Evidence for seagrass meadows and their response to paleoenvironmental changes in the early Eocene (Jafnayn Formation, Wadi Bani Khalid, N Oman)

Tomás, Sara; Frijia, Gianluca; Bömelburg, Esther; Zamagni, Jessica; Perrin, C.; Mutti, Maria

doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2016.05.016

Cited by 42 publications

(36 citation statements)

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“…The remaining bioclastic fraction (mean 36%) encloses molluscs, echinoids and ostracods (fig. 2 of Tomás et al ., ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The evidence of seagrass on the Jafnayn Platform was represented by the foraminiferal assemblages, the growth form of encrusting foraminifera and the sedimentological characteristics of vegetated deposits (Fig. A and B; Tomás et al ., ). The clear shift of the faunal assemblages and sedimentary features allowed authors to recognize two evolutionary stages of the platform.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on foraminiferal assemblages, Tomás et al . () suggested a change in the type of phytal substrate in the two stages, passing from plants with cylindrical leaves, hosting acervulinids, to flat‐leafed plants (i.e. Halodule ‐like or Thalassia ‐like) hosting Orbitolites .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As seagrasses have a low preservation potential and records of exceptionally well‐preserved and plant material from marine settings are rare (Den Hartog, ; Ivany et al ., ; Beavington‐Penney et al ., ), these palaeoenvironments are difficult to identify in the rock record (Brasier, ; Reich et al ., ; Tomás et al ., ). Consequently, sedimentological and palaeontological proxies are the main indicators of the presence of seagrass‐dominated ecosystems (Pomar et al ., ; Beavington‐Penney et al ., ; James & Bone, ; Mateu‐Vicens et al ., , ; Reuter et al ., ; Reich et al ., ; Tomás et al ., ; Tomassetti et al ., ). Reich et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Location of fossil seagrass examples. (A) Location of Lower Ypresian Jafnayn Platform in Oman (modified from Tomás et al ., ). (B) Simplified chrono‐lithostratigraphic scheme for the eastern part of the Oman Mountains (modified from Nolan et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The seagrass skeletal assemblage from modern to fossil and from tropical to temperate: Insight from Maldivian and Mediterranean examples

et al. 2019

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Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that form extensive submarine meadows in the photic zone where carbonate producing biota dwell as epiphytes on the leaves or as infaunal forms, and act as prolific carbonate sediment factories. Because seagrasses have a low preservation potential and records of exceptionally well‐preserved and plant material from marine settings are rare, these palaeoenvironments are difficult to identify in the rock record. Consequently, sedimentological and palaeontological proxies are the main indicators of the presence of seagrass‐dominated ecosystems. This work investigates the skeletal assemblage of Modern (Maldivian and western Mediterranean) and fossil (Eocene; Apula and Oman carbonate platforms and Oligocene; Malta platform) seagrass examples to characterize the skeletal assemblage of modern and fossil seagrasses. Two main types of grains, calcareous algae and foraminifera, constitute around 50% of the bioclastic sediment in both tropical Maldivian and temperate Mediterranean scenarios. However, in the tropical setting they are represented by green algae (Halimeda), while in the Mediterranean they are represented by corallinacean red algae. In contrast, in the Eocene examples, the foraminifera are the most conspicuous group and the green algae are also abundant. The opposite occurs in the Maltese Chattian, which is dominated by coralline algae (mean 42%), although the foraminifera are still abundant. It is suggested to use the term foralgal to identify the seagrass skeletal assemblage. To discriminate between red algae and green algae dominance, the introduction of the prefixes ‘GA’ (green algae) and ‘RA’ (red algae) is proposed. The investigated examples provide evidence that the green algae–foralgal assemblage is typical of tropical, not excessively dense seagrass meadows, characterized by a well‐illuminated substrate to support the development and calcification of the Halimeda thallus. Contrarily, the red algae‐foralgal assemblage is typical of high density tropical to subtropical seagrass meadows which create very dense oligophotic conditions on the sea floor or in temperate settings where Halimeda cannot calcify.

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“…The remaining bioclastic fraction (mean 36%) encloses molluscs, echinoids and ostracods (fig. 2 of Tomás et al ., ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The seagrass skeletal assemblage from modern to fossil and from tropical to temperate: Insight from Maldivian and Mediterranean examples

et al. 2019

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Palaeocene to Miocene southern Tethyan carbonate factories: A meta‐analysis of the successions of South‐western and Western Central Asia

Coletti

Commissario

Mariani

et al. 2022

The Depositional Record

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The sedimentary facies of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows from the central Mediterranean Sea

Gaglianone

Brandano

Mateu‐Vicens

2017

Facies

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Sedimentary facies of seven Posidonia oceanica meadows of western Mediterranean Sea were investigated. Five meadows are located in the Tyrrhenian coast, two are placed in the western coast of Sardinia and Corsica. These meadows develop on soft and hard substrates, often forming ``mattes'', in areas characterized by different oceanography, morphology, and terrigenous inputs produced by coastal erosion and fluvial runoff. A total of five sedimentary facies have been recognized ranging from pure terrigenous to bioclastic: terrigenous sand to gravelly sand, bioclastic sands, skeletal gravelly sands, mixed siliciclastic--carbonate sands, well to moderately sorted skeletal siliciclastic sands. All of the sedimentary facies associated with P. oceanica are in the sand grain size. The gravelly fraction is generally subordinated and variable, whereas the muddy fraction is generally low. The very low frequencies of the muddy fraction can be attributed to re-suspension processes and to the lack of carbonate mud production. The rate of epiphytic carbonate production obtained by two of the investigated meadows averages 400 g m−2 year−1. This value is in the range of temperate Mediterranean as well as of tropical and subtropical seagrasses. The epiphytic carbonate production plus the calcareous biota living on seagrass substrate contributes to form mixed siliciclastic--carbonate sediments of the nearshore environment of the Mediterranean. Lastly, the carbonate production associated with seagrass was derived by biota belonging to the heterozoan assemblage, where aphotic organisms are dominant, together with oligophotic biota such as coralline algae and symbiont-bearing foraminifera. Consequently, in the well-illuminated seagrass settings, the prevalent skeletal assemblages is represented by the heterozoan association while the components of the photozoan assemblages are absent or subordinate. This a key point for the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the photic zone in the fossil record. Because the skeletal components of many seagrass dwellers greatly contribute to the carbonate sediment production of photic shallow-water environments, the seagrass meadows became substantial places of carbonate production and C (organic and inorganic) sequestration during the Cenozoic

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Evidence for seagrass meadows and their response to paleoenvironmental changes in the early Eocene (Jafnayn Formation, Wadi Bani Khalid, N Oman)

Cited by 42 publications

References 93 publications

The seagrass skeletal assemblage from modern to fossil and from tropical to temperate: Insight from Maldivian and Mediterranean examples

The seagrass skeletal assemblage from modern to fossil and from tropical to temperate: Insight from Maldivian and Mediterranean examples

Palaeocene to Miocene southern Tethyan carbonate factories: A meta‐analysis of the successions of South‐western and Western Central Asia

The sedimentary facies of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows from the central Mediterranean Sea

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