Marine event beds and recolonization surfaces as revealed by trace fossil analysis

Abstract

Turbidites and tempestites exhibit characteristic distributions of trace fossils. To gain maximum advantage of the sedimentological and palaeoecological significance of these traces, an attempt should be made to relate each trace to the associated colonization surface. This approach allows traces initiated at the normal top of an event bed to be distinguished from traces that subsequently passed into the bed from a higher colonization level or were initiated on the eroded surface of the bed.