Exercise 5

Biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy is the subdiscipline of geology that is concerned with

determining the relative ages of sedimentary rocks on the basis of their
contained fossils. The practical application of biostratigraphy is
biostratigraphiccorrelation: i.e., establishing the temporal equivalence of
widely separate rock units on the basis of fossils.

Fossils are useful in relative age determination because the processes of

evolution have produced a unique sequence of life forms through time. Every
species of fossil plant, animal and protist has a definite stratigraphicrange,
the range in geologic time from its evolutionary origin to its extinction.
Similarly, every interval of geologic time has been characterized by its own
distinctive faunas and floras.

The age of a fossil-bearing sedimentary rock can be determined if the

stratigraphic ranges of its contained fossils are known. For example, suppose
that a particular trilobite species is known to have lived in late Cambrian
time. It follows that any rock containing fossils of that particular trilobite
must be late Cambrian in age. In practice, determining the precise
stratigraphic ranges of fossil species can be quite involved. Nevertheless,
the stratigraphic ranges of thousands of species are well known, and they
can be used to correlate rocks with a precision that generally exceeds that
of radiometric dating.

Part1
Before fossils can be used to help determine the relative age of a
sedimentary rock, their stratigraphic ranges must be known. The following
exercise is a simplified example of how one might go about documenting the
stratigraphic ranges of some fossil species in rocks of known ages, and then
using that information to infer the ages of rocks in previously unexplored
areas.

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Figure 1—Occurrences of two fossil species at five separate localities. Ages of rocks in regions I, II, and III are known on
the basis of independent evidence. Ages of rocks in regions IV and V must be determined on the basis of their contained
fossils. Abbreviations: C = Cambrian; O = Ordovician; S = Silurian; D = Devonian; M = Mississippian (from Brice et al.
2001).

a. Use letter abbreviations to complete the geologic column at the left in

Figure 1, with Cambrian at the bottom and Mississippian at the top.

b. Now, with your knowledge of the geologic time scale and the Principle of
Superposition, use heavy vertical lines to show the stratigraphic ranges of
species F-1 and F-2 in the two columns under the heading “Fossil Ranges.”
You can determine the stratigraphic ranges of these species by observing
their occurrences in rocks of known ages in regions I, II and III.

c. Using the stratigraphic ranges of species F-1 and F-2, what inference can
you make about the age of the fossil-bearing layers in region IV? C - S

d. What inference can you make about the age of fossil-bearing strata in
region V?
Silurian

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Part2
Biostratigraphic correlation is usually accomplished by means of biozones,
defined as bodies of rock strata that are characterized by their distinctive
association of fossils species. The assumption is that a given biozone in one
region is approximately the same age as the same biozone in a separate
region, even if the regions are quite distant from one another.

Many kinds of biozones are recognized. The most widely used are the taxon
rangebiozone, concurrentrangebiozone, and intervalbiozone.

• Taxon range biozone = body of strata corresponding to the total

stratigraphic range of a specified fossil taxon (e.g., species or genus)
• Concurrent range biozone = body of strata corresponding to the
overlapping stratigraphic ranges of two or more specified fossil taxa
• Interval biozone = body of strata corresponding to the interval
between any two specified evolutionary events (e.g., interval between
two extinction events; interval between two origination events;
interval between an origination event and an extinction event).

Examples of these kinds of biozones are illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2—Different kinds of biozones defined on the basis of stratigraphic ranges of hypothetical fossil species A–G,
depicted by heavy vertical lines. The interval biozone corresponds to the body of strata from the evolutionary origin of
species D to the origin of species B.

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 a. Illustrations of Paleozoic brachiopods, along with their known
stratigraphic ranges, are given on the following two pages. Use the
information on these pages to help you complete Table 1. Using pencil, shade
in the stratigraphic range of each brachiopod genus listed.

Stringocephalus

Echinoconchus

Punctospirifer
Strophomena
Rafinesquina

Rensselaeria

Mucrospirifer

Pentamerus
Cyrtospirifer

Conchidium
Paraspirifer
Penicularis
Mesolobus

Neospirifer
Composita
Juresania
Chonetes
Table 1—Known

Leptaena
Dielasma

Leptodus
Hustedia
Derbyia

Cyrtina
Spirifer
Athyris

Atrypa
stratigraphic ranges of
selected Paleozoic
brachiopod genera

upper
Permian middle
lower
upper
Pennsylvanian middle
lower 3
upper
Mississippian middle
lower
upper
Devonian middle
1 2
lower
upper
Silurian middle
lower
upper
Ordovician middle
lower
upper
Cambrian middle
lower

b. Once you have recorded the stratigraphic ranges of each genus, identify
examples of: (1) a taxon range biozone; (2) a concurrent range biozone; and
(3) an interval biozone. Draw the boundaries of each biozone and label it
appropriately.
1.
2. lower athyris – upper leptaena
3. lower juresania – lower mesolobus

c. What is the geologic age of a rock sample that contains the brachiopods
Cyrtospirifer, Atrypa, Composita and Leptaena?
Upper devonian

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Part3
Graphiccorrelation is a special biostratigraphic technique for correlating
pairs of stratigraphic sections. The technique does not rely on biozones for
correlation, but rather it utilizes the ranges of allspecies that occur in both
of the stratigraphic sections being correlated.

In order to perform graphic correlation, one must ascertain the lowest

observed occurrence and the highest observed occurrence of all fossil
species that occur in both sections. These data, referred to as fossil “bases”
and “tops,” respectively, are then plotted on an X-Y graph and a line of
correlation is fitted through the points. The line of correlation can be
interpreted to relate a given level within one stratigraphic section to the
exact temporal equivalent in the other section.

Examine Figures 3–6 for a clearer description of graphic correlation.

Figure 3—Two sections, A and B, can be correlated using traditional biozones, but precise correlation within biozones is
not possible using traditional techniques.

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Figure 4—Graphic correlation plot of the same data as in Figure 3. Note that fossil “bases” (or evolutionary appearances)
are plotted as circles and fossil “tops” (or extinctions) are plotted as pluses.

Figure 5—Line of correlation fitted through the data points from sections A and B. Any level in section A can be correlated
with its exact temporal equivalent in section B by projecting to the line of correlation and then over to the other section.

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 Figure 6—The line of correlation is not always a straight line. A change in the slope of the line of correlation signifies that
sedimentation rates changed in one section relative to the other. For example, a perfect 45°line of correltation means that
sedimentation rates in the two sections are exactly the same. A slope less than 45°means that sedimentation at Locality
A (horizontal axis) occurred faster than at Locality B (vertical axis). Conversely, a slope greater than 45°means that
sedimentation at Locality B was faster than at Locality A. A horizontal segment in the line of correlation signifies an
unconformity or gap in sedimentation at Locality B. In other words, a finite thickness of strata at Locality A accumulated
during an episode of non-deposition or erosion at Locality B.

a. Table 2 contains information on “bases” and “tops” of 11 fossil species

that occur in two sections, X and Y. Plot these data on Graph A and then
draw a line of correlation that best fits the distribution of data points.

Table 2—Bases and tops of 11 species at sections X and Y. Values in meters above base of section.
Bases Tops
Species Section X Section Y Section X Section Y
1 15 5 49 23
2 21 14 94 53
3 27 12 99 58
4 16 10 80 47
5 32 18 83 54
6 42 28 91 63
7 54 24 68 38
8 53 34 79 58
9 57 32 86 51
10 69 34 85 43
11 43 23 81 51

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 GraphA

Keterangan: Base
Top

b. At which section, X or Y, was sedimentation occurring at the faster rate?proses

sedimentasi yang memiliki rate lebih cepat terdapat pada section X

c. What level in section Y is exactly the same age as 50m in Section X?

in level 32 m in section Y

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d. Table 3 contains information on “bases” and “tops” for another group of 11
species from two more hypothetical sections, X and Y. Plot the data on
Graph B, as before, and draw a line of correlation.

Table 3—Bases and tops of 11 species at sections X and Y. Values in meters above base of section.
Bases Tops
Species Section X Section Y Section X Section Y
1 14 20 42 50
2 6 6 47 50
3 21 25 36 47
4 15 13 80 50
5 22 33 85 58
6 32 31 90 54
7 7 14 75 50
8 25 26 82 53
9 70 50 90 63
10 36 40 81 52
11 40 47 86 53

GraphB

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e. Is the line of correlation a straight line, or is there a change in slope?grafik ini
menunjukkan adanya hiatus sementara pada keberadaan taxa ini

f. What does the line of correlation tell you about the rate of sedimentation in
the lower part of section Y relative to the rate of sedimentation in the lower part
of section X? bagian bawah X dan Y menunjukkan peningkatan rate
sedimentation.

g. Examine the simple graphic correlation plot below. Assume that the line of
correlation has been drawn correctly. Explain why some of the data points do not
fall exactly on the line of correlation? Adanya anomaly atau hal lain yang
menyimpang

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Stratigraphy
Three cores were collected from an Oligo-Miocene sequence of rocks in the ocean. A total of
thirteen species of foraminifera were collected from throughout these cores. Eight taxa are
benthic forams, and their preferred habitat (in depth) is shown below. The other five are planktic
forams with restricted periods of time over which they were abundant. The occurrence of the
planktic forams correlated with time, is also shown below.

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Using the known distributions of these forams as a guide, divide this section into parts based
upon the depth of deposition or the age of deposition. Keep in mind that 1) gravity works, and 2)
old specimens may be reworked.

7Ma

16Ma 50 – 500 m

1500 m
20Ma

Makin keatas
makin dalam
dan makin muda

500 m

150 m

50 m

23Ma
0m

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 Using these forams as references, correlate the following sections by LITHOLOGY .

A B C

What interpretations can you make from this correlation? What was the environment like?

Berdasarkan litologinya dapat dikatakan bahwa proses transportasi pada starata ini
menunjukan tingkat kecepatannya tidak konstan atau relative berubah, sehingga yang
ditemukan di starata ini berupa sandstone hingga lempung gamping. Buktinya, section B
menggambarkan adanya sisipan gamping di antara batu pasir laminasi.

Lingkungan: lingkungan pengendapan laut yang secara kekuatan arus tidak

konstan/relative berubah sering berjalanya waktu. Lingkungan pengendapan section ini
dapat juga berada di dekat daratan, seperti shallow marine atau coastal.

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Using these forams as references, correlate the following sections by WATER DEPTH
during deposition using benthic forams.

A B
C6t

What interpretations can you make from this correlation? What was the environment like?

Strata dari atas di endapakan di laut dari kedalama tinggi ke rendah. Untuk section A
ditemukan strata dengan selipan fosil (50 – 15 m) di antara fosil (0 – 50 m). hal ini dapat
dipengaruhi oleh densitas dari fosil tersebut sebagai bentuk kontribusi kompoisi kimia dari
fosil tersebut, sehingga tidak heran terdapat pembalikan kedelaman dari strata atau sejenisnya.

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Using these forams as references, correlate the following sections by AGE using planktonic
forams.

A B C

What interpretations can you make from this correlation? What was the environment like?

Strata di atas berumur dari paling tua berumur oligosen hingga meosene (23 Ma – 7 Ma)/ dari
bawah ke atas semakin tua yang menunjukan strata tersebut secara umur bersifat konstan dan
atau kontinu. Strata di atas selaras, dimana tidak ditemukan hiatus dan sejenisnya.

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EXERCISE 7 – CORRELATION NAME

Recently, an ash layer (pink) was discovered and is known to be correlative through the
three sections (that is, it is the same age in all three sections). Does this adjust any of your
prior correlations?

A B C

Look at the blue-shaded parts of the sections. In these areas there is an increase in the
abundance of course-grained sediments. What do you suppose could have caused this?

Karena mungkin saat proses deposisi lingkungan pengendapannya itu baik atau sangat cocok
dengan spesies tersebut sehingga terdapat peningkatan dari coarse-grained sedimen pada
lapisan ini.

Can you develop a complete interpretation of these sections? If section A is to the West and
section B, then C, are to the East, where might one expect to find fossils representing the
deepest parts of the ocean? Why? What might a researcher expect to find if they go in the
opposite direction?
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 1. Berdasarkan litologinya dapat dikatakan bahwa proses transportasi pada starata ini
menunjukan tingkat kecepatannya tidak konstan atau relative berubah, sehingga
yang ditemukan di starata ini berupa sandstone hingga lempung gamping. Buktinya,
section B menggambarkan adanya sisipan gamping di antara batu pasir laminasi.

Lingkungan: lingkungan pengendapan laut yang secara kekuatan arus tidak

konstan/relative berubah sering berjalanya waktu. Stara di atas di endapakan di laut dari
kedalama rendah – tinggi. Untuk section A ditemukan strata dengan selipan fosil (50 –
15 m) di antara fosil (0 – 50 m). hal ini dapat dipengaruhi oleh densitas dari fosil
tersebut sebagai bentuk kontribusi kompoisi kimia dari fosil tersebut, sehingga tidak
heran terdapat pembalikan kedelaman dari strata atau sejenisnya. Strata di atas berumur
dari paling tua berumur oligosen hingga meosene (23 Ma – 7 Ma)/ dari bawa ke atas
semkian muda yang menunjukan strata tersebut secara umur bersifat konstan dan atau
kontinu. Starta di atas selaras, dimana tidak ditemukan hiatus dan sejenisnya.

2. C, secara berurutan dari lapisan terbawa hingga atas menggambakan kedalam yang
constant. Dengan demikian section C tepat dijadikan tools untuk menginterpretasi
lingkungan kedalam laut.
3. Jika dari west ke east data yang mungkin di dapatkan akan lebih berlimpah spesies
fosilnya karena mencakup daerah laut yang lebih luas dan beragam, sedangkan jika
sebaliknya mereka akan menemukan yang semakin sedikit keberagamannya.

Kelompok 9:

Tris Arfiadinarti 1806137495

Mutuara Dwi. R 1806137431
Joshua Oscar Suandi 1806198263
Alexandria Dwiartha 1806198244

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