High-resolution carbon isotope stratigraphy of the upper Campaniane—Maastrichtian is recorded in the Boreal Realm from a total of 1968 bulk chalk samples of the Stevns-1 core, eastern Denmark. Isotopic trends are calibrated by calcareous nannofossil bio-events and are correlated with a lower-resolution
d13C profile from Rørdal, northwestern Denmark. A quantitative approach is used to test the reliability of Upper Cretaceous nannofossil bio-events and provides accurate biohorizons for the correlation of d13C profiles. The CampanianeMaastrichtian boundary (CMB) is identified through the correlation of dinoflagellate biostratigraphy and d13C stratigraphy between Stevns-1 and the Global boundary Standard Stratotype-section and Point at Tercis les Bains (SW France), allowing the identification of new chemical and biostratigraphic markers that provide a precise placement of the stage boundary on a regional scale.
The boundary interval corresponds to the third phase of a stepwise 0.8& negative d13C excursion, lies in calcareous nannofossil subzone UC16dBP, and encompasses the last occurrence of nannofossil Tranolithus stemmerikii and first occurrence of nannofossil Prediscosphaera mgayae. Fifteen d13C events are defined and correlated to sixteen reliable nannofossil biohorizons, thus providing a well-calibrated standard high-resolution d13C curve for the Boreal Realm.