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Devonian-Mississippian Antler Foreland Basin Carbonates in Idaho: Significant

Subsidence and Eustasy Events 1

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Devonian-Mississippian Antler Foreland Basin Carbonates in Idaho:
Significant Subsidence and Eustasy Events1

PETER E. ISAACSON2
GEORGE C. GRADER3
MICHAEL C. POPE3
ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ4
SUSAN H. BUTTS5
LISELLE S. BATT2
JASON M. ABPLANALP2

1. Manuscript received September 8, 2006; Accepted March15, 2007

2. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-3022 Current Address (Batt): ExxonMobil, Houston, TX; Corresponding Author:
isaacson@uidaho.edu
3. Department of Geology, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164
4. Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616
5. Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8118

ABSTRACT

Idaho’s mid- and late Paleozoic sedimentary successions are carbonate and mixed carbonate-silici-
clastic units showing >5 km subsidence combined with several organic buildups in downslope and
eustasy-influenced foreland basin settings. Overall, Silurian through Late Carboniferous sediments aver-
age 6-10 km thickness. Idaho’s margin was passive in Early to Middle Devonian time, and transitioned
into a foreland basin in the Late Devonian with additional large tectonic and sedimentary loading accom-
modation events in the Carboniferous. The Middle and Late Devonian Jefferson Formation (> 2 km thick)
is composed of downslope marine units that pass upward into downslope buildups comprised of stro-
matoporoids and disphyllid corals. A drowning event stopped buildup growth, followed by eustatic fall
that subaerially exposed the buildups. Abrupt high amplitude sea level changes in the late Frasnian to
Famennian were a result of coeval initiation of glaciation in Gondwana. Coincident with the first Late
Devonian to Carboniferous tectonic loading event, the resulting foreland basin received flysch derived
from western uplands. To the east, a >3 km thick succession of Mississippian carbonate was deposited in
the distal foreland basin. The first Carboniferous foreland subsidence event is in Kinderhookian time,
and a second is during early Chesterian time, with eustatic overprinting in the mid- to late Chesterian.
The carbonates are subdivided into two packages: 1) uppermost Devonian - lower Mississippian shale
and middle Mississippian progradational carbonates containing abundant pelletal and ooid grainstones;
and 2) upper Mississippian carbonates dominated by muddy skeletal banks that grade upward into
mixed carbonates and siliciclastics. Although the general history of these units is similar to that of adja-
cent, on-strike regions, accommodation appears to be more significant than what occurred in Nevada,
where crustal thickening through Late Devonian thrust faulting is clearly demonstrated; in Idaho coeval
thrusting has yet to be defined.

The Mountain Geologist, Vol. 44, No. 3 (July 2007), p 119-140 119 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Structural Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Stratigraphic Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
DEPOSITIONAL HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
PASSIVE MARGIN SUCCESSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Devonian Passive to Active Margin Transision . 123
Early and Middle Devonian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Early Late Devonian (Frasnian) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Late Devonian (Famennian) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
ACTIVE MARGIN SUCCESSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Early Mississippian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
INTRODUCTION
Idaho’s mid-Paleozoic succession has only recently been
studied in enough detail to provide a reasonable assembly of
its stratigraphic successions, depositional settings, and tec-
tonic versus eustatic imprints. A pattern is emerging in the
overall depositional history, which parallels that of Nevada
and adjacent Canada, with an initial passive margin transition-
ing to an active compressional and possibly transcurrent mar-
gin during the Late Devonian. We describe stratigraphic
features herein that suggest at least three episodes of tectonic
and sediment loading in Carboniferous time. Overprinting the
subsidence events are shorter term eustatic cycles during
Late Devonian, late Mississippian and Pennsylvanian times.
Compared to its adjacent states and provinces, notably
Utah, Nevada, British Columbia, and Alberta, understanding
much of the Paleozoic stratigraphy of Idaho is at an early
stage of knowledge. Not until the late 1970s and 1980s were
litho- and biostratigraphic assessments of the Devonian and
Carboniferous strata completed. Based on literature available
at the time, as well as thesis work completed by University
of Idaho students, Isaacson et al. (1983) assembled twenty-
six stratigraphic columns for Paleozoic (and Mesozoic) units
in south-central, and southern Idaho.
Idaho’s thick mid- to late Paleozoic sedimentary succes-
sion records several significant accommodation events.
These events range from subsidence in marginal, exten-
sional basins during the passive margin phase (Early to Mid-
dle Devonian rocks), and tectonic loading during the
compressional margin phase (Late Devonian through late
Mississippian rocks). The succession has few widespread
regional unconformities, thereby providing a more complete
record of kilometer-scale progradational or aggradational
events not seen in the U.S. Midcontinent.This paper reviews
the current understanding of Idaho’s mid-Paleozoic sedi-
mentary succession focusing on its biostratigraphic frame-
work, a foundation for eventual sequence stratigraphic
interpretations, and carbonate buildups.
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Late Mississippian (Chesterian) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Late Mississippian Biostratigraphy . . . . . . . . . . 129
Tectonic Controls on Structure and
Accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Chesterian Paleogeography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Cyclicity in Chesterian Rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Structural Setting
Mountain ranges between the Beaverhead Mountains and
the White Knob Mountains in east-central Idaho (Fig. 1) con-
tain a Proterozoic and Cambrian-to-Permian succession of
sedimentary rocks measuring approximately 6 and 10 km
respectively (Skipp and Hait, 1977; Ruppel and Lopez, 1988;
Link et al., 1988; 1995). Generally, Paleozoic interbedded
sandstone and carbonate of the eastern areas grade west-
ward into more pure carbonates that, in turn grade into
thick, fine-grained deep-water siliciclastics (Wood River and
Pioneer Mountains area).
The Cordilleran thrust belt meets the Rocky Mountain
foreland approximately in the Beaverhead Mountains (Fig. 1)
on the border of east-central Idaho with Montana (Kulik and
Schmidt, 1988; Hamilton 1988). A thickened crust there
records episodes of thrusting that include tear faults, out of
sequence thrusting, reactivated basement uplifts, and refold-
ing of thrusts (Perry et al. 1988; Skipp 1988). Paleozoic strata
in the study area are broken by imbricate thrusts and folds
of the Sevier and Laramide deformation events, but occur on
a single tectonic block – the Hawley Mountain thrust plate
(Link et al., 1988). Regional structural deformation and tele-
scoping of strata resulted in thrust dislocations of distinctive
Paleozoic successions (Skipp and Hait, 1977; Rodgers and
Janecke, 1992). Other depositional (and paleo-structural)
factors associated with the Neoproterozoic - Paleozoic
Cordilleran “miogeocline” and Late Paleozoic Antler orogeny
may also have influenced late structural kinematics (Skipp,
1988; Winston, 1986; Ruppel, 1986; Skipp and Link, 1992;
Dorobek et al. 1991). Probable deformation via imbricate
thrust, uplift and solution interaction with Upper Devonian
evaporite deposits occurred above and locally within the
Devonian units (Hait, 1965; Beutner, 1968; Sandberg and
Mapel, 1967; M’Gonigle, 1982; Dorobek, 1991; Grader, 1998).
Rhyolite dikes, jasperoid silicification of Paleozoic carbon-
ates, and hydrothermally emplaced sulphides occur locally.
Igneous rocks were intruded into this area during the
120
 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS
Ordovician (Beaverhead Mountains), Late Cretaceous (Idaho
Batholith to the west), and Eocene (Evans and Zartman,
1988).
Idaho’s Paleozoic rocks are exposed in northwest-south-
east trending Tertiary extensional fault-block (basin and
range style) mountain ranges in central Idaho (Fig. 1). Most if
not all Paleozoic units are allochthonous, having been trans-
ported a considerable distance to the east and possibly
northeast by Late Paleozoic to Tertiary thrust and possible
transcurrent faults (Skipp and Hait, 1977; Ruppel and Lopez,
1984; Link and Janecke, 1999; Tysdal, 2002). Eocene and
younger low-angle normal faults extend former Sevier
thrusts (Hait, 1988). Janecke, (1992; 1994), Janecke et
al.(1991), and VanDenburg et al., (1998) documented signifi-
cant Eocene to present, variously oriented extensional
events. Because of identification of Devonian Lemhi Arch
flank lithofacies in the transitional area between the south-
ern and central Lemhi Range (Grader, 1998; Grader and
Dehler, 1999), it is possible that Paleozoic paleogeography
may reflect its approximately original distribution (sensu
121
Figure 1. Generalized geologic map of central Idaho
(Wilson and Skipp; 1994; and Link, 2002), showing
mountain ranges and relative positions of Paleozoic
shelf, carbonate banks, younger igneous plutons and
volcanics, and Antler orogenic sediments (Nilson, 1977).
AC - Antelope Canyon; AH - Arco Hills; CM - Copper
Mountain; DP - Doublespring Pass; HB - Howe
buildups; GC - Grandview Canyon; SC - Snaky Canyon.
Levy and Christie-Blick, 1989). That is, Paleozoic compres-
sion may have been restored to original positions by Ceno-
zoic extension.This needs to be further tested.
Stratigraphic Overview
Recently Idaho’s mid- to Late Paleozoic succession has
been re-interpreted with regards to biostratigraphy, deposi-
tional sequences, parasequences, paleogeography and paleo-
tectonic settings (Fig. 2). A synoptic overview indicates the
Idaho succession developed in a similar sequential develop-
ment as in Nevada.The main points are as follows:
1) The Ordovician-Devonian shelfbreak lies within Idaho,
and both shallower and deeper water Ordovician - Sil-
urian rocks were deposited here.
2) A passive margin characterized this area during the
Ordovician to Middle Devonian, but it transitions into a
convergent (or transpressional) margin in the Late
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp

Figure 2. Summary of stratigraphy, paleotectonics, sedimentary accommodation and sedimentary accumulation events, central Idaho. We
suggest at least five significant subsidence events, discussed herein. Eustatic overprinting by Gondwana glacio-eustasy is evident in strata
correlating to time of glaciation.

Devonian. The timing of this transition is quite clearly
seen in the stratigraphy, although a definitive thrust sys-
tem (i.e., the Roberts Mountains Allochthon of Nevada)
has not been clearly demonstrated in Idaho.
3) A foreland basin with significant subsidence ensues in
the Mississippian and later.A thick Carboniferous carbon-
ate and mixed carbonate-siliciclastic succession (at least
three times greater than that of Nevada) oversteps flysch
in the foreland. Tectonic subsidence and eustatic cycles
(Batt et al., 2006a,b in review) of differing durations con-
trolled accumulation of this sedimentary succession.
DEPOSITIONAL HISTORY
mental tectonic change is a Late Precambrian through
Devonian passive margin (Stewart, 1972) that changes into
an active, convergent margin in the Late Devonian. Third,
there are remarkable depositional facies differences
between Nevada and Idaho. For example, Idaho buildups in
this interval have dysphyllid corals and stromatoporoid
(Devonian) biostromes. Whereas similar age buildups in
Nevada are less diverse biologically, containing only stromat-
poroids. Also, the Devonian-Mississippian carbonate bank
successions in Idaho are considerably thicker than those in
Nevada, and show continuous deposition through key time
intervals that record sea level and paleoclimatic changes and
proxies for Gondwana glaciation.

The Early Devonian through late Mississippian strati-
graphic interval (Fig. 3) merits consideration for three rea-
sons. First, it contains the most recently studied Paleozoic
rocks in Idaho. Second, this interval records significant
depositional and paleo-tectonic changes that generally paral-
lel the record in adjacent Nevada and Alberta, Canada, but
they were not previously delineated in Idaho. The funda-
PASSIVE MARGIN SUCCESSION
Within the Tippecanoe and early Kaskaskia (Late Ordovi-
cian through Frasnian, early Late Devonian) 2nd-order trans-
gressive sequences (Sloss, 1962), there are several platform
carbonate units in east-central Idaho (Isaacson et al., 1983).
Most of these units thinned toward the craton into SW Mon-

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 122

 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

Figure 3. Summary of significant Silurian-Pennsylvanian stratigraphic units of central Idaho. Mountains ranges located on Figure 1. In gen-
eral, “western” units discussed herein refer to those of the Lost River Range, and “eastern” refer to units in the Beaverhead Range. Units in
the Lemhi Range are transitional: shelf edge during Silurian and Early Devonian, and foreland basin during Carbnoniferous time.

tana or were subsequently eroded before Frasnian time.
Early Paleozoic units exhibit deepening to the west toward
the continental margin (Fig. 4).
Devonian Passive to Active Margin Transition
The late Tippecanoe regression (Early Devonian) and
early Kaskaskia transgression (Middle Devonian) produced a
stratigraphic framework of thin (< 100m) to very thick (>
1600m) shelf strata in east-central Idaho (Fig. 3). Eastern
shelf strata include the Beartooth Butte, Carey, Jefferson and
Three Forks formations (Isaacson, et al., 1983), which pri-
marily consist of carbonate ramp deposits with multiple
channeled sandstones and peritidal units. Strata are divided
into lower and upper lithostratigraphic successions sepa-
rated by the late Frasnian sequence boundary “SB lFr0” (Figs.
4, 5).The Lower Devonian succession represents deposition
on a passive margin and the upper Late Frasnian-Famennian
succession represents deposition on a subsident transitional
margin (Fig. 4).
Regionally, peritidal strata of the Jefferson Formation
occur below the Three Forks Formation and have low shale
content. Meter-scale cycles consist of shallow subtidal to
intertidal and local supratidal facies, that are typically
divided by sharp bedding contacts. Shallowing-upward
cycles consists of a dark black bioturbated, partly fossilifer-
ous and faintly laminated dolomudstone, followed by
medium gray traction-laminated dolomudstone with rip-up
clasts, and low-angle lamination truncations with soft sedi-

123 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 124

 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

Figure 5. Left: Regional chronostratigraphy of Devonian rocks in Idaho. Arranged and modified after Skipp and Sandberg (1975), Dehler
(1995), Hobbs et al. (1991); Johnson and Sandberg (1977), Wiler (1992), Johnson et al. (1985); Hait (1965); Grader (1998); Elliott, Grader,
Dehler (unpublished fieldwork), Sandberg et al. (1989). Euramerican Sea level curve depocycles from Johnson et al. (1985). Absolute stage
boundaries after Gradstein and Ogg (1996). Center: Late Devonian sea level curve showing 3 levels of Belgian mudmounds and Canadian
buildup levels, modified after Sandberg et al. (2002). Note 2nd-order Devonian Sea level turnaround occurs after the Frasnian and before
the Mississippian (during the early part of Sloss’s Kaskaskia 1st-order “Supersequence”) Right: Late Devonian relative sea level curve,
sequence boundaries and lithologic successions for the Idaho shelf (after Johnson et al., 1985). Flooding over the Grandview buildup was
followed by subaerial exposure and deposition of late Frasnian sequences.Analogue for lower through middle Famennian rocks in Idaho is
found in the eastern Pilot Basin (Nevada; Giles et al., 1999).

Figure 4. Five step evolution of the Devonian carbonate ramp reflects passive to transitional, and active depositional and subsidence pat-
terns over established Paleozoic hinge zones. Reference points are sequence boundaries L0, lFr0, Fm0, and flooding surfaces fsTf and
fsM0. FdM0 is a Mississippian (McGowan Creek Fm., duplicata zone) drowning surface that is associated with initiation of significant tec-
tonic loading and subsidence with siliciclastic flysch from multiple sources.

125 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp
ment deformation or ripple laminations, followed by very
light gray, burrowed or stromatolitic, finely crystalline dolo-
mudstone. Subtidal facies also contain very thin fining-
upward turbidite-like beds that indicate down-slope events
possibly within local depressions.
Early and Middle Devonian
Early, Middle and early Late Devonian rocks (the lower
succession) consist of approximately 1000 m of Lochkovian
to late Frasnian (rhenana Zone) sandstones and dolostones
of the local Beartooth Butte Formation, distal shelf Carey
Dolomite (Isaacson et al., 1983), and lower Jefferson Forma-
tion (Fig. 5). Deeply incised channels filled by conglomerate
and sandy carbonate (up to 170 m thick in the Lemhi
Range) and thick, mainly carbonate deposits of the Jefferson
Formation (1000m+ in the central Lemhi Range and Lost
River Range) jointly thin to the east to less than 300 m, with
abrupt facies changes (conglomerates and sands) at the
Lemhi Arch flank. These were formed during the Early
Devonian 2nd-order lowstand. To the west, accommodation
during the Late Silurian and Early Devonian preserved an
additional 600 m of similar marine carbonates. Early through
early Late Devonian units are composed of meter-scale shal-
lowing-upward, high frequency cycles within decameter
deepening-upward successions that are bound by Type 1
sequence boundaries with erosional and karst surfaces on
the middle to distal shelf (Sarg, 1998; Lehrmann and Gold-
hammer, 1999). Fish-bearing channel sandstones occurring
at the 3rd-order scale are typically incised into dark subtidal
biostromal units (e.g., lower two Jefferson members, Fig. 5).
This incision and fill pattern is itself repeated at SB lFr0 on
the 2nd-order scale, where intraclastic and sandy peloidal
cross-bedded units of the upper Jefferson Formation cut
across the subaerially exposed Devonian buildup (see below).
The most consistent depositional cycles of the Jefferson
Formation occur in the Dark Dolomite units of the third
Member (Fig. 4), which has widespread coral biostromes
and buildups. Above gradually back-stepping Frasnian rocks
and deposition of the Nisku time-equivalent Grandview
buildup (Isaacson and Dorobek, 1989) on the outer Jeffer-
son shelf ramp, formation of the regionally identified lFr0
sequence boundary was followed by units reflecting 2nd-
order global sea level turn-around and switch from green-
house to transitional icehouse conditions, as well as the
regional switch from passive to active margin.
Early Late Devonian (Frasnian)
Dark fossiliferous units dominate much of the Frasnian
mid-shelf section (Member D3, Fig. 5). Stratiform and late
cross-cutting breccias (M’Gonigle, 1982; Grader, 1998) also
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
occur throughout the section, and are thick (>10 m) in the
Lemhi Range. Three latest Frasnian 50 m thick shelf
sequences of 3rd- to 4th-order scale (rhenana-linguiformis
zones) are well developed west of the Lemhi Arch (Fig. 4).
These units are characterized by: 1) basal quartz arenites
and reworked carbonate conglomerates, sandy stromatolitic
carbonate and collapse breccia (LST), lower IIc of Sandberg
et al. (2002) (Fig. 5); 2) laminated black subtidal to fossilifer-
ous units (TST, IIc); overlain by, 3) unconformity and LST, or
a fossiliferous sandy carbonate (progradational HST). This
upper sequence (Fig. 5) and its wide lateral extent matches
middle IIc of the global sea level curve of Sandberg et al.
(2002).To the west, in the Grandview area, these sequences
are more cyclic internally and occur with a higher percent-
age of grainstones than further to the east (Figs. 4, 5).
The last Frasnian transgressive deposits include Thamno-
pora and Amphipora coral-stromatoporoid biostromes (Fig.
5). Latest Frasnian carbonate ramps prograded within a
short period of time, as a global response to maximum
global eustatic transgressive-regressive pulses (Fig. 5). Also,
early Antler foreland loading provided accommodation for
these sequences.
An Upper Devonian (upper Frasnian), coral-dominated
carbonate buildup (40 m) occurs in the upper part of the
member D3 (IId, 5) of the Jefferson Formation at Grandview
Canyon (Custer County) in east-central Idaho (Isaacson and
Dorobek, 1989; DeSantis, 1986). The complex has variable,
turbulence and rate of sedimentation-influenced growth
(e.g., bulbous and encrusting) morphologies of stromato-
poroids (including Amphipora). Other fossils include tabu-
late corals (“Thamnopora” and Syringopora).The uppermost
stage in buildup development reflects a deepening or trans-
gressive event, which is abruptly terminated by an erosional
surface of up to 2 m relief (upper IId, SB Fm0, Fig.s 5, 8).
Dorobek and Filby (1988, Fig. 3) described local breccias
and dissolution vugs filled with cross-laminated silt formed
at this subaerial exposure surface.
Late Devonian (Famennian)
Famennian quartz sand beach-barrier lithofacies were
derived from the eastern craton and accumulated in an
intra-shelf basin on the Lemhi Arch flank. Trapping and
preservation of sandstone occurred due to significant local
accommodation. Breccias of the upper Jefferson in the
Lemhi Range and in parts of the Lost River Range are inter-
preted as collapse breccias after evaporates (M’Gonigle,
1982). Stratifrom breccias are less common to the west.
During the Famennian, upper Jefferson lithofacies accu-
mulated locally in the Lemhi Range. They are fossil-poor,
sandy, and stromatolitic, and where not destroyed by karst
and evaporite effects, meter-scale shallowing-upward periti-
dal (mudstone to burrowed packstone) cycles remain a
126
 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

Figure 6. Carboniferous stratigraphy (Skipp et al., 1979a,b) of central and southeast Idaho, with Mamet et al., (1971) foraminifera zones
and updates (Groves, 1984; Ross and Ross, 1987; Poole and Sandberg, 1991).

127 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp
characteristic feature. Partly time-equivalent facies to the
west (Lost River Range) are similar but measure 200 m less
than the Lemhi Range deposits. Evaporites occur in the sub-
surface of Montana, so their artifacts in the form of very
thick solution breccias suggest a restricted basin on the
Idaho shelf.
On the shelf and onto the Montana craton, deposition of
the Jefferson Formation was followed by deposition of
<100m thick of fossiliferous marine limestone and yellow to
black shales of the Three Forks Formation (Figs. 4, 5).The Tri-
dent Member occurs across much of the shelf with the
mudstone to fossiliferous packstone stacking patterns and is
well dated (Sandberg, 1979; Fox, 1985). The Sappington
Member reported by Sandberg et al. (1989) mainly occurs in
Montana and are missing in Idaho, thus hiatus, erosion, and
missing conodont zones occur below Mississippian down-
slope turbidites (Fig. 6).
Rapid middle Famennian sea level changes of the Trident
Member occur within an otherwise overall backstepping
depositional system (carbonate and shale replace restricted
peritidals, evaporites and shoreline quartz arenite of the
upper Jefferson Formation).This has been shown as a deep-
ening-upward pattern (Giles et al., 1999) on a similar transi-
tional shelf in Nevada, although we suggest that depositional
environments remained quite shallow overall. Sandberg et
al. (1989) argued that the Three Forks Formation was
deposited over the Jefferson Formation following a hiatus.
There is some physical evidence for an unconformity, and
marginifera Zone conodonts occur both in the basal Three
Forks Formation at Grandview Hill and in the Lost River
Range respectively (Sartenaer and Sandberg, 1974; Wiler,
1992), and in the Jefferson “False Birdbear” in the Beaver-
head Range to the east (Sandberg and Poole, 1977).
ACTIVE MARGIN SUCCESSION
Early Mississippian
During the Carboniferous, east-central Idaho was located
on the western margin of Laurentia between 10° and 20°
north latitude (Scotese, 2002). Earlier Paleozoic tectonic
events greatly influenced subsequent Mississippian and
Pennsylvanian deposition. The Late Devonian to Mississip-
pian Antler Orogeny produced an asymmetric, north-south
trending foreland basin bounded on the west by the Antler
Highlands in present-day central Idaho (Poole and Sandberg,
1991; Skipp et al., 1979b). Dover (1981, 1982) asserted there
is no field evidence for Antler-age Roberts Mountains
allochthons in Idaho. Along this western basin margin (east
of the Antler Highlands) flysch deposits of the Copper Basin
and McGowan Creek formations accumulated (Bissell, 1974;
Nilsen, 1977; Link et al., 1996).
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Huh (1968), reassigned Ross’s (1934, 1962) Brazer Lime-
stone of the Lost River, Lemhi, and Beaverhead ranges (cen-
tral Idaho) into four stratigraphic units in ascending order, as
follows: the Osagean-Meramecian Middle Canyon, Merame-
cian-Chesterian Scott Peak, and the Chesterian South Creek
and Surrett Canyon limestones (Fig. 6).These units are over-
lain by Chesterian mixed carbonate and siliciclastics now
defined as the Arco Hills and Bluebird Mountain formations,
respectively (Skipp et al., 1979a). Isaacson (1985) described
two principal tectonic subsidence events in the Mississip-
pian record of central Idaho.The first accommodation event
(Huh, 1968; Rose, 1976; Nilsen, 1977) occurred during earli-
est Mississippian time, with appearance of the dysoxic
McGowan Creek flysch. The flysch is very fine grained, was
derived from the west (Nilsen, 1977), and reflects accommo-
dation presumably from tectonic loading by the Antler
Orogeny. Mississippian shallow-water carbonate deposits
prograded westward from the cratonic platform located to
the east of the flysch trough (Nilsen, 1977; Skipp et al.,
1979b).
Meramecian-Chesterian rocks of central Idaho and south-
western Idaho were recently interpreted as a single 2nd-
order tectonically-influenced depositional sequence (Link et
al., 1996).A transect across east central Idaho and southwest
Montana reveals that two tectonically produced accommo-
dation cycles provided accommodation for the thick Idaho
Mississippian carbonate succession in Idaho (Isaacson,
1985). The lower tectonic accommodation cycle includes
the Kinderhookian-Meramecian Middle Canyon and lower
Scott Peak formations. The upper tectonic cycle includes
accommodation of the Chesterian South Creek, Surrett
Canyon and Arco Hills formations. .
Overstepping the McGowan Creek flysch are anoxic and
dysoxic carbonate mudstones (Fig. 3) of the Middle Canyon
Formation (Lofland, 1986). Gradual basin infilling is repre-
sented by the next unit, the Meramecian-Chesterian Scott
Peak Formation (610 to 650 m thick; Stamm, 1985; Evans,
1989), which contains oolitic shoals and some coral baffle-
and framestones.The base of the Scott Peak is composed of
125 m thick-bedded skeletal grainstone; the middle of the
formation consists of very-thick-bedded dark fine-grained
cherty limestone; and the upper part (Chesterian) 200 m
consists of medium- to thick-bedded alternating light
peloidal and oolitic grainstone and dark fine-grained cherty
limestone (Hait, 1987). All units are fossiliferous with corals,
brachiopods, bryozoans, and pelmatozoan debris (Hait,
1987).
Late Mississippian (Chesterian)
The latest Mississippian (Chesterian) succession in east-
central Idaho formed on an equatorial carbonate ramp along
the distal edge of Laurentia. To the west, the episodically
128
 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

subsiding Antler foredeep and associated highlands
restricted open circulation with the adjacent Panthalassan
ocean (Dorobek et al., 1991). A second-order sea level fall
controlled the vertical facies distribution in east-central
Idaho (Batt et al., 2006a).
The South Creek Formation (0-120 m, Fig. 6) is a thin-
bedded to fissile cherty sparsely fossiliferous clayey carbon-
ate (Hait, 1987). The Surrett Canyon Formation is 402 m
thick at Arco Hills (Batt, 2006), and an average of 200 m
(Galvin, 1981) of dark to medium gray, massive, fossiliferous
limestone (brachiopods, bryozoans, and abundant crinoid
debris) with locally abundant large rugose corals and possi-
ble constructional mud-mounds (Galvin, 1981). It is over-
lain by the Arco Hills Formation, in which the
Mississippian-Pennsylvanian boundary occurs (Abplanalp,
2006.). The Arco Hills Formation has less than 100 m of
cyclically bedded carbonate and siliciclastic rocks (Butts,
2003). The next unit is the Bluebird Mountain Formation,
which was assigned to the latest Mississippian (Skipp et al.,
1979a); but now it is interpreted as early Pennsylvanian age
(Abplanalp, 2006). It is composed of primarily quartz aren-
ites with minor limestone and dolostone interbeds. The
Bluebird Mountain Sandstone is 105 m thick in the east and
thins drastically to 7.6 m thick in the White Knob Moun-
tains (Skipp et al., 1981).
Late Mississippian Biostratigraphy
The Mississippian biostratigraphy of Idaho was initially
established with foraminifera (Mamet et al., 1971; Groves,
1984, 1986). Stamm (1985) found that the conodont

Figure 7. Revised conodont biostratigraphy of central Idaho (Abplanalp, 2006), showing five conodont zones, with zones 1 through 4
defining Chesterian strata. Zone 5 is Pennsylvanian (Morrowan). See text for discussion.

129 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp
Taphrognathus varians occurred in the lower beds of the
Scott Peak Formation suggesting they correlated to Mamet’s
Foraminiferal Zones 10, 11, and 12 (Meramecian). Not only
did he confirm that the base of the unit was younger on the
west, but he proposed a new conodont zone for the north-
ern Rocky Mountains. This is the phylogenetic change from
Hindeodus penescitulus to H. cristulus, and the two taxa
would replace the longer-ranging lower Cavusgnathus
zone.
More recent biostratigraphic work on the South Creek,
Surrett Canyon, Arco Hills and Bluebird Mountain (Chester-
ian) strata in east-central Idaho has involved conodonts.
Measured sections representing a deep to shallow shelf
transect reveal five applicable conodont zones for the
upper Mississippian (4 zones) and early Pennsylvanian (1
zone) of the northern Rocky Mountains (Fig. 7). Two of
these five zones are newly proposed, whereas the other
three are modifications of previous work from the U.S. Mid-
continent and western interior (Dunn, 1970; Lane and
Straka, 1975; Sando et al., 1981; Baesemann and Lane, 1985).
The northern Cordilleran (Idaho) conodont assemblages
are similar, but some of the existing zones are modified.
Our collections across a continuous, uninterrupted sedi-
mentation record in Idaho now allow a clear conodont-
based zonation of the Chesterian (Abplanalp, 2006). Our
zone 1 is characterized by the first appearance of Hindeo-
dus cristula and/or Vogelgnathus campbelli and spans the
uppermost Meramecian to the lower Chesterian. This zone
is newly proposed and was first observed by Stamm (1985;
see above), within the Scott Peak Formation and we extend
it into the South Creek Formation. Zone 2 is based on the
first occurrence of Cavusgnathus naviculus and overlaps
with the Mamet’s zones 17, 18, and the base of 19 (Fig. 7).
This zone was widely applied in previous studies and is
observed for the South Creek and lower Surrett Canyon for-
mations. Zone 3 is based on the appearance of Adetog-
nathus unicornis and correlates with the middle of
foraminiferal zone 19. This zone is based on previous stud-
ies, although the range was extended for the northern
Rocky Mountains due to the rare occurrence of Rhachistog-
nathus muricatus. Zone 3 occurs within the Surrett Canyon
and Arco Hills formations. Zone 4 is characterized by the
first appearance of Adetognathus lautus and is a newly pro-
posed biostratigraphic division based on the upper subdivi-
sion of the R. muricatus zone of Baesemann and Lane
(1985). This stratigraphically thin zone correlates with the
uppermost Mamet zone 19 and occurs within the Surrett
Canyon, Arco Hills, and Bluebird Mountain formations. Zone
5 (Pennsylvanian) is based on the first occurrence of Penn-
sylvanian forms and is limited by the full range of R. primus.
Chronostratigraphic correlation of Chesterian strata across
east-central Idaho indicates stratal thickening to the west as
the foci of sedimentation prograded into the foreland basin
(Rose, 1976).
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Tectonic Controls on Structure and Accommodation
During the Meramecian the carbonate ramp of Idaho and
southwestern Montana was tectonically segregated into a
series of depositional highs and lows (Rose, 1976) (Fig. 8).
High-energy grainstones having little siliciclastic input
formed on the highs, whereas deeper water or restricted
sediments with abundant siliciclastics were deposited in the
lows (Dorobek et al., 1991; Chen and Webster, 1994).To the
east, mixed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks were deposited
in the Big Snowy Trough, a structurally controlled low area
(Sando et al., 1975; Brewster, 1984, Dutro et al., 1984). This
structure was likely produced by foreland basin reactivation
of Precambrian basement structures, as was shown for Mer-
amecian units (Dorobek et al., 1991).
Chesterian Paleogeography
The Antler foreland basin, inherited from the Late Devon-
ian (Craig and Varnes, 1979), was filled with Antler High-
land-derived clastics from the west and with carbonates that
prograded from the eastern (craton) side of the basin
(Nilsen, 1977). The western North American margin was
within fifteen degrees south of the equator, situated so that
the equatorial tradewinds swept westward across the craton
over the Antler foreland basin and highlands. Two major
topographic features were present, the Antler highlands and
associated foreland basin (Fig. 8) and the Big Snowy Trough,
oriented nearly east-west across Montana, which may have
affected Mississippian sedimentation patterns (Dorobek,
1991). An intermittent highland-lowland, referred to as the
Bannock Highland or the Beaverhead Arch, persisted parallel
to the Antler Highlands (Sando et al., 1975).
Cyclicity in Chesterian Rocks
A recently measured section (Batt, 2006) of Chesterian
strata at Antelope Creek (Fig. 1), in the southern White
Knob Mountains, is a thick succession of cyclic carbonates
(mudstone to packstone successions) punctuated by lami-
nated to burrowed siltstones or fine sandstones in the
upper half of the section. There the siliciclastics make a
sharp contact with underlying carbonate and grade upward
into skeletal wackestone/packstone that are in turn over-
lain by cherty lime mudstone that grades upward into
skeletal wackestone and packstone. At the top of the skele-
tal wackestone/packstone is another sharp surface overlain
by siliciclastics.These successions are similar to the “cycles”
described by Stamm (1985) and Galvin (1981) that are 18-
50 m thick and record long-term relative changes in sea
level in this area, owing to the overall length of the Chester-
ian (>10 my, Fig. 6).
130
 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

Figure 8. Mississippian cross-section through central Idaho and

Montana, showing foreland basin to west and Montana platform to
east (adapted from Rose, 1976). Significant accommodation occurs
with accumulation of deep ramp carbonates, muddy skeletal bank
and ultimately mixed carbonate - siliciclastic shoals in central
Idaho. Dashed lines are time lines (from Fig. 7).

Siliciclastics within these predominantly carbonate sec-
tions and mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sections to the east
are not known in detail but could provide clues about local
tectonism in this basin. A westward decrease in grain size
and concomitant increase in carbonate content of the Blue-
bird Mountain sandstone suggests this unit had an easterly
source (Skipp et al., 1979a). However, a recycled passive
margin origin for sandstone/conglomerate clasts in lower
Mississippian coarse-grained units in the foredeep (Link et
al., 1996; Preacher et al., 1995) indicates that these siltstones
and sandstones were likely derived from the orogenic high-
lands to the west.
Parasequences have been defined as cycles with geneti-
cally related sequences of rock bounded by flooding sur-
faces or their correlative surfaces (Van Wagoner et al., 1987).
They are usually scale independent; in the Lost River and

131 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp

Lemhi ranges they are 1-10 m thick. Parasequences of these
thicknesses have been reported by Read (1985). Parase-
quences consisting of a shallowing-upward complete or par-
tial facies succession within the Arco Hills Formation are
generally less than 10 m thick. Parasequences in the Arco
Hills Formation would have durations of approximately
375,000 years each (owing to the number of parasequences
within Chesterian time), consistent with 4th-order glacio-
eustatic sea level changes (Weber et al., 1995). Cyclicity in
the latest Mississippian Arco Hills Formation has been estab-
lished by facies stacking patterns (alternations from high
energy grainstone through undisturbed mudstone, then a
new parasequence with grainstone) and brachiopod paleo-
communities (Butts, 2005).
Transition from the Surrett Canyon Formation to the Arco
Hills Formation shows distinct changes in scales of cyclicity,
lithology, and facies stacking patterns (Batt et al., 2006a,b, in
press), which indicate a global climate shift at this time
(Butts, 2005). However, cycles identified in the Surrett
Canyon Formation (Galvin, 1981) are generally tens of
meters thick (averaging around 35 m thickness), although in
some sections they are 5–15 m thick. Basal thick bedded
subtidal facies coarsen upward to open marine skeletal
shoals and lagoonal carbonates, which are overlain by thin
interbedded siliciclastic and skeletal grainstone deposits
across the mid-Carboniferous boundary (Batt et al., 2005;
Butts, 2005).
Parasequences in the latest Mississippian Arco Hills and
Bluebird Mountain formations indicate shallowing-upward
successions (Butts, 2005). Two considerations play impor-
tant roles in determination of relative water depths in these
parasequences: the paleoecological constraints of organ-
isms within a biofacies, and the sedimentary structures asso-
ciated with each biofacies. Low oxygen conditions of the
deepest (and lowest) biofacies are indicated by the pres-
ence of an inarticulate brachiopod (Orbiculoidea) and the
lack of any other fauna (Fig. 9). Dysoxic conditions persist in
deep stratified basins or shallow restricted waters making
this not a strictly depth-controlled issue; however, the associ-
ated dark mudstone and accessory minerals (phosphates
and chert) suggest that this is the deepest biofacies.This bio-
facies (Biofacies A, Fig. 9) shallows upward into a packstone
and wackestone (Biofacies B) with a productid/orthotetid
brachiopod association.The functional morphology of these
brachiopods includes adaptations for life on soft muds.
Spines, for anchoring in muds, trails (geniculated ventral
valve) for deflection of muds from the mantle cavity, and
large surface area to body ratio, all indicate muddy-bottom
sediment, suggesting below storm wave base deposition.
The packstone facies (Biofacies C) grades to grainstone with
para-autochthonous to allocthonous fossil content, that
often occur in couplets with fine-grained bioclastic calcare-
ous siltstone. The strong taphonomic signature of the spir-
iferid/athyridid brachiopod association in this biofacies

Figure 9. Typical parasequence (left), and biofacies of Arco Hills Formation and associated lithologies. A = Orbiculoidea; B = Produc-
toidea-Orthotetoidea; C = tempestites or shell lags with high degree of disarticulation and current orientation; D = encrinite shoals; E =
behind shoal sandy lithologies with rare mollusks and brachiopods (Butts, 2005).

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 132

 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS
suggests that they may not have lived as a community. How-
ever, the condition of the fossils suggests the degree of bios-
tratinomic processes vary considerably, with some beds
displaying very little evidence of transportation (distal storm
deposits) and others showing extensive reworking (storm
deposits). Above this is grainstone (Biofacies D, Fig. 9) com-
posed almost entirely of size sorted and planar cross-bedded
pelmatozoan ossicles and broken and abraded non-echino-
derm bioclasts.This facies was deposited in high- to moder-
ate-energy wave-influenced bars or shoals that formed
within fair weather wave base.The uppermost Mississippian
biofacies was also within fair weather wave base, but was
protected by bioclastic shoals. It consists of carbonate with
considerable craton-derived silt and abundant transported
brachiopods, bivalves, and gastropods in a nearshore rela-
tively shallow environment.
DISCUSSION
Late Devonian and Carboniferous tectonic controls of
depositional patterns are apparent both in Nevada and
Idaho. Significant changes in depositional patterns and inter-
mittent high-amplitude relative sea level changes are indi-
cated by both deep-water palmatolepid conodont-bearing
Three Forks shale facies, differential erosion, and conodont
hiati suggest shorter-term glacio-climatic controls (Sandberg
et al., 1988; 2002). Other complications involve brittle defor-
mation and reactivation of basement faults with passage of a
flexural foreland forebulge (after the Nevada model of
Goebel, 1991; Giles and Dickinson, 1995; Sandberg et al.,
2002). Various models for the style of Antler orogeny in
Idaho are summarized in Link et al. (1995), who show that
significant subsidence was limited to the Mississippian.
Glacio-eustatic overprinting is supported by the combina-
tion of punctuated stratigraphic stacking patterns on global
paleo-equatorial shorelines and glacial diamictites widely
deposited at the end of the Famennian in Gondwana (Díaz-
Martínez et al., 1999; Isaacson et al., 1999).
CONCLUSIONS
The Early Devonian through late Mississippian strata of
Idaho record an almost continuous succession of rocks
above Proterozoic and early Paleozoic rocks. Passive margin
extension and then active, tectonically loaded events accom-
modated a continuous record of Cordilleran tectonic events
overprinted by eustatic sea level changes.A late Tippecanoe
through early Kaskaskia (Early to Middle Devonian) superse-
quence is characterized by mainly shallow water and tidal
flat carbonates on the shelf margin.
The Kaskaskia transgression produced thick late Middle
and Late Devonian successions with Late Devonian (Frasn-
133
ian) organic buildups of the disphyllid coral-stromatoporoid
type as described in nearby western Canada. Some of these
rocks have been placed into a sequence stratigraphic
framework, but the Famennian rock record remains poorly
understood. The Grandview buildup and overlying smaller
biostromes, like others globally in similar stratigraphic posi-
tions were terminated by the environmental effects of
Gondwana ice sheet expansion. Characteristic 4th-order
sequences during the late Frasnian were masked by accel-
eration in tectonic induced subsidence (of 3rd-order scale).
Late Frasnian subaerial exposures and Famennian sequence
boundaries occur on the Devonian margin at the same time
that it evolved into an active, probably transtensional or
transcompressional restricted margin. Both increased and
suddenly decreased subsidence rates and relative sea level
effects were felt both in intrashelf basins and intermittently
on the distal shelf in response to foreland lithospheric load-
ing. This pattern matches other locations along the Late
Devonian Cordilleran margin with major accommodation
following. The buildup was terminated by Gondwana ice
sheet expansion producing rare Late Devonian subaerial
exposure at the newly active margin.As with other localities
along the Late Devonian Cordilleran margin, major accom-
modation follows, produced by tectonic loading as the pas-
sive margin yielded to compression. Although the Roberts
Mountains Thrust has not been recognized in Idaho, tec-
tonic induced accommodation produced a Carboniferous
flysch trough, over which a very thick succession of carbon-
ates prograded.
Two tectonic loading events punctuate the very thick
Carboniferous carbonate accumulation, one in lower Missis-
sippian and a second in late Mississippian event. Chesterian
events are the most completely documented part of this his-
tory. Carbonate banks are drowned and overlain by dysoxic
mudstones are succeeded by wackestones and packstones.
Capping the Chesterian succession are 4th-order cyclic shal-
lower shelf mixed carbonates and siliciclastics that record
an additional set of glacioeustatic sea level fluctuations.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Support for much of this work was provided by a grant
from the National Science Foundation (EAR 0229369). S.L.
Bachtel, K.L. Canter, W.J. Clark, G.P.Wahlman, and an anony-
mous reviewer offered superb comments and editing sug-
gestions on an earlier version of the manuscript.
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The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
Peter E. Isaacson, George W. Grader, Michael C. Pope, Isabel P. Montañez, Susan H. Butts, Liselle S. Batt, Jason M. Abplanalp

THE AUTHORS

PETER E. ISAACSON
After his bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder (1968), PETER ISAACSON received
his Ph.D. degree at Oregon State University (1974). He has been an adjunct professor at Univer-
sity of Massachusetts, Amherst and Research Associate at Amherst College. He is now Professor
of Geological Sciences at the University of Idaho, Moscow. Research interests are Silurian
through Upper Carboniferous stratigraphic and biostratigraphic systems across the platform and
into the western assemblages and foreland basins of the Cordillera of Idaho, Nevada and Bolivia.
He is also expanding knowledge of the Late Devonian glaciation (Andes and eastern Laurentia),
as well as its global effects.

GEORGE W. GRADER
GEORGE GRADER received his M.S. and Ph.D. in geology at the University of Idaho in 1998 and
2003. His M.S. thesis was on Devonian stratigraphy and carbonate depositional systems across
the margin in Idaho. His dissertation was on carbonate facies and sequences of the Pennsyl-
vanian-Permian Copacabana Formation of Bolivia. He is an instructor at Washington State Uni-
versity and has been active in Miocene hydrogeology of Northern Idaho. He continues to
collaborate with authors investigating Late Paleozoic stratigraphy in east-central Idaho and
Bolivia, with special emphasis on carbonates as proxies for glacially-induced sealevel changes.

MICHAEL C. POPE
MICHAEL C. POPE graduated with a B.S. in Earth and Space Science from UCLA in 1985, earned a
M.S. in Geology from the University of Montana in 1989 and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in
1995. He was a post-doctoral research associate at MIT from 1995-1998 then worked for Mobil
Exploration Company from 1998-1999. Mike has been teaching at Washington State University
since 1999. His research interests are in understanding the sedimentary record of carbonates
deposited during icehouse, greenhouse and transitional climate periods.

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 138

 DEVONIAN-MISSISSIPPIAN ANTLER FORELAND BASIN CARBONATES IN IDAHO: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE AND EUSTASY EVENTS

THE AUTHORS

ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ

ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ graduated with an A.B. in Geology in 1981 from Bryn Mawr College, and sub-
sequently received a Ph.D. in Geology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1990. Isabel began
her university career in 1990 as an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Riverside and
has been a Full Professor of Geology at the University of California, Davis since 2000. Her
research focus is in deep-time paleoclimatology, in particular in reconstructing marine- terrestrial
records of greenhouse gas-climate linkages during past major climate transitions.

SUSAN H. BUTTS
SUSAN BUTTS received a B.A. from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York, and her PhD
degree at the University of Idaho. She was a postdoctorate researcher at Yale University. She
is now the Collections Manager in the Division of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Peabody
Museum of Natural History, Yale University. She works on primarily on brachiopods and is
interested in Paleozoic paleoecology and the process and controls on silicifiication of fossils.

LISELLE S. BATT

LISELLE BATT received her B.S. at James Madison University in 1999 and her PhD at the Univer-
sity of Idaho, 2006. recently completed her dissertation on the sequence stratigraphy and car-
bon isotope record of Late Mississippian carbonates and siliciclastics in Idaho and southwest
Montana. She is interested in proxies that record long term climate change, and in the interplay
of tectonic, eustatic and autocyclic processes on the deposition of carbonate sedimentary rocks.
Presently she is employed as a petroleum geologist with ExxonMobil, where she is gaining
experience with carbonate and siliciclastic stratigraphy in the Middle East.

JASON M. ABPLANALP

JASON ABPLANALP received his B.S. in Geology from Juniata College in Pennsylvania in 2004. He
received his M.S. at the University of Idaho in 2006. His thesis title is “Late Mississippian (Ches-
terian) Conodont Biostratigraphy of East-Central Idaho and Southwest Montana”. Currently,
Jason is pursuing a PhD at the University of Idaho, and his dissertation involves biostratigraphic
investigation of the Pennsylvanian Snaky Canyon Formation of east-central Idaho.

139 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

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