The paleoenvironmental distribution of Phanerozoic wrinkle structures

Wrinkle structures are microbially induced sedimentary structures that are known to have formed in ancient marine siliciclastic environments. This study reviews the sedimentary context and paleoenvironmental distribution of these sedimentary structures throughout three distinct intervals of the Phanerozoic: the Cambrian, the post-Cambrian Paleozoic, and the Lower Triassic. During these times, wrinkle structures are found primarily within two sedimentary environments, storm-dominated subtidal environments and the intertidal zone. Subtidal occurrences of wrinkle structures during the post-Ordovician Phanerozoic only appear to occur during intervals of environmental stress, while earlier examples from the Cambrian and lowermost Ordovician likely formed prior to significant increases in extent and depth of bioturbation that hallmark most of the Phanerozoic. Intertidal examples occur regardless of severe environmental stress, and may have formed under low levels of bioturbation due to inherent vagaries of a marginal marine setting. These environmental preferences appear to be conservative throughout the Phanerozoic, and may very well extend throughout Earth's history.