Late Quaternary Paleosealevels and Paleoenvironments Inferred From Foraminifera, Northern Spencer Gulf, South Australia

Cann, J. H.; Belperio, A.P.; Murray-Wallace, Colin V.

doi:10.2113/0300029

Cited by 51 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Cann and De Deckker (1981) documented the ongoing survival of monospecific populations of Elphidium through the seasonal evaporative phases of ephemeral saline lakes. Cann et al (2000a; have subsequently referred these forms of Elphidium to E. articulatum in the sense of Murray (1971). Thus, from Chesapeake Bay itself and from other localities, .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An association of benthic foraminifera and gypsum in Holocene sediments of estuarine Chesapeake Bay, USA

Cann

Cronin

2004

The Holocene

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Two cores of Holocene sediments recovered from the Cape Charles Channel of Chesapeake Bay yielded radiocarbon ages of about 6.8 to 5.8 ka for the lower intervals. Fossil foraminifera preserved in these lower sediments are dominated by species of Elphidium, which make up about 90% of the assemblage throughout, and probably signify deposition in hypersaline waters. Buccella frigida and Ammonia beccarii are the only other species commonly present. Hypersalinity of bottom waters seems to have been maitained by water-density stratification in a basin-like section of the channel. In core PTXT-4-P-1 transition to modem Chesapeake conditions, in which numbers of Ammonia beccarii exceed those of Elphidium, comenced about 400 years ago. In core PTXT-3-P-2 hypersalinity is further signified by the presence of abundant euhedral crystals of gypsum in association with the fossil Elphidium. This occurrence of gypsum is not attributed to palaeoclimatic aridity, but rather to inflow of groundwater from adjacent gypsiferous Miocene strata. The study shows that in palaeoclimatic investigations the significance of the presence of gysum should be evaluated with caution - it does not necessarily signify an evaporative regime.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An association of benthic foraminifera and gypsum in Holocene sediments of estuarine Chesapeake Bay, USA

Cann

Cronin

2004

The Holocene

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“…This is especially true of the benthic foraminifera Elphidium, Nubecularia and Discorbis. Nubecularia in particular contributes large amounts of sediment to the modern and late Pleistocene of the gulfs (Cann et al, 2000), to the shelf proper during sea-level lowstands (Rivers et al, 2007), and to the Pliocene of the Great Australian Bight (James et al, 2006;. Preservation, however, is a function of biological and physical processes.…”

Section: Sediment Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resulting Quaternary sediment has been well documented beneath grass banks in the gulfs Barnett et al, 1997;Cann et al, 2000) and the poorly sorted character refl ects the nature of this factory. It is dominated by siliciclastic and carbonate muds, sands rich in coralline algae (Metagoniolithon, Corallina, Jania), benthic foraminifera (Nubecularia, miliolids (Quinqueloculina, Triloculina, Milionella, Spirolculina), rotaliids (Discorbis, Elphidium), large sortids (Peneropolis)), and mollusc fragments, together with a mollusc-dominated macrobiota (Gostin et al, 1988;Cann et al, 2002).…”

Section: Sediment Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calcareous Epiphyte Production in Cool‐Water Carbonate Seagrass Depositional Environments — Southern Australia

James

Bone

Brown

et al. 2009

Perspectives in Carbonate Geology

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The southern continental margin of Australia, the largest area of cool-water carbonate sedimentation on the globe, is characterized by extensive marine grassbeds in many inshore environments. The most important seagrasses in terms of calcareous epiphyte production are Posidonia sinuosa, P. angustifolia, P. australis, Amphibolis antarctica and A. griffi thii. The predominant control on relative abundance of calcareous epiphytes is seagrass biomass. These grasses have a biomass of 50-500 g m 2 , which peaks at 2-4 m water depth. The most abundant calcareous epiphytes are geniculate (articulated) and non-geniculate (encrusting) coralline algae that together comprise ~38-80% of the epiphyte carbonate. The only other signifi cant epiphytes are bryozoans and benthic foraminifera, which contribute roughly equal amounts (~8-33% each) of carbonate. Unlike the seagrass biomass, calcareous epiphyte abundance peaks at water depths of ~10 m. The rates of epiphyte production are roughly similar to those from epiphytes in tropical environments, averaging 210 26 g m 2 yr 1 . Posidonia is morphologically similar to tropical seagrasses (e.g. Thalassia) and produces largely carbonate mud from the disintegration of blade-encrusting corallines. Amphibolis, on the other hand, has an extensive upright, exposed shoot system that is much longer lived (biennial) and so is encrusted with prolifi c articulated corallines thus producing ~3 more carbonate in terms of g kg 1 from the stems than the blades. Average accumulation rates of epiphytic carbonate are calculated to be ~7.4 cm kyr 1 . This accounts for a major proportion of the carbonate sequestered in grass beds in this cool-water realm, and probably accounts for much of the nearshore and supratidal carbonate mud. Thus, the nearshore, grass-covered habitat is a cool-water carbonate factory surprisingly similar to the shallow-water tropical system, except that the sediment produced is poorly sorted Mg-calcite carbonate with little or no aragonite.

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“…and other shallow-water species) (Cann et al, , 2000Murray-Wallace et al, 1993). In Gulf St Vincent the sediments are represented by yellowish grey to light olive grey lime mud, and in places the sediments have yellow mottles (iron-oxide staining).…”

Section: Marine Oxygen Isotope Stagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A suite of finite radiocarbon ages ranging between 45 and 30 ka have been obtained on well-preserved fossil molluscs (Cann et al, , 2000. In view of aminoacid enantiomeric ratios on fossil molluscs, clearly plotting between representative Holocene and last interglacial (OISs 5e) values, the radiocarbon ages were interpreted as genuinely representing a late stage 3 age, rather than a manifestation of minor contamination by modern 14 C during late diagenesis.…”

Section: Marine Oxygen Isotope Stagementioning

confidence: 99%

Pleistocene coastal stratigraphy, sea‐level highstands and neotectonism of the southern Australian passive continental margin—a review

Murray-Wallace

2002

J Quaternary Science

162

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Murray-Wallace, C. V. 2002. Pleistocene coastal stratigraphy, sea-level highstands and neotectonism of the southern Australian passive continental margin-a review.ABSTRACT: Located in a tectonically stable, intraplate setting and in the far field of former ice sheets, the southern Australian passive continental margin represents a globally important region for quantifying sea level during Pleistocene highstands. The stratigraphical record of the southern Australian margin is dominated by geographically extensive coastal barrier, estuarine and peritidal landforms of bioclastic, temperate carbonate affinity, a function of regional aridity. Siliciclastic successions dominate the eastern Australian coastline. Despite the generally high level of tectonic stability, regional contrasts are evident in the elevation of Pleistocene shoreline deposits that largely relate to pre-Quaternary geotectonic setting. The most complete record of Pleistocene highstand deposits occurs in the Murray Basin-Coorong Coastal Plain region, and indicates that interglacial sea-level highstands, for at least the past 11 interglacials, did not deviate by more than 6 m from present sea-level. The Pleistocene marginal marine record of southern Australia is dominantly represented by coastal successions deposited during marine oxygen isotope stages 5e and 7, equating with relative sea-level maxima of 2-6 m and greater than 1 m above present sea-level (APSL) respectively. Intertidal facies of Late Pleistocene interstadial successions rarely occur above present sea level. The most reliable record of glacio-eustatic (ice equivalent) sea level is registered on coastlines developed on stable Precambrian cratons such as the Gawler Craton (Eyre Peninsula), where a consistent elevation of 2 m APSL is registered for over 500 km for the last interglacial shoreline (125 ka).

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Late Quaternary Paleosealevels and Paleoenvironments Inferred From Foraminifera, Northern Spencer Gulf, South Australia

Cited by 51 publications

References 29 publications

An association of benthic foraminifera and gypsum in Holocene sediments of estuarine Chesapeake Bay, USA

An association of benthic foraminifera and gypsum in Holocene sediments of estuarine Chesapeake Bay, USA

Calcareous Epiphyte Production in Cool‐Water Carbonate Seagrass Depositional Environments — Southern Australia

Pleistocene coastal stratigraphy, sea‐level highstands and neotectonism of the southern Australian passive continental margin—a review

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