Ichnological analysis of the Messinian-Zanclean (Miocene-Pliocene) transition at Eraclea Minoa (Sicily): Tracemaker response to the Terminal Messinian Flood
Identificadores
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10481/81112Metadatos
Mostrar el registro completo del ítemAutor
Rodríguez Tovar, Francisco J.; van Dijk, Gijs; Maars, Jasper; Andreetto, Federico; Hernández Molina, Francisco Javier; Krijgsman, WoutEditorial
Elsevier
Materia
Deep marine deposits Trace fossils Messinian Salinity Crisis Miocene/Pliocene boundary Mediterranean Sea
Fecha
2023-04-07Referencia bibliográfica
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 619 (2023) 111539
Patrocinador
Research by R-T was funded by Grants PID2019-104625RB-100 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and TED2021-131697B-C21, by FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento/ Projects P18-RT- 4074, projects BRNM-072-UGR18 and A-RNM-368-UGR20 (FEDER Andalucía), Research Group RNM178 (Junta de Andalucía), and Projects PID2019-104625RB-100 (Secretaría de Estado de I + D + I, Spain), B-RNM-072-UGR18 (FEDER Andalucía), P18-RT-4074 (Junta de Andalucía), and Scientific Excellence Unit UCE-2016-05 (Universidad de Granada). The research of the UU-team was supported by the project SALTGIANT, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020s research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 765256.; Grants PID2019-104625RB-100 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and TED2021-131697B-C21; FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento/ Projects P18-RT- 4074, projects BRNM-072-UGR18; A-RNM-368-UGR20 (FEDER Andalucía); Research Group RNM178 (Junta de Andalucía); Projects PID2019-104625RB-100 (Secretaría de Estado de I + D + I, Spain); B-RNM-072-UGR18 (FEDER Andalucía); P18-RT-4074 (Junta de Andalucía); Scientific Excellence Unit UCE-2016-05 (Universidad de Granada); European Union’s Horizon 2020s research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 765256Resumen
A detailed ichnological analysis has been conducted, for the first time, of the Arenazzolo and Trubi formations of
the Caltanissetta Basin in Sicily. Aim of this analysis is to evaluate paleoenvironmental changes affecting macrobenthic
tracemaker communities during the re-flooding of the Mediterranean at the end of the Messinian
Salinity Crisis. The uppermost Messinian Arenazzolo Formation is characterized by a scarcity of trace fossils,
probably related to high energy depositional conditions, and perhaps no fully normal salinity level yet, resulting
in an unfavourable habitat for macrobenthic tracemaker communities. The exclusive presence of small traces
(Chondrites) sparsely distributed in several horizons is associated to intermittent phases of lower energy conditions
facilitating colonization by opportunistic tracemakers. A significant change in trace fossil assemblages is
observed at the transition to the Zanclean Trubi Formation. Here the ichnofossil assemblage consists of?Arenicolites,
Chondrites, Halimedides, Palaeophycus, Planolites, Thalassinoides, Trichichnus and Zoophycos, assigned to the
Zoophycos ichnofacies, revealing an abundant, diverse, well-developed, multi-tiered, tracemaker community.
This change observed at the Messsinian/Zanclean boundary is related to the rapid establishment of normal, fullmarine,
conditions with well oxygenated bottom- and pore-waters, and food availability in a deep marine
environment. Comparison with previous micropaleontological studies supports the magnitude of the paleoenvironmental
change affecting both pelagic and benthic environments.