EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH

An integrated (multidimensional) faunal and geochemical dataset has been generated by the study of a Middle Miocene sedimentary section (Ras il Pellegrin) outcropping in the Malta Island (central Mediterranean) and referred to the Late Langhian-Early Serravallian interval. Benthic foraminifers and o...

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Main Authors: ADRIANA BELLANCA, FRANCA SGARRELLA, RODOLFO NERI, BIANCA RUSSO, MARIO SPROVIERI, GIOACCHINO BONADUCE, DANIELA ROCCA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2002-07-01
Series:Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia
Online Access:https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/5472
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author ADRIANA BELLANCA
FRANCA SGARRELLA
RODOLFO NERI
BIANCA RUSSO
MARIO SPROVIERI
GIOACCHINO BONADUCE
DANIELA ROCCA
author_facet ADRIANA BELLANCA
FRANCA SGARRELLA
RODOLFO NERI
BIANCA RUSSO
MARIO SPROVIERI
GIOACCHINO BONADUCE
DANIELA ROCCA
author_sort ADRIANA BELLANCA
collection DOAJ
description An integrated (multidimensional) faunal and geochemical dataset has been generated by the study of a Middle Miocene sedimentary section (Ras il Pellegrin) outcropping in the Malta Island (central Mediterranean) and referred to the Late Langhian-Early Serravallian interval. Benthic foraminifers and ostracods suggest a paleobathymetry of about 500 m and  slightly under-oxygenated bottom conditions for the deposition of the sediments. Some bio-events, characterized by oligotypical assemblages (B. elongata group high percentage values) indicating stressed bottom conditions and very low oxygen content, seem related to suboxic episodes. Periods of enhanced surface productivity, indicated by increasing Ba concentrations and by d13C values measured in planktonic foraminifer, are recorded at the base and in the upper part of the succession and suggest the combination of upwelling events and enhanced continental runoff. In particular, the lower interval has been correlated with the C-isotope Monterey event. The upper interval, characterized by negative excursions in the benthic carbon isotope curve combined with the appearance of benthic species indicative of increasing preservation of organic carbon at the bottom of the basin, suggests a general reduced Mediterranean thermoaline circulation system during the Upper Langhian-Early Serravallian. These events are calibrated to the astrochronologic scale proposed for the same section by cyclostratigraphic analysis. Benthic assemblages and isotope evidence, combined with information from other coeval Mediterranean sediments (DSDP Site 375, Site 372; new data on Tremiti Islands), allow to interpret the large-scale thermoaline circulation in the Mediterranean basin during middle Miocene. Three discrete water masses have been identified: 1) surface Atlantic water inflowing into the Mediterranean; 2) intermediate outflowing Mediterranean water originated in the surficial eastern end; 3) atlantic (psychrospheric) bottom water identified in different areas of the basin.
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spelling doaj.art-5717505086634d849cbc0574364481222023-09-03T03:04:11ZengMilano University PressRivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia0035-68832039-49422002-07-01108210.13130/2039-4942/54724788EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACHADRIANA BELLANCAFRANCA SGARRELLARODOLFO NERIBIANCA RUSSOMARIO SPROVIERIGIOACCHINO BONADUCEDANIELA ROCCAAn integrated (multidimensional) faunal and geochemical dataset has been generated by the study of a Middle Miocene sedimentary section (Ras il Pellegrin) outcropping in the Malta Island (central Mediterranean) and referred to the Late Langhian-Early Serravallian interval. Benthic foraminifers and ostracods suggest a paleobathymetry of about 500 m and  slightly under-oxygenated bottom conditions for the deposition of the sediments. Some bio-events, characterized by oligotypical assemblages (B. elongata group high percentage values) indicating stressed bottom conditions and very low oxygen content, seem related to suboxic episodes. Periods of enhanced surface productivity, indicated by increasing Ba concentrations and by d13C values measured in planktonic foraminifer, are recorded at the base and in the upper part of the succession and suggest the combination of upwelling events and enhanced continental runoff. In particular, the lower interval has been correlated with the C-isotope Monterey event. The upper interval, characterized by negative excursions in the benthic carbon isotope curve combined with the appearance of benthic species indicative of increasing preservation of organic carbon at the bottom of the basin, suggests a general reduced Mediterranean thermoaline circulation system during the Upper Langhian-Early Serravallian. These events are calibrated to the astrochronologic scale proposed for the same section by cyclostratigraphic analysis. Benthic assemblages and isotope evidence, combined with information from other coeval Mediterranean sediments (DSDP Site 375, Site 372; new data on Tremiti Islands), allow to interpret the large-scale thermoaline circulation in the Mediterranean basin during middle Miocene. Three discrete water masses have been identified: 1) surface Atlantic water inflowing into the Mediterranean; 2) intermediate outflowing Mediterranean water originated in the surficial eastern end; 3) atlantic (psychrospheric) bottom water identified in different areas of the basin.https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/5472
spellingShingle ADRIANA BELLANCA
FRANCA SGARRELLA
RODOLFO NERI
BIANCA RUSSO
MARIO SPROVIERI
GIOACCHINO BONADUCE
DANIELA ROCCA
EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia
title EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
title_full EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
title_fullStr EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
title_full_unstemmed EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
title_short EVOLUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN DURING THE LATE LANGHIAN - EARLY SERRAVALLIAN: AN INTEGRATED PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC APPROACH
title_sort evolution of the mediterranean basin during the late langhian early serravallian an integrated paleoceanographic approach
url https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/5472
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