W. Russell Callender

• Administrator at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The utilization of taphonomic information to formulate biostratinomic models for modern and ancient assemblages has become a potentially powerful tool in paleoecologic analysis. The division of fossil assemblages into discrete suites of taphonomically-similar material adds an extra dimension to the interpretation of depositional setting and paleoec...

In 1993, SSETI (Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative) deployed shells of a suite of molluscan species in a variety of environments of preservation (EOPs) covering a range of depths and sediment types on the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf and upper slope, with the goal of measuring taphonomic rates over an extended period of time. SSE...

We utilize information from a suite of molluscan species deployed in a variety of Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico environments of preservation (EOP) by SSETI (Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative) to examine to what degree interpretation of the taphofacies is influenced by the mix of species presented to the observer. The environment of p...

The Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) deployed a suite of molluscan species in environments covering a range of depths and sediment types in the Bahamas and on the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf and upper slope for 8years. Taphonomic state rarely correlated with the distribution of biont guilds among environments. The pres...

In 1993 and 1994, the shelf and slope experimental taphonomy initiative (SSETI) deployed shells of a suite of molluscan species in a range of environments of deposition (EODs) representing a range of depths, sediment types, and environmental conditions with the goal of measuring taphonomic rates over an extended period of time. In 1999 and 2001, SS...

We evaluate onshore-offshore trends in age-frequency distributions and trophic transfer efficiencies using 11 modern death assemblages off the Texas coast. Trophic transfer efficiencies within trophic levels offer little insight over that achieved by a size-frequency distribution. Production/biomass ratios will always be 1 in the fossil record. Wit...

Authigenic carbonates are common at deep-sea petroleum seeps as a result of excess bicarbonate production during microbial degradation of hydrocarbons coupled to sulfate reduction. Consequently, these seep environments are supersaturated with respect to carbonates. This finding conflicts with taphonomic data that dissolution is the most pervasive m...

The Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative was established to measure taphonomic rates in a range of continental shelf and slope environments of deposition (EODs) over a multiyear period. We deployed experiments on the forereef slope off Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, and on the continental shelf and slope of the Gulf of Mexico for 2 yr i...

The Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) Program was established to measure taphonomic rates in a range of continental shelf and slope environments. Experiments were deployed on the forereef slope off Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, for one and two years along two transects (AA and BA) in seven distinctive environments of deposit...

The Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) Program was established to measure taphonomic rates in a range of continental shelf and slope environments over a long period of time. For this report, mollusk shells were deployed for one and two years at seven different environments of deposition (EODs) along two onshore-offshore trans...

 Cold-seep communities have relatively low diversity, are dominated by one or two taxa present in high density and high biomass in comparison with the surrounding fauna, and are restricted to aphotic habitats. Their associated heterotrophic fauna are usually distinctive from the fauna of their surroundings. In contrast, a more commonplace chemoauto...

Rates of burial and transport of molluscan remains are essentially unknown for deeper continental shelf and slope environments, especially over periods of years. An understanding of the rates of taphonomic loss are critical to paleoecological analyses and to paleoenvironmental studies in general. The post-depositional history of organic remains is...

The recognition of marine chemoautotrophic paleocommunities has added a new dimension to the interpretation of the fossil record. We compared the death assemblages formed by chemoautotrophic and heterotrophic molluscan faunas of the continental slope with their counterparts in shallow water and with a fossil chemoautotrophic analogue from the Tepee...

Death assemblages produced by chemoautotrophic communities at cold seeps represent a type of autochthonous accumulation that is difficult to differentiate from other heterotrophic autochthonous communities using taphonomic characteristics. We test the hypothesis that cold‐seep assemblages can be discriminated by unique biological or community attri...

The taphonomic signature on biogenic hardparts is an important aspect of all fossil assemblages . A rigorou s long-term study was undertaken to better understan d these signatures and to document specific signature s relative to given depositional environments . The Shel f and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) seeks to establish tapho...

A mixed assemblage of lucinid and mussel shells were placed in mesh bags and left at a site of autochthonous death assemblage formation in a petroleum seep community on the Louisiana upper continental slope for a period of three years. Upon recovery, the shells were assessed for taphonomic alteration and compared to a control assemblage of unaltere...

Chemoautotrophically-based benthic communities on the Louisiana continental slope are currently producing the only significant localized, autochthonous shell accumulations in the northern Gulf of Mexico shelf and slope region. Five distinctive biofacies are associated with petroleum seepage, dominated respectively by vestimentiferan tubeworms, luci...

Taphofacies from an allochthonous microtidal inlet, a parautochthonous inner shelf and an autochthonous upper slope (representing cold seep faunas) were compared to identify their distinguishing characteristics and to facilitate cold seep recognition. The cold seep autochthonous assemblages are characterized by extreme dissolution and edge alterati...

Petroleum seeps on the Louisiana continental slope produce luxurious communities based on chemoautotrophic symbiotic bacteria. Petroleum seeps are typical cold seep communities and generate classic autochthonous death assemblages. Fossil cold seep communities are well-known, common and widespread. Most fossil analogues are dominated by lucinids, bu...

Dense chemoautotrophically based molluscan communities are common at sites of active petroleum seepage in the Green Canyon and Garden Banks lease blocks on the Louisiana upper continental slope. The presence of dense molluscan aggregations has important implications for paleoecology because the continental slope is generally though of as a geologic...

Communities of chemosynthetic fauna that depend on seeping oil and gas have been found in the Gulf of Mexico at approximately 45 sites between 88°W and 95°W and between the 350 and 2,200 m isobaths. Investigations suggest that the number of sites and the range of occurrence will increase with additional exploration. The dominant fauna consist of sp...

Clam and mussel assemblages associated with petroleum seepage on the Louisiana continental slope form the only substantial shell accumulations below storm wave base on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico shelf and slope. Four distinct biofacies are present at the seeps, dominated respectively by mussels, lucinid clams, vesicomyid clams and tubeworms. E...