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LATE PALEOZOIC LATE PALEOZOIC EARTH HISTORYEARTH HISTORY

Late Paleozoic Late Paleozoic PaleogeographyPaleogeography

DevonianDevonianCarboniferous (Mississippian and Carboniferous (Mississippian and Pennsylvanian)Pennsylvanian)PermianPermian

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Paleozoic Paleozoic PaleogeographyPaleogeography

Continental CollisionsContinental CollisionsMountain buildingMountain building-- influencing oceanic and influencing oceanic and atmospheric circulationatmospheric circulationFluctuating sea levelFluctuating sea levelVaried climatesVaried climatesMajor glacial and interglacial episodesMajor glacial and interglacial episodesSupercontinentSupercontinent PangeaPangea formsformsWidespread arid and semiWidespread arid and semi--arid conditions arid conditions on on PangeaPangea

DevonianDevonianLate SilurianLate Silurian-- LaurentiaLaurentia and and BalticaBaltica form form LaurasiaLaurasia–– Closed northern Closed northern IapetusIapetus OceanOcean–– Called Caledonian Called Caledonian orogenyorogenyAcadian Acadian OrogenyOrogeny–– closure of closure of IapetusIapetus–– Catskill delta and Old Red SandstoneCatskill delta and Old Red SandstoneAntler and Ellesmere Antler and Ellesmere OrogeniesOrogenies along along northern margin of northern margin of LaurentiaLaurentiaUniform climate suggested by reefs, Uniform climate suggested by reefs, evaporitesevaporites, red beds, similar floras, red beds, similar floras

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Late Devonian Period

CarboniferousCarboniferousGondwanaGondwana moves over South Pole = extensive moves over South Pole = extensive continental continental glaciationglaciation–– Advances and retreats affect sea levelAdvances and retreats affect sea level–– Affects sedimentation on Affects sedimentation on cratonscratons–– Evidence = Evidence = tillitestillites and glacial striationsand glacial striations–– Ice sheets extend to middle latitudesIce sheets extend to middle latitudes

Collisions of continents making up parts of Collisions of continents making up parts of PangeaPangea, others coming closer, others coming closerCarboniferous CoalCarboniferous Coal–– Equatorial belt = N. Amer., Europe, UkraineEquatorial belt = N. Amer., Europe, Ukraine–– Temperate coals = SiberiaTemperate coals = Siberia–– Evidence = plant growth rings, Evidence = plant growth rings, paleomagnetismpaleomagnetism

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Early Carboniferous PeriodEarly Carboniferous Period

Late Carboniferous PeriodLate Carboniferous Period

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PermianPermian

PangeaPangea is completed is completed –– eastern still eastern still controversialcontroversialPanthalassaPanthalassa Ocean surrounds Ocean surrounds PangeaPangea and and stretches from pole to pole.stretches from pole to pole.Mountain Ranges create rain shadowsMountain Ranges create rain shadows–– HercynianHercynian, , AlleghenianAlleghenian, Ouachita, Ouachita–– Dry conditions, Dry conditions, evaporitesevaporites, red beds, red beds

Ice sheets retreat as continent moves Ice sheets retreat as continent moves northwardnorthward

Late Permian PeriodLate Permian Period

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Late Paleozoic of North AmericaLate Paleozoic of North America

KaskaskiaKaskaskia SequenceSequence–– Basal Basal transgressivetransgressive sequencesequence–– Reef developmentReef development–– Black Black ShalesShales

Late Late KaskaskiaKaskaskia–– Return to extensive carbonate Return to extensive carbonate

depositiondeposition

CratonicCratonic SequencesSequences

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Silurian ReefSilurian Reef

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Canning Basin, Australia

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Black Black ShalesShales

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Algerian Black ShaleAlgerian Black Shale

Late Paleozoic of North AmericaLate Paleozoic of North America

AbsarokaAbsaroka Sequence Sequence –– Paleozoic onlyPaleozoic only–– CyclothemsCyclothems–– CratonicCratonic uplift uplift –– ancestral Rockiesancestral Rockies

Middle Middle AbsarokaAbsaroka–– EvaporitesEvaporites–– ReefsReefs

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CratonicCratonic SequencesSequences

Cyclothems

Cyclothems

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Reconstruction Reconstruction CyclothemsCyclothems

Widespread Widespread CyclothemsCyclothems

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CratonicCratonic Uplift Uplift –– Ancestral RockiesAncestral Rockies

Uplift and deformation of the Uplift and deformation of the cratoncraton–– Exposure of Precambrian rocksExposure of Precambrian rocks–– Arches and domes e.g. Cincinnati Arch, Arches and domes e.g. Cincinnati Arch,

Nashville Dome reactivatedNashville Dome reactivated–– Greatest in southwestern North Greatest in southwestern North AmeicanAmeican

cratoncraton–– Fault bounded blocks form Ancestral Fault bounded blocks form Ancestral

RockiesRockies

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Middle Middle AbsarokaAbsaroka –– reefs and reefs and evaporitesevaporites

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Guadalupe Mountains, Capitan Limestone of reef organisms

Permian coralsPermian corals

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Late Paleozoic Mobile BeltsLate Paleozoic Mobile Belts

Cordilleran Mobile BeltCordilleran Mobile Belt–– Antler Antler orogenyorogeny

Ouachita Mobile BeltOuachita Mobile BeltAppalachian Mobile BeltAppalachian Mobile Belt–– Caledonian Caledonian orogenyorogeny–– Acadian Acadian OrogenyOrogeny–– Catskill Delta/ Old Red sandstoneCatskill Delta/ Old Red sandstone–– HercynianHercynian--AlleghenianAlleghenian OrogenyOrogeny

Antler Antler OrogenyOrogeny--CordilleranCordilleran

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Ouachita Mobile BeltOuachita Mobile Belt

Ouachita Mobile BeltOuachita Mobile Belt

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Ouachita Mobile BeltOuachita Mobile Belt

Acadian Acadian OrogenyOrogeny

Producing the Catskill delta and Old Producing the Catskill delta and Old Red SandstoneRed Sandstone

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PangeaPangea

Final steps Final steps –– HercynianHercynian--AlleghenianAlleghenianOrogenyOrogenyMicroplatesMicroplates and and TerranesTerranes–– AvaloniaAvalonia ––microplatemicroplate of parts of N. America of parts of N. America

and Europeand Europe–– IberiaIberia--ArmoricaArmorica (Iberian (Iberian pennisulapennisula))–– PerunicaPerunica (Bohemia)(Bohemia)–– Alpine fragmentsAlpine fragments

Usually developed own fauna and flora, Usually developed own fauna and flora, also transported fossilsalso transported fossils

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Late Paleozoic Mineral ResourcesLate Paleozoic Mineral Resources

Oil and gasOil and gasCoalCoalSalt and GypsumSalt and GypsumSilica sandSilica sandLimestoneLimestoneTin, copper, gold, silverTin, copper, gold, silverLead and zincLead and zinc