Fluvial Environments

This chapter reviews the present knowledge on the sedimentary facies distribution and ichnofacies assignation of assemblages of trace fossils from fluvial environments, including invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant trace fossils. The analysis comprises more than 250 trace-fossil assemblages and over 170 ichnogenera. A simple classification scheme for trace fossils is adopted, largely based on morphological attributes that can be easily distinguished in the field. Trace-fossil assemblages are assigned to channel-belt, floodbasin-pond, crevasse-splay, and pedogenized floodplain (paleosol) deposits. The ichnofacies recognized in fluvial deposits are Scoyenia, Mermia, Coprinisphaera, Skolithos, Celliforma, Termitichnus, Batrachichnus, and Grallator. Ichnofabric studies, stratigraphic applications, and the distinction between trace-fossil assemblages of different river systems are discussed.