This paper provides insight into the Late Ordovician to earliest Silurian evolution of sedimentary environments in the southern Holy Cross Mountains (SE Poland), which at that time were a part of the SW periphery of Baltica. The facies layout in this area was influenced by the basement block faulting, which differentiated the basin bathymetry into submarine horst and grabens, controlling facies distribution. However, the local tectonism was insufficient to fully mask the global eustatic events. Therefore, it is possible to correlate some facies changes in the Upper Ordovician and lower Llandovery sedimentary record of the southern Holy Cross Mountains with eustatic and palaeoceanographic changes reported worldwide. The most noticeable influence of eustasy on the sedimentary record in the studied area occurs at the Ordovician/Silurian boundary. It is manifested by Hirnantian regressive coarse-grained clastic sediments overlain by a post-glacial anoxic/dysoxic interval represented by the Rhuddanian transgressive black cherts and shales. It is noteworthy that the pre- and post-Hirnantian sedimentary environments in the southern Holy Cross Mountains were affected by upwelling induced by the SE trade winds.

Changes in the palaeoenvironment are investigated in two representative Frasnian sections of the NW Algerian Sahara, integrating sedimentology and magnetic susceptibility (MS). The Ben Zireg section is characterized by condensed and ferruginous calcareous deposits; in the South Marhouma section the sedimentation rate is high, dominated by muddy nodular limestones with several hypoxic shale intervals. In both sections, sediments were mostly emplaced on pelagic outer ramps below the limit of storm wave-base, evolving through time from proximal to distal setting. Investigations of the temporal evolution of facies and MS data permit a first estimate of the local sea-level trends in NW Algeria. These trends match the overall long-term rise of sea level recognized worldwide from Frasnian Zone 5 upwards. Noteable positive excursions of the sea-level curve related to the semichatovae transgression, as well as to the late Frasnian transgression prior to the late Kellwasser event, can be established in this area. Although the sharp regression of sea level at the upper Kellwasser level can be confirmed from our data, no particular trend is depicted at the transition of conodont zones (Frasnian Zones 12–13) where the presence of the lower Kellwasser level has not yet been clearly recognized.

Facies analyses of Pleistocene deposits from southern coastal Tanzania (Lindi District) document that sediments formed in a wetland evolving on a coastal terrace in the Lindi Fracture Zone foreland. The exposed succession shows a marked sedimentary change from tidal to terrestrial facies. 14C analyses on gastropod shells indicate the emergence of the Lindi coast at ∼ 44 14C ka BP. Emergence and subsequent elevation of terraces to 21 m above present-day sea level was linked to the falling eustatic sea level prior to the last glacial maximum, and to a periodic elevation due to extensional tectonic episodes in the eastern branch of the East African Rift System (EARS). Since ∼ 44 14C ka BP tectonic uplift at the coast was 80-110 m, comparable to that in the extreme uplift areas of the EARS.

We document characteristics of tephra, including facies and geochemistry, from 27 subsurface sites in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, to obtain stratigraphic constraints in a complex setting. Analyzed tephra deposits correlate with: 1) an unnamed tephra from the Carlotta Formation near Ferndale, California, herein informally named the ash of Wildcat Grade (<~1.450 to >~ 0.780 Ma), 2) the Rockland ash bed (~ 0.575 Ma), 3) the Loleta ash bed (~ 0.390 Ma), and 4) middle Pleistocene volcanic ash deposits at Tulelake, California, and Pringle Falls, Bend, and Summer Lake, Oregon, herein informally named the dacitic ash of Hood (<~0.211 to >~ 0.180 Ma). All four tephra are derived from Cascades volcanic sources. The Rockland ash bed erupted from the southern Cascades and occurs in up to > 7-m-thick deposits in cores from ~ 40 m subsurface in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Tephra facies and tephra age constraints suggest rapid tephra deposition within fluvial channel and overbank settings, likely related to flood events shortly following volcanic eruption. Such rapidly deposited tephra are important chronostratigraphic markers that suggest varying sediment accumulation rates in Quaternary deposits below the modern Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. This study provides the first steps in a subsurface Quaternary stratigraphic framework necessary for future hazard assessment.

Various trace fossils are known from the Upper Triassic (Rhaetian) shale deposits of western Europe, especially from Great Britain. Here we present a unique specimen, unknown from Rhaetian shales in western Europe thus far to our knowledge. The specimen consists of a string of small knobs collected from the dark-coloured Rhaetian shales from the eastern Netherlands, deposited in a marine, near-coastal environment. The specimen represents the first described trace fossil from these shales. The identity of this specimen appears enigmatic. However, SEM-EDS analysis showed that the string of knobs is pyritised and does not contain phosphorus nor did the sediment directly around the specimen, suggesting a non-coprolitic origin of the specimen. Eggs and larvae are also excluded as possibilities. The specimen closely resembles several trace fossils identified as burrows, which is why we favour this interpretation. The rare presence of trace fossils reinforces the hypothesis that the Dutch Rhaetian shales were deposited under a stresses regime with low oxygen conditions.

Over the past 15 years, Japanese, Australian and Russian expeditions to Prydz Bay have collected about 30 000 km of bathymetric data, 6000 km of sidescan sonar data and more than 250 sediment grab and core samples. These data were used in the present study to compile surficial sediment, bathymetric, and geomorphological maps of the Prydz Bay region. Lithofacies distribution was determined by surficial sediment data analysis using sample matrix (Q-mode) and cluster analysis techniques based on data from 206 sites. Data included percentage biogenic silica (opal), calcium carbonate, gravel, mud, and relative abundance of two diatom species (Fragilariopsis curta and F. kerguelensis). Five lithofacies are identified from the available data: (1) slightly gravelly sandy mud (g)sM lithofacies, (2) siliceous mud and diatom ooze (SMO) lithofacies, (3) F. kerguelensis pelagic ooze lithofacies, (4) F. curta gravelly muddy sand gmS lithofacies and (5) calcareous gravel lithofacies. In many areas the lithofacies correlate to geomorphological provinces as defined by previous investigators using 3.5 kHz and sidescan sonar data. In some cases, Holocene SMO sediments are seen to drape over iceberg plough marks, implying that these are relict features. These five lithofacies are likely to dominate most of the East Antarctic shelf region and may be helpful in defining sedimentary successions resulting from ice-sheet advance and retreat over glacial-interglacial cycles.

The fossiliferous bed in the Upper Comley Sandstone, described by Cobbold & Pocock (in 1934) as the ‘Paradoxides forchhammeri Grit’ and correlated by them with the Andrarum Limestone of the late Middle Cambrian (P. forchhammeri Stage) in Scandinavia, is shown to be a shallow-water development of the older punctuosus Zone (medial Middle Cambrian, P. paradoxissimus Stage). It is here re-named the ‘Rushton Brook Bed’. The trilobite fauna, formerly considered comparable with that of the Andrarum Limestone, is reviewed and found taxonomically distinct, the supposed similarities being attributable to facial and preservational factors.

The classic late Tournaisian plant-bearing locality at Oxroad Bay was investigated by detailed field mapping, lithological logging, studies of clast orientation, thin-section petrography and analyses of bulk geochemistry. The lithologically and structurally complex, c. 45 m-thick succession includes eight plant-bearing exposures (each consisting of up to 16 phytofossiliferous horizons) that have yielded 43 anatomically-preserved organ-species and 19 adpressed organ-species. All floral assemblages are allochthonous s.l. and demonstrate a wide range of preservation states. They occur in five successive facies (braided flood-plain, shallow volcanigenic lacustrine, terrestrial mass-flow/base-surge, shallow biogenic lacustrine, dominantly terrestrial reworked ashes) that reflect increasing influence of several basaltic tuff-ring volcanoes on an ocean-marginal lowland bordering the Southern Uplands Massif. The variable local climate reflected proximity to the proto-North Sea and eruptive seeding of the atmosphere with ash particles. Base-surges, seismically-initiated mass-flows and volcanically-induced wildfires restricted the development of mature soils and of edaphic climax communities. These disturbances created a sequence of mosaic palaeocatenas that supported a wide range of sub-communities at any one moment in time. At least some of the relatively k-selected species that occupied the preceding, fluvially-dominated terrain were extirpated by the persistent volcanism, yielding to immigrants that were better pre-adapted to the unstable environment. Low levels of competition allowed non-adaptive n-selection, enhancing the establishment potential of evolutionary innovations.

Sedimentary basins are structures that formed either by subsidence of an area relative to its surroundings, or by uplift of the surroundings. The basin is defined by its sedimentary fill, and the vertical kinematics of the fill are reflected by stratal wedging, unconformities and, or, faulting. The following basin mechanisms are distinguished: locally (a) stretch, (b) thrust and piggy-back, (c) local uplift, and regionally (d) stretch-and-cool, (e) load-and-flex and (f) cratonic uplift.

Basin patterns are reviewed for the three main Phanerozoic episodes for which molasse-like features of sedimentation or tectonics are claimed. Sediment accumulation rates are used as an index of the vigour of basinal activity.

Within the area of the Caledonian orogen, Devonian basinal activity was locally very rigorous, some of it being late orogenic and some post-orogenic, and mostly apparently of ‘stretch-type’. The orogenic area stood high, relative to sea level, throughout Devonian times, but outside the orogenic area, the basins were less vigorous and marine.

Within the area of the Hercynian orogen, and outside it, Permian basins were generally not so active, apparently reflecting a different style of orogenesis. However, the whole area was standing high, relative to sea level. The Triassic basins, though post-orogenic, were rather more vigorous, although a marine transgression records the general lowering of the continental surface. Major evaporites accumulated in these settings.

In Cenozoic times, the narrow orogenic belts formed the most active basins, and these were of load-and-flex type, reflecting the importance of thrust-sheet movement, itself perhaps a result of the presence of Triassic evaporites. Other non-orogenic basins reflect both ‘stretch’ and ‘stretch-and-cool’ mechanisms. Only the Spanish basins appear to have been standing high, relative to sea level, perhaps in response to cratonic uplift.