A cluster analysis interpretation of Middle Ordovician biofacies, southern Mackenzie Mountains

Collections of fossil trilobites, ostracods, bryozoans, and conodonts from Chazyan and Blackriveran strata of the southern Mackenzie Mountains are analyzed in an attempt to define biofacies, in terms of areal extent and faunal composition. Q-mode and R-mode cluster analyses, using Jaccard's coe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
Main Author: Hayes, Brad J. R.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1980
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e80-145
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e80-145
Description
Summary:Collections of fossil trilobites, ostracods, bryozoans, and conodonts from Chazyan and Blackriveran strata of the southern Mackenzie Mountains are analyzed in an attempt to define biofacies, in terms of areal extent and faunal composition. Q-mode and R-mode cluster analyses, using Jaccard's coefficient and the unweighted pair-group method of clustering, are employed to delineate five biofacies. The interpretation of sedimentological features and composition of faunal assemblages shows that one nearshore biofacies, three progressively deeper shelf biofacies, and one continental slope biofacies are represented. A plot of biofacies succession through time in each measured section provides added support for the biofacies interpretations.