128 Sea Level Processes and Effects of Sea Level Change
Shale (marin,)
Algol IImeslone (cantainl
nearshort and brac~i'h
water Inverl,bralel)
Limellone (conla inl for
off-Ihort inverlebralel,
.. pecially fUlulinidl)
Limulane, Impur, 10 Ihaly
(conlo inl inlermediQ~-e
off-Ihort inv,rlebralel)
Shale, morin, (con lain,
near-Ihore inv,rl,broln)
COOl
Und.rclay
Nonmar ine Ihal., eommonly
londy
Nonmarine ,and,lone
Oi,conformity 4 _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Shole (marine)
Algal limeslone (conlainl
near-shore Inverlebrotes)
Lim .. tone (conta ins for
~
~ii~~ off-shore inverlebraln,
_ _ _ _
upeciolly fUIUlinids)
Limestone, shaly (conlains
intermediate off-Ihore
invertebrates I
Shole, mar ine (conlains
near-shore invertebrates)
Coo l
Nonmarine shale, sandy
Nonmar ine sondston.
r+"""~ ..... - - Oisconformity - _ _ _
Limntone (conta ins
\-""""r---I,- fusul inids)
Nonmarine
Contin.
enlal
EroSIOn .. dimln- Swamp
totion
Shallow
Morine
Mar- Inter -
For
media t, OfflI in al IOh~r~ short
Fig. 5.1. Sea level fluctuation s: calendar of geologic history. The diagram shows a section of the late
Paleozoic cyclothem successions in Kansas, which consist of alternating marine and nonmarine
sed iments. Description of facies to the lefr; interpretation in tenns of depositional environment to the
rig hr. The interpretation uses "Walther's Rule " introduced a century ago, which state s that only
those sed iment types th at are neighbors geographically will be neighbors in strati graphic succession.
lR. C. Moore. as drawn by J. C. Crowell, 1978, Am. J. Sci. 278: 1345]