Quantitative studies of the calcareous nannoplankton of Sarmatian deposits : case studies in the Sieniawa–Rudka area (Outer Carpathian Foredeep, Poland)

The aim of this study was the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the Machów Formation, belonging to the supra-evaporitic complex of the Polish Carpathian Foredeep Basin (PCFB). The work was concentrated in the eastern part of the PCFB, in the Sieniawa–Rudka area (Ryszkowa Wola Horst). Samples were collected from the Rudka-13 and Wylewa-1 boreholes. On the basis of calcareous nannoplankton, these deposits were assigned to the upper part of the NN6 Zone combined with the NN7 Zone, which corresponds to the Sarmatian s.s. of the Central Paratethys (upper Serravallian of the Mediterranean scale). Conclusive determination of the biozone NN7 was problematic, owing to the absence of the rare zonal marker species Discoaster kugleri. The typical association of the undivided NN6–NN7 Zone was of low species diversity and usually dominated by Coccolithus pelagicus, Cyclicargolithus floridanus and Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilica (> 7 µm). On the basis of the relative abundance of species, a significant amount of redeposition was deduced. The reworked nannofossils were mostly Eocene in age. The Oligocene, Early Miocene and Late Cretaceous species occurred much less frequently. The dominance of Eocene forms indicates the Carpathians as the main supply area. The Late Cretaceous taxa may have originated from the Senonian marly deposits of the Miechów Trough in the north. Statistical treatment of the quantitative data was performed using multivariate cluster analysis and Nonmetrical Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS). The composition of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages, together with the high percentage of allochthonous taxa, indicate a shallow, coastal environment with a high supply of nutrients.