Availability and type of energy regulate the global distribution of neritic carbonates

Abstract

The study of carbonate rocks is primarily reliant on microfacies analysis, which is strongly based on the comparison with modern allochem assemblages. Despite the existence of several models aimed at comprehensively explaining, on the bases of abiotic factors, the distribution of carbonate-producing organisms, a global, quantitative and standardized overview of the composition of shallow-water carbonate sediments is still missing. Aiming to address this gap in knowledge, the current study provides a global database of the available quantitative data on neritic carbonate sediments. This is paired with satellite-based observations for the abiotic parameters. The results highlight a non-linear, multi-variable, dependence in the distribution of allochems and suggest that depth, temperature, and trophic state are, to a certain extent, interchangeable. The implication of which is a level of non-uniqueness for paleoenvironmental interpretation. The resulting distribution is rather continuous and stretches along an energy gradient. A gradient extending from solar energy, with autotrophs and symbiont-bearing organisms to chemical energy with heterotrophs. Further, quantitative data from modern oceans are still required to disentangle the remaining elements of uncertainty.

Controls on mesophotic carbonate facies and sediment distribution across the Maltese shelf, central Mediterranean Sea

“…Energy availability, either from the sun or the breakdown of the organic matter of the ingested food is the main parameter governing and limiting the distribution of carbonate factories on global scale (Bialik et al, 2023). The availability of these two main types of energy is turn related to abiotic parameters such as light availability, water clarity, nutrient abundance, temperature and currents (Halfar et al, 2004;Laugié et al, 2019;Michel et al, 2019;Reijmer, 2021).…”

“…Given the large fossilization potential of most carbonate-producing organisms, carbonate factories have a massive fossil record that spans most of Phanerozoic, providing a powerful archive for investigating the evolution or our planet (Bosellini and Perrin, 2008;Coletti et al, 2022;Halfar and Mutti, 2005;Kiessling et al, 1999;Kiessling and Flügel, 2002;Perrin and Bosellini, 2012;Pomar et al, 2017). As such, understanding of modern carbonate factories is essential for quality reconstruction of past environmental conditions (Bialik et al, 2023;Westphal et al, 2010).…”

“…This is further complicated by the significant disparity between the nutrient-limited C-Type (n/C-Type) factory present on most oceanic margins and the light-limited C-Type (l/C-Type) factory, which is almost exclusive to the Mediterranean Sea (Laugié et al, 2019;Michel et al, 2019;Reijmer, 2021). The meta-analysis of the distribution of recent allochems indicates that more than distinct factories, modern oceans are characterized by a continuum of carbonate production stretching along an energy gradient, with photozoan production prevailing were the main source of energy is light and heterozoan production prevailing wherever the prevailing source of energy is chemical energy derived from food (Bialik et al, 2023). Such a result is obviously related to the employed data set which is significantly skewed towards the better studied, low latitude carbonate systems.…”

Changes in mesophotic carbonate‐platform export across the end of the last glacial cycle (Saya de Malha Bank, western Indian Ocean)

“…Hence, no photozoan assembly was established that could catch up with the sea-level rise to reach the euphotic zone. Such an assemblage can be forced by multiple factors including depth, turbidity and nutrients to name a few, which govern the mode of metabolic energy availability (Bialik et al, 2023). Moreover, a certain lag-time exists between the re-flooding of the platform and the renewed start-up of carbonate production, as also demonstrated by differences in the timing of changes in the oxygen stable isotope curve and fluctuations in carbonate sediment production during the glacial-interglacial transition as the community becomes re-established (Emmermann et al, 1999;Sepulcre et al, 2017).…”

Taphonomy of a Mysticete Whale from the Lower Pliocene of the Coast of Cádiz (Spain)

“…Given its skeletal assemblage, the uppermost stratum (sample CA-PE3) is probably related to a shallow-water setting, most likely less than 15 m deep [104,105]. The abundance of barnacles, mollusks, and bryozoans in the middle and upper strata also suggests a high nutrient supply, supporting a high primary productivity to sustain an abundant community of heterotrophs [104,106,107]. This interpretation is consistent with those proposed for other Pliocene deposits of Spain characterized by a similar skeletal assemblage [108][109][110].…”