GFF volume 123 (2001), pp. 51–54.

Note

Depositional environment of the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) strata at

Maltesholm, Scania, southern Sweden
OLOF SANDSTRÖM

Sandström, O., 2001: Depositional environment of the Campanian (Up-
per Cretaceous) strata at Maltesholm, Scania, southern Sweden. GFF,
Vol. 123 (Pt. 1, March), pp. 51–54. Stockholm. ISSN 1103-5897.
Abstract: Campanian sedimentary rocks of the Maltesholm quarry con-
sist of mostly coarse-grained, poorly consolidated, ruditic grainstones,
almost free of micrite and lime mud, with interbedded clay horizons.
The main constituents of the grainstones are coralline algae and quartz.
Abundance of coralline algae and lack of micrite indicate a shallow,
nearshore, high-energy environment. Two different main facies may be
recognised, viz. fair weather facies with rudists in abundance, and storm
facies with pebble and shell fragment conglomerates, scour and fill
structures, and hummocky cross-bedded deposits. The conglomerate
pebbles are well rounded and consist mostly of Precambrian rocks, li-
monite nodules, and quartz. Palaeocurrent data of belemnite rostra indi-
cate a storm driven current direction perpendicular to an inferred
palaeoshoreline. Compared with other localities in the Kristianstad ba-
sin, the same type of environments are found in the Ullstorp and Igna-
berga quarries located in the northern part of the basin.
Keywords: Kristianstad basin, Maltesholm, Campanian, limestones,
storm sediments, hummocky cross-stratification, conglomerates, shal-
low marine environment.
O. Sandström, Department of Geology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 13,
SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden, olof.sandstrom@geol.lu.se. Manuscript re-
ceived 28 April 1999. Revised manuscript accepted 28 January 2001.
horst (Fig. 1). Lundgren (1895), Henning (1910), Grönwall
(1915), and Lundegren (1934) have described the quarry. Fossils
are of Campanian age (Belemnellocamax mammilatus belemnite
zone) with rudists, calcareous algae, belemnites and, more
scarcely, brachiopods and bivalves (Christensen 1975; Grönwall
1915; Sandström 1994). Finds of vertebrate fossils are poor;
shark teeth (Siverson 1992), scattered mosasaur remains (Lind-
gren 1998), and a turtle carapace (Persson 1959). Foraminiferids
(Christodoulou 1993) indicate shallow, high energies and also a
further shallowing towards the top of the sequence.
Conglomerates in the Kristianstad basin
In the Campanian sequence of the Kristianstad basin, three dif-
ferent types of conglomerates are known from the literature, viz.
pebble, intraclast, and shell-fragment conglomerates (Hadding
1927; Lundegren 1934; Surlyk 1980; Erlström 1986; Erlström &
Gabrielson 1986, 1992). These are often associated with hard-
grounds. The filling between the clasts is mostly of the same
material as the surrounding limestones (poorly consolidated
calcirudites).
A pebble conglomerate consists of pebbles, both crystalline
and sedimentary in origin, often well rounded with a diameter

This note describes the Campanian (Upper Creatceous) lime-

stones exposed in an abandoned quarry in the southern part of the
Kristianstad basin, situated in the eastern part of Scania in south-
ernmost Sweden. Here, an unusual situation occurs where Hum-
mocky Cross Stratification (HCS) -like structures are preserved
in a coarse-grained nearshore carbonate environment. This unu-
sual HCS is here associated with conglomerates and indicates a
storm derived setting in the shoreface environment.

Settings
The sediments of the Kristianstad basin (Fig.1) were deposited in
a nearshore environment (Moberg 1888; Lundegren 1934; Erl-
ström 1994; Erlström & Gabrielson 1986, 1992) in a shallow sea
with some kind of archipelago (Surlyk & Christensen 1974;
Christensen 1975). According to Lidmar-Bergström (1982), the
present northern margin of the Kristianstad basin is probably a
result of Tertiary erosion of the sediments. The Campanian sea in
the Kristianstad area may well have been connected with the
Cretaceous basin of the Båstad area (cf. Erlström 1994). This
suggestion is supported by findings, north of the basins, of flints
which are interpreted as of local derivation or transported very
short distances (Lidmar-Bergström 1982). Fig. 1. Maps showing the location of the Kristianstad basin in Scania
The Maltesholm limestone quarry is situated in the southern and (enlarged) some localities in the basin where conglomerates are
part of the basin, at the northern margin of the Linderödsåsen found.
52 Sandström: Depositional environment of Campanian strata at Maltesholm
Fig. 2. Lithologic section of the Maltesholm quarry. Rose diagrams re-
fer to the shell fragment conglomerate and the upper pebble conglomer-
ate. The pie chart shows the percentage contents of different clasts that
occur in the upper pebble conglomerate.
between 0.5 and 20 cm. Fossil fragments may also be present in
the conglomerate (mainly belemnites). The intraclast conglom-
erate is dominated by intraclasts originating from the layers di-
rectly below the conglomerate (Erlström & Gabrielson 1986,
1992). Clast sizes vary between 5 and 10 cm and are often coated
with glauconite and phosphorite. Erlström & Gabrielson (1992)
described intraclast conglomerates in the Ignaberga quarry. At
GFF 123 (2001)
the Ignaberga site, the conglomerate is associated with a hard-
ground and is referred to as the upper hardground (Surlyk 1980).
Centimetre-sized fossil fragments and belemnites dominate shell
fragment conglomerates. Terrigenous content is very low and the
matrix is composed of a coarse grainstone.
Material and methods
A section was measured and lithologically described, covering
the maximally exposed strata. Samples were taken preferably in
the lower, the middle, and in the upper part of each lithological
unit. To obtain the relative occurrence of pebbles in the con-
glomerates, these were projected with a grid in which each
square had a side of 20 cm. In each square the pebbles were
counted and classified according to lithology. In this way a per-
centage of the total amount of pebbles could be derived for each
type of pebble in the conglomerate. The roundness of each peb-
ble was also measured according to a six graded scale were 1 is
rough and 6 is almost spherical to spherical (cf. Powers 1953).
Palaeocurrent directions were derived from directional measure-
ments of the length axis of belemnite rostra. When a current af-
fects a rostrum, it directs its length axis parallel to the current di-
rection. If the rostrum is affected by a wave the length axis will
be directed perpendicular to the wave direction. χ2-tests were
performed to test whether the directional data differed from an
expected random distribution (H0; cf Sokal & Rohlf 1995).
Facies
The exposed limestones are loosely packed, very porous, and
rather free of micrite. Two pebble conglomerate beds are present
in all quarry walls. As zero level (Fig. 2), the upper surface of the
upper pebble conglomerate was chosen. The exposed sequence
at Maltesholm quarry consists of six different facies; calcirudites
and calcarenites, calcirudite with pebbles, coarse-shelled calci-
rudite, pebble conglomerates, and shell fragment conglomerate.
Calcirudites and calcarenites
This facies consists of skeletal packstones and grainstones with
abundant silt-sized quartz grains (Fig. 3A, B). Skeletal material
includes echinoderms, foraminifers, bryozoans, bivalves, bra-
chiopods, and coralline algae, which is the most abundant skel-
etal allochem. Large-scaled, metre-sized trough cross bedding is
recognised in the uppermost and lowermost parts of the exposed
sequence (Fig. 4B). Porosity varies between 20 and 30%. CaCO3
content is between c. 50 and 70%.
Calcirudite with pebbles
This facies consists of grainstones and rudstones, mostly com-
posed of skeletal material, limonite grains, and quartz grains
(Fig. 3C). Porosity is c. 30%. CaCO3 content varies between 55
and 75%. Skeletal components include echinoderm fragments,
bryozoans, bivalves, brachiopods, and coralline algae, of which
the latter totally dominates. The only structures that can be rec-
ognised are undulations interpreted here as HCS (Fig. 4A).
These, however, are very poorly developed, thus making the in-
terpretation of these very difficult.
Coarse-shelled calcirudite
The coarse shelled calcirudite occurs only below the shell frag-
GFF 123 (2001) Sandström: Depositional environment of Campanian strata at Maltesholm 53

Fig. 3. Photomicrographs of different microfacies occurring in the Maltesholm quarry. Packstone (A) and grainstone (B) of the “calcirudite and
calcarenite” facies, and grainstone (C) of the “calcirudite with pebbles” facies.

ment conglomerate. It consists of skeletal

rudstone with little non-bioclastic mate-
rial. The skeletal volume is high and
denser than the previous calcirudites.

Pebble conglomerates
The pebble conglomerates (Fig. 4C) con-
sist of mainly crystalline pebbles (gneis-
ses and granites), sedimentary pebbles of
mainly limonite and chamosite and quartz
(Fig. 2). In general, the roundness of the
pebbles is very high, and the pebbles vary
in size between 4 and 25 mm. The matrix
of the conglomerate is a calcirudite of the
same type as the surrounding sediments.
The base of the conglomerates is charac-
terised by scours cutting into the underly-
ing sediments. This type of conglomerate
is associated with HCS that are formed di-
rectly above the conglomerate. Porosity
seems to be lower than in the other facies.
One measured sample had a porosity of Fig. 4. A. Vaguely displayed undulate bedding in the “calcirudite with pebbles” facies. B.
17%. Calcarenite from the topmost part of the Maltesholm section. C. The upper pebble conglomerate.
D. The shell fragment conglomerate.

Shell fragment conglomerate

The shell fragment conglomerate (Fig.
4D) is lens-shaped, c. 1.5 m wide and 0.4
m in its thickest part, thinning out later-
ally. It consists of large, centimetre-sized
fossil allochems and intraclasts. Only few
pebbles of limonite, quartz, and igneous
rocks were found. HCS was also found in
association to this conglomerate. The
CaCO3 content is about 50%.
Brachiopods and bivalves are present
throughout the sections. Rudists are com-
mon in the lower parts of the section up
to the lowermost pebble conglomerate.
Above the conglomerates, rudists are
scarce. Belemnites occur somewhat dif-
ferently. They are more common above
and within the pebble conglomerates and
occur more scarcely below these (cf. Fig.
2).
χ2-tests of directional data from belem-
nites (Fig. 2) give significant deviations
from an expected random distribution (at
the 5% level) for the shell fragment con-
glomerate. However, for the pebble con-
glomerate there was no significant devia-
tion and thus, we have a clear indication
of an inferred NE or SW current direction
in the shell fragment conglomerate.
Depositional environment
The exposed section at Maltesholm can be
subdivided into two different parts, repre-
senting different depositional environ-
ments. The calcirudites represent normal
deposition while the conglomerates and
associated HCS represent storm events.
HCS in such coarse-grained sediments
as in Maltesholm is unusual since most
HCS structures occur in fine-grained sili-
ciclastic environments, and are often rec-
ognised as storm effects between the Fair
Weather Wave Base (FWWB) and the
Storm Weather Wave Base (SWWB; Dott
& Burgeois 1982; Brenchley 1989). At
Maltesholm normal sedimentation of
coarse-grained carbonates indicates a
shallow, nearshore, high-energy environ-
ment, probably well within the FWWB.
Also the closeness to the Linderödsåsen
horst shows that the depositional environ-
ment is nearshore.
A ‘normal’ environment for the devel-
54 Sandström: Depositional environment of Campanian strata at Maltesholm
opment of HCS is described from the Jurassic Fernie-Kootenay
transition in western Canada (Hamblin & Walker 1979). There,
the occurrences of HCS are parts of a regressive system and rep-
resent the transition from deeper tempestite-bearing mudstones
and siltstones to planar-bedded sandstones representing beach
environment. The setting is thus foreshore to shoreface. In
coarse-grained environments, storm deposits are most likely pre-
served as conglomerates and coquinas. Also, wave-formed rip-
ples are attributed to a synonym for HCS in such environments
(cf. Leckie 1988). Thus, the formation of HCS in ruditic lime-
stones is very unusual.
Sanders (2000) described four different modern gravelly
beaches (Kos Island, Greece) that have been strongly influenced
by storm processes. An inferred transgression of these beaches
gives a succession for the shoreface area, similar to the succes-
sion seen in Maltesholm, thus strengthening the idea of a very
shallow setting where the depositional patterns are controlled
mainly by storms. If the beaches described by Sanders (2000) are
modern analogues to the Maltesholm deposits, the shell fragment
conglomerate may have been formed as a runnel parallel to the
shoreline, containing organic debris. Thus the shell fragment
conglomerate should have an extension parallel to the inferred
shoreline at Maltesholm (NW–SE). Unfortunately, the extent of
the outcrop does not reveal the direction of the extension of the
conglomerate.
Scour and fill structures, HCS, and pebble conglomerates are
common features in the upper shoreface and lower beachface en-
vironment. Thus, the part of the Maltesholm succession where
these are represented do belong to this part of the beach environ-
ment (cf. Sanders 2000).
The Maltesholm facies are distributed with a shelf–shoreface–
beachface order, and thus seem to suggest a regression. But, for
such a complete regressive succession to be preserved, a sub-
stantial subsidence rate is required. However, during highstand
and lowstand situations, material tend to accumulate laterally
making the system prograde basinwards (e.g. highstand and
lowstand shedding; cf. Emery & Myers 1996; Schlager et al.
1994). During such circumstances, no subsidence is required and
the resultant succession would still be ‘regressive’ in character.
In prograding shore environments, storm derived conglomerates
are displayed in vertically stacked positions, often interbedded
by finer sand-sized material, that usually were deposited during
the waning stages (cf. Sanders 2000; Massari & Porea 1988).
The inferred HCS structures in Maltesholm are defined on the
basis of their external morphology (that is low angle intercep-
tions and undulating beds). Due to the coarseness of the sedi-
ments they lack internal features. Coarse Grained Ripples (CGR;
defined by Leckie 1988) fall into the dimensions of the structures
seen at Maltesholm, however, CGR’s are two-dimensional and
symmetrical. The structures at Maltesholm are definitely asym-
metrical, thus excluding the possibility of defining them as
CGR’s (cf. Leckie 1988).
Scour and fill structures are common in storm derived settings,
both ancient (e.g. Rossetti et al. 2000; Leithold & Burgeois 1984;
Hamblin & Walker 1979) and modern (e.g. Sanders 2000; Bon-
devik et al. 1997). In almost all cases are these associated with
conglomerates.
Conclusions
The exposed sequence at Maltesholm quarry consists of six dif-
ferent facies; calcirudites and calcarenites, calcirudite with peb-
GFF 123 (2001)
bles, coarse-shelled calcirudite, pebble conglomerates, and shell
fragment conglomerate. The main constituents of the grainstones
are coralline algae and quartz. Abundance of coralline algae and
lack of micrite indicate a shallow, nearshore, high-energy envi-
ronment. Two different main facies may be recognised, viz. fair
weather facies with rudists in abundance, and storm facies with
pebble and shell fragment conglomerates, scour and fill struc-
tures, and hummocky cross-bedded deposits. The conglomerate
pebbles are well rounded and consist mostly of Precambrian
rocks, limonite nodules, and quartz. Palaeocurrent data of
belemnite rostra indicate a storm driven current direction per-
pendicular to an inferred palaeoshoreline.
Acknowledgements. – I thank Professor Kent Larsson and Jan Gabrielson who carefully read
earlier versions of the manuscript and made useful comments. Special thanks go to Anna-
Carin Andersson and Lars Gustafson for help in the field.
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