Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of benthic foraminifera in Paleocene El Haria Formation of Tunisia

doi:10.1016/0899-5362(92)90029-C

Journal of African Earth Sciences (and the Middle East)

Volume 15, Issues 3–4, October–November 1992, Pages 473-487

https://doi.org/10.1016/0899-5362(92)90029-C Get rights and content

Abstract

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of benthic foraminiferal fauna reveals the succession of five benthic assemblages in the Paleocene El Haria Formation of El Kef section (Tunisia). The eugubina Zone is characterized by Anomalinoides acuta, A. praecuta, Cibicidoides alleni, C. susanaensis and Bulimina quadrata, developed in a bathyal environment of relatively low oxygen conditions. The pseudobulloides Zone presents a “Velasco-type” fauna, with Gavelinella beccariiformis, Osangularia plummerae, Cibicidoides alleni, C. susanaensis, N. truempyi and textulariids. Microfauna suggests an oxic environment in the upper bathyal stage. A regressive sea movement becomes perceptible and benthic fauna indicates an outer shelf paleobathymetry during the interval comprised between the trinidadensis and the pusilla Zones. The assemblage, developed in oxic conditions, is characterized by Alabamina midwayensis, Anomalinoides praeacuta and Cibicidoides susanaensis. The fourth assemblage, observed during the pseudomenardii and velascoensis (lower part) Zones, is typical of the continental shelf (middle to inner neritic; “Midway-type” fauna) with Alabamina midwayensis, Eponides elevatus, Anomalinoides midwayensis, buliminids and lenticulinids. The upper part of the section (velascoensis Zone) presents an inner neritic assemblage dominated by Stainforthia troosteri, Haplophragmoides excavata, Eponides elevatus and lenticulinids.

These El Kef data are compared with Paleocene foraminiferal data of field sections of central and southern Tunisia. Statistical analysis (correspondence analysis) confirms the lowering of the sea level from the K/T boundary to Early Eocene and indicates precisely the paleogeographic scheme of the Paleocene deposits of Tunisia, with the restricted Gulf of Gafsa in the south, the emerged island of Kasserine in the west and an unstable shelf cut up into deep basins in the east and in the north.

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Citation Excerpt :
carseyae, Orthokarstenia esnehensis, Bulimina midwayensis, and Allomorphina trigona). Other epibenthic forms such as Anomalinoides umbonifera, which proliferate in areas with stressful conditions and abundant food detritus (Hewaidy et al., 2019b; Saint-Marc, 1992), was abundantly recorded as well (Fig. 8). Thus, this part of the section is supposed to have been deposited under eutrophic conditions.
The upper Campanian-Maastrichtian (from Globotruncanella havanensis to Plummerita hantkeninoides zones) foraminiferal assemblages at the Wadi Tarfa section in the Egyptian North Eastern Desert are studied to infer paleoenvironments and relative sea-level changes. The multivariate R-mode hierarchical clustering and the Q-mode Nonmetric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) of the benthic foraminiferal dataset have been attempted to quantify the vertical variations in paleobathymetry, oxygenation, and trophic conditions. The inferred foraminiferal-based sea-level curve reveals paleodepth fluctuations ranging from middle neritic to upper bathyal and distinguishes five 3^rd order sequences, two in the upper Campanian and three in the Maastrichtian. The development of the inferred relative sea-level curve expresses greater control of the eustasy. Also, the regional impact of the Syrian Arc Orogeny (SAO) subordinately led to amalgamation and repositioning of some sea-level events. The lowermost part (Gl. havanensis Zone) was deposited under stressed, low oxygenated, weakly eutrophic bottom-water conditions. However, well‑oxygenated oligotrophic conditions occurred around the level of the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary, as inferred from the predominance of heavily calcified epibenthic oxic species. We attributed this oligotrophy to the oceanic circulation change and the accompanying climatic cooling experienced at that time. The remainder of the early Maastrichtian through late Maastrichtian experienced an environmental shift toward mesotrophic conditions without considerable oxygenation change. The latest Maastrichtian, however, reveals low-oxic mesotrophic-weakly eutrophic bottom-water conditions, which is likely owed to the Deccan volcanism induced food detritus enrichment.
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Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of benthic foraminifera in Paleocene El Haria Formation of Tunisia

Abstract

Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimat., Palaeoecol.

Marine Micropaleont.

Deep-Sea Res.

Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.

Marine Micropaleont.

Deep-Sea Res.

Paleocene benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoecology of Tunisia

Bull. Centre Rech. Pau-SNPA

L'analyse des données. 1, la taxinomie; 2, l'analyse des correspondances

Dunod Ed. Paris