Measurement of bioturbation reflects physical and biological processes operating over time and can be used to reveal information about paleo-environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity of bioturbation in Triassic Moenkopi Formation at Hurricane Mesa in Southwestern Utah. This formation is interpreted as having been deposited mostly in large ancient river channels, tidal flats, delta and shallow marine environments. Five stratigraphic sections measured in the Virgin Limestone Member provided the basis for this study. Detailed descriptions and quantification of bioturbation were recorded in each of the sections. Similar treatment was given to additional study sites in the rest of the formation, above the Virgin Limestone. Treatments on selected samples were implemented to better reveal evidence of bioturbation. In these treatments samples were coated with water or oil, etched with HCL and viewed under blacklight. Integrating the results of the treatments with x-ray diffraction and petrographic analysis suggest that there was minimal bioturbation. These findings are consistent with more rapid deposition than previously reported by other researchers.
","abstract_html":"<p>Measurement of bioturbation reflects physical and biological processes operating over time and can be used to reveal information about paleo-environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity of bioturbation in Triassic Moenkopi Formation at Hurricane Mesa in Southwestern Utah. This formation is interpreted as having been deposited mostly in large ancient river channels, tidal flats, delta and shallow marine environments. Five stratigraphic sections measured in the Virgin Limestone Member provided the basis for this study. Detailed descriptions and quantification of bioturbation were recorded in each of the sections. Similar treatment was given to additional study sites in the rest of the formation, above the Virgin Limestone. Treatments on selected samples were implemented to better reveal evidence of bioturbation. In these treatments samples were coated with water or oil, etched with HCL and viewed under blacklight. Integrating the results of the treatments with x-ray diffraction and petrographic analysis suggest that there was minimal bioturbation. These findings are consistent with more rapid deposition than previously reported by other researchers.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bird, James Vernon, Jr."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Earth and Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Brand, Leonard","Buchheim, Paul","Esperante, Raul"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z","subjects":["Earth Sciences","Geology","Sedimentology","Geology; Stratigraphic -- Triassic; Sediments (Geology) - Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Sedimentation and deposition; Bioturbation; Taphonomy; Paelontology - Triassic; Petrology- Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Formations (Geology) -- West (U.S.)","Paleo-environments; Hurricane Mesa","Utah; X-ray diffraction; Petrographic analysis"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/336","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Brand, Leonard","Buchheim, Paul","Esperante, Raul"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bird, James Vernon, Jr."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Earth and Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Earth Sciences","Geology","Sedimentology","Geology; Stratigraphic -- Triassic; Sediments (Geology) - Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Sedimentation and deposition; Bioturbation; Taphonomy; Paelontology - Triassic; Petrology- Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Formations (Geology) -- West (U.S.)","Paleo-environments; Hurricane Mesa","Utah; X-ray diffraction; Petrographic analysis"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/336"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Measurement of bioturbation reflects physical and biological processes operating over time and can be used to reveal information about paleo-environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity of bioturbation in Triassic Moenkopi Formation at Hurricane Mesa in Southwestern Utah. This formation is interpreted as having been deposited mostly in large ancient river channels, tidal flats, delta and shallow marine environments. Five stratigraphic sections measured in the Virgin Limestone Member provided the basis for this study. Detailed descriptions and quantification of bioturbation were recorded in each of the sections. Similar treatment was given to additional study sites in the rest of the formation, above the Virgin Limestone. Treatments on selected samples were implemented to better reveal evidence of bioturbation. In these treatments samples were coated with water or oil, etched with HCL and viewed under blacklight. Integrating the results of the treatments with x-ray diffraction and petrographic analysis suggest that there was minimal bioturbation. These findings are consistent with more rapid deposition than previously reported by other researchers.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Taphonomy of Sediments: Bioturbation in the Triassic Moenkopi Formation in Southwestern Utah"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Brand, Leonard","Buchheim, Paul","Esperante, Raul"],"dc:creator":["Bird, James Vernon, Jr."],"dc:description.abstract":["Measurement of bioturbation reflects physical and biological processes operating over time and can be used to reveal information about paleo-environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity of bioturbation in Triassic Moenkopi Formation at Hurricane Mesa in Southwestern Utah. This formation is interpreted as having been deposited mostly in large ancient river channels, tidal flats, delta and shallow marine environments. Five stratigraphic sections measured in the Virgin Limestone Member provided the basis for this study. Detailed descriptions and quantification of bioturbation were recorded in each of the sections. Similar treatment was given to additional study sites in the rest of the formation, above the Virgin Limestone. Treatments on selected samples were implemented to better reveal evidence of bioturbation. In these treatments samples were coated with water or oil, etched with HCL and viewed under blacklight. Integrating the results of the treatments with x-ray diffraction and petrographic analysis suggest that there was minimal bioturbation. These findings are consistent with more rapid deposition than previously reported by other researchers.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/336"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Earth Sciences","Geology","Sedimentology","Geology; Stratigraphic -- Triassic; Sediments (Geology) - Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Sedimentation and deposition; Bioturbation; Taphonomy; Paelontology - Triassic; Petrology- Utah - Moenkopi Formation; Formations (Geology) -- West (U.S.)","Paleo-environments; Hurricane Mesa","Utah; X-ray diffraction; Petrographic analysis"],"dc:title":["Taphonomy of Sediments: Bioturbation in the Triassic Moenkopi Formation in Southwestern Utah"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Earth and Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z"}