title: Cretaceous cold-seep communities and methane-derived carbonates in the canadian arctic.
abstract: Lower Cretaceous cold-seep fossil assemblages have been found in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Serpulid worm tubes and bivalves are most abundant in these communities; in contrast, fossils are scarce in the surrounding strata. The fossils are contained in an isotopically light (delta(13)C = -25 to -50 per mil) carbonate rock groundmass that is interpreted to have formed from bacterial oxidation of methane. The rocks were deposited at intermediate depth (</=400 meters) in a cold marine environment; nearby normal faults may have provided a conduit for seeping methane and hydrogen sulfide needed to fuel chemosynthetic bacteria, and in turn, the higher life forms.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Nassichuk
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Krouse
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Eliuk