Projects / Programmes
Permiam-Triassic boundary as a consequence of global catastrophe and its paleontologic evidence in Slovenia
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.06.02 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Geology |
Palaeontology and biostratigraphy |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P450 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Stratigraphy |
| B330 |
Biomedical sciences |
Palaeozoology, phylogeny |
global geologic events, Permian-Triassic Boundary, biostratigraphy, Idrija-Žiri area, Slovenia
Researchers (3)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0215 |
Geological Survey of Slovenia |
Ljubljana |
5051410000 |
11,235 |
Abstract
The goal of the proposed project is focused to strata of the Late Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic time span. The Permian-Triassic time interval is an important period in the Earth's history and for the evolution of life. It comprises records of some most significant global events in geological history, including mass extinctions, climate and sea level changes, volcanic activities, atmospheric CO2 concentration and biodiversity change. Recent researches are focused on establishing the general criteria proposed by International Permian and Triassic Subcommissions on Stratigraphy (SPS & STS) that are applying through ongoing IGCP projects (IGCP 467), in which the researchers of the project have already contributed. In the last decade the Permian-Triassic research results have been the issue of different, sometimes opposed interpretations. The task of further research in defining the Permian-Triassic depositional realm requires identification of the data that will enable global worldwide accepted correlation criteria in chrono-, bio- and lithostratigrapy. Therefore, the multidisciplinary approach is planned to achieve the goals of this project. While a multilateral project is necessary to unify the geologists and palaeontologists who are interested in the studies of the Permian-Triassic interval, and the multidisciplinary integration. Research will be focused on detailed conodont biostratigraphy, and lithofacial analyses of sections that can define the depositional history from Permian to Early-Middle Triassic in the External Dinarides. Comparative studies with the adjacent regions (External Dinarides of Slovenia and Croatia) as well as with other western Tethyan regions will be conducted using the data accepted for global correlation. A special focus will be on biostratigraphy and facies study of a conformable Permian-Triassic boundary. Applications of general correlative elements, that enable the exact chronostratigraphy, provide constraints for better understanding of the evolution of western Tethyan realm.
Significance for science
The Late Permian catastrophe represents the severest mass extinction beyond comparison in the entire Earth's history. There are several hypothesis about what in fact happened and accordig to some data even up to 95% became extinct. Study of all most important global events was mainly focused to geochemical methods, although these events caused great biologic changes at the first place, but paleontologic argumentation was for the most part subordinate. In the Meishan D section in China, the Permian-Triassic interval was biostratigraphically determined based on fossil assemblages and the systemic boundary was defined by the first appearance datum (FAD) of the conodont element Hindeodus parvus (Yin et al. 2001).
Study of the Permian-Triassic interval is currently one of the most topical theme in the countries where these strata are exposed. Participation of the researchers in the IGCP project is matter of necessity that enables communication with other research groups worldwide as well as exchanging of obtained results (Kolar-Jurkovšek et al. 2006, Kolar-Jurkovšek & Jurkovšek 2007, Kolar-Jurkovšek et al. 2010). Our ongoing study is part of the internationaly target oriented paleontologic research. For the worldwide actuality of the P/T problem we extended our study also to the other parts of Dinarides in Croatia and Serbia in a frame of bilateral cooperations (Aljinović et al. 2005, 2006; Jelaska et al. 2003; Sudar et al. 2007, Nestell et al. 2009, Crasquin et al. in print).
This project aims to define facies related to Permian-Triassic time span through applying the world acknowledged correlative elements. The project will use the integrated multidisciplinary methods, including palaeontological, lithostratigraphical, biostratigraphical, and sedimentological have been used to solve the interrelated problems in correlating Permian-Triassic sedimentary intervals of a wider Tethyan realm. The obtained general correlative elements (bio-, litho-, and chronostratigraphic criteria) enable to define events related to the Permian-Triassic Boundary of investigated sections. Therefore, a comparative study of equvivalent strata of the adjacent regions (External Dinarides of Slovenia and Croatia) is possible. Thus, the obtained results are of significant importance for better understanding of the evolution of western Tethyan realm.
Significance for the country
Up till now conducted biostratigraphic study, that comprises also paleontologic analysis (conodonts and accompanied microfauna), in Slovenia included only younger part of the Lower Triassic (Olenekian). Conodont fauna of most researched localities belongs to the obliqua Zone that is Smithian in age (Kolar-Jurkovšek & Jurkovšek 1994, 1995). Subject of the proposed study are the Permian-Triassic and Induan strata. By introducing and modificating modern paleontologic methods it will be possible to get accurate insigt into life and its environment during the P-T interval.
The initial phase of our study in Slovenia and other parts of the Dinarides already gave positive results. The preliminary results of the Žiri area and Gorski Kotar region have demonstrated a possibility to define Permian-Triassic boundary also based on conodont data that are of key importance in a study of the Permian-Triassic extinction (Aljinović et al. 2005, 2006, Kolar-Jurkovšek & Jurkovšek 2007). Our ongoing study is part of the internationally target oriented paleontologic research. Result of joint study in Croatia (Gorski Kotar) was proving the oldest Triassic zone of the area is at the same time also its first record in the Dinarides (Aljinović et.al, 2006).
Stratigraphy and paleontology represent fundament of geology, and according to the International Association of Geologic Science, stratigraphy is the most important geologic discipline as one of the fundaments of the natural sciences. In the frame of the project to study Permian- Triassic interval is possible: to acquire data on exsistence and range of biozones as well as presence and chronostratigraphic range of imporant fossil taxa; based on microfossil content to ascertain range of the Late Permian and Lower Triassic formations in Slovenia and to interpret paleogeographic and paleoecologic conditions during their formation; paleontologically (based on the the conodont element Hindeodus parvus) to define systemic P-T boundary following criterion of the international institutions (Yin e tal. 2001); to undertake sistematic phylogenetic study of the Hindeodus-Isarcicella stock in the Dinarides. Considering important paleogeographical situation of our territory during the Permian and Triassic times and following several suggestions from abroad, we have succeeded to provide the first paleontological evidence for Slovenia to define the Permian-Triassic boundary based on conodont data (Kolar-Jurkovšek & Jurkovšek, 2006: First record of Hindeodus–Isarcicella population in Lower Triassic of Slovenia. alaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol.).
The project presents fundamental geological study of the national territory that are focus of the research team in the last period and are cruical for all other geological studies (regional geology, structural geology, sedimentology, paleoecology, paleogeography etc.). In a last few years we tested some sections in the Idrija-Žiri area where important answers can be obtained answering several paleobiological changes. The first recognized appearance of conodont species Hindeodus parvus and parallel lush development of gastropod and ostracod faunas place the Slovenian territory among most interesting ones in Europe offering many possibilities to study this geologic phenomenon. Therefore some typical sections with their paleontologic content are legitimately added to the important natural heritage of the Republic of Slovenia.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
