Deep-water coral occurrences in the Strait of Gibraltar

Álvarez-Pérez, German; Busquets, Pere Solà; Mol, Ben De; Sandoval, Nicolas; Canals, Miquel; Casamor, J. L.

doi:10.1007/3-540-27673-4_10

Cited by 31 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Such conditions may simulate depths greater than the reality thus favoring the development of faunal assemblages usually living in deeper environments [24]. In addition our interpretation is supported by recent findings that documented a wider bathymetric range for Lofelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata assemblages (33-463 m) [85].…”

Section: Discussion and Interpretation Of The Depositional Setting Ofsupporting

confidence: 87%

Tectonics and sedimentation of the Lower and Middle Pleistocene mixed siliciclastic/bioclastic sedimentary successions of the Ionian Peloritani Mts (NE Sicily, Southern Italy): the onset of opening of the Messina Strait

Stefano

Longhitano

2009

Open Geosciences

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Biostratigraphic analyses carried out on siliciclastic/bioclastic deposits discontinuously cropping out along the Ionian flank of NE Sicily, indicate that they form two sedimentary events of Early and Middle Pleistocene, respec tively. Vertical facies successions, showing transgressive trends, suggest that sedimentation occurred within semi-enclosed marine embayments, where sublittoral coastal wedges developed on steep ramp-type shelves. Sediments accumulated in shoreface to offshore transitions along steep bottom profiles. This depositional scenario was strongly conditioned by the tectonic activity of the rift zone linking Western Calabria and Eastern Sicily. The effects of glacio-eustatism were also recognized. According to our reconstruction, the study area was controlled by a transfer fault system which affected the coastal margin producing major episodes of uplift and subsidence. Block-faulting was responsible for significant cannibalization and recycling of older deposits during the Middle Pleistocene. Such a tectonic setting can be considered the precursor scenario for the formation of the Messina Strait between Calabria and Sicily. This narrow, linear basin influences the hydrodynamic setting of sublittoral deposits along the Ionian coast of Sicily, giving rise to strong flood/ebb tidal currents. The uppermost part of the Middle Pleistocene succession recognized in the study area is indeed dominated by tide-influenced associations of sedimentary structures which most likely record the first stage of the opening of this ‘seaway’ of the central Mediterranean Sea.

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Section: Discussion and Interpretation Of The Depositional Setting Ofsupporting

confidence: 87%

Tectonics and sedimentation of the Lower and Middle Pleistocene mixed siliciclastic/bioclastic sedimentary successions of the Ionian Peloritani Mts (NE Sicily, Southern Italy): the onset of opening of the Messina Strait

Stefano

Longhitano

2009

Open Geosciences

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“…Some of them are located along the Spanish margin in water depths between 530 and 1100 m, others are present along the Moroccan margin in a larger water depth range of 420 to 1300 m (Wienberg et al, 2009). Fossil cold-water corals were also documented in the Strait of Gibraltar (Alvarez-Péréz et al, 2005). However, hardly any detailed study about sedimentary sequences containing fossil cold-water corals from tops of Alboran mud volcanoes was available prior to TTR-17-Leg 1 (Ivanov et al, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Beuck et al, 2010) and/or a change in ambient chemistry associated with burial leading to partial dissolution of aragonite, which was also related to the strong alteration and dissolution of coral fragments sampled at various sites in the Gulf of Cadiz (Kopf et al, 2004;Foubert et al, 2008). The basic requirements for the settlement and growth of cold-water corals are suitable substrates, supply of nutrients and low sedimentation rates in a hydrodynamic environment with long and stable (cool) water temperature conditions (e.g., Frederiksen et al, 1992;Rogers, 1999;De Mol et al, 2002;Freiwald, 2002;Freiwald et al, 2004;Alvarez-Péréz et al, 2005;Roberts et al, 2006). Recently, Dullo et al (2008) documented that cold-water corals in the Atlantic can adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) but they only thrive in seawater densities (sigma-theta, σ Θ ) between 27.35 and 27.65 kg m − 3 .…”

Section: Similarities and Differences Of Faunal Assemblages Between Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth and demise of cold-water coral ecosystems on mud volcanoes in the West Alboran Sea: The messages from the planktonic and benthic foraminifera

et al. 2011

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The Dhaka and Maya mud volcanoes (MVs), located in the Mud Diapir Province in the Western Alboran Basin along the Moroccan Coasts, were cored during the TTR-17, Leg 1 cruise. Cores were taken on the top of the volcanoes at a water depth of 370 m on the Dhaka MV (core TTR17-MS411G) and at 410 m water depth on the Maya MV (core TTR17-MS419G), respectively. On both mud volcanoes the extruded mud breccia provides the nucleation point for the colonization and development of cold-water corals and associated ecosystems. Two phases of cold-water coral growth are observed: (1) between slightly older than 4175± 62 years BP and around 2230± 59 years BP at Dhaka, and (2) between slightly older than 15583 ± 185 years BP and around 7613 ± 38 years BP at Maya MV. On the top of the Maya MV only a small patch reef and/or isolated corals proliferated, whereas a more extended patch reef colonized the top of the Dhaka MV. At both sites the cold-water coral development was triggered by the availability of a suitable substrate for initial coral settling, provided either as a firm ground or as single clasts. Subsequently coral growth was supported by enhanced nutrient flux possibly related to upwelling and/or strong currents. During the intervals of coral growth planktonic foraminiferal assemblages were dominated by Neogloboquadrina incompta. The decline of coral ecosystems on the mud volcanoes is accompanied at surface by a shift from the N. incompta dominated assemblage to a Globorotalia inflata dominated assemblage, possibly reflecting more oligotrophic conditions. This shift is coeval to the passage from wet to arid conditions at the end of the African Humid Period at Maya MV. It is interpreted as an effect of an early human impact on a fragile environment, which was already stressed by desiccation at the time of the development of complex human society along the Mediterranean coasts, at Dhaka MV.

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“…The Rifian corridor hosts a variety of Tortonian (Late Miocene) coral reefs (Perrin, 2002;Perrin and Bosellini, 2012). As to the present Gibraltar Strait, it is a hotspot of cold-water coral ecosystems (Álvarez-Pérez et al, 2005).…”

Section: Morocco: a Room With A Viewmentioning

confidence: 99%