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Proterozoic geology: Selected papers from an international proterozoic symposium
6"7
familiar useage of geographical names (Den-
as pointed out by Klapper and Barrick (1978,
mark Strait becomes Dutch Strait; Rockall
Lethaia, 11; 15-23) with i.a. the example of
Trough becomes Ireland Trough) and an u n -
the distribution of Recent chaetognaths.
acceptable number of typographical errors
The chapter on taxonomy forms the main part of this monograph. It contains good de-
combine to irritate the reader. Scientifically, the volume contains several inaccuracies and oversimplifications although this may primarily reflect the outdated nature of the text. Regrettably, I find that this publication is not one that I can recommend.
scriptions and excellent photographs of the conodonts of the Table Head faunas, including 2 genera and 20 species which are new. The volume is well edited and the number of printer's errors is small. Some of the er-
D.G. Masson, Wormley, Surrey
rors probably were inherited from the manuscript, such as the reference on page 23 to table 4 instead of 3.
PALAEONTOLOGY
All in all a useful book for students of Ordovician conodonts and those involved in
Svend Sandbergh Stouge, 1984. Conodonts of the Micldle Ordovician Table Head Forma-
the unraveling of the Ordovician history of eastern North America.
tion, Western Newfoundland. Fossils and Strata, 16, Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, 145 pp.
M. van den Boogaard, Leiden
(with 18 plates), Nkr. 180.00/U.S.
$30.00
(paperback).
PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY In this volume Stouge describes the sediment succession in several sections of the Table Head Formation. Detailed lithological descriptions are given in appendices. The change in composition of the conodont faunas in the successive strata enabled Stouge to establish two phyllozones and four (local) assemblage zones. A correlation of these zones with i.a. those of North America, Western Europe and Australia showed that the conodont faunas of the lower part of the lower Table Head Formation contained conodonts with affinity to the North American
L.G. Medaris, Jr. (Editor), 1983. Early Proterozoic Geology of the Great Lakes Region. G.S.A.
Mere. 160, v + 141 pp., US $28.00
(hardcover). L.G. Medaris, Jr., D.M. Mickelson, C.W. Byers and W.C. Shanks (Editors), 1983. Proterozoic Geology: Selected papers from an international mroterozoic Symposium. G.S.A. Mem. 161, viii + 315 pp., US $49.00 (hardcover). Both books published by The Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colo
Midcontinent Province. Conodont faunas in the middle Table Head included faunas with
These two symposium volumes of papers will first be reviewed separately and then
a North Atlantic Province affinity.
briefly be considered together as the format and publication policy apparently follow a very similar pattern.
In the chapter 'Paleoenvironmental Models' Stouge interpreted the sediment sequence into a succession of depositional env i r o n m e n t s - l a g o o n , inner and outer shelf and slope different stages of the fast transgression of the early Middle Ordovician sea. In these different paleoenvironments he could recognize different associations (biofacies) of conodont taxa. In the paragraph 'Mode of life' Stouge speculates on the life habits of several conodont taxa. He suggests that some genera or species may have been benthic or even infaunal, others nekto-benthic or pelagic. Speculation on this subject still is hazardous
Memoir 160 on the Great Lakes region arises from an International Proterozoic Symposium at the University of Wisconsin, Madison ( U S . A ) for the geological, geophysics and mineralogy centennial celebrations in the university. Although focussed on the Proterozoic Eon the definition of this eon is not given or discussed. It can be assumed to be immediately pre-Cambrian in age and post-Archaean, following the recommendations of the Subcommission on Precambrian Stratigraphy of lUGS in 1980 The first two papers provide an overview of the Penokean
68 Orogeny which is important in the geological
tectonics coupled with the emergence of an
evolution of the Great Lakes region but also
atmosphere and hydrosphere similar to the
with respect to the more general nature of
present day in the Phanerozoic Eon. Of particular interest to the reviewer (and many
early Proterozoic tectonics. The following five papers present more restricted and Iocalised views of the Penokean Orogeny from the states of Michigan through Wisconsin to Min-
general geologists) is the coevolution between life and the chemistry of the oceans and
atmosphere
particularly with
the
in-
nesota. The final two papers discuss two im-
crease in photosynthetically released oxygen.
portant post-Penokean early P r o t e r o z o i c events in the region. The papers are extremely well coordiin treatment; diagrams are well designed and effective and the maps are crisply drawn,
A most useful chapter is by Vidal and Knoll who review Proterozoic plankton studies with palaeoecologic and biostratigraphic zonation being now a viable reality in the late Proterozoic record. Harland gives a perceptive and useful summary of Proterozoic glacia-
easily read and altogether commendable.
tion and he is followed by chapters by experi-
References are comprehensive, apparently, and easily read on the large two-columned
enced and leading authors on the topic. In a section on acritarchs and the Pre-
pages. The abstracts, in bold type, arrest the eye and cross both columns; titles are in
cambrian-Cambrian
large bold. The Geological Society of America
Cambrian fossils such as calcareous worm tubes and problematic shelly remains as
nated and edited so that there is no disparity
together with the type-setters in Boulder (Colorado) and the printers in Ann Arbor (Michigan) have done a first-class job to the highest world standard. Papers seem to be
Knoll
question
the
palaeontological
Boundary
indicators
cambrian-Cambrian
Vidal
and
value of the earliest
of
the
Pre-
boundary or transition
claiming that their occurrence is in part
written to the same high standard by authors from Denver (Colorado), London (Ontario), Stanford (California), Duluth (Minnesota) and
facies-dependent and tends to be patchy. They suggest that the stratigraphic ranges of such " T o m m o t i a n " shelly invertebrates ap-
others but are generally centred on authors
p e a r rather uncertain. This would certainly seem to be a reasonable opinion in mid-1985
with addresses in Wisconsin. The few halftone photographs are good with adequate contrast and resolution to show the intended features. The cover photograph of Memoir 161 is most attractive with shades of grey (title in blue) contrasting but fitting together as a companion volume to Memoir 160 where the photograph is in shades of blue (with title in black). Arising from the same International Proterozoic Symposium as Memoir 160 this second Memoir includes papers covering five broad topics: tectonics, magmatism and metamorphism, mineral deposits, life and the oceans and glaciation. The panel of authors in this volume is international including Europeans and Australians as well as persons from Canada and the U.S.A. The same format as Memoir 160 is followed throughout with the same high quality of illustration except for figures of microfossils which continue to give difficulty with contrast and tonal range. The transition from Archaean through Proterozoic to the Phanerozoic is the main theme, with declining thermal regime leading up to the initiation of modern-style plate
but may be remedied by new work now going on. Their suggestion is that planktonic microfossils, being almost ubiquitous in unmetamorphosed marine sedimentary rocks, constitute a particularly valuable means of dating and correlating boundary sections. This volume is of great value in giving a coherent well organised review of recent thought on great topics by eminent and experienced authors. The two volumes taken together are results of a most successful symposium Should they have been combined into one larger volume? The answer may be commercial and that it is sensible to separate them. For the reviewer Memoir 161 is the most valuable but there could be thousands of purchasers for Memoir 160 for a review of the Proterozoic Geology of the classic Great Lakes Region. They both represent excellent value as memoirs of the highest international standard. J.W. Cowie, Bristol
familiar useage of geographical names (Den-
as pointed out by Klapper and Barrick (1978,
mark Strait becomes Dutch Strait; Rockall
Lethaia, 11; 15-23) with i.a. the example of
Trough becomes Ireland Trough) and an u n -
the distribution of Recent chaetognaths.
acceptable number of typographical errors
The chapter on taxonomy forms the main part of this monograph. It contains good de-
combine to irritate the reader. Scientifically, the volume contains several inaccuracies and oversimplifications although this may primarily reflect the outdated nature of the text. Regrettably, I find that this publication is not one that I can recommend.
scriptions and excellent photographs of the conodonts of the Table Head faunas, including 2 genera and 20 species which are new. The volume is well edited and the number of printer's errors is small. Some of the er-
D.G. Masson, Wormley, Surrey
rors probably were inherited from the manuscript, such as the reference on page 23 to table 4 instead of 3.
PALAEONTOLOGY
All in all a useful book for students of Ordovician conodonts and those involved in
Svend Sandbergh Stouge, 1984. Conodonts of the Micldle Ordovician Table Head Forma-
the unraveling of the Ordovician history of eastern North America.
tion, Western Newfoundland. Fossils and Strata, 16, Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, 145 pp.
M. van den Boogaard, Leiden
(with 18 plates), Nkr. 180.00/U.S.
$30.00
(paperback).
PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY In this volume Stouge describes the sediment succession in several sections of the Table Head Formation. Detailed lithological descriptions are given in appendices. The change in composition of the conodont faunas in the successive strata enabled Stouge to establish two phyllozones and four (local) assemblage zones. A correlation of these zones with i.a. those of North America, Western Europe and Australia showed that the conodont faunas of the lower part of the lower Table Head Formation contained conodonts with affinity to the North American
L.G. Medaris, Jr. (Editor), 1983. Early Proterozoic Geology of the Great Lakes Region. G.S.A.
Mere. 160, v + 141 pp., US $28.00
(hardcover). L.G. Medaris, Jr., D.M. Mickelson, C.W. Byers and W.C. Shanks (Editors), 1983. Proterozoic Geology: Selected papers from an international mroterozoic Symposium. G.S.A. Mem. 161, viii + 315 pp., US $49.00 (hardcover). Both books published by The Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colo
Midcontinent Province. Conodont faunas in the middle Table Head included faunas with
These two symposium volumes of papers will first be reviewed separately and then
a North Atlantic Province affinity.
briefly be considered together as the format and publication policy apparently follow a very similar pattern.
In the chapter 'Paleoenvironmental Models' Stouge interpreted the sediment sequence into a succession of depositional env i r o n m e n t s - l a g o o n , inner and outer shelf and slope different stages of the fast transgression of the early Middle Ordovician sea. In these different paleoenvironments he could recognize different associations (biofacies) of conodont taxa. In the paragraph 'Mode of life' Stouge speculates on the life habits of several conodont taxa. He suggests that some genera or species may have been benthic or even infaunal, others nekto-benthic or pelagic. Speculation on this subject still is hazardous
Memoir 160 on the Great Lakes region arises from an International Proterozoic Symposium at the University of Wisconsin, Madison ( U S . A ) for the geological, geophysics and mineralogy centennial celebrations in the university. Although focussed on the Proterozoic Eon the definition of this eon is not given or discussed. It can be assumed to be immediately pre-Cambrian in age and post-Archaean, following the recommendations of the Subcommission on Precambrian Stratigraphy of lUGS in 1980 The first two papers provide an overview of the Penokean
68 Orogeny which is important in the geological
tectonics coupled with the emergence of an
evolution of the Great Lakes region but also
atmosphere and hydrosphere similar to the
with respect to the more general nature of
present day in the Phanerozoic Eon. Of particular interest to the reviewer (and many
early Proterozoic tectonics. The following five papers present more restricted and Iocalised views of the Penokean Orogeny from the states of Michigan through Wisconsin to Min-
general geologists) is the coevolution between life and the chemistry of the oceans and
atmosphere
particularly with
the
in-
nesota. The final two papers discuss two im-
crease in photosynthetically released oxygen.
portant post-Penokean early P r o t e r o z o i c events in the region. The papers are extremely well coordiin treatment; diagrams are well designed and effective and the maps are crisply drawn,
A most useful chapter is by Vidal and Knoll who review Proterozoic plankton studies with palaeoecologic and biostratigraphic zonation being now a viable reality in the late Proterozoic record. Harland gives a perceptive and useful summary of Proterozoic glacia-
easily read and altogether commendable.
tion and he is followed by chapters by experi-
References are comprehensive, apparently, and easily read on the large two-columned
enced and leading authors on the topic. In a section on acritarchs and the Pre-
pages. The abstracts, in bold type, arrest the eye and cross both columns; titles are in
cambrian-Cambrian
large bold. The Geological Society of America
Cambrian fossils such as calcareous worm tubes and problematic shelly remains as
nated and edited so that there is no disparity
together with the type-setters in Boulder (Colorado) and the printers in Ann Arbor (Michigan) have done a first-class job to the highest world standard. Papers seem to be
Knoll
question
the
palaeontological
Boundary
indicators
cambrian-Cambrian
Vidal
and
value of the earliest
of
the
Pre-
boundary or transition
claiming that their occurrence is in part
written to the same high standard by authors from Denver (Colorado), London (Ontario), Stanford (California), Duluth (Minnesota) and
facies-dependent and tends to be patchy. They suggest that the stratigraphic ranges of such " T o m m o t i a n " shelly invertebrates ap-
others but are generally centred on authors
p e a r rather uncertain. This would certainly seem to be a reasonable opinion in mid-1985
with addresses in Wisconsin. The few halftone photographs are good with adequate contrast and resolution to show the intended features. The cover photograph of Memoir 161 is most attractive with shades of grey (title in blue) contrasting but fitting together as a companion volume to Memoir 160 where the photograph is in shades of blue (with title in black). Arising from the same International Proterozoic Symposium as Memoir 160 this second Memoir includes papers covering five broad topics: tectonics, magmatism and metamorphism, mineral deposits, life and the oceans and glaciation. The panel of authors in this volume is international including Europeans and Australians as well as persons from Canada and the U.S.A. The same format as Memoir 160 is followed throughout with the same high quality of illustration except for figures of microfossils which continue to give difficulty with contrast and tonal range. The transition from Archaean through Proterozoic to the Phanerozoic is the main theme, with declining thermal regime leading up to the initiation of modern-style plate
but may be remedied by new work now going on. Their suggestion is that planktonic microfossils, being almost ubiquitous in unmetamorphosed marine sedimentary rocks, constitute a particularly valuable means of dating and correlating boundary sections. This volume is of great value in giving a coherent well organised review of recent thought on great topics by eminent and experienced authors. The two volumes taken together are results of a most successful symposium Should they have been combined into one larger volume? The answer may be commercial and that it is sensible to separate them. For the reviewer Memoir 161 is the most valuable but there could be thousands of purchasers for Memoir 160 for a review of the Proterozoic Geology of the classic Great Lakes Region. They both represent excellent value as memoirs of the highest international standard. J.W. Cowie, Bristol