Flat-Pebble Conglomerates, Storm Deposits, and the Cambrian Bottom Fauna

Flat-pebble conglomerates, which are very common in Cambrian strata, are formed from thin limestone beds that have been ripped up and redeposited, mostly during storms. Conditions for genesis include episodic deposition of thin beds, rapid lithification, and subsequent erosion and redeposition. Expansion of the infauna during the Ordovician eliminated the widespread potential for rapid submarine cementation of thin carbonate layers, thereby reducing the frequency of deposition of flat-pebble conglomerates.