Nubecularia-coralline algal-serpulid-microbial bioherms of the Paratethys Sea—Distribution and paleoecological significance (upper Serravallian, upper Sarmatian, Middle Miocene)

Nubecularia bioherms represent unique bioconstructions that are restricted to the upper Serravallian of the Paratethys and have been reported since the 19th century. They occur in the Central Paratethys in the late Sarmatian and the Eastern Paratethys in the Bessarabian both regional stages of the respective Paratethyan areas. In this study, several locations in the Vienna and Styrian basins of the Central Paratethys were studied out of which four localities were documented in detail (Wolfsthal, Maustrenk, St. Margarethen—Zollhaus, Vienna—Ruzickagasse) to reconstruct their sedimentary setting, their internal composition, and their indications of environmental parameters. The detailed studies included logging of outcrop sections, petrographic, facies and biotic analyses of polished slabs and thin sections and also cathodoluminescence analyses. These concluded that these bioconstructions are not only composed of the foraminifer Nubecularia but represent a complex mixture and interrelationships of Nubecularia, serpulids and microbial carbonate. Four boundstone types can be differentiated: Nubecularia boundstone, Nubecularia-coralline algal boundstone, stromatolitic/thrombolitic boundstone and serpulid-nubeculariid-microbial boundstone. The first 3 types are characteristic of specific localities; the fourth type occurs in all studied locations and represents the terminal association on top of the three other types. The three basal boundstones are predominantly of columnar growth form irrespective of dominance of Nubecularia, coralline algae or microbial carbonate, and the terminal boundstone is widely irregularly organized. The general depositional environment is characterized by cross-bedded oolitic grainstones with abundant quartz grains, miliolid foraminifers and mollusks. Intercalated are microbial carbonates mostly stromatolites but also thrombolites. This indicates a general high water energy environment interrupted by more calm periods when the microbial carbonate was built. The 3 basal types of bioconstructions are interpreted to reflect decreasing food supply and/or oxygenation from Nubecularia over Nubecularia-coralline algal to stromatolitic/thrombolitic boundstone. The serpulid-nubeculariid-microbial boundstone reflects an internal succession with a decrease of the same parameters. Water depth is considered very shallow ranging from 0 to a few meters, and salinity was normal marine to hypersaline. The reconstructed paleoenvironment with dominating oolite shoals and seagrass meadows was not restricted to the Central Paratethys but extended over the entire Paratethys and represented the largest oolite facies area of the entire Cenozoic!