Fig. 1. Late Albian paleogeographic reconstruction showing studied DSDP/ODP sites and onshore locations in the Atlantic and adjacent basins.

Fig. 2. Late Albian paleogeographic reconstruction showing Shannon-Weaver values at studied DSDP/ODP sites and onshore locations.

Fig. 3. (a) Results of first correspondence analysis showing ranking of taxa based on Factor 1 values. Species and species groups are given as three letter codes. For convenience, the most representative taxon for each code is also listed. Complete taxonomic composition for each code can be found in Table 2. (b) Results of first correspondence analysis showing ranking of sites based on Factor 1 values. Samples containing allochthonous tests from turbidite intervals at Sites 137, 370 and 386 display higher Factor 1 values than samples containing autochthonous tests. Samples from Sites 415 and 370 with high carbonate dissolution intervals display lower Factor 1 values than undissolved samples.

Fig. 4. Late Albian paleobathymetric reconstruction of the Atlantic and adjacent basins, based on Factor 1 values from first correspondence analysis. Paleobathymetric estimates derived from backstripping are shown for comparison (blue shades over oceanic crust).

Fig. 5. Paleobathymetric reconstruction of the Gibraltar Gateway modified from Dercourt et al. (1985). FAC=Facinas; FAR=Fardes; PEN=Penibetic; RIF=Prerif and Mesorif; SUB=Subbetic; TAN=Tanger and Melloussa; TUN=Tunisia; VOC=Vocontian. For details of location and individual outcrops see Table 1.

Fig. 6. (a) Results of second correspondence analysis showing ranking of bathyal taxa based on Factor 1 values. Species and species groups are given as three letter codes. For convenience, the most representative taxon for each code is also listed. Complete taxonomic composition for each code can be found in Table 2. (b) Results of second correspondence analysis showing ranking of bathyal sites based on Factor 1 values. Samples containing allochthonous tests from turbidite intervals at Sites 137, 370 and 386 display higher Factor 1 values than samples containing autochthonous tests. Samples from Site 415 with high carbonate dissolution intervals display lower Factor 1 values than undissolved samples. Samples from the P. buxtorfi Zone at El Gara display higher Factor 1 values than samples from the R. ticinenis Zone, reflecting a stratigraphic trend of increased productivity in the latest Albian.

Fig. 7. Late Albian carbon flux estimates at studied DSDP/ODP sites and onshore locations, based on Factor 1 values from second correspondence analysis.

Fig. 8. Circulation and water properties in the Tethys region for the control experiment as calculated by the Parallel Ocean Climate Model by Poulsen et al. (1998): (a) mean annual surface (25–500 m) flow (cm/s), (b) mean annual surface (0–117.5 m) temperatures (°C), and (c) mean annual surface (0–117.5 m) salinity (modified from Poulsen et al., 1998).

Fig. 9. Late Albian paleobathymetric and carbon flux synopsis showing position of studied sites and F1 carbon flux proxy values along an East–West transect in the North Atlantic.

Table 1. Locations of studied DSDP/ODP sites and onshore sections in the Atlantic and adjacent basins

Table 2. Taxonomic list and benthic foraminiferal distribution in the five main biogeographic provinces studied (dark shading). Additional coeval records from selected references and unpublished data are shown in light grey. Asterisks indicate rare taxa

Table 3. Assignation of DSDP/ODP sites and onshore sections to tectonic plate fragments

Table 4. Backtracked paleodepths for DSDP/ODP sites and onshore locations. Paleolatitudes and paleolongitudes are shown for 100 Ma. Assumed sealevel change is +220 m