Early Pleistocene volcanism in the Emile Baudot Seamount, Balearic Promontory (western Mediterranean Sea)

Acosta, Juan; Ancochea, Eumenio; Canals, Miquel; Huertas, María José; Uchupi, Elazar

doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2004.04.003

Cited by 29 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…At those bottom areas where substrate coverage by the sponges was not continuous, small patches of blackish rock were occasionally seen, being likely volcanic basalt, which is the main constituent of the Emile Baudot Seamount System, created by Pleistocenic vulcanism [ 40 ]. More often, the substrate was exposed to a continuous sediment rain, under which rocks, living sponges and skeletal remains of dead individuals were slowly buried (Fig 5A and 5B ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aggregated Clumps of Lithistid Sponges: A Singular, Reef-Like Bathyal Habitat with Relevant Paleontological Connections

Maldonado

Aguilar²,

Blanco³

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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The advent of deep-sea exploration using video cameras has uncovered extensive sponge aggregations in virtually all oceans. Yet, a distinct type is herein reported from the Mediterranean: a monospecific reef-like formation built by the lithistid demosponge Leiodermatium pfeifferae. Erect, plate-like individuals (up to 80 cm) form bulky clumps, making up to 1.8 m high mounds (1.14 m on average) on the bottom, at a 760 m-deep seamount named SSS. The siliceous skeletal frameworks of the lithistids persist after sponge death, serving as a complex 3D substratum where new lithistids recruit, along with a varied fauna of other sessile and vagile organisms. The intricate aggregation of lithistid mounds functions as a “reef” formation, architecturally different from the archetypal "demosponge gardens" with disaggregating siliceous skeletons. Leiodermatium pfeifferae also occurred at two additional, close seamounts (EBJ and EBS), but, unlike at SSS, the isolated individuals never formed accretive clumps. The general oceanographic variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved nutrients, chlorophyll, and oxygen) revealed only minimal between-seamount differences, which cannot explain why sponge abundance at SSS is about two orders of magnitude higher than at EBJ or EBS. Large areas of the dense SSS aggregation were damaged, with detached and broken sponges and a few tangled fishing lines. Satellite vessel monitoring revealed low fishing activity around these seamounts. In contrast, international plans for gas and oil extraction at those locations raise serious concerns over the need for protecting urgently this unique, vulnerable habitat to avoid further alteration. Modern lithistids are a relict fauna from Jurassic and Cretaceous reefs and the roots of the very genus Leiodermatium can be traced back to those fossil formations. Therefore, understanding the causes behind the discovered lithistid aggregation is critical not only to its preservation, but also to elucidate how the extraordinary Mesozoic lithistid formations developed and functioned.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aggregated Clumps of Lithistid Sponges: A Singular, Reef-Like Bathyal Habitat with Relevant Paleontological Connections

Maldonado

Aguilar²,

Blanco³

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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“…The deformation is mainly localized in the thrust belts of North Africa. This region shows recent strike-slip and normal faults, as well as numerous mass-wasting structures [Acosta et al, 2002[Acosta et al, , 2004a[Acosta et al, , 2004bLastras et al, 2004;Camerlenghi et al, 2009;Maillard and Mauffret, 2013]. This region shows recent strike-slip and normal faults, as well as numerous mass-wasting structures [Acosta et al, 2002[Acosta et al, , 2004a[Acosta et al, , 2004bLastras et al, 2004;Camerlenghi et al, 2009;Maillard and Mauffret, 2013].…”

Section: The Western Mediterranean Sub-basinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Emile Baudot escarpment (EBE) is a 180 km-long, linear, NW-SE trending segment, eroded by a complex canyon system and intruded by late Pliocene alkaline basalt [Acosta et al, 2001a[Acosta et al, , 2001b[Acosta et al, , 2004a[Acosta et al, , 2004bCamerlenghi et al, 2009;Lüdmann et al, 2011]. Its height varies from 1400 to 1600 m, and its declivity varies from 3 to 7 o in the upper part of the scarp and from 6 o to 12 o in the lower part of the scarp [Acosta et al, 2001a].…”

Section: Emile Baudot Escarpmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for transform motion along the South Balearic margin and implications for the kinematics of opening of the Algerian basin

Driussi

Briais

Maillard

2015

Bulletin De La Société Géologique De France

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Two major types of kinematic models have been proposed to explain the opening of the western Mediterranean basins (Liguro-Provençal and Algerian basins, and Valencia trough). In one type of models, all continental blocks bounding the basins drift to the southeast, driven by the rollback of the Tethys subduction slab. In the other type of models, the Alboran domain drifts to the southwest, implying a westward rollback of the broken subducting slab and a NE-SW opening of the Algerian basin. In most models, however, the structure of the Balearic promontory was not taken into account, despite its key location at the boundary of the three major basins. We used the interpretation of a large seismic database coupled to gravity and magnetic anomaly analyses to characterize the nature and structure of the South Balearic margin. The constraints brought by the new analyses allow us to suggest a new scenario for the opening of the Algerian basin.Seismic profiles show that the South Balearic margin is composed of four segments with different morphologies and crustal structures. Two segments, the Mazarron and the Emile Baudot escarpments, are characterized by steep scarps and sharp crustal thinning. Two other segments, the South Ibiza and South Menorca margins, have a smoother bathymetry and crustal thinning. We interpret the former in terms of transform margins, and the latter as divergent margins. The distribution of faults on the passive margin segments suggests that they have recorded at least two phases of deformation. A first phase of opening, probably in a NW-SE direction, affected the south Balearic margin, and possibly created some oceanic floor. The existence of the transform margin segments and the prominent NW-SE orientation of the magnetic lineations in the eastern Algerian basin suggest that most of this basin opened in a NE-SW direction, in different oceanic corridors. The two eastern corridors formed by the southwestward drift of the Kabylies. The western corridor, bounded by the transform segments of the South Balearic margin and the Algerian margin, results from the southwestward drift of the Alboran domain, as suggested by previous studies.Résumé. -Deux grands types de modèles cinématiques ont été proposés pour expliquer l'ouverture des bassins de la Méditerranée occidentale (bassins Liguro-Provençal et Algérien et fossé de Valence). Dans un type de modèles, tous les blocs continentaux limitant les bassins dérivent vers le sud-est, tirés par le retrait de la subduction de la plaque téthysienne. Dans l'autre type de modèles, le domaine d'Alboran dérive vers le sud-ouest, impliquant un retrait vers l'ouest de la subduction d'une partie de la plaque téthysienne déchirée. Dans la plupart de ces modèles, cependant, le promontoire Baléares n'est pas pris en compte, et ce, malgré sa position clé à la frontière des bassins majeurs. Nous avons utilisé l'interprétation d'une large base de données sismiques couplée à une analyse des anomalies gravimétriques et magnétiques pour caractériser la nature et la structure de ...

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“…In the Western Mediterranean Sea, the Tyrrhenian bathyal plain is characterized by the highest concentration of seamounts of the entire basin. They have been well studied from geological point of view; however, scare information is available about their ecological aspects (Galil and Zibrowius 1998;Acosta et al 2004;Cocchi et al 2017). Volcanic bodies are either associated with north-south oriented crustal faults (Magnaghi, Vavilov, and Marsili seamounts) or with crescent-shape bathymetric ridges (e.g., Vercelli and Cassinis).…”

Section: Biodiversity and Ecosystems Of The Deep Mediterranean Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change impacts on the biota and on vulnerable habitats of the deep Mediterranean Sea

Danovaro

2018

Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei

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Deep sea is the largest and likely the most biologically diverse ecosystem of the world, but it is also the most unknown. The Mediterranean Sea (< 1% of the ocean surface and contains only the 0.3% of its volume) is a hot spot of marine biodiversity containing ca 7.5% of the world marine biodiversity, associated with a multitude of habitats spreading from the coast to its dark portion (e.g., coral banks, seamounts, canyons, and hydrothermal vents). Its deep-sea ecosystems are increasingly subjected to direct anthropogenic impacts (including overishing, chemical pollution, dumping, litter, and plastics), which are often over-imposed to the increasing efects of global change. Here, are illustrated the expected impacts of shifts in the main variables such as temperature, food supply, pH, and oxygen on the deep Mediterranean Sea ecosystems. One of the most consequences is related to shifts in the quality and quantity of the inputs of organic matter to the deep sealoor. The deep Mediterranean Sea is far more oligotrophic than other oceans at equal depths, and although deep-sea biota reacts to food shortage by increasing their eiciency in its use, a decrease in food availability can have dramatic efects on its food webs. The deep Mediterranean Sea is showing a clear rise of deep-water temperatures. In the last decades, deep-water warming is accelerating at unprecedented rates, causing a signiicant shift in biodiversity even for variations in the order of 0.1 °C. Higher temperatures increase deep-sea metabolism, thus exacerbating the efects of food limitation. Moreover, ocean acidiication reduces the calciication capacity of corals and alters their metabolism. Although it can be expected that increasing temperatures might increase the potential spread of oxygen minimum zone, so far, only ipoxic events were reported in Mediterranean Sea. The analysis of potential ecosystem vulnerability indicates that the ecosystems that are most sensitive to global change are deep-water coral systems and deep-sea plains. In addition, deep-sea canyons are also likely increasingly subjected to physical disturbance as a result of the increase in the frequency and intensity of climate-driven episodic events. Available information also suggests that biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of the deep Mediterranean Sea is undergoing dramatic changes, which result in accelerated organic matter biogeochemical cycling, miniaturization of the organisms' size, increased metabolism, dominance of the microbial components, and mortality rates of deep-sea biota. Given the high sensitivity of the Mediterranean Sea to global change in comparison with other oceanic regions, and the vulnerability of its deep-sea habitats/ecosystems, speciic policy measures are needed to protect its biodiversity, restore damaged habitats, and increase deep-sea ecosystems resistance and resilience to the ongoing impacts of global change. Keywords Global change • Deep Mediterranean Sea • Deep-sea biology • Ecosystem vulnerability 1 Global Change in the global oceans and trend...

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Early Pleistocene volcanism in the Emile Baudot Seamount, Balearic Promontory (western Mediterranean Sea)

Cited by 29 publications

References 19 publications

Aggregated Clumps of Lithistid Sponges: A Singular, Reef-Like Bathyal Habitat with Relevant Paleontological Connections

Aggregated Clumps of Lithistid Sponges: A Singular, Reef-Like Bathyal Habitat with Relevant Paleontological Connections

Evidence for transform motion along the South Balearic margin and implications for the kinematics of opening of the Algerian basin

Climate change impacts on the biota and on vulnerable habitats of the deep Mediterranean Sea

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