Upper Silurian stratigraphy of Podolia revisited: carbon isotopes, bentonites and biostratigraphy

Nowadays carbon isotopes and bentonites have become new authorities in stratigraphy besides traditional biostratigraphy. Three positive carbon isotope excursions have been identified in the Upper Silurian of Podolia: the mid-Ludfordian excursion, the late Přídolí excursion at the Trubchyn/Dzvenygorod junction and the SIDE at the Silurian–Devonian boundary. Fourteen bentonite beds are known from this upper Ludlow–Přídolí interval. Some of these are better studied and are helpful for correlation of sections. Using the stage slices as a framework, we show that the Přídolí can be subdivided into “natural” stage rank units based on the integrated bio-, litho- and chemostratigraphy.