Widmark, Joen G V; Speijer, Robert P (1997): Benthic foraminiferal abundances in Late Cretaceous sediments of the Tethys [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.691012, Supplement to: Widmark, JGV; Speijer, RP (1997): Benthic foraminiferal ecomarker species of the terminal Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) deep-sea Tethys. Marine Micropaleontology, 31(3-4), 135-155, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-8398(97)00008-X
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Abstract:
Benthic foraminiferal distribution patterns throughout the late Maastrichtian Tethyan deep sea are analyzed. Many species are ubiquitously distributed throughout this region and therefore it is hard to assess their ecological preferences. However, five species show distribution patterns, which suggest that they may have distinctive paleoenvironmental preferences. These preferences are interpreted from hypothesized surface circulation and upwelling patterns. Additional information comes from Recent benthic foraminiferal ecology and from responses to the Cretaceous/Paleogene (k/Pg) boundary event. This enables us to assess the ecological preferences of these late Maastrichtian taxa, and establish them as ecological-marker (ecomarker) species for paleoenvironmental interpretation of the late Maastrichtian bathyal-abyssal Tethyan realm.
(1) Eouvigerina subsculpturu is suggested to be indicative of reasonably oxygenated upper-middle bathyal environments, though with high abundance of utilizable organic matter. (2) Sliteria varsoviensis is linked to areas of late Maastrichtian upwelling and seems to have been an epibenthic species with an opportunistic life mode. (3) Guvelinellu beccuriiformis and (4) Nuttullides truempyi are considered to be indicative of oligotrophic conditions unless they occur with a large proportion of endobenthic morphotypes. (5) Guvelinellu pertusu is proposed to indicate neritic-middle bathyal environments of the 'boreal' realm, which might be influenced by more seasonal food-fluxes and by higher oxygen levels than similar settings in the (sub)tropics.
Finally, the anomalous high abundances of the buliminid species Sitella cf. plunu in deep open ocean environments is discussed in terms of possible mechanisms permitting such a (morphologically) opportunistic species to thrive in such an assumedly oligotrophic environment.
Project(s):
Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 32.248679 * Median Longitude: -29.760311 * South-bound Latitude: 29.030000 * West-bound Longitude: -76.112300 * North-bound Latitude: 39.088611 * East-bound Longitude: 34.800000
Date/Time Start: 1975-08-29T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1975-08-29T00:00:00
Event(s):
44-390A * Latitude: 30.142300 * Longitude: -76.112300 * Date/Time: 1975-08-29T00:00:00 * Elevation: -2665.0 m * Penetration: 142.5 m * Recovery: 86.3 m * Location: North Atlantic * Campaign: Leg44 * Basis: Glomar Challenger * Method/Device: Drilling/drill rig (DRILL) * Comment: 14 cores; 133 m cored; 0 m drilled; 64.9 % recovery
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
2 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Widmark, JGV; Speijer, RP (1997): (Table 1) Benthic foraminiferal number of specimens in Cretaceous samples of the Mediterranean Sea. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.691009
- Widmark, JGV; Speijer, RP (1997): (Table 1) Benthic foraminiferal number of specimens in Cretaceous samples of DSDP Hole 44-390A in the Atlantic Ocean. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.691011