Geochemical Characteristics of the Middle Devonian Dacaozi-Tanshanping Shale Strata in the Yanyuan Basin, Southwest China: Implications for Organic Matter Accumulation and Preservation

Abstract

How the geochemical characteristics of organic matter shale for the carbonate platform facies remain uncertain, which restricts an integrated reconstruction of the model of organic matter accumulation and preservation. Here, we present new results from element geochemical fingerprinting and integrated analyses of paleoclimate, paleoproductivity, paleoredox environment, and terrigenous input of the targeted Middle Devonian Tanshanping and Dacaozi Formations in the Ninglang-Yanyuan Basin, Southwest China. It is worth noting that although the carbonate platform connects with the open sea partially, the redox environment will not be completely controlled by relative sea level variations. Specially, the paleoclimate, paleoproductivity, and paleoredox conditions are the main controlling factors of the accumulation and preservation of organic matter. In view of the paleoclimate indexes, we suggest that both a relatively warm-humid climate characterized by intensified chemical weathering conditions and a higher terrigenous input are identified as two major drivers forcing the reductive environment in the sedimentary waterbody. Finally, a comprehensive model is established for providing new insights into the mechanism of organic matter accumulation and preservation for the carbonate platform facies. The paleoredox environment, paleoproductivity, paleoclimate, and terrigenous input are believed to have exerted a very considerable force on reconstructing the model of organic matter accumulation and preservation for the carbonate platform facies. Specially, the coupling interactions between the paleoproductivity and redox condition are thus also stressed. We found that the preservation condition is much more important than the paleoproductivity, resulting in the degree of organic matter enrichment. Even if the paleoproductivity of a sedimentary waterbody of a depositional period of the Dacaozi Formation was higher, the TOC concentrations were relatively low due to the poor preservation condition by fall of the sea level and increase of the terrigenous input. In another aspect, the better preservation condition of the Tanshanping Formation makes the TOC concentrations higher in the case of lower paleoproductivity in the sedimentary waterbody.