Precambrian-Cambrian transition: Death Valley, United States: Comment and Reply: COMMENT

Corsetti and Hagadorn (2000) presented welcome carbon isotope data for two Precambrian-Cambrian transition sections from Death Valley. They argued that these data provide a “critical link toward our understanding of the correlation between siliciclastic-dominated and carbonate-dominated Precambrian-Cambrian transition sections.” Here, I challenge this conclusion and point out errors and omissions.

1. Omission. The critical importance Corsetti and Hagadorn ascribe to their δ¹³C data derives from their repeated assertion that “the Death Valley section is one of two boundary sections known to contain the index fossil Treptichnus (Phycodes) pedum and carbonate carbon-derived isotope excursions bracketing the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary.”...