Sedimentary structures and sedimentary facies in the Wentang Silurician strata in Zhangjiajie, Hunan

The measured Wentang Silurician section in Zhangjiajie lies in the area west of the Wuling uplift in Hunan. Prior to the Silurician, the Xuefengshan area was once uplifted and graded into the land. The expansion of the Xuefengshan uplift during the Silurician led to the transition of the study area from shallow marine to littoral environments, and even to the land in the area west of the Cili-Baojing zone till the end of the Late Silurician. The evolution of sedimentary sequences and sedimentary facies indicated by the Wentang Silurician section in this area noticeably displays the coupling relationship with the evolution of the Wuling uplift. The Upper Silurician-Lower and Middle Devonician stratigraphic records are absent in the measured section.