Integrated stratigraphy of the Maikop type section (Republic of Adygea, Russia)
Summary
The commercially relevant Maikop group lacks abundant microfossils and ash layers, which makes dating of the sediments problematic. This thesis project aims to construct an age frame for this sedimentary sequence deposited in the former Paratethys region. Using new paleomagnetic data from the Maikop group type section at the Belaya River, together with existing biostratigraphic data, a first attempt is made at dating the entirety of the early Oligocene to Middle Miocene Maikop group. Two possible correlations are presented. One based on previous and ongoing paleomagnetic research on parts of the Maikop group and the other on expected stable sedimentation and biostratigraphic zones. A detailed investigation on the base of the Maikop group and upper Belaya Glina formation shows the lower boundary of the Maikop group coincides with the C13r-C13n reversal, resulting in an age for the base of the Maikop of 33.71 Ma. This agrees with the hypothesis that the change in sedimentation from light coloured marls to dark organic rich clays at this boundary was the result of a large sea level drop during the Oi-1 event, leading to stratification of the water column which restricted oxygenation of the bottom waters.