Impressions of the Biota Associated With Waterfalls and Cascades from a Holocene Tufa in the Zrmanja River Canyon, Croatia

Abstract

The following types of calcified deposits characterize Holocenewaterfall tufas in the Zrmanja river: mossy deposits, algally laminatedcrusts and algally coated grains. Petrological examination revealed,that abundant organic remains belonging to mosses and algae providesupporting material, over which tufa accretion takes place, leavingwell-defined impressions of the biota. Postgenetic features likemeniscus, isopachous and drusy mosaic calcite spar cementation, aswell as aggradational neomorphism are only rarely present.

Keywords

• Tufa
• Encrusted mossy deposits
• Algally laminated crusts
• Algally coated grains
• Aggradational neomorphism
• Cementation
• Holocene
• River Zrmanja
• Croatia