Florida Bay: Modern analogue for Lofer cyclothems?

Abstract

AbstractLofer cyclothems of the Alpine Upper Triassic have many features in common with Holocene sediments of Florida Bay. The modal ‘complete’ Lofer cycle is essentially symmetrical, having a deepening and shoaling phase, as does the cycle‐in‐progress in Florida Bay. Lateral discontinuity and thickness variations within members of the Lofer cyclothems indicate syn‐depositional relief, possibly in the form of mud banks, the signature feature of Florida Bay sedimentation. Spatial and temporal dimensions, although poorly constrained, appear comparable. Analogous depositional textures, biota and sedimentary structures, while not unique to either environment, strengthen the inferences that can be made about the Triassic depositional environment and regarding future evolution of the modern environment. The striking similarities between the Holocene icehouse sediments and the Late Triassic greenhouse deposits suggest that sedimentation patterns at the scale of individual cycles or parasequences may be largely independent of the global climate regime.