Summary
Biostrome and bioherm were described as terms byCumings (1932), and bioherm has become synonymous with reef because of the discrete mound or lens shape in vertical section. The phrase “reefs and biostromes” is common in the literature and emphasises that biostromes are normally regarded explicitly as not reefal structures, because of the lack of topographic relief and common absence of a framework. However, the position adopted here is that bioherm and biostrome are most usefully applied to simply describe the outline shape of an organic accumulation, and not to denote any particular inherent internal structural organisation. Furthermore, the view here is that biostromes are most usefully considered as single organic layers (i.e. beds). Observations of biostromes of numerous ages and settings indicate that a considerable variety of internal structure exists within the outline which defines biostrome. Often, the structure comprises frame-works and dense clusters of in-place organisms and is just as much “reefal” as similar constructions with a biohermal shape. In other cases biostromes consist of beds of skeletal debris consistent with the concept of biostrome used by. many workers. These differences demonstrate that classification of biostromes is needed in order to allow comprehensive palaeoenvironmental analysis, and highlight the long-standing problem of using ‘reef’ to describe organic buildups. For biostromes,autobiostrome, autoparabiostrome, andparabiostrome are introduced to describe a continuum from structures where the constructing organisms are mostly in place (autobiostromes), to mostly debris of the structure (parabiostromes), with autoparabiostrome as intermediate.Allobiostrome, describes biostromes formed of material derived from allochthonous sources, for example skeletal plankton sedimented onto the sea bed. Most biostromes are of calcareous construction and their composition is most adequately described by existing limestone classification terminology.
Other descriptive terms include: a) for biostrome geometry—ribbon and sheet; b) for internal layering—internally unbedded andinternally bedded, because some biostromes show lateral facies changes resulting in single layers becoming internally divided by bedding; c) for internal packing variation of constructors, using terminlogy introduced by R. Riding—dense (where constructors are closer together than one unit distance), andsparse (where constuctors are more distantly spaced). Biostromes are further categorised to account for thickness variations. Adaptation of terminology used for bed thickness descriptions is applied; standard bed thickness categories are not appropriate to biostromes, which are often thicker than 1m. Instead:Very thin biostromes-up to 0.1m,thin biostromes-0.1–0.5m,medium biostromes-0.5–2.0m,thick biostromes-2.0–5.0m,very thick biostromes->5.0m. Autobiostromes which form significant features in sedimentary successions may be regarded as the peak of in place benthic organic skeleta buildup (=reefsensu lato) development, and their recognition is required to permit full palaeoenvironmental analysis of facies containing them. Particular emphasis may be placed on their role in identifying sea level change in shallow water carbonate sequences, and thence their utility in models to explain such change.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Braithwaite, C.J.R. (1967): Reefs: just a problem of semantics?.—Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. Bull.,57, 1100–1116.
Brunton, F.R. & Copper, P. (in press): Paleoecologic, temporal, and spatial analysisof Early Silurian reefs of the Chicotte Formation, Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada.—Facies.
Connolly, W.M., Lambert, L.L. &Stanton Jr., R.J. (1989): Palaeoecology of Lowerand Middle Pennsylvanian (Middle Carboniferous) Chaetetes in North America.—Facies,20, 139–168.
Copper, P. & Brunton, F. (1991): A global review of Silurian reefs. In: Bassett, M.G., Lane P.D. and Edwards, D. (eds.). The Murchison Symposium: Proceedings of an international Conference on the Silurian System.—Spec. Pap. Palaeontol.44, 225–259.
Crowley, D.J. (1973): Middle Silurian Patch reefs in Gasport Member (Lockport Formation), New York.—Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol.57, 283–300.
Cumings, E.R. (1932): Reefs or bioherms?.—Bull. Geol. Soc. America,43, 331–352.
Cumings, E.R. &Shrock, R.R. (1928): Niagaran coral reefs of Indiana and adjacent states and their stratigraphic relations.—Bull. Geol. Soc. America,39, 579–620.
Dunham, R.J. (1962): Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture.—In:Ham, W.E. (ed.) Classification of carbonate rocks.—Mem. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol.,1, 108–121.
Embry, A.F. &Klovan, J.E. (1971): A Late Devonian reef tract on northeastern Banks Island, Northwest Territories.—Bull. Can. Petrol. Geol.,19, 730–781.
Fagestrom, J.A. (1987): The evolution of reef communities.—600 pp., New York (Wiley)
Flügel, E. &Flügel-Kahler, E. (1992): Phanerozoic reef evolution: basic questions and database.—Facies,26, 167–278.
Folk, R.L. (1962): Spectral subdivision of limestone types. In:—Ham, W.E. (ed.): Classification of carbonate rocks.—Mem. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol.1, 62–84.
George, T.N., Johnson, G.A.L., Mitchell, M., Prentice, J.E., Ramsbottom, W.H.C., Sevasopoulo, G.D. & Wilson, R.B. (1976): A correlation of Dinantian rocks in the British Isles—Geol. Soc. Lond. Spec. Rep. No. 7, 87 pp.
Heckel, P.H. (1974): Carbonate buildups in the geologic record: a review.—In:Laporte, L.F. (ed.): Reefs in time and space.—Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min. Spec. Publ. 18, 90–155.
Hede, J.E. (1960): The Silurian of Gotland. p. 44–87.—In:Regnell, G. &Hede, J.E. (eds.): The Lower Palaeozoic of Scania; The Silurian of Gotland.—Guide to Excursions nos. A22 and C17. Int. Geol. Congr. 21st Session, Norden, Stockholm.
James, N.P. (1983): Reef environment.—In:Scholle, PA., Bebout, D.G. & Moore, C.H. (eds.): Carbonate Depüositional Environments.—Amer. Ass. Petrol. Geol. Memoir33, 346–440.
Jeppsson, L. (1990): An oceanic model for lithological and faunal changes tested on the Silurian record.—J. Geol. Soc. Lond.147, 663–674.
Johnson, G.A.L. (1958): Biostromes in the Namurian Great Limestone of Northern England.—Palaeontology,1, 147–157.
Kaufman, E.G. &Sohl, N.F. (1974): Structure and evolution of Antillean Cretaceous rudist frameworks.—Verh. Naturforsch. Ges. Basel,84, 399–467.
Kano, A. (1990): Species, morphologies and environmental relationships of the Ludlovian (Upper Silurian) stromatoporoids on Gotland, Sweden.—Stockholm Contr. Geol.,42, 85–121.
Kershaw, S. (1990): Stromatoporoid palacobiology and taphonomy in a Silurian biostrome, Gotland, Sweden.—Palaeontology,33, 680–705.
— (1993): Sedimentation control on the growth of stromatoporoid reefs in the Silurian of Gotland, Sweden.—J. Geol. Soc. Lond.,150, 197–205.
Kershaw, S. &Keeling, M. (1994): Factors controlling the growth of stromatoporoid biostromes in the Ludlovian of Gotland, Sweden.—Sediment. Geol.89, 325–335.
Laufeld, S. (1974): Reference localities for palaeontology and geology in the Silurian of Gotland.—Sver. Geol. Unders. Ser, C. Nr. 705,68/12, 172 pp.
Nield, E. (1981): The inception and development of reef growth in the Visby Formation (Late Llandovery/Sheinwoodian) of Gotland, Sweden.—Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Wales
Riding, R. 1981. Composition, structure and environmental setting of Silurian bioherms and biostromes in northern Europe.—In:Toomey, D.F. (ed.): European Fossil Reef Models.—Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min. Spec. Publ.30, 41–83.
Riding, R. (1990a): Organic reef categories.—13th Int. Sed. Congr., Nottingham, UK, Abstracts, p. 458.
— (1990b): Reef structure and composition.—Palaeontological Association Newsletter, No. 6 1990, p. 26–28.
Riding, R. &Watts, N.R. (1991): The Lower Wenlock reef sequence of Gotland: facies and lithostratigraphy.—Geol. Fören. i. Stockh. Förhandl.,113, 343–372.
Skelton, P. (1979): Gregariousness and protocooperation in rudists (Vivalvia).—In:Larwood, G. &Rosen, B.R. (eds.): Biology and systematics of colonial organisms.—Syst. Ass. Spec. Pub.11, 257–279, London (Academic Press).
Toomey, D. (1976): Paleosynecology of a Permian plant-dominated marine community.—N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh.152, 1–18.
Tucker, M.E. (1982): The field description of sedimentary rocks. —Geol. Soc. Lond. Handbook Series, 112pp. (Open University Press and Halsted Press)
Voegeli, V. (1992): Palaeoecology of chaetetids in the Amoret Limestone Member (Desmoinesian) in southeast Kansas.—Unpub. MSc thesis Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 289 pp.
Watts, N.R. (1988): Carbonate particulate sedimentation and facies within the Lower Silurian Högklint patch reefs of Gotland, Sweden.—Sediment. Geol.,59, 93–113.
Nelson, H.F., Brown, C.W. &Brineman, J.H. (1962): Skeletal limestone classification.—Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Memoir1, 224–252.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kershaw, S. Classification and geological significance of biostromes. Facies 31, 81–91 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536934
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536934