A test of a new technique illustrating faunal dominance trends: Application to the 'Trilobite Beds' interval of the Middle Devonian Wanakah Shale in western New York

Batt, R.J. 1995 11 30 A test of a new technique illustrating faunal dominance trends: Application to the 'Trilobite Beds' interval of the Middle Devonian Wanakah Shale in western New York. Lethaia , Vol. 28, pp. 245–258. Oslo. ISSN 0024–1164.
A new graphic technique illustrating species relative abundance trends through stratigraphic sections facilitates recognition of subtle temporal and geographic changes in environment. This technique is illustrated by application to three closely spaced sections through the 'Trilobite Beds' interval of the Wanakah Shale of western New York. Graphic representation of faunal data from bed-by-bed sampling of these sections allows recognition of water depth changes that may be related to small-scale cyclic eustatic sealevel fluctuations. Comparison of graphs for neighboring sections, aided by excellent chronostratigraphic control, allows delineation of seafloor topography. During deposition of the study interval, the seafloor was consistently shallowest at the western section and deepest at the middle site. □ Wanakah Shale, Hamilton Group, Devonian, Darien Center Submember, 'Trilobite Beds', Expanded Bandygram .