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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 2000; v. 178; p. 21-32;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.2000.178.01.03
© 2000 Geological Society of London

Skeletal growth rates of Upper Cretaceous rudist bivalves: implications for carbonate production and organism-environment feedbacks

Thomas Steuber

Institut für Geologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany thomas.steuber{at}ruhr-uni-bochum.de

The skeletal growth rates of late Cretaceous rudist bivalves have been inferred from cyclic variations of isotopic and chemical compositions which are found in sclerochronological profiles of outer shell layers. Annual shell accretion of 11 studied shells from different environmental settings was in the range of less than 10 to 54 mm. CaCO3 production of individual rudists was calculated to range from 12 to 214 g a–1, and estimates of annual production of rudist communities assuming dense growth fabrics range from 4.6 to 28.5 kg m–2. These production rates are not significantly higher when compared to modern mussel or oyster beds but, in contrast to modern analogues, rudist associations were much more important for the sedimentary budget of low-latitude shallow-water depositional environments.

Controlling factors for the formation of growth fabrics and carbonate production are evaluated in a case study of rudist formations from a single depositional sequence. From turbulent outer platform environments to lagoonal inner platform settings, a decrease both in carbonate production and size of shells was found among specimens of a single species. No differences in carbonate production are evident when carbonate production in siliciclastic and calcareous environments is compared. Potential feedbacks between rudists and their environment induced by vertical growth, large production of bioclastic sediment and ejected biodeposits are discussed.





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