Coral Reefs (2002) 21: 229–230 DOI 10.1007/s00338-002-0225-x

B OO K R E V I EW

G.D. Stanley, Jr.

Eberhard Gischler (ed): Mojsisovics on the Triassic Reefs of the Dolomites (1879) University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida, 2001 Published online: 8 June 2002 Ó Springer-Verlag 2002

To anyone who knows the Triassic, Georg Edmund von Mojsisovics (1839–1907) stands out as a luminary among Alpine geologists and paleontologists of central Europe. Mojsisovics’ long and illustrious career with the Austrian Geological Survey of Vienna resulted in major research in the majestic Triassic Dolomites of northern Italy. This work shows the spark of genius, both in the descriptive and interpretative aspects. I attended the International Dolomieu Conference held in 1991 in northern Italy, literally in the shadows of the white, towering Dolomite peaks of southern Tyrol. It was there that I first came to appreciate the influence of Mojsisovics, now recognized as one of the great authorities of this region. He also was an impressive paleontologist specializing mostly in ammonoids and their use in reconstructing paleogeography (von Mojsisovics 1893). Among his 150 publications, written in German, most deal with Triassic stratigraphy, structure, and paleontology of the eastern and southern Alps. Mojsisovics, early on in his career, became fascinated with the Dolomites and the origin and geologic history of the massive carbonate peaks. The publication of Mojsisovics on the Triassic Reefs of the Dolomites (1879), the fifth publication in the Geological Milestone series of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, has opened Mojsisovics’ work to a wider audience. This publication is a lucid translation into English of most of the original German version. This translation is particularly relevant because it opens Mojsisovics’ important work on reefs to wider geological and biological audiences. Mojsisovics recognized, more than 120 years ago, that the Dolomites contain some of the finest examples of Upper Triassic reef facies. Although much of the

G.D. Stanley, Jr. Department of Geology, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812-1296, USA E-mail: [email protected]

credit must be given to Ferdinand Freiherr Richthofen (1833–1905) who first discovered the reefal nature of the Dolomites, it was Mojsisovics who worked out the facies and the stratigraphic relationships. He addressed these Triassic reefs in such an innovative manner that it may surprise contemporary readers that his ideas and insights emanated from the late-1800s, not from the twenty-first century. For example, Mojsisovics recognized that while corals dominated some of these massive rocks of the Dolomites, it was contributions by calcareous dasycladacean algae, mollusks, and other benthic invertebrates that accounted for much of the volume of the carbonates. Mojsisovics’ most seminal work on this subject was entitled ‘‘The Dolomite Reefs of South Tyrol and Venetia. Contributions to the Development of the Alps’’. This work, published in the German language in 1879 by Alfred Ho¨lder, Vienna, stands as one of the classic works on the subject. Unfortunately, until now, it has remained unavailable to a large segment of nonGerman-language readership. The editor, Eberhard Gischler, has done a commendable job by pulling together diverse aspects of Mojsisovics’ work on Triassic reefs. The English translation was done by Gabriela Meyer, but the Miami publication actually is much more than a mere translation. The value of this work lies in the excellent commentary provided by contemporary experts who not only are knowledgeable on the subject matter, but also understand the directions of Mojsisovics’ ideas. Comments at the end of each chapter by Alfonso Bosellini, Peter Brack, and Peter Homewood assist the reader in comprehending more fully the subtleties of certain German words to better grasp the concepts. Relevant portions of text are underlined in order to draw the reader’s attention to their importance. The Miami publication begins with a preface and is followed by Chapters 1 and 2 which deal with basic introductory material and provide an overview of biogeography and the dating of the strata. Triassic stratigraphy and the relevant formations of the Alps are

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discussed in Chapter 3, where also we find the biostratigraphic zonation of rocks in the Alps and the reefs of the Dolomites. There are biostratigraphic charts presented that illustrate Mojsisovics’ understanding of the relative dating of the strata in the Dolomites as well as how these rocks correlate with counterparts further north in the Northern Limestone Alps of Germany and Austria. Few readers will realize when they read this chapter, that a great controversy and, to put it bluntly, a very acrimonious debate raged during the period of 1892–1902. This took place between Mojsisovics and a contemporary geologist, Alexander Bittner, and dealt with the placement of the Carnian vs. Norian stages. Interested readers are referred to Tozer (1984) for discussions of Mojsisovics, his failures and his achievements, and the nature of these clashes. Chapter 4 introduces the structural geology of the Dolomites and includes some original geologic cross sections. Chapter 5 is the most relevant for reef workers. It emphasizes Mojsisovics’ major findings on reefs and includes thicknesses, reef boundaries, and differences between massive low reef facies and bedded, basinal dolomite, as well as the nature of the reefs and the composition of the fauna and flora. Mojsisovics, for example, recognized from stratigraphic and sedimentologic relationships that two separate reef intervals existed, one in the Ladinian and another in the Carnian stage of the Upper Triassic. Based on the character of bedded vs. massive dolomite, coupled with the composition of the flora and fauna, Mojsisovics astutely deduced the differences between reefs, with coral faunas, and rich algal associations found in other beds now regarded as the lagoonal facies. He also resolved the nature of the ‘‘Cipit’’ beds that consist of giant carbonate blocks and other material eroded off the

reef front and down the forereef, into the adjacent basin. Mojsisovics was quick to tie his observations on the growth and origin of reefs of the Dolomites with the influential contributions of his time from Darwin and Dana, both of whom had presented some powerfully predictive theories on the origin of modern coral reefs. The Miami publication is graced by reproductions of many of Mojsisovics’ original drawings and geological cross sections of the spectacular mountain ranges in the Dolomites. Unfortunately the editor has omitted original colored geologic maps and descriptions and there is no index. However, the publication does contain a detailed table of contents. The editor makes it clear from the outset that this translation is not intended to stand as a complete translation of the more than 500-page original, but rather the publication focuses on the aspects related to the reefs. I recommend this publication not only to scholars of the Triassic but also to paleontologists, stratigraphers, and reef workers wishing to gain an appreciation of ancient reefs. So now, over 120 years later, we can read in English the great master’s words and perhaps extract some of his wisdom and insights on one of the most famous of fossil reefs.

References von Mojsisovics EM (1879) Die Dolomit-Riffe von Su¨dtirol und Venetien. Beitra¨ge zur Bildungsgeschichte der Alpen. Ho¨lder, Vienna, 552 pp von Mojsisovics E (1893) Faunistische Ergebnisse aus der Untersuchung der Ammoniten-faunen der Mediterranen Trias. Abh Geol R-A 6:810 Tozer ET (1984) The Trias and its ammonoids: the evolution of a time scale. Geol Surv Can Misc Rep 35