DIVISION OF THE CAMBRIAN BIOFACIES IN HENAN PROVINCE AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

Henan Province is situated across the southern margin of the North China platform and the eastern end of the Qinling fold system, where the Cambrian strata comprising various types of sedimentary facies and a variety of biotas are well developed and widely distributed.
Based on the analysis of the fossil communities, five Cambrian biofacies in Henan Province have been established, i.e. littoral tidal flat biofacies (BF₁), restricted shallow-water biofacies (BF₂), open shallow-water biofacies (BF₃), deeper-water shelf biofacies (BF₄) and stagnant basin biofacies (BF₅). Their characteristics are shown in Fig. 1.
The study of the Cambrian biofacies is of great importance to the recognition of sedimentary facies, to the division of the Cambrian biogeographic provinces and to the reconstruction of the Cambrian palaeogeography.