Oligocene-Early Miocene Planktonic Microbiostratigraphy and Paleoenvironments of the South Slovakian Basin (Lučenec Depression)

Abstract

Oligocene and Lower Miocene sediments of the Lučenec Depression were studied to demonstrate the planktonic bioevents and climatic proxies from the Číž Formation (Rupelian) and Lučenec Formation (Chattian-Aquitanian) on the basis of quantitative analyses of foraminifers and calcareous nannofossils. The oldest nannofossil assemblages of the Číž Formation belonged to the NP23 Zone and were dominated by Reticulofenestra ornata known for preference of temperate eutrophic water conditions. An increase in bioproductivity was documented by abundant large-sized planktonic foraminifers (e.g. Turborotalia ampliapertura, Paragloborotalia nana, Subbotina gortanii) and epifaunal to shal-low-infaunal benthic species. The middle part of the Číž Formation reveals a lowstand progradation of deltaic sediments of the Rapovce Member. There, the planktonic foraminifers are impoverished in both size and diversity, containing mostly tenuitellid and cassigerinellid species, probably as a result of decreased salinity and increased anoxia in the Tard Clay. Contrary of this, the benthic foraminifers are rich, mainly the infaunal forms of uvigerinid species. They probably proliferated due to a high organic flux from riverine input. Open marine conditions were restored in the upper part of the Číž Formation above the lowest occurrence (LO) of Cyclicargolithus abisectus on the NP23-NP24 zone boundary. The transitional interval between the Číž and Lučenec formations (O5/O6 - NP24/25) was approximated by the HOs of Paragloborotalia opima and Sphenolithus distentus and the LOs of Globigerinoides primordius and Pontosphaera enormis. Benthic foraminifera of the Lučenec Formation indicate a high productivity and oxygen-deplected environ-ments. The Oligocene-Miocene boundary in the Lučenec Formation was appointed by the HOs of Helicospahera recta and Dictyococcites bisectus. Foraminiferal markers of this boundary were established from the HO of Globigerina ciperoensis and the LO of G. ottnangiensis. The highest nannofossil dating in the Lučenec Formation is recorded by the LOs of Helicosphaera mediterranea (NN1 Zone) and Discoaster druggi (NN2 Zone). The uppermost part of the Lučenec Formation contained many Paratethys benthic foraminifera, such as Uvigerina posthantkeni.

Keywords

• Oligocene-Lower Miocene
• calcareous nannofossils
• planktonic foraminifers
• biozonation
• climatic proxies
• paleoecology