Sedimentary Geology, 32 (1982) 63--87 63

Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands

FACIES SEQUENCES AND TRACE FOSSILS IN LACUSTRINE/FAN

DELTA DEPOSITS, HORNELEN BASIN (M. DEVONIAN), WESTERN
NORWAY

J.E. POLLARD l , R.J. STEEL 2 and E. UNDERSRUD 3

1 Department of Geology, University of Manchester, Manchester (Great Britain)
2 Geological Institute, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway)
3 Statoil, Stavanger (Norway)
(Received January 20, 1981; revised and accepted November 2, 1981)

ABSTRACT

Pollard, J.E., Steel, R.J. and Undersrud, E., 1982. Facies sequences and trace fossils in
lacustrine/fan delta deposits, Hornelen Basin (M. Devonian), western Norway. Sedi-
ment. Geol., 32: 63--87.

Study of a lacustrine--fan delta succession in a marginal tract of Hornelen Basin

shows that occasional lakes were infilled by marginal accretion and progradation of the
adjacent fluvial system. The lake deposits are dominantly thin graded rhythmites and
thicker massive fine sandstones, both of great lateral extent and formed by fine sediment
gravity flows. Wave-generated ripple lamination is also very common whereas current,
especially climbing-ripple lamination occurs increasingly towards the southern edge of the
lake. Much of the lacustrine sequence is contorted, convoluted or deformed to a lesser
degree. Trough cross-stratified sandstones and pebbly sandstones characterised the low-
sinuosity stream systems which fed the lakes from the south. In a narrow transitional
zone, interpreted in terms of high-sinuosity distributary channels and shoreline, there are
significant amounts of planar cross-strata as well as ripple and plane parallel lamination.
Eight distinct types of trace fossils, chiefly arthropod tracks, trails and burrows (Scoyenia
ichnofacies) are present in the fine sediments (mudflats, pools and low bars) of this latter
zone. Behaviour patterns are dominantly locomotion and resting traces, possibly with
some surface feeding but an absence of infaunal feeding or dwelling structures.
The repeated progradation and retreat of the sandy fan-delta system into the lakes
generated mudstone-bounded sedimentary bodies. These are mainly alluvial coarse-
grained, upward coarsening and 5--25 m thick in the proximal areas. They are mainly
lacustrine, fine-grained, symmetrical (coarsest in the middle) or uniform and generally less
than 5 m thick, distally. In origin these bodies probably represent northward crevassing
out of the main westward-flowing axial fluvial system and were possibly triggered by
repeated base level changes caused by lowering of the basin floor against the northern
fault margin.
The trace fossils, described here for the first time in Norway, axe also known from
several other Devonian alluvial sequences, although the closest comparable ichnofauna
occurs in ephemeral lacustrine deposits in south Scotland. The type of arthropod that
made the trace fossils cannot be identified at present.

0037-0738/82/0000-0000/$02.75 @) 1982 Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company

64

INTRODUCTION

The Devonian basins of western Norway contain thick successions of allu-

vial and lacustrine, late-orogenic deposits, and are separated by blocks of
Precambrian and Lower Palaeozoic rocks (Nilsen, 1973}. The present fringe
of fanglomerates around the basins shows that they were depositional rather
than structural entities, though the eastern or southeastern thrust margins
indicate a certain amount of post<lepositional displacement (e.g. Fig. 1).
The Hornelen Basin is infilled with a thick succession (>25 km) of (?)
Middle Devonian, sedimentary rocks. Despite monotonous repetition of allu-
vial sequences, a wide variety of sedimentary facies have been described at
different places and stratigraphic levels in the basin (Steel et al., 1977}.
Small, conglomeratic alluvial fans and fan<leltas, either debris-flow<iomi-
nated (Larsen and Steel, 1978) or of mixed origin (Gloppen and Steel,
1981), fringe the fault-bounded margins of the basin (Fig. 1). The rest of the
basin was dominated by longitudinal infill, chiefly by large, sandy fan<lelta
systems which dispersed into terminal floodbasin (Bryhni, 1978) or lacu-
strine (Steel and Aasheim, 1978) tracts, both distally and marginally.
The basin is notable for the cyclic organisation within its thick alluvial
succession. There is a striking repetition of sequences, usually of an upward-
coarsening character, on both small (5--25 m) and large (100--200 m) scales.
It has been argued that the former is the alluviai signature of a rapidly down-
warping basin, the result of repeated retreat and subsequent progradation of
both marginal and axial systems; while the latter reflects a lateral component
of movement of the depocentre, probably resulting from the strike-slip
origin of the basin (Steel et al., 1977; Steel and Gloppen, 1980).
The present study was made because of:
(1) The need for documentation of the occasional lacustrine deposits in
Hornelen Basin and analysis of the fluvial--lacustrine transition. It is com-
mon that the axiai alluvium in the basin grades out distally (westwards) into
fine-grained fioodbasin sediments, without convincing signs of standing
water. At the same time it should be noted that the latter would be difficult
to demonstrate because the proposed lakes were shallow and ephemeral,
continually being infilled by prograding fan deltas. In addition, the most
distal portions of the alluvial sequences are always missing at present because
of late or post-Devonian tilting (eastwards) and later erosion. This has
resulted in disbelief that lacustrine deposits exist in Hornelen Basin (Bryhni,
1975), although a thick sequence of such deposits has been demonstrated at
one other locality (Spinnangr, 1975).
(2) The discovery of trace fossils in the fan delta sequences; now the best-
documented suite from the Norwegian Devonian basins. The horizons of
these finds are high in the stratigraphic succession of the basin (Fig. 2) but
nevertheless occur several thousand metres lower than the previously known
fossil locations (mainly plants and fish remains; Steel, 1976).
 65

!, !

°~

ee .~

!l o.
°I
,.o

C
r ~
!
"

A • • S / Z
I
"(2 i
oc ~ 0c

,.o
ooc
z z ~j~.

Z
66

),z~o~ ~o~°~
•- ~ " ~ -r~us~

~ " "?an ~ , ' , a c u s i r n e ' " " . ~ ~

i
.".< ""- " "
• " ' " " " ' " ' ' " " " i .:: .. : .".: . . : . C ~ . i " : . ~ . - : :: :
••::.:.:....i..::..::
...:....-..:.-.::-:~=~
:"t-".".~.";
.'" , Interfingering ~.'iacust'rine & s'trearn deposits

I' " " • ' Mainly~ ~braided stream deposits .

33 . . . . . ... . . - ~ 1kin
I
~ B J C i R N D A L S V A T N . ".
Mainly conglomerates ~ Mainly mediun3/coarse sandstones
~Malnly siltstoney'fine sandstones ~ Caledonian basement

N -~ 3km ~ S

Fig. 2. A. T h e s t u d y area, w i t h i n t h e n o r t h e a s t e r n p a r t o f H o r n e l e n Basin a n d t h e l o c a t i o n

o f t h e m e a s u r e d profiles: A - - m a r g i n a l fan s u c c e s s i o n (Fig. 3); B - - l a c u s t r i n e succession
(Fig. 4); C-sandy f a n - d e l t a s u c c e s s i o n (Fig. 6). B. S c h e m a t i c cross-section l i n k i n g a n d e m -
phasising t h e i n t e r f i n g e r i n g n a t u r e o f t h e m a r g i n a l fan, l a c u s t r i n e a n d s a n d y f a n - d e l t a
sequences. ( Z = s e q u e n c e w i t h trace fossils; Fig. 11).
 67

SEDIMENTATION AND FACIES SEQUENCES

General palaeogeography

Mapping of facies associations across the well-exposed study area shows

that there are three main elements in the palaeogeography (Fig. 2A):
(1) Fan/fan<lelta systems which prograded from the north, out from the
main fault margin of the basin, and formed prominent wedge-shaped con-
glomeratic bodies.
(2) Sandy fluvial and lacustrine delta systems which prograded from the
south.
(3) A floodbasin tract with large shallow lakes, which lay between and
received sediments from systems 1 and 2.
There are nine conglomeratic fan bodies stacked against that part of the
present northern margin of the basin shown in Fig. 2A. They are of the order
of 100--200 m thick in their proximal reaches and rarely extend more than

IPRESTEVATNETFANI

debris flow

subaqueous debris
flow/lacustrine

debris flow

sheetflood

floodplain

~crn .
MPS
Fig. 3. Profile measured t h r o u g h Prestevatnet Fan (see Fig. 2 A f o r l o c a t i o n ) .
 ILACUSTRINE SEOOENOES/
Rhythmites
Laminae graded

Convolute
lamination

Wave
m
i~ ~~i~ L>ripp[e
Current rlarnination
Cl~mbing~
30- i

m/ :ly
j ~ --~ Massive bed

Cross
stratification
i
Mudstone
Mud/siitstone
interbedding
Sandstone

20-i~i/i/!ii:!
d
b
m

:Ly
~n

-il
. .

Mud S i l l m c I
rn
Sst

Fig. 4. Profile measured through part o f the lacustrine s u c c e s s i o n w i t h six o f the m o s t

c o m m o n lacustrine s e q u e n c e s (a--f).
 69

Fig. 5. a. Wave-generated ripple lamination grading downwards to current-ripple lamina-

tion, in very fine sandstone; b. A completely massive, fine sandstone bed (sediment grav-
ity flow) with a thin capping of wave-ripple lamination and an envelope of mudstone; c.
m m thin, normally graded rhythmites (very fine sandstone/mudstone) overlying and
underlying a massive very fine sandstone bed.
70

110 ~
Interval
with
100 trace fossils
and plants
(see fig.11 )
90- ~__

80- /
l®
70~ ~l 0 \
6o- \
t

/40J

30-
lO
~
Palaeocurrents

~ Trough
Planar cross strafa

20" / I"-'~--~PI ane parallel

• • lamination
I
/0 ~ Massive/deformed
10 ~$
5q
O~
m

Sivf f m c vc
Fig. 6. Profile through the fan-delta succession (located in Fig. 2A). Note the upwards
coarsening within individual sequences and the position of the trace fossil suite in sequen-
ces 8 and 9.

1.5 k m southwards before they thin out completely. Because of their coarse-
ness proximally, it is unlikely that original fan radii averaged more than
2 k m . The mappable, interfingering of these fan bodies with thick flood-
basin/lacustrine sequences (Fig. 2A), the identification of subaqueous debris
 71

flows in some of the bodies (see also Larsen and Steel, 1978) and the
presence of conglomerate zones o f probable shoreline origin high on many of
the fan bodies (Gloppen and Steel, 1981), suggest that some of the marginal
fans should be classed as fan deltas. To allow comparison with the other pro-
files, a logged section through one of the fan sequences, together with a
general interpretation of the deposits is shown in Fig. 3. The fan deposits
are not further discussed because similar fan sequences have been described
in some detail elsewhere (Steel, 1976; Gloppen, 1978; Larsen and Steel,
1978).
T h e lacustrine area generally lay to the south of the fan fringe. Because of
the vigorous interfingering of coarser sediments with the lacustrine fines,
b o t h from north and from south, the lacustrine facies cannot easily be map-
ped onto Fig. 2A. The sense of this interfingering is better appreciated by
reference to Figs. 2B and 6. Most c o m m o n l y (e.g. Fig. 6), the lacustrine
deposits are seen to o c c u p y only the lowermost fraction of each fiuvio-lacu-
strine subcycle, though nearer the northern fans thicker sequences of more
continuously fine-grained sediment can be measured (Fig. 4). Even in the
latter instances, however, little of the sequence has accumulated b y sedi-
mentation from suspension; the lacustrine area in general was dominated by
flood-generated sedimentation, i.e. lake infilling was b y marginal accretion
and progradation rather than b y uniform deposition of fines over the entire
lake area (see also Picard and High, 1972; Heward, 1978).
The succession in question is unusually f i n e , r a i n e d as compared with most
of the Hornelen Basin's sedimentary pile. The proposal of a lacustrine setting
of sedimentation is strongly supported by:
(1) The abundance of wave-generated ripple lamination (Fig. 5a), often in
small packets which are capping (Fig. 4d, e) or at the base (Fig. 4a, b) of
density-flow sequences,
(2) The abundance of mm to cm thin-graded rhythmites (Figs. 4, 5c) as
well as the thicker, massive fine sandstones (Fig. 5b), both of great lateral
extent and interpreted as resulting from density flows in the lakes,
(3) The occasional presence of matrix-supported conglomerates which
c o m m o n l y exhibit excellent inverse or inverse-to-normal grading; character-
istics suggesting sub-aqueous debris flow (derived from the northern margin
fans), in a sequence otherwise dominated b y fine-grained sediments.
(4) The interfingering to the south with coarser-grained fluvial sequences
(Fig. 6), which are upward coarsening in character. The latter resulted from
fluvial progradation into lakes because such sequences have lacustrine facies
at their base.
Lacustrine shoreline gravels, such as have been identified in the marginal
fanglomerate bodies elsewhere in Hornelen Basin (Gloppen and Steel, 1981),
have not yet been found on the Prestevatnet Fan. Details of the various facies
sequences which make up the lacustrine succession are shown in Fig. 4. Se-
quences are b o u n d e d b y mudstone, are generally no more than 3 m thick
here, and are interpreted as the stacked distal portions o f the sandy fan<lelta
72

lobes which prograded into the lakes from the south, as discussed below• The
lacustrine sequences consist mainly of interbedded mudstones and siltstones
with occasional very fine/fine-grained, massive sandstones. The latter, also
interpreted as sediment gravity flows and of great lateral extent, are com-
monly concentrated in the central parts of the sequences. This often gives
the facies sequences a vague symmetry, with the massive, slightly coarser
middle parts giving way upwards and downwards to rhythmites or to their
wave-reworked (ripple lamination) or deformed {convolute lamination/

I FAN DELTA SEQUENCESJ

A B C
:/ _/II
::!!!
-~ 15- ¢ o 10"'-'-..
iii oo
oo

z Low
%z Qo
oo'
<~ sinuosity

~'~ channels .~

I
.oao
-

QI=
Q. .....

~Oc
~" High s i n u o s i t '
oo
channels
,%° ]

o~- 2,.,
m Si vf f m c
Proximal Z
..' ...

2--:.
:.:.j

Distal - 0m - J Sivff mc

JSTRINE

m Sivf f mc
Fig. 7. Details of three typical fan-delta sequences showing the dominance of the alluvial
(proximal) facies. Note the varying proportions of alluvial, transitional and lacustrine
facies in the different sequences.
 73

equivalents. This proximal to distal transition (south to north in the study

area) from highly asymmetrical (upwards coarsening, Fig. 6) to more sym-
metrical sequences has been noted elsewhere in the basin, though unrelated
to a lacustrine environment (Steel and Aasheim, 1978).
The southern, sandy fluvio-lacustrine system, the primary subject of this
report, is part of the axial fluvial system of Hornelen Basin (Fig. 1). It is not
clear, however, whether the northwards transport of sediment here
represents a sub<lelta system (for example a major crevasse system) from the
main westwards-flowing rivers, or the primary fluvial system itself, for exam-
ple during a period of northwards tilting of the basin palaeoslope. In an area
farther west, tile former situation has been documented; the lacustrine/
floodbasin tract adjacent to the marginal alluvial fans was infilled b y north-
wards<lirected crevasse channel sediments and other types of flood-gener-
ated deposits, lateral from the main westwards flowing braided river system
(Aasheim, 1977).
The general palaeogeography can be best summarised b y reference to the
marked lateral variation in facies across the area as shown in Fig. 2 and in
more detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. The discussion is n o w taken farther with
reference to the southerly fluvio<leltaic system, and centres on an analysis
of various small-scale progradation sequences, such as those of Fig. 6. These
sequences are relatively unusual in Hornelen Basin because of the rapidity of
their facies changes within such short vertical intervals and because of their
trace-fossil assemblage. The small cycles are ultimately tectonically control-
led, as elsewhere in Hornelen Basin, b u t are probably here the immediate
response to lake level changes.

The northwards prograding fan-delta system

The sediments which were transported northwards from the southern part
o f the study area are grouped into fluvial deposits, lacustrine deposits and
deposits of an intermediate nature. All the deposits are organised into
upward-coarsening sequences varying from 5 to 20 m in thickness. The three
facies are not present in all of the nine sequences studied, nor are the facies
proportions similar from sequence to sequence.
Proximal facies, b y definition, occur in the uppermost parts of sequences
and dominate sequences in the southern (nearest source) region (Fig. 7).
They consist most c o m m o n l y of sandstone or pebbly sandstone couplets in
which trough cross-strata alternate with f l a t of low-angle cross-strata. Cross-
stratified sets c o m m o n l y thicken and coarsen upwards (Fig. 7B), may be
deformed, especially in the uppermost portion (Fig. 7A), and sometimes
interbed with planar cross-stratified sets (Fig. 7C). This facies, with its abun-
dance of erosion surfaces, trough cross-strata and exotic pebbles, is typical of
the low-sinuosity stream deposits c o m m o n in many parts of Hornelen Basin
(Steel et al., 1977). The couplets m a y reflect varying flow stages of the
streams, while the upwards coarsening represents progradation of segments
of braided plain into the lacustrine area.
74

I INTERMEDIATE FACIESI
® ® ©
250 250-~
il~__Biot urbationJ
200 I 200-
/
150- 'J ~ : l 150-

lioturbotion
100-~..,~ /F
F-U
50" so-
Graded
.~foresets ~
ii1,,,
9
cm SiIvfI f ImI
cm~
Si vf f m
', ', ~ ',

DISTRIBUTARY "~ PROGRADING SHORELINE

CHANNEL
Fig. 8. Details of t h e facies in t h e t r a n s i t i o n a l z o n e b e t w e e n t h e b r a i d e d a l l u v i u m a n d t h e
s u b a q u e o u s deposits.

Intermediate facies occur in the middle parts of sequences (Fig. 7A)

although they can be completely absent (e.g. Fig. 7C). They consist either of
thin, upward-fining sequences within which cross-stratified sandstones fill
erosional topography and are overlain b y ripple-laminated sandstones and
bioturbated siltstones (Fig. 8A) or of more poorly defined sequences of flat
or low-angle laminated sandstones and cross-stratified sandstones, some-
times with a tendency to upwards coarsening (Fig. 8B, C). The former resem-
ble classic alluvial sequences and are interpreted here as point-bar and over-
bank deposits of high sinuosity distributary channels, which discharged sedi-
ment into the lake. The latter possibly represent lake shoreline sands or
simply sand bars of low-sinuosity streams which discharged across a low-
energy lake shoreline.
Distal facies are the finest grained and generally occur at the base of
sequences (Figs. 6, 7), although t h e y dominate most o f the succession in
the middle o f the study region (Fig. 4). In detail t h e y vary considerably, as
illustrated in Fig. 9. Where they are finest grained, the sediments consist of
mm or cm thin (average < 3 cm) graded siltstone/mudstone couplets (Fig.
9C). They are in places deformed b y convolutions, are sometimes non-
 75

JDISTAL FACIESI
INGREASING DISTANCE FROM DISTRIBUTARY CHANNEL
y
® ® © 100
Megaripples Deformed

Massive
100- and deformed 100- raded

:limbing 5O
ipples
Plane ion
parallel raded
lamination enticutar
~eds
50- 50 - :lazer
Climbing ,eds
ripple raded
lamination Vave
ippJes 0
cm Si vf
thythmites
Rhythmites
0 0-
crr, cm L ' J ' '
Si vf f Si vf f
2 4 g 163264128256mm

MOUTH BAR DISTAL MOUTH BAR LACUSrRINE

Fig. 9. Details o f t h e distal ( l a c u s t r i n e ) facies in a fan d e l t a s e q u e n c e .

r - ~ Mouth bar i S~nuous channels Low slnuoslty stream

Denslty currents Distal Proximal
of shoreline channels

--Mud/siLt v.f.sond / F / m sQnd / coarse a n d p e ; b l y sa d

0 oO° ~:oO:~:oO:-oVo:o:.0
°° : oO o Oo-~

30~ . .., :; ::...<::i :i ? / i . : ~ < o

1-3 km
::i:iJ~/ l I~

Fig. 10. Schematic reconstruction of a fan delta body. (Facies position of trace fossils
recorded from upper sequences shown).
76

graded, and have characteristic great lateral persistence ( > 2 0 0 m) despite

their thinness. They are interpreted as lacustrine rhythmites deposited b y
density flows which dispersed from the distributary channels. Where the
sediments are mainly very fine sandstones, climbing ripple lamination domi-
nates the sequence with associated lenticular and plane parallel lamination
as well as wave-generated ripples and rhythmites (Fig. 9B). With influx of
fine-grained sandstone there is an alternation of mainly plane-parallel lamina-
tion and climbing-ripple lamination with massive sandstones. In places the
latter can be seen to be deformed (Fig. 9A). Such sequences of fine/very fine-
grained sandstones dominated b y ripple lamination are interpreted as mouth-
bar sediments with an increase in flaser and lenticular bedding indicative of
the more distal reaches (Fig. 9B}. Increasing amounts of climbing-ripple
lamination and massive bedding Probably indicate an approach to the distri-
butary channel, with high rates of sediment fall-out from suspension due to
the widening of flow in front of the channel mouths.

Variation in the type o f lacustrine delta sequence preserved

Figure 10 is a schematic reconstruction of a single lacustrine delta lobe,

and shows proximal--distal variation in grain size and sedimentary structures.
Such lobes vary from 5 to 20 m in thickness and in the area o f the studied
succession probably prograded into areas of standing water up to 9 m deep.
The thinness of the lobes compared to their great lateral extent (>5 km)
highlights the interfingering of fluvial and lacustrine elements across the
study area. Nine such lobes are logged in Fig. 6, and it is clear from here, and
in more detail b y comparison of A, B and C in Fig. 7 that the lacustrine delta
sequences vary considerably with respect to their proportions of proximal,
intermediate and distal facies. In many cases the distal and intermediate
facies are thin or lacking. This may be due to such sequences being proximal
representatives. The basal fine-grained facies in such cases are likely to have
accumulated in local ponded areas within the braided stream floodplain. An
alternative explanation, particularly where proximal facies abruptly overlie
lacustrine rhythmite~ (e.g. C in Fig. 7), is that the braided streams of the
floodplain eroded d o w n into the underlying, finer-grained facies during their
northwards progradation. This would have been a natural consequence of a
drop in lake level. Repeated, rapid changes in lake level along this margin
have been d o c u m e n t e d elsewhere (Larsen and Steel, 1978; Gloppen, 1978)
and are a consequence of repeated basin-floor lowering and tilting against
the important northern marginal fault.
The trace fossil suite is contained in sequences 8 and 9 (Fig. 6) b u t it
should be noted that they occur associated with the intermediate and prox-
imal facies rather than with the most distal, lacustrine sediments (Fig. 10). It
may be that slough channels and other local ponds on the floodplain occa-
sionally accumulated sediment at a slower rate than the lacustrine area.
The cyclicity recorded here, with upwards transition of lacustrine density
 77

flows to pebbly braided stream deposits in less than 25 m is unusual com-

pared to t h a t k n o w n from other parts of Hornelen Basin. Cycles encompas-
sing the same range of facies as seen here are some 100--150 m thick else-
where (e.g. Steel et al., 1977), while upward-coarsening cycles on a similar
scale to those here contain a much more restricted facies range. It is sug-
gested t h a t the rapid lateral transition (commonly within less than 2 km)
f r o m pebbly braided stream deposits to lacustrine muds and silts indicates
t h a t the systems examined here are the result of lateral northwards crevas-
sing out of the main westwards-flowing axial fluvial system. It has been
shown that similar lateral facies changes occur over a b o u t 20 km along the
east--west axial system (Steel and Aasheim, 1978). The small scale of the

TRACE FOSSILS

I 1 2 3
.~0
I

4 5 7

6 7

0
m
sl v ! f m • vc

Fig. 1 I. Occurrence and diversity of trace fossil associations (ichnocoenoses). (Trace fossils
n u m b e r e d as in t e x t ; p l a n t r e m a i n s i n d i c a t e d were d r i f t e d a n d i n d e t e r m i n a t e ) .
78

cycles here probably reflect repeated base level changes as a direct conse-
quence of lowering of the basin floor against the northern fault margin.
Cycles on this scale have been identified throughout the basin and have been
traced from marginal fanglomerates through floodbasin deposits to the cen-
tral braided stream deposits (Steel and Aasheim, 1978, table 1).

TRACE FOSSILS

Occurrence and preservation

Although bioturbation is present in several of the sequences examined

(Figs. 7A, 8A), identifiable trace fossils occur only at three closely spaced
horizons in sequence 8 and one horizon in sequence 9, all in distributary
channel deposits in the south of the study area (Figs. 2, 6 and 11) (Unders-
rud, 1978). Each ichnocoenosis was studied in situ by means of photogra-
phy, tracing and field sketching. They differ in both the types of trace fos-
sils present and their modes of preservation (Fig. 11).
Ichnocoenosis a. Slightly compressed trails or surface burrows of two
types (Figs. 13c, 14b) are preserved as epichnia on a 5 mm thick layer of
green shaly siltstone which has undergone minor tectonic wrinkling between
t w o c o m p e t e n t beds of sandstone.
Ichnocoenosis b. At this horizon shallow endichnial burrows with biotur-

Fig. 12. Trackways of Siskemia cf. bipediculus Smith in ichnocoenosis d, Bj~ndalsvatn,

Hornelen, Norway.
 79

a. Siskemi~ c£ # l o g a ~ b. NeroJrtomlchnl~es

~ o~ 2
3
~ IOrnm
~'~ 7

10ram

~ 4 J
lOmm ~ ~ __~ %,

10mm

c. Fine sinuous trails (tracing)

~ f lOmm d. I$opOdiCht~u$? ~

~q

Fig. 13. A r t h r o p o d (?) trace fossils f r o m alluvial s e d i m e n t s near Bj~bndalsvatn, H o r n e l e n

(see t e x t for details).

bated infill are preserved in a green ripple cross-laminated very fine sand-
stone which occurs above a prominent mudcrack horizon. A loose rock spe-
cimen, probably from this horizon but found 200 m downslope, contains
similar oriented burrows (Fig. 14a).
Ichnocoenosis c. Poorly preserved hypichnia on the undercut base of a
massive, plane parallel laminated fine sandstone show an association of prob-
able l o c o m o t i o n traces, resting traces and feeding trials (Fig. 11).
Ichnocoenosis d. Here a variety of tracks are preserved as hypichnia, spas-
modically distributed over an area about 2 by I m of the basal surface of a
ripple-laminated, fine sandstone bed. Ripple foresets indicate an approx-
imate northward current direction. A slight scour of the underlying track-
marked thin shaly~iltstone layer is evident (Figs. 12, 13).

Brief description of the ichnofauna

Despite the poor state of preservation and the adverse weather and light
conditions prevailing during the time available for the study of this ichno-
fauna, about eight distinct types of trace fossil (1--8 on Fig. 11) appear to
be represented which can be broadly grouped as arthropod tracks, trails and
80

Fig. 14. Trace fossils from Hornelen. a. Endiehnial burrows showing preferred
orientation, a loose block probably derived from ichnocoenosis b (rule 0.25 m); b. Ribbon
trails slightly compressed on a bedding plane, ichnocoenosis a (scale bar 10 mm).
 81

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82

burrows. By comparison with better preserved ichnofaunas from other locali-

ties of closely similar age and facies (see Fig. 15), four of these traces can be
named w i t h some confidence while the remainder are described only in mor-
phological terms. Some revision of t y p e material has been necessary to
justify identification of the Hornelen specimens b u t the detailed ichnological
analysis and discussion are presented elsewhere (Pollard, in prep.).

a. Arthropod tracks.
(1) Siskemia elegans SMITH (1909, p. 5 and 42, plate 1) (Fig. 13a).
Description: The ichnospecies is an arthropod trackway consisting of two
closely spaced, fine parallel groove marks flanked by lateral rows of bow-
shaped or linear triplicate appendage marks which show a small pace. The
Hornelen specimens (Fig. 13a) are parts of gently curved trackways > 7 0 mm
in length, 13--16 mm in total width with fine central grooves 1--1.5 mm
apart and lateral tracks of bow-shaped appendage marks 1--2 mm long,
which are arranged normally or obliquely to the grooves and spaced 4--8
mm apart.
(2) Siskemia cf. bipediculus SMITH (1909, p. 7, fig. 7) (Fig. 12).
Description: This ichnospecies differs from the previous one b y its large
size, more widely spaced central grooves and more variably spaced, usually
duplicate, appendage tracks. These trackways from Hornelen may be straight
or slightly sinuous (Fig. 12) varying in length from 16 to > 3 5 0 mm and in
width from 20 to 30 mm. The central parallel grooves are spaced 2--3 mm
apart, although in some specimens as many as four discontinuous grooves
may be present, especially where the trackway bends (Fig. 12). The lateral
appendage imprints are variable in shape, 1--2 mm in longest dimension, in
mainly duplicate arrangement and spaced 12--15 mm apart (Fig. 12).
(3) Merostomichnites sp. (Fig. 13b).
Description: Straight, gently curved to sinuous trackways, from 40 to
> 1 2 0 mm in length, 8--15 mm (mode 8--10 ram) in width, consisting of
two parallel rows of triangular, ovoid (Fig. 13b, --5) or curved (Fig. 13b,
6--8) appendage imprints. These are 1--2 mm in length, spaced 2.5--10
mm (mode ca. 5 m m ) a p a r t and arranged opposite or slightly alternate, trans-
verse or oblique to mid-line of the trackway. The trackways are preserved as
positive hypichnia.
(4) cf. Beaconichnus darwinum Gevers et al. (1971, p. 86, plate 19, fig.
1--4).
Description: A series of straight, double-parallel groove moulds (hypich-
nial ridges) 1--2 mm in width and depth, 5--7 mm apart run across sand-
stone sole surfaces for distances of 100 to 250 mm. Semi-circular hypichnial
moulds ca. 5 mm in width, deepest at the curved end and oriented parallel
to the groove moulds, are preserved on the same sole surfaces b u t n o t inti-
mately associated with the groove moulds. The form and association of these
groove moulds with structures interpreted as resting traces are similar to B.
darwinum Gevers, although as the t w o types of trace have not been observed
to pass into each other, an inorganic origin cannot be entirely discounted.
 83

b. Trails
(5) Bilobate trails (cf. Isopodichnus---Cruziana t y p e ) (Fig. 13d).
Description: This trace fossil consists of bilobate trails preserved as con-
vex hypichnia divided into t w o longitudinal ridges b y a central groove (Fig.
13d-1). They are straight to gently curved, 2 mm in width and up to 200 mm
in length. A sculpture of faint transverse striations may be present in places
b u t in general the grain size of the casting medium is t o o coarse for the pre-
servation of such delicate features. The t w o best preserved trails occur on the
sole surface of a sandstone in association with abundant circular or cres-
centic moulds 2--3 mm in width (Fig. 13d), usually described as rain pit or
bubble moulds, b u t which possess a distinctly deeper end suggesting possible
preferred orientation. Five such moulds (Fig. 13d-2) occur in an en echelon
series 15 mm in length similar to patterns described for resting traces of Iso-
podichnus (Trewin, 1976; fig. 6, 4, I; Linck,-1942, fig. 7) and Kouphichnium
(Hardy 1970, plate 40). In width and form this trail resembles the 'ribbon
trace' expression of Isopodichnus described b y Trewin (1976) and although
the crude outline and arrangement of the associated hypichnial moulds are
suggestive of resting trace t y p e of Isopodichnus, diagnostic 'coffee bean'
traces have not been observed in the Hornelen specimens.
(6) R i b b o n trails (Fig. 14b).
Description: A criss~cross pattern of straight to slightly sinuous ribbon
traces is preserved as epichnia on bedding planes. The trails vary from 3--20
mm in width (mode 5 mm) and are from 50 to > 3 0 0 mm in length. The
bedding plane expression of the trails is as a complex of fine longitudinally
arranged wrinkle-like ridges within a shallow ribbon-like groove or flattened
ridge. Some of the wider trails, > 1 0 mm in width, show a suggestion of a
central wide shallow furrow and one or two lateral furrows separated b y low
flat ridges (?). Faint transverse markings m a y be present within the central
groove. At several places on the bedding plane more than ten trails appear to
cross at a centre -- the latest formed trails running in an east--west direction.
(7) Fine sinuous trails (Fig. 13c).
Description: Fine, almost hair-like trails, 0.5--1 mm in width and depth,
up to 80 m m in length, form irregular polygonal networks on the base of at
least two sandstone beds (Fig. 11). Individual trails may be straight or sinu-
ous to meandering, may branch acutely or frequently intersect other trails at
a b o u t 90 ° (Fig. 13c).

c. Burrows
(8) Endichnial burrows (Fig. 14a).
Description: Vertical, oblique or rarely horizontal endichnial burrows
occur in ripple-laminated or plane-laminated sandstones probably at several
horizons. In horizontal cross~ection the burrows are elliptical or highly
irregular, rarely circular, usually 10--30 m m in longest dimension b y 10--15
m m in shortest. On t w o bedding plane surfaces studied the burrow frequen-
cies were 1 0 5 / m 2 and 440/m 2 respectively, the latter assemblage showing
84

distinct orientation (Fig. 14a) suggesting rheotactic response. The burrows

are filled with coarser darker fine sandstone, poorer in mica than the matrix.
In some burrows the infilling is clearly bioturbated. While the larger irregular
burrows appear to result from the interference of adjacent burrows the more
regular burrows suggest that they were originally shallow oblique plug-
shaped burrows which were actively infilled (see profile suggested Fig. 11,
ichnocoenosis b).

Significance of the ichnofauna

The trace fossils described here are an important addition to the fossils
k n o w n from the Hornelen Basin, namely plants (Nathorst, 1915; Hoeg,
1936), fish (Kiaer, 1918; Jarvik, 1949) and undescribed arthropod tracks
(Kiaer, 1918), all from the easternmost (youngest) part of the basin. Whilst
none of the ichnospecies described is stratigraphically diagnostic their variety
is comparable to that recorded from other lower or middle Devonian alluvial
basins (Fig. 15).
The four ichnocoenoses all reflect the activity of an ephemeral aquatic
benthonic fauna, probably of arthropods, in shallow water frequently sub-
ject to traction currents. Behaviour patterns show a dominance of locomo-
tion and resting traces, possibly with some surface feeding b u t an absence of
infaunal feeding or dwelling structures, probably resulting from b o t h the
limited diversity of this early freshwater-trace-producing fauna and environ-
mental unsuitability for establishment of an infauna on account of such
factors as variable water depth, low mud content and high rates of sedi-
mentation and erosion. The differences between the ichnocoenoses reflect
minor variations of facies (i.e. temporary pools --ichnocoenoses a, c and d or
small channel sand bars--ichnocoenosis b), preservation conditions or
behaviour patterns, rather than any changes of the producers responsible.
Such variations are to be expected in the transitional areas b e t w e e n fluvial
and lacustrine conditions proper. The absence of trace fossils further into the
lake (distal fan and lacustrine facies) is somewhat surprising, although at
least in part it probably results from the almost continual influx of sediment
and lack of suitable mud<lraped preserving bedding surfaces in these environ-
ments.
When compared with other ichnofaunas from alluvial sediments of com-
parable age (Fig. 15), that from Hornelen reflects the c o m m o n dominance of
arthropod locomotion traces indicative of the Scoyenia ichnofacies. The
closest comparison appears to be with the ichnofauna of the siltstones and
fine sandstones of thin sedimentary lenses between the lower Old Red Sand-
stone lavas at Dunure in Ayrshire, Scotland, described by Smith (1909).
Detailed comparison with Smith's material (Institute of Geological Sciences,
Edinburgh JS 27197-27500) confirms the similarity of the aquatic traces and
demonstrates the absence from Hornelen of some of the probable terrestrial
arthropod traces recorded from Dunure (Briggs et al., 1979; Rolfe, 1980). As
 85

Rolfe (1980, p. 151) has rightly pointed out much neoichnology on non-
marine arthropods is required before the producers of Devonian alluvial trace
fossil assemblages can be evaluated fully. The absence of the large meniscus
packed burrow Beaconites, common in channel and overbank sediments in
many Old Red Sandstone basins (Allen, 1961, 1979) (Fig. 15) is further evi-
dence of the restricted nature of both trace producing organisms and the
environments in which they lived at this horizon in the Hornelen Basin.

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Analysis of sedimentary sequences and freshwater trace-fossil assem-

blages (ichnocoenoses) in the northeastern part of the Hornelen Basin shows
the presence of lakes which were repeatedly infilled by marginal accretion;
by debris-flow-dominated fans from the north and progradation of a fluvial
system from the south.
(2) These lakes were shallow and infilled with silty and sandy sediment as
thin graded rhythmites and thicker massive sandstones, both deposited from
sediment gravity flows. No trace fossils have been recorded from the lake
sediments.
(3) Low-sinuosity stream systems on the fan<leltas which fed these lakes
from the south originated by lateral crevassing out of the westward-flowing
axial fluvial system of the Hornelen Basin.
(4) A narrow transition zone between the fluvial and lacustrine environ-
ments is interpreted as a shoreline with high-sinuosity distributary channels.
Associated with these channels, trace-fossil-producing faunas of early fresh-
water arthropods existed in pools or on mud flats or low bars.
(5) The periodic slow advance and rapid retreat of the fan<lelta systems
generated stacked upward~oarsening sequences some 5--25 m thick; the cy-
clicity probably reflects repeated base level (lake) changes resulting from
the lowering of the basin floor against the northern fault margin.
(6) The trace fossils described are limited in diversity and not well pre-
served but are similar to other ichnofaunas from ephemeral lacustrine facies
of equivalent age, although in the present state of knowledge the exact affin-
ity of the aquatic arthropod producers cannot be identified.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A travel grant from the University of Manchester for field work in the
Hornelen Basin is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Drs. W.D.I. Rolfe and
N. Trewin for discussion on Devonian trace fossils, the Assistant Director
and Dr. R. Wilson of the Institute of Geological Sciences, Edinburgh for
access to the John Smith Collection and loan of specimens. Technical assis-
tance with drafting by Mr. P.F. Stubley, photography by Miss S. Maher and
typing by Mrs. C. Hardy is also gratefully acknowledged.
86

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