白垩纪大洋缺氧事件

白垩纪黑色页岩相地层出现在世界主要大洋及地表露头中,一般表现在三人时期:巴雷姆晚期—阿普特期—阿尔布期;赛诺曼晚期—二仑早期及康尼亚克期—三冬期。这些时期海相地层的岩性、动物群及地球化学特征均有变化,并以赛诺曼晚期—二仑早期变化最为明显,表明当时世界海洋处于氧极度损耗的条件。这种条件被称为大洋缺氧事件(OAE)。赛诺曼期—三仑期大洋缺氧事件的发生与当时的海侵高峰期是一致的。海平面的上升可使上升流加强,使表层生物生产率增高,进而导致海洋水体溶解氧的消耗及有机碳的保存。     

晚塞诺曼期东特提斯洋古海洋环境探析

发生于白垩纪中期塞诺曼期—土伦期之交的大洋缺氧事件2（OAE2）被认为是研究大洋缺氧事件形成与其他地质过程异常的重要窗口。重建晚塞诺曼期OAE2事件发生之前的古海洋环境对于理解OAE2的成因机制至关重要。因而选择沉积速率快且有高分辨率年代标尺的西藏定日地区OAE2剖面事件层位之下冷青热组地层开展了详细的岩石磁学研究,旨在为重建研究区晚塞诺曼期古海洋环境演化提供新约束。对剖面-5.20 m 至30 m的地层以10 cm间隔采样352个,并测得这些样品的磁化率,重点对-5.20 m至0 m样品测量其非磁滞剩磁,饱和等温剩磁等岩石磁学参数。结合已有的0 m 至37.2 m的岩石磁学数据,获得了-5.20 m至37.2 m的完整的岩石磁学记录,并将其年龄限定为（95.58±0.15） Ma至（94.55±0.15） Ma。岩石磁学结果显示1）95.58~95.10 Ma期间磁性矿物含量增多,反映沉积区物源供给逐渐增多。这很可能是由于晚塞诺曼期全球海平面下降（KCe4）所导致,且（95.10±0.15） Ma时海平面下降至最低。2）磁性矿物种类变化反映定日地区古海洋环境在~94.7 Ma发生了较显著变化,从95.10~94.70 Ma期间亚氧化为主的环境逐渐演变为~94.7 Ma后趋于缺氧的海洋环境。这很可能是由于95.10 Ma海平面上升及相伴的低氧带（OMZ）扩张至研究区所致。研究限定的（95.10±0.15） Ma作为全球海平面上升的初始时间可为研究其他OAE2剖面海平面上升对OAE2形成的影响提供重要的年代约束。结合晚塞诺曼期活跃的火山活动,我们认为晚塞诺曼期全球性海平面上升和火山活动共同作用导致了OAE2事件的发生。     

西菲律宾海GX149柱状样沉积物磁学性质及其环境意义

对取自西菲律宾海西部的GX149柱状样沉积物进行详细的环境磁学研究,揭示其蕴含的环境意义和物源信息。岩石磁学结果表明,GX149柱状样沉积物中携磁矿物以低矫顽力磁铁矿为主;反映磁性颗粒粒径的King图与Day图显示沉积物中磁性矿物以准单畴(PSD)为主。剖面上磁学参数变化明显,以磁性矿物粒径参数(χARM/χ)作为替代指标反演古气候变化结果显示:冷期沉积物中磁性矿物含量相对更高,粒径更粗,高矫顽力矿物含量增加;而暖期沉积物中磁性矿物含量相对较低,粒径更细,高矫顽力矿物含量降低。干燥、寒冷、风大的冷期气候下,东亚季风携带的粉尘输入增加导致沉积物中高矫顽力矿物含量增多;而温暖湿润的暖期,沉积物中风成粉尘输入减少,高矫顽力矿物含量降低。GX149柱状样沉积物与西菲律宾海其他区域以及南海沉积物相似的磁学特征,相同的冰期-间冰期旋回趋势说明沉积物磁学特征对气候变化的响应在东亚地区具有共性。     

浙闽地区白垩纪早中期黏土矿物组成特征及其古气候显示

对浙江西南和福建西部地区11个剖面点陆相白垩系11个层位的碎屑黏土矿物组成进行了测试分析。结果显示,白垩系中下部大部分层位以伊利石为主,相对含量平均超过80%;闽西坂头组、浙西寿昌组顶部—横山组下部、金华组中部、衢县组上部出现了较为丰富的蒙脱石,最高达49%;高岭石一般较少,仅在浙西衢县组中部、寿昌组上部较高,最高达38%。研究表明,中国东南地区在白垩纪早中期主要属于热带—亚热带干旱—半干旱气候,与全国乃至全球温室气候一致;在浙西阿普特初期和赛诺曼早期间断有湿热气候,可能与区域古植物较为繁盛及较大面积湖区有关;闽西凡兰吟期,浙西阿普特早期、阿尔布晚期、赛诺曼中期部分时期存在短期相对干冷气候,大致分别对应于白垩纪全球大洋缺氧事件结束后的一段时间,并可能与区域隆升有关。     

西藏南部江孜地区白垩系的厘定

文中对藏南江孜地区深海一次深海白垩纪地层层序、系统及厚度进行了厘定。建组剖面甲不热、维美等构造复杂,地层层序变化大,重复多。厘定后的岩石层单元有加不拉组、床得组和宗卓组。加不拉组是一套以黑色页岩为主的地层,跨不白垩统一上白垩统三冬阶,下分黑层段和白层段;床得组由紫红色页片状泥灰岩组成,各坎潘期早－中期;宗且即著名的“北家混杂堆积岩”,页岩中含大量外来岩块,时代为坎潘期晚期和马斯特里赫特期。白垩系厚     

黄东海陆架及朝鲜海峡泥质沉积物的磁学特征比较研究

黄东海陆架和朝鲜海峡等5个泥质沉积区全新世中期以来(自约6kaB.P.至今)的细粒沉积物主要是黄河、长江和朝鲜半岛的河流入海物质在复杂的海洋动力系统中的沉积产物.对取自山东半岛北部近岸泥质区和长江口以南的闽浙沿岸泥质区(舟山群岛近岸海区)的表层细粒沉积物(粘土质粉砂和粉砂质粘土)开展了详细的岩石磁学测试,包括磁化率、等温剩磁和样品磁化率随温度的变化等分析,并将实验数据与以往研究过的济州岛西南陆架区、南黄海东南部陆架区和朝鲜海峡西岸等3个泥质沉积区细粒沉积物的磁学特征进行比较研究.结果表明,上述5处细粒沉积物的磁性矿物主要组分为磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿和赤铁矿,其中低矫顽力磁性矿物为主,平均粒度为准单畴(PSD).根据磁性矿物的粒度和低矫顽力组分的相对含量,这5处细粒沉积物可以划分为3种类型:第1种类型是朝鲜海峡西岸细粒沉积物,其磁性矿物的粒度最粗,低矫顽力组分的相对含量为中等;第2种类型是南黄海东南部陆架细粒沉积物,其磁性矿物的粒度为中等,低矫顽力组分的相对含量最大;第3种类型是山东半岛北部近岸、闽浙沿岸(舟山群岛近岸)和济州岛西南陆架区的细粒沉积物,其磁性矿物的粒度最细,低矫顽力组分的相对含量最低.在这5处细粒沉积物中,闽浙沿岸(舟山群岛近岸)细粒沉积物的磁性矿物含量最高,其他4处细粒沉积物的磁性矿物含量都较低且大体相当.这种磁学特征的差异反映了物源的不同.从磁学特征来分析,济州岛西南陆架区的泥质沉积物主要来自黄河和长江;南黄海东南部泥质区的主要物源是朝鲜半岛进入黄海的河流,黄河和长江对其没有重要贡献.     

藏南卧龙剖面下侏罗统海相地层的岩石磁学特征及其古环境意义

侏罗纪早托阿尔期的大洋缺氧事件(TOAE)是中生代一次重要的全球性古海洋和古气候事件。以往的研究主要集中于西特提斯域的记录,而对其在东特提斯域的响应研究很少。此次研究了位于东特提斯域的西藏定日卧龙剖面下侏罗统普普嘎组—聂聂雄拉组海相地层,初步厘定了卧龙剖面TOAE层位,并对包含TOAE层位的20 m厚的地层开展了详细的岩石磁学研究。岩石磁学参数的变化显示出四个演化阶段,Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ。其中阶段Ⅰ和阶段Ⅳ分别记录了TOAE事件之前和之后的沉积过程。阶段Ⅱ记录了TOAE的早、中期,表现为细粒磁性矿物含量减少及之后的铁硫化物含量的增加,很可能是对海侵引起的大洋低氧带(OMZ)扩张的响应。阶段Ⅲ记录了TOAE的晚期,表现为高矫顽力磁性矿物含量的显著增加,可能指示沉积区海洋环境由还原环境转变为氧化环境。总之,岩石磁学参数的变化可以为理解东特提斯域TOAE的演化提供重要的启示。     

新疆柴窝堡盆地南缘晚新生代陆源沉积物岩石磁学特征及其古环境意义

亚洲内陆晚新生代干旱化历史及其驱动机制是非常重要的科学问题。选择天山北麓柴窝堡盆地南缘乌鲁木齐河剖面为研究对象,基于磁性地层年代学研究建立的时间标尺,分析了该剖面碎屑沉积物岩石磁学特征及其控制因素,进一步探讨了柴窝堡盆地晚新生代古气候特征。磁性地层年代学研究约束乌鲁木齐河剖面底界年龄为~6.8 Ma,顶界年龄为~3.3 Ma。详细的岩石磁学测量及漫反射光谱分析结果表明,乌鲁木齐河剖面沉积物中磁性矿物主要包括磁铁矿、赤铁矿等,磁学参数χ_lf、χ_ARM、SIRM、S_-100mT、S_-300mT、 χ_ARM/SIRM等在~6.3 Ma、~5.2 Ma存在明显变化,揭示磁性矿物粒度、含量等存在相应变化,如在~6.3 Ma前后,磁性矿物颗粒逐渐变粗、含量降低;在~5.2 Ma前后,磁性矿物颗粒逐渐变细后趋于稳定、含量逐渐增多。基于稀土元素分析、沉积粒度与磁学参数相关性分析,认为沉积物源与沉积物粒度不是导致乌鲁木齐河剖面磁学性质变化的主要因素,自~6.8 Ma以来逐步干旱化的气候条件可能是导致该剖面磁学特征变化的重要原因。基于漫反射光谱分析得到的红度与亮度数据结果也揭示了同样的古气候特征。     

罗布泊自生胶黄铁矿对磁性参数χARM/SIRM指示意义的影响

沉积物中磁性矿物的颗粒大小具有重要环境指示意义,是环境磁学研究的重要内容。磁性参数非磁滞剩磁磁化率/饱和等温剩磁（χ_ARM/SIRM）常被用于指示磁性颗粒大小,当沉积物磁性特征为较粗的多畴（MD）颗粒主导时表现为低值,而为较细的单畴（SD）颗粒主导时表现为高值。本研究对罗布泊盐湖LB剖面的沉积物进行了系统环境磁学测试,结果发现剖面中含有5个χ_ARM/SIRM值低于上覆层和下伏层的层位,指示其磁性颗粒较粗。但磁滞参数和扫描电镜结果显示这5个层位磁性颗粒明显细于上覆层和下伏层沉积物,显示χ_ARM/SIRM在这5个层位的指示意义失真。矿物鉴定结果显示这5个层位的主导磁性矿物为早期成岩成因的SD胶黄铁矿,赋存形态主要为颗粒团聚体、单颗粒或颗粒团聚体附着于硅酸盐矿物表面以及分布于薄片状硅酸盐内,这种赋存形态导致其具有较强的磁相互作用,并限制了χ_ARM的增加,最终造成χ_ARM/SIRM下降,指示意义失真。本研究显示当沉积物中存在胶黄铁矿等自生矿物时,利用比值参数χ_ARM/SIRM判断磁性矿物颗粒特征需谨慎。     

黄土高原与伊犁黄土磁学特征对比及启示

近30年来世界黄土磁学性质及其古气候意义研究取得了重大进展,并提出了“成壤说”和“风速论”两种主要的磁化率增强模式.由于两种模式是针对特定地区黄土地层的磁学性质变化规律提出的,其应用范围有限,然而模型描述的影响磁化率的增强因素是否可能普遍适用于黄土地层?近些年来的研究结果倾向于肯定这种假设.本研究选取黄土高原和伊犁地区黄土进行磁学分析进一步探讨这个假设存在的可能性.磁化率测量结果发现伊犁地区的古土壤/黄土层与xlf曲线的峰/谷对应关系不明确,且分布范围和平均值的差别小,区别于黄土高原.岩石磁学分析结果表明黄土高原和伊犁地区黄土/古土壤地层的磁学性质受磁铁矿(和磁赤铁矿)控制,细粒磁性矿物和低矫顽力矿物对地层总体磁性的贡献与成壤强度呈正相关关系;区别在于黄土高原黄土的磁性矿物含量与地层成壤强度呈现良好正相关关系,伊犁黄土中磁性矿物含量与成壤强度无明确相关关系,且总体高于黄土高原黄土.后者的细粒磁性矿物和低矫顽力矿物百分比含量显著高于伊犁黄土.研究结果表明两种磁化率增强因素在黄土中是普遍存在的,在不同环境下两种因素对磁化率的贡献不同,因此磁化率在不同的环境下具有不同的环境指示意义,磁化率作为降水量的代用指标并不适用于所有黄土剖面.相比较而言,反映细粒磁性矿物和低矫顽力矿物百分比含量的磁学参数以及反映粗粒磁性矿物含量的磁学参数更适合于古气候研究.     

Facies related phylostratigraphy of the benthic neoselachian Ptychodus from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian/Turonian) of the Pre-North Sea Basin of Europe

The phylostratigraphy, taphonomy and palaeoecology of the Late Cretaceous neoselachian Ptychodus of northern Germany appears to be facies related. Ptychodus is not present in lower Cenomanian shark-tooth-rich rocks. First P. oweni records seem to relate to middle Cenomanian strata. P. decurrens appears in the middle to upper Cenomanian mainly in non-coastal environments of the shallow marine carbonate ramp and swell facies which isolated teeth were found partly in giant ammonite scour troughs on the Northwestphalian-Lippe High submarine swell in the southern Pre-North Sea Basin. They are recorded rare in deeper basin black shales facies (upwelling influenced, OAE Event II). P. polygyrus seems to be restricted to upwelling influenced basin and deeper ramp facies mainly of the uppermost Cenomanian and basal lower Turonian (OAE II Event). P. mammillaris is mostly represented during the lower to middle Turonian in the inoceramid-rich ramp and the near shore greensand facies along the Münsterland Cretaceous Basin coast north of the Rhenish Massif mainland. Finally, P. latissimus is recorded by two new tooth sets and appears in the upper Turonian basin swell facies and the coastal greensands. Autochthonous post-Turonian Ptychodus remains are unrecorded in the Santonian–Campanian of Germany yet. Reworked material from Cenomanian/Turonian strata was found in early Santonian and middle Eocene shark-tooth-rich condensation beds. With the regression starting in the Coniacian, Ptychodus disappeared in at least the Münster Cretaceous Basin (NW-Germany), but remained present at least in North America in the Western Interior Seaway. The Cenomanian/Turonian Ptychodus species indicate a rapid neoselachian evolution within the marine transgression and global high stand. A correlation between inoceramid shell sizes, thicknesses and their increasing size during the Cenomanian and Turonian might explain the more robust and coarser ridged enamel surfaces in Ptychodus teeth, if Ptychodus is believed to have preyed on epifaunistic inoceramid bivalves.     

Relative sea-level, tectono-eustasy, geoidal-eustasy and geodynamics during the Cretaceous

A priori, the recorded relative sea-level changes during the Cretaceous must be the combined effect of tectono-eustasy, geoidal-eustasy and various crustal level changes. To this we must add the human factor of differences and errors in interpretations.A posteriori, it is claimed that geoidal-eustasy dominated during the Hauterivian, Barremian, Turonian, Santonian and Maastrichtian, that tectono-eustasy dominated during the Albian, Cenomanian, Campanian and at the Maastrichtian/Danian boundary, and that local influences of sea-floor spreading are identified from the Albian/Cenomanian boundary onwards. To this we must add the local differential crustal movements modulating the global and regional ocean level changes. Geoidal-eustasy is mainly expressed as a latitudinal differentiation of the sea-level with out-of-phase changes between the hemispheres or the both high latitude regions. Furthermore, sedimentological records seem to record short-period geoidal-eustatic cycles.     

藏南定日地区白垩纪中期地球化学异常对海平面上升的响应

西藏南部定日地区在白垩纪中期为一套浅灰色-深灰色的陆源碎屑岩（钙质页岩）及碳酸盐岩（泥灰岩及微晶灰岩）的混积型沉积物，其中的地球化学特征变化反映了古海洋发生的重大变革。δ¹³ C的同位素曲线变化具有明显的低-高-低旋回变化，δ¹³ C正偏与有机碳大量埋藏、海平面上升及缺氧事件密切相关。铀、钍、钾的含量变化及Th/U比值的变化特征表明由海平面上升所形成的全球大洋缺氧的重要时期，由于有机物质及粘土矿物的增多，它们的含量均比标准平均值偏高。而⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr比值在该时期偏低，这也与当时的构造背景及海平面发生重大变化相一致。     

Palynostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental significance of the Cretaceous palynomorphs in the Qattara Rim-1X well,North Western Desert,Egypt

Palynological and palynofacies analyses were carried out on some Cretaceous samples from the Qattara Rim-1X borehole, north Western Desert, Egypt. The recorded palynoflora enabled the recognition of two informal miospore biozones arranged from oldest to youngest as Elaterosporites klaszii-Afropollis jardinus Assemblage Zone (mid Albian) and Elaterocolpites castelainii–Afropollis kahramanensis Assemblage Zone (late Albian–mid Cenomanian). A poorly fossiliferous but however, datable interval (late Cenomanian–Turonian to ?Campanian–Maastrichtian) representing the uppermost part of the studied section was also recorded. The palynofacies and visual thermal maturation analyses indicate a mature terrestrially derived organic matter (kerogen III) dominates the sediments of the Kharita and Bahariya formations and thus these two formations comprise potential mature gas source rocks. The sediments of the Abu Roash Formation are mostly dominated by mature amorphous organic matter (kerogen II) and the formation is regarded as a potential mature oil source rock in the well. The palynomorphs and palynofacies analyses suggest deposition of the clastics of the Kharita and Bahariya formations (middle Albian and upper Albian–middle Cenomanian) in a marginal marine setting under dysoxic–anoxic conditions. By contrast, the mixed clastic-carbonate sediments of the Abu Roash Formation (upper Cenomanian–Turonian) and the carbonates of the Khoman Formation (?Campanian–Maastrichtian) were mainly deposited in an inner shallow marine setting under prevailing suboxic–anoxic conditions as a result of the late Cenomanian and the Campanian marine transgressions. This environmental change from marginal to open (inner shelf) basins reflects the vertical change in the type of the organic matter and its corresponding hydrocarbon-prone types. A regional warm and semi-arid climate but with a local humid condition developed near/at the site of the well is thought to have prevailed.     

Late Cretaceous paleoenvironmental evolution of the Tarfaya Atlantic coastal Basin,SW Morocco

Lithological evidence, benthic foraminiferal census counts, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanner-derived elemental data were integrated with planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and bulk carbonate stable isotopes to retrace the Turonian to early Campanian paleoenvironmental evolution and sea-level history of the Tarfaya Atlantic coastal basin (SW Morocco). The lower Turonian is characterized by laminated organic-rich deposits, which contain impoverished benthic foraminiferal assemblages, reflecting impingement of the oxygen minimum zone on the shelf during a sea-level highstand. This highstand level is correlated to the global transgressive pulse above the sequence boundary Tu1. The appearance of low-oxygen tolerant benthic foraminiferal assemblages dominated by Gavelinella sp. in the middle to upper Turonian indicates an improvement in bottom water oxygenation, probably linked to offshore retraction of the oxygen minimum zone during a regressive phase. This interval is marked by major regressive events expressed by a series of erosional truncations associated with the prominent sequence boundaries Tu3 and/or Tu4. Dysoxic–anoxic conditions recorded in the upper Santonian of the Tarfaya Basin coincide with the eustatic sea-level rise prior to Sa3 sequence boundary. The lower Campanian transgression, only recorded in the southern part of the Tarfaya Basin, coincided with substantial deepening, enhanced accumulation of fine-grained clay-rich hemipelagic sediments and improved oxygenation at the seafloor (highest diversity and abundance of benthic foraminiferal assemblages). Stable isotope data from bulk carbonates are tentatively correlated to the English Chalk carbon isotope reference curve, in particular the Hitch Wood Event in the upper Turonian, the Navigation Event in the lower Coniacian, the Horseshoe Bay Event in the Santonian and the Santonian/Campanian Boundary Event.     

European ammonoid diversity questions the spreading of anoxia as primary cause for the Cenomanian/Turonian (Late Cretaceous) mass extinction

Ammonoid diversity patterns show that the spreading of oceanic anoxia is not the initial and major kill mechanism for the Cenomanian/Turonian mass extinction as usually suggested. In the Anglo-Paris Basin and the Vocontian Basin, the drop of ammonoid species richness starts around the middle/late Cenomanian boundary, i.e. 0.75 myr before the occurrence of anoxic deepwater sediments. The stepwise extinction of first heteromorphs and then acanthoceratids is incompatible with the rise of the oxygen minimum zone. Moreover, shelf environments of these basins remained well oxygenated during the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary interval. Thus, we stress that other causative mechanisms initiated the ammonoid extinction even if anoxia subsequently participated in the demise of marine ecosystems. Editorial handling: M.J. Benton & J.-P. Billon-Bruyat     

西藏特提斯喜马拉雅海相白垩纪—古近纪生物地层与重大地质事件研究进展

地质历史时期曾发过许多对生命的演化进程造成过重大影响与制约的全球性地质事件,白垩纪—古近纪就是一个重大地质事件频发的时期。随着冈瓦纳大陆在中生代时期的解体,全球海陆格局发生了根本的变化,地球的表层和岩石圈层均发生了重大的改变,由此引发了构造运动空前活跃,发生过诸如大洋缺氧事件(OAE)、大洋富氧事件(CORBs)、白垩纪/古近纪(K/Pg)生物大灭绝事件、古新世—始新世极热(PETM)事件、印度-亚洲板块碰撞、新特提斯洋的演化及最终消亡等一系列的全球性重大地质事件。对这些重大地质事件的研究,有助于加深我们对古海洋、古地理、古环境的认识。尝试追踪和捕捉这些重大地质事件,恢复和重建古地理,其基础是建立精确的年代地层格架。西藏南部保存了中国最为完整的海相白垩纪—古近纪沉积,完整地记录了上述的全球性重大地质事件,通过对札达、岗巴、定日、亚东、江孜、萨嘎和吉隆等地区高分辨率浮游和底栖有孔虫、介形虫、钙质超微化石和放射虫生物地层学研究,可直接约束全球性重大地质事件发生的时间,并为重建新特提斯洋古海洋环境和古地理提供证据。此外,在重大地质环境突变期间生物的演化过程,也可为探明极端环境变化发生时期气候-环境-生物之间的协同演化关系提供证据。本文系统总结了课题组为主的近年来对藏南白垩纪—古近纪海相地层中微体古生物学的研究成果及重要进展,并对未来研究提出展望。     

Stratigraphy of the Cenomanian–Turonian Oceanic Anoxic Event OAE2 in shallow shelf sequences of NE Egypt

Two shallow water late Cenomanian to early Turonian sequences of NE Egypt have been investigated to evaluate the response to OAE2. Age control based on calcareous nannoplankton, planktic foraminifera and ammonite biostratigraphies integrated with δ¹³C stratigraphy is relatively good despite low diversity and sporadic occurrences. Planktic and benthic foraminiferal faunas are characterized by dysoxic, brackish and mesotrophic conditions, as indicated by low species diversity, low oxygen and low salinity tolerant planktic and benthic species, along with oyster-rich limestone layers. In these subtidal to inner neritic environments the OAE2 δ¹³C excursion appears comparable and coeval to that of open marine environments. However, in contrast to open marine environments where anoxic conditions begin after the first δ¹³C peak and end at or near the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary, in shallow coastal environments anoxic conditions do not appear until the early Turonian. This delay in anoxia appears to be related to the sea-level transgression that reached its maximum in the early Turonian, as observed in shallow water sections from Egypt to Morocco.     

Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Ionian Zone,Hellenides, western Greece

The Cretaceous sedimentary successions of the Ionian Zone, Hellenides, western Greece, are composed of pelagic limestones intercalated with cherty layers. The micritic and biomicritic beds with abundant chert nodules and cherty horizons, which were deposited during late Tithonian to early Santonian times, belong to the Vigla Limestone Formation, while the sediments deposited during the late Santonian to Maastrichtian, formed clastic limestone beds in which chert nodules also occur sparsely.In the Cretaceous beds calpionellids, planktonic and benthonic foraminifera characteristics of the Tethyan realm, and radiolaria have been recorded. The calpionellids, together with radiolaria, colonized the entire basin during the Berriasian to early Valanginian, the latter becoming dominant during the Hauterivian to early Albian as a result of anoxia. Planktonic foraminifera first appeared in the basin during the late Albian and persisted until the Maastrichtian. The numbers decreased, however, during the Cenomanian-early Turonian interval, when radiolaria increased owing to anoxic conditions, and during the Campanian-Maastrichtian interval because the basin became shallow. During this interval larger benthonic foraminifera colonized the basin. Zonal markers have been recognized in calpionellid and planktonic foraminiferal assemblages on the basis of which two calpionellid zones are distinguished, viz. the Calpionella alpina and Calpionellopsis Zones (Berriasian-early Valanginian) along with seven planktonic foraminiferal zones, viz. the Rotalipora ticinensis, Rotalipora appenninica (late Albian), Rotalipora brotzeni (early Cenomanian), Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica (early to middle Turonian), Marginotruncana sigali(late Turonian to early Coniacian), Dicarinella concavata (late Coniacian to early Santonian) and Dicarinella asymetrica (late early-late Santonian) Zones.The anoxic conditions that prevailed in the Ionian basin during the Barremian-early Albian, Cenomanian-early Turonian and Coniacian-Santonian intervals probably arose as a result of (a) the accumulation of large amounts of organic matter because the palaeotopography of the basin periodically hindered the circulation of water from the ocean and (b) the oxygen content of the intruding oceanic waters was low.