Benthic foraminifera assemblage change along the southeastern Mediterranean inner shelf due to fall-off of Nile-derived siliciclastics

The stratigraphic architecture of coastal plains is determined by the interactions between local (e.g. fluvial processes and topography), regional (e.g. climate) and global (e.g. sea level) forcing factors, primarily during the Late Quaternary Period. Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentological analyses of boreholes, cored between coastal ridges in the lowlands, coupled with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, and integrated with existing onshore and offshore databases, has enabled a 4-D reconstruction of the evolution of the coast of Israel during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. This model revealed that Nilotic-sourced littoral sand, intermittently transported inland by wind, has either been lithified into aeolianite or pedogenized into orange-brown palaeosol from about 100 ka to 8 ka. Dark silty clay wetlands were deposited between the aeolian coastal ridges adjacent to streams which cut the Israeli coastal plain and flow westward, from the Last Glacial Maximum until the onset of the Holocene. These units are topped by beach and aeolian quartz sand dated to 6.6-0.1 ka. Diachronous thicknesses and lithological dissimilarities were identified between the sections studied and previous reports on adjacent coastal aeolianite ridges. Streams were found to be a dominant control on the stratigraphical composition and related facies architecture due to fluvial-induced erosion. Consequently, the relief variations between the lowland and cliff controlled aeolian pedogenesis as well as alluvial processes from about 80 to 5 ka. Climate, mainly influenced by precipitation and dust input, induced pedogenic processes; while sea level lowstand during the Last Glacial Maximum is shown to have hindered sediment deposition in the shallow offshore, which in turn affected aeolian transport, reducing sediment accumulation on the palaeo-coastal plain. The palaeoenvironmental model presented in the current study serves as an example for understanding the evolution of similar low-latitude siliciclastic-rich low-gradient shelf-coastal areas during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Furthermore, it demonstrates the influence of local to global forcing factors on these environments.

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“…The sand flux diminishes northwards and terminates at Haifa Bay (Fig. 1b for location) (Zviely et al, 2006;Hyams-Kaphzan et al, 2008).…”

Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

New perspectives on coastal landscape reconstruction during the Late Quaternary: A test case from central Israel

Shtienberg

Dix

Roskin

et al. 2017

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

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“…High numbers of invasive species were found on the Akhziv -Rosh HaNikra coast (Hyams et al, 2002;Hyams-Kaphzan et al, 2008). In addition, the alien miliolids Borelis schlumbergeri, a larger symbiont-bearing benthic foraminifera and Pseudohauerinella dissidens (McCulloch) were collected only from this coast.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, an increasing number of papers report on the occurrence of invasive foraminiferal species along the coast of Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Greece (e.g. Basso & Spezzaferri, 2000;Samir et al, 2003;Meric et al, 2004;Hyams-Kaphzan et al, 2008;Langer, 2008;Koukousioura et al, 2010). The majority of the invasive foraminifera are tropical, of Indo-Pacific origin and have entered the Mediterranean from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of the invasive foraminifera are tropical, of Indo-Pacific origin and have entered the Mediterranean from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. Hyams et al (2002) and Hyams-Kaphzan et al (2008) were the first to report on the occurrence of invasive foraminifera on the Israeli coast. Lazar (2007) and Hyams-Kaphzan et al (2008) pointed out that the highest numbers of invasive species were collected from the coasts of Akhziv -Rosh HaNikra, northern Israel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hyams et al (2002) and Hyams-Kaphzan et al (2008) were the first to report on the occurrence of invasive foraminifera on the Israeli coast. Lazar (2007) and Hyams-Kaphzan et al (2008) pointed out that the highest numbers of invasive species were collected from the coasts of Akhziv -Rosh HaNikra, northern Israel. This study reports the first occurrence of Epistomaroides punctatus on the coast of Akhziv -Rosh HaNikra.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Epistomaroides punctatus (Said, 1949) - a new alien foraminifera found at Akhziv - Rosh HaNikra, northern Israel, eastern Mediterranean Sea

Almogi‐Labin

Hyams-Kaphzan

2012

Medit. Mar. Sci.

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A novel marine bioinvasion vector: Ichthyochory, live passage through fish

Guy‐Haim

Hyams-Kaphzan

Yeruham

et al. 2017

Limnol Oceanogr Letters

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Many species of Indo-Pacific holobenthic foraminifera have been introduced and successfully established sustainable populations in the Mediterranean Sea over the past few decades. However, known natural and anthropogenic vectors do not explain how these species were introduced long distances from their origin. We present evidence for a novel marine bioinvasion vector explaining this long-distance transport and introduction using both contemporary field and historical analyses. In 2015-2016, we found living specimens of 29 foraminiferal species in the fecal pellets of two Red Sea herbivorous rabbitfish-Siganus rivulatus and Siganus luridus in the Mediterranean. In our historical analysis, we found 34 foraminiferal species in preserved Red Sea rabbitfish specimens, dating between 1967 and 1975. In addition, we found congruent propagation patterns of the non-indigenous rabbitfish and foraminifera, lagging 4-11 yrs between discoveries, respectively. Predation of marine benthos by non-indigenous fish, followed by incomplete digestion and defecation of viable individuals, comprise the main introduction vector of these organisms into novel environments. Author Contribution Statement: The study was conceived by TGH and OHK. TGH led and designed the study. TGH and EY performed the experiments. OHK and AAL conducted the taxonomic analysis. TGH and OHK analyzed the data. TGH, OHK, EY, AAL and JTC developed the conceptual framework and drafted the manuscript. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. Scientific Significance StatementBioinvasions, the expansions of species into regions outside their native range, threaten biodiversity, and human livelihood worldwide. In the sea, international shipping has been considered the primary vector for the introduction of these nonindigenous species, although in many cases the specific vector is not known nor well understood. We present evidence for a novel bioinvasion vector that can explain the appearance and dispersal of dozens of benthic non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean Sea-that of live passage through fish digestive tracts (ichthyochory). This newly identified vector should be considered when evaluating both the history of prior invasions and the potential vectors of future invasions world-wide. 80Limnology and Oceanography Letters 2, 2017, 80-89

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Benthic foraminifera assemblage change along the southeastern Mediterranean inner shelf due to fall-off of Nile-derived siliciclastics

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New perspectives on coastal landscape reconstruction during the Late Quaternary: A test case from central Israel

New perspectives on coastal landscape reconstruction during the Late Quaternary: A test case from central Israel

Epistomaroides punctatus (Said, 1949) - a new alien foraminifera found at Akhziv - Rosh HaNikra, northern Israel, eastern Mediterranean Sea

A novel marine bioinvasion vector: Ichthyochory, live passage through fish

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