Abstract
Ichnocoenoses analyses supplemented with sedimentary facies analysis have been performed to identify seasonal patterns and ichnocoenoses distributions in the Yeochari tidal flats, the Ganghwa Island of Han-River estuary. The Yeochari intertidal flats can be divided into upper and middle tidal flats based on tide levels along a transect line. The latter flats can be further subdivided into higher and lower middle flats, and sand shoal, according to sedimentary facies, bioturbation index (BI), and distribution of ichnocoenoses. The upper tidal flats consist mainly of bioturbated muds with a dominant ichnocoenosis Psilonichnus, both in winter and summer, suggesting a stable environment in habitat conditions. The higher middle flats comprising alternating flaser and bioturbated sand-muds represent ichnocoenoses, Rosselia and Rhizocorallium, in winter and summer, respectively. In the lower middle flats, crossand parallel-laminated sand facies are dominant in winter, whereas, in summer, the alternating sand-mud facies with cross-laminated sands are predominant. The representative ichnocoenoses in the lower flats display Cylindrichnus, Scolicia and Echiurus burrows, which are commonly found in wave-dominated environments. However, Psilonichnus as well as mixed facies in summer indicate coexistence of tides with wave. No seasonal changes have been recognized in the outer sand shoals both in the ichno-characters and sedimentary facies. The dominant ichnocoenosis is cryptic bioturbation in the sand shoal, the ichnocoenosis being preserved in the wave-dominated sequences evidently in the lower middle flats of the Yeochari. Ichnocoenoses analysis in tidal-flat environments reveales that Rosselia, Rhizocorallium, Scolicia, Cylindrichnus and Echiurus are the key ichnocoenoses for identifying specific seasonal changes in sedimentation, and defining the middle intertidal flats and/or mixed tidal flats, commonly difficult to recognize by sedimentary facies alone. This study shows that ichnocoenosis analysis is a useful tool to characterize or define intertidal flats being subject to stark seasonal changes in sedimentation likely driven by the monsoon climate. More importantly, this may further provide a tool to differentiate between tideinfluenced and fully wave-dominated successions in ancient tidal-flat analogues.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blomley, R.G., 1990, Trace fossils: biology and taphonomy. Unwin Hyman, London, 280 p.
Baek, Y.S., Chun, S.S., and Shin S.J., 2009, Seasonal variation of sedimentary structures and ichnofacies in the Duuri open-coast tidal flat, Southwestern Korea. Jouranl of the Geological Society of Korea, 45, 187–208.
Bottjer, D.J. and Droser, M.L., 1991, Ichnofabric and basin analysis. Palaios, 6, 199–205.
Boyd, R., Dalrymple, R.W., and Zaitlin, B.A., 1992, Classification of clastic coastal depositional environments. Sedimentary Geology, 80, 139–150.
Cameron, W.M., Pritchard, D.W., 1963, Estuaries. In: Hill, M.N. (ed.), The Sea. Wiley Interscience, New York, p. 306–324.
Chang, T.S. and Flemming, B.W., 2006, Sedimentation on a wavedominated, open-coast tidal flat, south western Korea: summer tidal flat, winter shoreface–discussion. Sedimentology, 53, 687–691.
Cho, H.Y. and Koo, B.J., 2008, Water temperature and salinity variation analysis in the intertidal zone, south of Ganghwado, Korea. Korea Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers, 20, 310–320.
Choi, K.S. and Ju, J.H., 2015, Morphodynamics and stratigraphic architecture of compound dunes on the open-coast macrotidal flat in the northern Gyeonggi Bay, west coast of Korea. Marine Geology, 366, 34–48.
Chun, S.S. and Kim, J.K., 2008, Short-term sedimentation and preservation in the deltaic to estuarine intertidal-flat setting, Ganghwa Island, Korea. Proceedings of the Conference on Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas 8, Shanghai, Sep. 27–30, p. 193–194.
Chun, S.S. and Yang, B.C., 2004, Sedimentation and Holocene evolution of wave-dominated, macrotidal-flat depositional system in the southwestern open coasts of Korean Peninsula. Journal of Sedimentological Society of Japan, 58, 65–83.
Dalrymple, R.W., Zaitlin, B.A., and Boyd, R., 1992, Estuarine facies models: conceptual basis and stratigraphic implications. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 62, 1130–1146.
Chun, S.S., Choi, K.S., Kim, J.K., and Chwae, U., 2005, Sedimentation in the macrotidal Mankyung River estuary and Han River delta. International Conference on Deltas (Abstract), Ho Chi Minh, Jan. 10–16, p. 11.
Dalrymple, R.W., Zaitlin, B.A., and Boyd, R., 1992. A conceptual model of estuarine sedimentation. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 62, 1130–1146.
Dashtgard, S.E., Gingras, M.K., and Pemberton, S.G., 2008, Grainsize controls on the occurrence of bioturbation. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 257, 224–243.
Davies, J.L. 1964, A morphogenic approach to world shorelines. Journal of Geomorphology, 8, 127–142.
Day, J.H., 1980, What is an estuary? South African Journal of Science, 76, 198.
Dionne, J.C., 1963, Towards a more adequate definition of the St. Lawrence estuary. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie, 7, 36–44.
De Brouwer, J.F.C., Bjelic, S., de Deckere, E.M.G.T., and Stal, L.J., 2000, Interplay between biology and sedimentology in a mudflat (Biezelingse Ham, Westerschelde, The Netherlands). Continental Shelf Research, 20, 1159–1177.
Eagar, R.M.C., Baines, J.G., Collinson, J.D., Hardy, P.G., Okolo, S.A., and Pollard, J.E., 1985, Trace fossil assemblages and their occurrence in Silesian (mid-Carboniferous) Deltaic sediments in the Central Pennine Basin, England. In: Curran, H.A. (ed.), Biogenic structures: their use in interpreting depositional environments. Publication of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, 35, 99–149.
Ekdale, A.A., Bromley, R.G., and Pemberton, S.G., 1984, Ichnology–the use of trace fossils in sedimentology and stratigraphy. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists short course 15, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 317 p.
Ekdale, A.A. and Lewis, D.W., 1991, Trace fossils and paleoenvironmental control of ichnofacies in a Quaternary gravel and loess fan delta complex, New Zealand. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 81, 253–279.
Flemming B.W., 2000, A revised textural classification of gravel-free muddy sediments on the basis of ternary diagrams. Continental Shelf Research, 20, 1125–1137.
Folk, R.L., 1968, Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks. Hemphillss, Austin, 170 p.
Frey, R.W. and Pemberton, S.G., 1985. Biogenic structures in outcrops and cores: I, Approaches to ichnology. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geologists, 33, 72–115.
Gingras, M.K., Pemberton, S.G., and Saunders, T.D.A., 1999, The ichnology of Modern and Pleistocene brackish-water deposits at Willapa Bay, Washington: variability in estuarine settings. Palaios, 14, 352–374.
Gingras, M.K., Pemberton, S.G., and Saunders, T.D.A., 2000, Firmness profiles associated with tidal creek deposits: the temporal significance of Glossifungites assemblages. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 7, 1017–1025.
Gingras, M.K., Pemberton. S.G., and Saunders, T.D.A., 2001, Bathymetry, sediment texture, and substrate cohesiveness; their impact on modern Glossifungites trace assemblages at Willapa Bay, Washington. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 169, 1–21.
Gingras, M.K., MacEachern, J.A., and Pickerill, R.K., 2004, Modern perspectives on the Teredolites Ichnofacies: Observation from Willapa Bay, Washington. Palaios, 19, 79–88.
Hertweck, G., 1998, Facies chracteristic of back-barrier tidal flats of the East Frisian island of Spiekeroog. Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) special publication, 61, 23–30.
Howard, J.D., Elders, C.A., and Heinbokel, J.F., 1975, Animal-sediment relationships in estuarine point bar deposits, Ogeechee River–Ossabaw Sound, Estuaries of the Georgia Coast, United States of America. Sedimentology and Biology, V. Senckenbergiana Maritima, 7, 181–203.
Howard, J.D. and Frey, R.W., 1975, Regional animal-sediment characteristics of Georgia estuaries, Estuaries of the Georgia Coast, United States of America. Sedimentology and Biology, II. Senckenbergiana Maritima, 7, 33–103.
Howard, J.D. and Scott, R.M., 1983, Comparison of Pleistocene and Holocene barrier island beach-to-offshore sequences, Georgia and Northeast Florida coasts, United States of America. Sedimentary Geology, 34, 167–183.
Kim, J.K. and Chun, S.S., 2006, Sedimentation in the deltaic to estuarine intertidal flat, Ganghwa Island, western coast of Korea, 17th International Sedimentological Congress (ISC 2006), Fukuoka, Aug. 27–Sept. 1, p. 58.
Kim, J.K. and Chun, S.S., 2008, Sedimentation and Holocene Evolution of Ganghwa Intertidal Flat, Gyonggi Bay, South Korea, Proceedings of 7th International Conference on Tidal Environments, Qingdao, Sep. 25–27, p. 28–29.
Kim, J.K. and Chun, S.S., 2013, Architectural interpretation of the Ganghwa intertidal flat, Gyeonggi Bay, South Korea–Preservation of intertidal deposits under small-scale transgression during Late Holocene. Western Pacific Sedimentology Meeting, (2013WPSM), Taoyuan, May 13–14, p. 53–54.
Klein, G. deV., 1985, Intertidal flats and intertidal sandbodies. In: Davies, R.A.J. (ed.), Coastal Sedimentary Environments. Springer-Verlag, New York, p. 184–224.
Korea Meteorological Administration, 1998, Report on the basic surveys of coastal waters. 80 p.
MacEachern, J.A., Pemberton, S.G., Bann, K.L., and Gingras, M.K., 2005, Departures from the archetypal ichnofacies: effective recognition of physico-chemical stresses in the rock record. In: Applied ichnology. Short Course No. 11, 2005 Annual Convention American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM), June 19–22.
MacEachern, J.A. and Loseth, T.M., 2003, Sedimentology and ichnology of a transgressively back-stepped wave-dominated deltaic reservoir: Middle Jurassic Tarbert and Heather Formations, North Sea, Norway. America Association of Petrology Geology, Annual Meeting Expanded Abstract, 12, 110.
MacEachern, J.A., Raychaudhuri, I., and Pemberton, S.G., 1992, Stratigraphic applications of the Glossifungites ichnofacies; delineating discontinuities in the rock record. In: Pemberton, S.G. (ed.), Applications of ichnology to petroleum exploration. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Core Workshop, 16, 169–198.
Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, 2003, Annual hydrological report on Korea (2003), 1062 p.
Ministry of Maritime affairs and Fisheries, 2003, Studies on inventories and a sustainable use of tidal flats in Korea, 1109 p.
Nara, M., 1997, High-resolution analytical method for event sedimentation using Rosselia socialis. Palaios, 12, 489–494.
Pearson, N.J. and Gingras, M.K., 2006, An ichnological and sedimentological facies model for muddy point-bar deposits. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 76, 771–782.
Pemberton, S.G. and MacEachern, J.A. 1995, The sequence stratigraphic significance of trace fossils in examples from the Cretaceous of Alberta. In: Van Wagoner, J.A. and Bertram, G.T. (eds.), Sequence Stratigraphy of Foreland Basin Deposits–Outcrop and Subsurface Examples from the Cretaceous of North America. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, 64, p. 429–475.
Pemberton, S.G. and Gingras, M.K., 2005, Classification and characterizations of biogenically enhanced permeability. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 89, 1493–1517.
Pemberton, S.G., Ranger, M.J., and MacEachern, J.A., 1992a, The conceptual framework of ichnology. In: Pemberton, S.G. (ed.), Application of Ichnology to Petroleum Exploration. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Core Workshop Notes, 17, p. 1–32.
Pemberton, S.G., van Wagoner, J.G., and Wach, G.D., 1992b, Ichnofacies of a wave dominated shoreline. In: Pemberton, S.G. (ed.), Application of Ichnology to Petroleum Exploration. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Core Workshop Notes, 17, p. 339–382.
Pemberton, S.G., Spila, M., Pulham, A.J., Saunders, T.D.A., MacEachern, J.A., Robbins, D., and Sinclair, K., 2001, Ichnology & Sedimentology of Shallow to Marginal Marine Systems. Short Course Notes V. 15.
Pemberton, S.G., Spila, M.V., Pulham, A.J., and Saunders, T.D.A., MacEachern, J.A., Robbins, D. and Sinclair, K., 2002, Ichnology and sedimentology of shallow and marginal marine systems: Ben Nevis and Avalon Reservoirs, Jeanne D’Arc Basin. Geological Association of Canada, Short course notes, V. 15.
Pemberton, S.G., MacEachern, J.A., Murray K.G., and Saunders, T.D.A., 2008, Biogenic chaos: cryptobioturbation and the work of sedimentologically friendly organisms. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology, 270, 273–279.
Perillo, G.M.E., 1995, Definitions and geomorphologic classifications of estuaries. In: Perillo, G.M.E. (ed.), Geomorphology and sedimentology of Estuaries. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p. 17–47.
Radley, J.D., Barker, M.J., and Munt, M.C., 1998, Bibalve trace fossils (Lockeia) from the Barnes high sandstone (Wealden Group, lower Cretaceous) of the Wessex Sub-basin, southern England. Cretaceous Research, 19, 505–509.
Ringuelet, R.A., 1962, Ecología Acuática Continental. EUDEBA, Buenos Aires, 138 p.
Rouble, R. and Walker, R.G., 1997, Sedimentology, high-resolution allo-stratigraphy and key stratigraphic surfaces in Falher members A and B, Spirit River Formation, west-central Alberta. In: Pemberton, S.G. and James, D.P. (eds.), Petroleum Geology of the Cretaceous Mannville Group, Western Canada. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Memoirs, 18, p. 1–29.
Saunders, T.D.A. and Pemberton, S.G., 1986, Trace fossils and sedimentology of the Appaloosa Sandstone: Bearpaw-Horseshoe Canyon Formation transition, Dorothy, Alberta. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, Field Trip Guide Book, 117 p.
Saunders, T.D.A., MacEachern, J.A., and Pemberton, S.G., 1994, Cadotte Member Sandstone: progradation in a boreal basin prone towinter storms. In: Pemberton, S.G., James, D.P., and Wightman, D.M. (eds.), Mannville Core Conference. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geology, p. 331–350.
Savrda, C.E. and Nanson, L.L., 2003, Ichnology of fair-weather and storm deposits in an Upper Cretaceous estuary (Eutaw Formation, western Georgia, USA). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology, 202, 67–83.
Schubel, J.R. and Pritchard, D.W., 1972, What is an estuary. In: Schubel, J.R. (ed.), The Estuarine Environment: Estuaries and Estuarine Sedimentation. American Geological Institute, Washington DC, p. 1–11.
Seilacher, A., 1963, Bathymetry of trace fossils. Marine Geology, 5, 413–428.
Skoog, S.Y., Cynthia, V., and Simpson, E.L., 1994, Distribution of Diopatra cuprea Across Modern Tidal Flats: Implications for Skolithos. Palaios, 9, 188–201.
Taylor, A.M. and Goldring, R., 1993, Description and analysis of bioturbation and ichnofabric. Journal of Geological Society, London, 150, 141–148.
Taylor, A.M., Goldring, R., and Gowland, S., 2003, Analysis and application of ichnofabrics. Earth-Science Reviews, 60, 227–259.
Wach, G.D. and Ruffell, A.H., 1991, Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of a Lower Cretaceous tide and storm-dominated clastic succession, Isle of Wight and S.E. England. British Sedimentological Research Group Field Guide, Cambridge University, 4, 100 p.
Wang, B.C. and Isma, D.E., 1988, Mudflat deposition along the Wenzhou coastal plain in southern Zhejiang, China. In: de Boer, P.L. (ed.), Tide-influenced Sedimentary Environments and Facies. Reidel Publication, p. 265–274.
Woo, H.J. and Jae. J.G., 2002, Change of sedimentary environments in the southern tidal flat of Kanghwa Island. Ocean and Polar Research, 24, 331–343.
Yang, B.C. and Chun, S.S., 2001, A seasonal model of surface sedimentation on the Baeksu open-coast intertidal flat, southwestern coast of Korea. Geosciences Journal, 5, 251–262.
Yang, B.C., Dalrymple, R.W., and Chun, S.S., 2005, Sedimentation on a wave-dominated, open-coast tidal flat, southwestern Korea: summer tidal flat–winter shoreface. Sedimentology, 52, 235–252.
Yang, B.C., Dalrymple, R.W., Gingras, M.K., Chun, S.S., and Lee, H.J., 2007, Up-estuary variation of sedimentary facies and ichnocoenoses in an open-mouthed, macrotidal, mixed-energy estuary, Gomso bay, Korea. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 77, 757–771.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baek, Y., Kim, J. & Chun, S. Spatio-temporal zonation by ichnocoenoses combined with sedimentary facies in the Yeochari tidal flat (Ganghwa Island), the Han River estuary of Korea. Geosci J 20, 295–309 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-015-0059-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-015-0059-5