Environmental changes around the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary in a marginal part of the Outer Carpathian Basin expressed by microfacies, microfossils and chemical records in the Skole Nappe (Poland)

Lithology, microfacies, benthic foraminiferal and bulk chemical analyses of the Spława section in the Skole Nappe, Outer Carpathians (Poland) reflect environmental changes across the Cenomanian-Turonian transi- tion. Biogenic-rich-turbidite sedimentation preceded the organic-rich sedimentation in the Skole Basin, termina- ting in the latest Cenomanian in response to progressive eustatic sea-level rise and to expansion of an oxygen minimum zone. The uppermost Cenomanian black, laminated, organic-rich shale series records the oceanic anoxic event (OAE-2). The benthos-free black non-calcareous shales exhibiting positive excursions of chemical redox indexes are indicative of bottom-water anoxia, interrupted by periods of suboxic conditions with sedimentation of hemipelagic green shales with poor agglutinated foraminiferal assemblages. An extremely low sedimentation rate or even a hiatus and an increase in deep-water circulation causing basin oxygenation resulted in precipitation of a ferromanganese layers and siliceous-manganiferrous variegated shales, as documented by low values of chemical redox indices. However, the lack of benthos and bioturbation, and low values of the Ce/La ratio in the subsequent succession of variegated shales (dominated by green shales) indicate a return to stressed conditions at basin floor with sluggish bottom water circulation, which occasionally resulted in sea floor anoxia with deposition of organic-rich shales. The long-termed well-oxygenated conditions at the basin floor appeared in the Early Turo- nian, as documented by diversified benthic foraminiferal assemblages. The frequency of radiolarian-rich layers and Ba/Al and Ba/Sc ratios increase up-section, reflecting an increase in primary productivity, induced by upwelling circulation.