Award Date

4-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geoscience

Advisor 1

Stephen M. Rowland, Chair

First Committee Member

Frederick W. Bachhuber

Second Committee Member

Timothy E. Wallin

Graduate Faculty Representative

Diane P. Smith

Number of Pages

161

Abstract

The Middle Member of the Lower Cambrian Deep Spring Formation at Mount Dunfee, Nevada contains a diverse assemblage of stromatolites that formed on a tide- and storm-dominated, siliciclastic-influenced, carbonate shelf. The stromatolites formed in a shallow subtidal environment within and near active oolite shoals under strongly focused currents. The stromatolites occur in four different lithofacies: (1) bioherms of digitate stromatolites, (2) bioherms and biostromes of inclined stromatolites, (3) isolated forms of massive and hemispheroidal stromatolites, and (4) a biostrome of cryptomicrobial boundstones. The first three lithofacies are interpreted as microbial reefs. They had topographic relief, formed in active agitated waters, and exerted a physical control over their environment. The stromatolites incorporate an average of 16% very-fine grained detrital quartz within their microstructures. These quartz-bearing stromatolites are intermediate between "pure" quartzose and "pure" calcareous stromatolites. Few examples of such quartz-rich stromatolites have been documented from the ancient rock record. Stromatolites of the Deep Spring Formation illustrate the "generalistic" nature of microbial organisms and their ability to form organic sedimentary structures in a wide range of depositional environments.

Keywords

Cambrian Geologic Period; Nevada -- Esmeralda County; Proterozoic Geologic Period; Stromatolites

Disciplines

Geology | Paleontology | Stratigraphy

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Comments

Signatures have been redacted for privacy and security measures.

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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