate microfacies of the Beul Formation is relatively monotonous and typical for an oxic, pelagic submarine rise. The youngest recorded nodular limestones fall in the Palmatolepis marginifera utahensis Zone. Regionally uniform lydites of the Hardt Formation show that the local palaeotopography was levelled before the base of the Viséan. The Hönne Valley case study and comparisons with western parts of the Hagen-Balve Reef and other Rhenish reefs underline the significance of Givetian to middle Frasnian eustatic and anoxic events as causes for reef extinctions.

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A new discosorid and some other nautiloids from the Givetian of the Rhenish Massif, Germany

Afhüppe

Becker

2022

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Nautiloids were subordinate inhabitants of Middle Devonian Rhenish reefs and in surrounding neritic carbonate facies. However, a literature review shows the presence of more than 45 orthoconic, cyrtobreviconic, and gyroconic taxa, which are mostly insufficiently known. We report the first discovery of an orthobreviconic representative of the order Discosorida from the initial phase (Binolen Member) of the thick Hagen-Balve Reef Complex in the Hönne Valley (northern Sauerland). It belongs to a new genus and species (Binoleniceras stichlingi n. gen. n. sp.) that is characterised by fast conch expansion, fine longitudinal ribbing, and a marginal siphuncle with short, recumbent cyrtochoanitic (dorsally) and suborthochoanitic (ventrally) septal necks, rounded adapical thickenings (bulletes), strongly thickened connecting rings, and irregular lamellae in the septal opening. It has no described relative in the Middle Devonian of Central or Southern Europe. Other taxa discussed are the oncoceratoid Cranoceras Hyatt, 1884, with the first Rhenish record of Cranoceras subdepressum (Roemer, 1850), and the archiacoceratid Cyrtoceratites, with a possibly new species with very large-sized siphuncle.

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The initial phase of the Hönne Valley Reef at Binolen (northern Rhenish Massif, Middle Devonian)

Cited by 9 publications

References 73 publications

Coral Photosymbiosis on Mid-Devonian Reefs

Coral Photosymbiosis on Mid-Devonian Reefs

Drowning, extinction, and subsequent facies development of the Devonian Hönne Valley Reef (northern Rhenish Massif, Germany)

A new discosorid and some other nautiloids from the Givetian of the Rhenish Massif, Germany

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