Engineering geology

Lecture 3: Paleozoic
By. Dr. Pavel Spirov

Fanerozoic
Paleozoic, Mezozoic, Kainozoic
Pz - 1838 Sedjvic and Mz, Kz - in 1840 Phillips
1930 . s. Chedvic Fanerozoic, Pr and Archean Criptozoic.
540 mln-230 mln 6 periods: Cambrian , Ordovician ,Silurian ,Devonian,
Carbonifereous, Permian.
The Paleozoic is bracketed by two of the most important events in the history of animal life.
At its beginning, multicelled animals underwent a dramatic "explosion" in diversity, and
almost all living animal phyla appeared within a few millions of years.
At the other end of the Paleozoic, the largest mass extinction in history wiped out
approximately 90% of all marine animal species. The causes of both these events are still not
fully understood and the subject of much research and controversy. Roughly halfway in
between, animals, fungi, and plants alike colonized the land, the insects took to the air.
Animals with spinal.

The end of Proterozoic

The Cryogenian Period is a geologic period from 850 million to 630 million years ago. The
greatest ice ages known to have occurred on Earth, the Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations,
which may have covered the entire planet.
These so-called 'snowball earth' events are the subject of much scientific controversy. The
main debate involves whether these glaciation are truly global events or whether they are
localised glaciations and not a worldwide event.
The deposits of glacial tillite also occur in places that were at low latitudes during the
Cryogenian, a phenomenon which led to the hypothesis of "Snowball Earth".
During the Cryogenian, the supercontinent Rodinia broke up, and the supercontinent Pannotia
began to form ( Vendian supercontinent). About 750 million years ago (750 Ma), the
previous supercontinent Rodinia rifted apart into three continents: Proto-Laurasia and the
continental craton of Congo and Proto-Gondwana.
Proto-Laurasia rotated southward toward the South Pole. Pannotia was short-lived. By about
540 Ma, or only about 60 million years after Pannotia formed, Pannotia disintegrated into four
continents: Laurentia, Baltica, Siberia and Gondwana. Later, altered landmasses would
recombine to form the most recent supercontinent, Pangaea.

Paleozoic
Cambrian (540 -495 mln yy.)
was named by Sadjvik from Rome name of Wales
Cambria in1835

la, 16 archeosiates (Cambrian);

28 trilobites: 2 Pagetia 3Olenellus ( gi), 4 Redlichia (gi),
5 Paradoxides (pa), 6
Agnostus,7 Olenus ( ),
8, 86 Dorypyge ( 62);
910 brachiopodes: 9
Obolus ( 62Oi), 10 Kutorgina
( ei_2)

Main events
Sea levels were at or near an all time high
Archeosiates lived in a shallow warm seas, disapeared by the end of
Cambrian, took part in building reefs.
Cambrian was a flourish of trilobites
By the beginning of Ca all the continents merged and formed
Gondvana existing till the middle of Jurassic. It was located in the
southern latitudes
Yapetus ocean separated N.America from Euroasia and Greenland
(N.America and Greenland together are called Laurentia), Euroasia
was called Fennosarmatia
Other oceans were Paleoasian, Paleotetis, Paleopacific
Climate was close to tropical, many salt deposits
The most abundant animals on land and sea during the Paleozoic
were those like shellfish and insects that lacked backbones, so the
Paleozoic is often called "The Age of Invertebrates."

Cambrian location of the continents

Mineral resources
are relatively poor:
Oil in Baltic and Eastern Siberia, HassiMessaud in Algire
Sn, W in China and Russia
Metals in Birma and Norway
Many salt deposits especially in Pakistan
and Russia

Ordovician (495 443 mln y.)

1879, Lapwort ( from the name of the tribe from Wales). It was long
discussed if to dustinguish in a separate system (Copenhagen
1960)

Graptolites
Land plants appeared

Ordovician
Trilobites- 1 Asaphus; 2
Onnia; / 36 Chasmops; 4
Pterygometopus; 5
Megalaspis. Echinodermata: 6
Echinosphaerites; 7
Pleurocystis; 8
Cyathocrinus, 9
Bothricidans.
Graptolites: 10
Phyllograptus; 11
Didymograptus; 12
Diplograptus
Brahiopodes: 13
Porambonites; 14 Orthis.
Nautiloides: 15
Gomphoceras, 16
Cyrthoceras; 17 Endoceras

Main events

Gondvana began to move to the South, Avalonia and Armorika separated,

appearence of ocean Reikum
Ural ocean,Volcano bows
Climate was warm in early Ordovican and glaciers covered earth at the end
Thermal ecuator went accross Baffin Land, it was warm in Scandinavia and
Siberia
Land plants appeared near the end of the Ordovician and for the first time
we see the green of land plants in our global view. Huge forests and
swamplands formed during the warm climate of the Mississippian and
Pennsylvanian periods that later fossilized into the giant coal beds
tillites are found in Sahara and Arabian Peninsula, Brazil
Many oil producing layers of USA (Kanzas and Oklahoma) - 1/3 of american
reserves.
Fuels of Estonia, phosphats of Russia, England , Sweden, boksites of China
and Kazakhstan
Uranium in Sweden

Ordovican location of the continents

Silurian
was set in 1835 by Murchison in Wales. Name of ancient keltic tribe. 30 mln yy.

Trilobites: /Gheirurus; 2
Illaenus; 3 Deiphion.
Graptolites: 4
Monograptus; 5 Rastrites;
6 Sprirograptus.
Crayscorpiones: 7
Eurypterus; S Pterygotus.
Brachiopodes: 9
Conchidium; 10
Eospirifer; 11
Pentamerus.
Coelenterate: 12
Streptelasma; 13
Halysites; 14
Palaeofavosites.
Fish: 15 Lamarkia; 16
Birkenia. Plants: 17
Lepidodendron:

Silurian location of the continents

Main events
Plants began to cover land, predeccesors of ammonites
Main events: closing of Yapetus, collision of
Greenlandish part of N.America with Scandinavia and
Scotlandish part with Armorika which lead to appearence
of montains in Britain and Scandinavia - caledonides.
Laverussia N.America and eastern Europe.
Glasiers in S.America and Sahara, climate was cool, but
warm in Alaska, Greenland, Canada
Equator was located on N.American continenet.
Equatorial humid conditions existed on the north of
Russia, Ural, coral reefs were formed.
Some oil fields in USA, salt

Devonian system
was distinguished in 1839 by Sedjvik and Murchison in
Devonshire county. 50 mln. Y. France, Belgium,
Germany

Devonian
Brachiopodes: / Karpinskia; 2
Euryspirifer; and 36
Stringocephalus; 4
Cyrtospirifer; 5 and 56
Hypothyridina.
6 Clymenia.
Agoniatits: 7Timanites. Goniatits:
8 Tornoceras; 9 Anarcestes.
Crinoides: 10 Cupressocrinus.
corals: 11 Calceola. Dip'teris
fish: 12 Dipterus.
Holoptychius fish: 13
Holoptychius.
Amphibians 14 Ichthyostega.
Riniphotes: 15 Psilophyton; 16
Asteroxylon; 17 Rhynia

Main events
- In the result of Caledonian orogenesis: mountains appeared on the
North Atlantic region, Northof Greenland, Kazakhstan, Tyan-Shan,
Mongolia, Australia, Andes.
- Very active orogenesis, molasses
- Warm climate 25-30 C
- The most ancient coals Norway, N. Russia,
- Important oil layers of Volga-Ural, Timano-Pechora, Canada,
Amazona and Sahara
- Iron mines in Tatarstan, Appalachian, Spain, Turkey
- Biggest part of diamond kimberlit tubes of north-east of Russia.

Devonian location of the continents

Main events
Many different facies, distinguishing from fish fossils
Disappearence of many groups of organisms,
appearance of new groups of plants and animals. Life
began to propogate on the surface.
Period of fish
Disappearance of graptolites, trilobites, nautiloides
started.
Ammonoides became a general group of organisms
Fern, plaunes, gymnosperms
Bushes transformed in trees

Carboniferous
was set in 1822 by Konibir and Phillips, 360 - 286
mln yy., 70 mln yy.

Very different; in many part of the world

only marine depositions.
Last graptolites disappeared, trilobites
and gigantic gray-fishes lost their
significance.
Plants and animals became Index
Fossils. Flourish of trees covering all the
continenets.
Many new groups of continental animals.
Insects dragon-flyes (70cm)
Shark-type cartilaginous fishes
Stegacefals
Plauns (30-40 m length and 1-2 m width)
Ferns, fur and ginkgo

Carbonian
Fusulina (), 2
Schwagerina ().
Corals: 3 Chaetetes (Ci
Ca), 4 Syringopora, 5
Lonsdaleia, 6 66
Caninia.
7 Archaeocidaris (CiCz).
Goniatites: 8 Aganites, 9
Gastrioceras.
Brachiopodes: 10
Unispirifer (Ci), 11
Choristites, 12
Neospirifer (CiP), 13
Productus, 14
Gigantoproductus (Ci), 15
Dictyoclosus (CiP).
Gastropodes: 16
Bellerophon, 17
Euomphalus

Poteriocrinus multiplex, 2 Cromocrinus;

amphibians: 3 Dolichosoma, 4
Scineosaurus, 5 Protophasma dumasu

gigantic insect

Carbonian location of the continents

Main events
Beginning of Pangea II forming
Big glaciation began from Australia and covered
big part of S.America, Arabia, Antarctide
Gertsinian orogenesis
Warm tropical climate
From the middle of Carbon the climate was
becoming more dry and cold- glaciation
30% of the world coals

Permian system
was distinguished by Murchison in Western Ural in
1841 (50 mln.y)
Lavrussia merged with Siberia forming Lavrasia
and Lavrasia with Gondvana Pangea II.
Glaciers.
Role of ferns decreased

Permian
Pseudofusulina (); 2
Schwagerina (Pi). Agoniatites:
3 Medlicottia.
Goniatites: 4a 46
Paragastrioceras (Pi).
Mollusks: 5 Eurydesma; 6
Pseudomonotis speluncaria;
7 Allorisma komiensis.
Brachiapodes: 5 Licharewia
(Ps); 9 Productus
canerini; 10 Spirifer
regularis.
Reptiles: // Pareiasaurus (Pa);
12 Inostrancevia (P?).
Amphibies: 13 Eryops.
Plants: 14 Walchia (Pi)

Permian location of the continents

Mineral resources
One of the most arid period, but not only
salt was deposited there.
Coal (1/4 of world reserves)- India, China,
Russia, USA, Australia, Soth Africa
Oil, gas in USA, Nitherland (Groningen),
Iran, Russia, Ukraine, metals

Mesozoic era
Following the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic extended roughly 180 million years: from 251
million years ago (Mya) to when the Cenozoic era began 65 Mya.
This time frame is separated into three geologic Periods.
From oldest to youngest:
Triassic (251.0 Mya to 199.6 Mya)
Jurassic (199.6 Mya to 145.5 Mya)
Cretaceous (145.5 Mya to 65.5 Mya)

The Mesozoic was a time of tectonic, climatic and

evolutionary activity.
The continents gradually shifted from a state of connectedness
into their present configuration; the drifting provided for
speciation and other important evolutionary developments.
The climate was exceptionally warm throughout the period,
also playing an important role in the evolution and
diversification of new animal species.

Mezozoic 180 mln yy.

Triasic was distinguished by Belgian scientist Omalius dlloir in

1831.
In 1834 German geologist Alberti named them Triasic (40 mln
y.).
The lower (Triassic) boundary is set by the
Permian-Triassic extinction, during which approximately 90%
to 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates
became extinct. It is also known as the "Great Dying" because
it is considered the largest mass extinction in history.
Big landmass
Low sealevel

Main events

The Triassic was generally dry

Flourish of ammonites
Role of ferns increased again
Many types of pine-trees, araucaria, ginkgo appeared
Cotilosuarus disappered and beastlike
Flourish of dinosaurus
First mammals
Tectonic and magmatic activity slow, existing mountains became lower
Carbonate accumulation decreased
Very hot climate in the middle of period
Pangea II is yet a monolith, the interior of Pangaea probably included expansive areas
of desert. Abundant evidence of red beds and evaporites such as salt support these
conclusions.
The end of Tr intensive tectonic deformations in India-China (granates) and Europe
Equally warm T, fossils of dinosaurus are found everywhere
Oil and gas in Algire, north of Canada, Russia, Australia, Alaska
Gold, silver, zink in Australia

Ammonoides: 1, 16, 1
Tirolites (,); 2, 26
Doricranites (,); , 36, ,
de, Ceratites (); 4
Pinacoceras (). mollusks:
5
Monotis (Tz); 6
Pseudomono'Js (); 7
Daonella (); 8 Claraia
(Ti);
9 Halobia ().
10 sealilac Encrinus.
amphibias: // Bethosuchus
(,); 12 Mastodonsaurus
().
Fur-tree: 13 Voltzia

Triassic location of the continents

Mesozoic tectonic deformation
was comparatively mild.
Nevertheless, the era featured the
dramatic rifting of the
supercontinent Pangaea. Pangaea
gradually split into a northern
continent, Laurasia, and a
southern continent, Gondwana.
By the end of the era, the
continents had rifted into nearly
their present form. Laurasia
became North America and
Eurasia, while Gondwana split
into South America, Africa,
Australia, Antarctica and the
Indian subcontinent.

Jurassic (60 mnl yy.)

Gumboldt 1822, Broniar 1829

black, brown and white Jurassic

Smaller subdivisions are distingushed based on ammonites
Corals, reefs
First birds
Salt accumulation decreases and coal accumulation increases
Pangea II splits
Mid-Jurassic changed the whole tectonic picture of the Earth
Lifting of ocean level
Volcano activity
Carbonates accumulated on the shelves of the oceans
Formation of indian ocean
Afganian-Tadzhikian depression- 850 m of salts
16% of world coals
Oil Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Caucasian, Caspian, W.Siberia, North Sea. Gas of
Barents Sea

One of the biggest period of iron deposits formation

Metals

Ammonoides: 1, 16 Arietites (j[);

2 Amaltheus (Ji); 3
Stephanoceras.
(Js); 4 Cosmoceras (); 5
Cardioceras (Js); 6a, 66
Parkinsonia (Ja);
7a, 76 Virgatites (Ja); 8a, 86
Perisphinctes ().
Belemnites: 9 Cylindroteuthis (Ja
Ki); 10 Pachyteuthis (JaKi).
Mollusks: 11 Diceras (Js), 12
Trigonia (JaK); 13 'Nerinea (Ja
Ki); 14a, 146 Buchia(jsKi).
Brachiopodes: 15 Rhynchonella
fisheri; l6a, 166 Terebratula
numismalis.
Trees: 17 Ginkgo (JQ); 18
Podozamites (JK);
19a, 196 Nilssonia (JK)

Jurassic location of the continents

Cretaceous (70 mln yy.)

White chalk is spread all over Europe

Ammonoides: / Ancyloceras
(Ki); 2 Scaphites (Kz); 3
Crioceras (Ki^;
4 Schloenbachia (Kz); 5
Simbirskites (Ki); 6 Hoplites
(Ki); 7Tissotia
().
Belemnites: 8 Duvalia (Ki); 9
Actinocamax (Kz); 10
Belemnitella
()Mollusks: 11 Inoceramus
retrorsus; 12 Buchia
(Aucella); 13 Gryphaea; 14
Hippurites.
: 15 Micraster; 16
Echinocorys

Brachiopodes loses their role

Sharks, snakes and crocodiles
Real birds with teeth
First birds without teeth
Mammals are yet of small size

1 Rhamphorynchus (Js); 2
Pteranodon (); 3 Iguanodon (Ki);
4 Stegosaurus
(JaKi); 5 Triceratops (); 6
Diplodocus (Js); 7 Ichtyosaurus (Ji);
8 Mososaurus ()

Location of the continenets in Early and Late Cretaceous

Main events of Cretaceous

The climate of the Cretaceous is less certain and more widely disputed.
Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are thought to have
caused the world temperature gradient from north to south to become
almost flat: temperatures were about the same across the planet. Average
temperatures were also higher than today by about 10C.
In fact, by the middle Cretaceous, equatorial ocean waters (perhaps as
warm as 20 C in the deep ocean) may have been too warm for sea life,
and land areas near the equator may have been deserts despite their
proximity to water.
The circulation of oxygen to the deep ocean may also have been disrupted.
For this reason, large volumes of organic matter accumulated because they
were unable to decompose and were eventually deposited as "black shale".
Formation of Atlantic ocean
Australia begins separating from Antarctides
a few microcontinents collide with Earoasia Volcano belt from Chukotka
till Kalimantan
similar belt was formed from the western part of N.America
granates, orogenesis
sea were more waterflooded
Indostan were moving to Asia, Madagaskar separated from India

Great Mezozoic Extinction

50% of radioliaria,
75% brachiopodes,
from 25 to 75% mollusks, lilac,
sharks 75%
100 groups of animals and plants.

End Mesozoic Extinctions:

Second Great Biotic Crisis of the Earth (65 m.y. ago);

25% of all known families lost

A. Oceanic Realm Extinctions

1. Vertebrates
a. ichthyosaurs
b. pleisosaurs
c. mosasaurs
2. Invertebrate Groups Completely Lost
a. ammonoid cephalopods
b. belemnites
c. rudistid pelecypods
3. Invertebrate Groups Losing many Families
a. echinoids
b. Bryozoans
c. planktonic foraminifers
d. calcareous phytoplankton
B. Terrestrial Extinctions
1. Reptile clans: Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs
2. Reptile survivors: Turtles, snakes lizards crocodiles, tuatara lizard
(Sphenodon)

Tillites

Till is unsorted glacial sediment.

Glacial drift is a general term for
the coarsely graded and
extremely heterogeneous
sediments of glacial origin.
Glacial till is that part of glacial
drift which was deposited directly
by the glacier.
It may vary from clays to
mixtures of clay, sand, gravel and
boulders.
In cases where till has been
indurated or lithified by
subsequent burial into solid rock,
it is known as the sedimentary
rock tillite.

Tektites

Tektites (from Greek tektos, molten)

are natural glass rocks up to a few
centimeters in size, which most
scientists argue were formed by the
impact of large meteorites on Earth's
surface. Tektites are typically black or
olive-green, and their shape varies
from rounded to irregular.

Moldavite, 14 mln y.o.

Possible Extraterrestrial Causes

1. Asteroid Impact
a. Alvarez theory 1977: Elemental iridium enrichment 30 times normal in terminal Cretaceous clay
indicates vaporization of asteroid on impact with Earth; iridium enrichment too great for terrestrial source
explanation; bolide (comet, asteroid, meteorite) impact.
b. Support more likely for Alvarez theory: Iridium clay found at same level in Denmark, Spain New
Zealand, N. America, Austria, Haiti, Russia, and in Atlantic and Pacific sediment cores.
c. Other support: Shocked quartz, tektites, soot component in clay, 180 km diameter crater in Yucatan,
Mexico; Antarctic fish kill.
d. Arguments against Alvarez theory: Massive volcanism at Deccan and other sites 65 m.y.a. could have
provided iridium; antimony and arsenic enrichment in clay suggests volcanism; elemental distribution in
30 to 40 cm of clay suggests lengthy event; impact may have occurred but aided biotic crisis, not caused it.
2. Periodic Extinctions and Tenth Planet Hypothesis
a. Extinctions (less dramatic than 65 m.y.a.) seem to occur at 26 m.y. periods
b. Periodicity may be due to half orbit perturbation of comet paths as yet unknown tenth planet (having
orbital period of 56 m.y.)
c. In this idea, extinctions 65 m.y.a. are part of a repeating pattern but were exacubated by other global
changes at same time.
3.

Cosmic Ray Bombardment

a. Magnetic Reversal induced event: Reversal of field causes lowering of electro magnetic shield against
normal cosmic rays; rays cause genetic damage and lethal mutations; does not explain water shield effects
or some lack of age correlation of extinction with times of known reversals
b. Supernova-induced: Cosmic ray bursts may occur with periods of 70 m.y. based on astronomical
statistics

D. Possible Terrestrial Causes:

a. loss of epicontinental seas due to rapid sea level
fall at end of Cretaceous,
b. change in water chemistry due to sudden release of
Arctic Ocean water which was fresh not saline like
Cretaceous ocean,
c. widespread volcanism: Dust, aerosols, greenhouse
gasses, acid rain,
d. mitigation of effects to collapsed food chain.