Triassic–Jurassic organic carbon isotope stratigraphy of key sections in the western Tethys realm (Austria)

Abstract

The late Triassic period is recognized as one of the five major mass extinctions in the fossil record. All these important intervals in earth history are associated with excursions in C-isotope records thought to have been caused by perturbations in the global carbon cycle. The nature and causes of C-isotopic events across the Triassic–Jurassic (T–J) transition however, are poorly understood. We present several new high resolution organic C-isotope records from the Eiberg Basin, Austria, including the proposed Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Jurassic. The Triassic–Jurassic boundary interval in these records is characterized by the initial and main negative organic carbon isotope excursions (CIE) of up to 8‰. The initial and main CIEs are biostratigraphically constrained by first and last occurrences of boundary defining macro- and microfossils (e.g. ammonites). High resolution C-isotope records appear to be an excellent correlation proxy for this period in the Eiberg Basin. Pyrolysis analysis demonstrates increased Hydrogen Index (HI) values for organic matter coinciding with the initial CIE. Terrestrial organic matter influx and mass occurrences of green algae remains may have influenced the C-isotope composition of the sedimentary organic matter. This may have contributed to the extreme amplitude of the initial CIE in the Eiberg Basin.