Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.

The Cambrian and Ediacaran sequence of California and Nevada is rife with unconformities, paleovalleys, paleosols, and fluvial facies. This study confirms shallow marine environments for grey stromatolitic dolostone and shale of northern localities (Mt Dunfee and Westgard Pass), but fluvial red sand...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gregory J Retallack
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325547
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849424166271320064
author Gregory J Retallack
author_facet Gregory J Retallack
author_sort Gregory J Retallack
collection DOAJ
description The Cambrian and Ediacaran sequence of California and Nevada is rife with unconformities, paleovalleys, paleosols, and fluvial facies. This study confirms shallow marine environments for grey stromatolitic dolostone and shale of northern localities (Mt Dunfee and Westgard Pass), but fluvial red sandstones and siltstone of southern localities (Johnnie, Eagle Peak, Emigrant Pass, Donna Loy, and Cadiz) include paleosols as evidence for coastal plain and fluvial environments. Three marine transgressions into the southern localities, were in Ediacaran Johnnie Formation, earliest Cambrian Manykodes pedum zone, and Early Cambrian Olenellus trilobite zone. The southern locations have paleosols with Ediacaran fossils Ernietta, Pteridinium, Swartpuntia, and Hallidaya in growth position, as evidence that these vendobiont fossils were non marine. The paleosols include aridland Gypsids and Calcids, as well as weakly developed soils, with diagnostic LYREE enrichment, and low boron content of paleosols. Northern Ediacaran marine rocks, in contrast, are limestones with Cloudina and Wyattia, and shales with Conotubus and Wutubus. Identical marine and non-marine facies and biotas are also known from Ediacaran and Cambrian rocks of Namibia. Ediacaran marine wormlike fossils (Wormworld) were ecologically distinct and geographically separated from non-marine, sessile, vendobionts (Mattressland).
format Article
id doaj-art-2a5633f2a124494ca4960609ca643146
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-2a5633f2a124494ca4960609ca6431462025-08-20T03:30:19ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032554710.1371/journal.pone.0325547Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.Gregory J RetallackThe Cambrian and Ediacaran sequence of California and Nevada is rife with unconformities, paleovalleys, paleosols, and fluvial facies. This study confirms shallow marine environments for grey stromatolitic dolostone and shale of northern localities (Mt Dunfee and Westgard Pass), but fluvial red sandstones and siltstone of southern localities (Johnnie, Eagle Peak, Emigrant Pass, Donna Loy, and Cadiz) include paleosols as evidence for coastal plain and fluvial environments. Three marine transgressions into the southern localities, were in Ediacaran Johnnie Formation, earliest Cambrian Manykodes pedum zone, and Early Cambrian Olenellus trilobite zone. The southern locations have paleosols with Ediacaran fossils Ernietta, Pteridinium, Swartpuntia, and Hallidaya in growth position, as evidence that these vendobiont fossils were non marine. The paleosols include aridland Gypsids and Calcids, as well as weakly developed soils, with diagnostic LYREE enrichment, and low boron content of paleosols. Northern Ediacaran marine rocks, in contrast, are limestones with Cloudina and Wyattia, and shales with Conotubus and Wutubus. Identical marine and non-marine facies and biotas are also known from Ediacaran and Cambrian rocks of Namibia. Ediacaran marine wormlike fossils (Wormworld) were ecologically distinct and geographically separated from non-marine, sessile, vendobionts (Mattressland).https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325547
spellingShingle Gregory J Retallack
Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
PLoS ONE
title Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
title_full Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
title_fullStr Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
title_full_unstemmed Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
title_short Ediacaran-Cambrian paleosols of Nevada and California.
title_sort ediacaran cambrian paleosols of nevada and california
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325547
work_keys_str_mv AT gregoryjretallack ediacarancambrianpaleosolsofnevadaandcalifornia