| Summary: | The Lower Devonian carbonate-clastic sequence of southwest Ellesmere Island accumulated in the Franklinian Basin at approximately 15(DEGREES)N latitude. A variety of depositional settings are represented, ranging from tidal flat to basinal environments. These environments can be recognized in Lower Devonian rocks across the Arctic Islands. Progradation of the carbonate sequence of southwest Ellesmere Island occurred in the Early Devonian, but was periodically interrupted in the Zlichovian/Dalejan by transgressive events. Upward movement in the newly named Inglefield Uplift occurred throughout the Devonian, and shed clastic sediments westward that, in Middle to Late Devonian time, finally overwhelmed the marine carbonates and resulted in fluvial deposition on southern Ellesmere Island. Certain formations in the Lower Devonian sequence are profusely fossiliferous, in particular the Blue Fiord Formation, which contains an abundant fauna including numerous species of coral and brachiopods. Both of these groups belong to the Old World Biogeographic Realm, and indicate a Zlichovian age for the lower Blue Fiord Formation of southern Ellesmere Island.
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