Stratigraphy lecture 6, the upper Palaeozoic

Stratigraphy Overview: Late Palaeozoic Era

• Geological Time Divisions: Eon, Era, Period, Epoch. Major eras include Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Palaeozoic.

• UK Geological Context:

  • Iapetus Ocean subduction led to the collision of Avalonia with Laurentia.

  • UK was part of Old Red Sandstone continent by the Devonian, featuring Caledonian mountain formation.

• Devonian Period:

  • Upper Palaeozoic characterized by Old Red Sandstone accumulation.

  • Features include Orcadian Basin's freshwater ecosystem and river deposits in Anglo-Wales.

• Carboniferous Period:

  • UK covered by warm shallow seas, leading to limestone deposits and formation of Pennines.

  • Marine fossils and coal measures developed from tropical forest growth.

• Glaciation Effects:

  • Gondwana glaciation caused climate changes, impacting sea levels and deposits.

  • Cycles of sea level influenced marine and deltaic deposits.

• Permian Period:

  • Rise of Pangaea increased aridity. The Zechstein Sea left saline deposits as it dried, marking the transition from Carboniferous to Permian.