Les ostracodes du Crétacé moyen Européen

A partir de données bibliographiques et des observations personnelles des différents auteurs un inventaire et une mise à jour taxonomique des ostracodes du Crétacé moyen européen sont effectués. Plusieurs tableaux présentent la répartition stratigraphique des ostracodes dans les pays les mieux étudiés. Il ressort de cette synthèse une grande hétérogénéité des connaissances selon les pays. Les faunes sont relativement homogènes pendant l'Albien et le Cénomanien inférieur et marquent un net provincialisme au cours du Cénomanien supérieur et du Turonien.From bibliographic data and the authors' observations, an inventory and taxonomic updating of European Mid-Cretaceous ostracods are given. Several charts present the stratigraphic distribution of the ostracods in the best studied countries. This synthesis shows great heterogeneity in coverage for the different countries. Faunas are relatively homogeneous during the Albian and the Lower Cenomanian but show clear provincialism during the later part of the Cenomanian and the Turonian.     

Les Algues du crétacé moyen; Tendances générales

Une analyse biostratigraphique des Dasycladales et des Algues rouges est proposéc et critiquée pour la période allant de l'Aptien au Coniacien.A biostratigraphical summary of the Algae of the Aptian to Coniacian is presented. These are species of Red algae and Dasycladal algae.     

Les Calcisphaerulidae: Intérêt stratigraphique et paléoécologique

Les quatre genres qui composent la famille des Calcisphaerulidae emend. (Villain, 1977) ont pour point commun la structure de leur paroi; c'est ce caractère qui permet la définition d'un ensemble, qui comporte non seulement des formes uniloculaire (Pithonella, Bonetocardiella), qui proviennent de la dispersion d'individus initialement groupés, mais aussi des formes pluriloculaires (Asterosphaerella).The four genera constituting the Calcisphaerulidae are united with respect to wall structure. It is suggested that they derive from Jurassic calpionellids.     

Les Vertébrés de la Partie Moyenne du Crétacé en Europe

Les gisements de Vertébrés de la partie moyenne du Crétacé en Europe sont peu nombreux, et des groupes importants (notamment les Mammifères) y sont encore inconnus. Les poissons sont mieux représentés que les tétrapodes, et plus utilisables d'un point de vue biostratigraphique. Pour un certain nombre de groupes de Vertébrés, la partie moyenne du Crétacé semble correspondre à un renouvellement faunique important.In Europe, fossil vertebrate localities in the middle part of the Cretaceous are not numerous, and some important groups (notably mammals) are still unknown there. Fishes are better represented than tetrapods, and more useful from a biostratigraphic point of view. For several groups of vertebrates, the middle part of the Cretaceous seems to correspond to an important faunal renewal.     

Les rudistes du Crétacé moyen de la province Méditerranéenne occidentale. Evolution, paléoécologie, paléobiogéographie

Dans un premier temps on délimite les plates-formes à rudistes de la province méditerranéenne occidentale, au sein de laquelle on distingue, en fonction des particularités paléogéographiques locales, quatre sous-provinces. On souligne ensuite l'importance et la nature des événements paléogéographiques du Crétacé moyen qui ont joué un rôle dans la distribution et le développement des formations à rudistes; on distingue fondamentalement des événements eustatiques et tectoniques. Les événements biologiques sont caractérisés par un déclin ou une disparition des rudistes éocrétacés, un développement des Caprinidae et des Radiolitidae à l'Albo-Cénomanien, l'apparition des Hippuritidae et le déclin des Caprinidae au Turonien. On analyse les causes, les circonstances et les faits majeurs de l'évolution et de la paléoécologie des rudistes au cours de cette période.The rudistid platforms of the western Mediterranean embrace four palaeogeographical sub-provinces. The palaeogeographical events that decided the distribution and development of the rudistids are discussed. Of significance are eustatic and tectonic events.There was a decline or a disappearance of Early Cretaceous rudistids, a development of the Caprinidae and Radiolitidae around the Albian-Cenomanian, the appearance of the Hippuritidae and a decline of the Caprinidae in the Turonian. Factors of evolutionary and palaeoecological significance are reviewed.     

Les végétaux (Macrofossiles) du crétacé moyen de l'Europe occidentale et du Sahara. Végétations et paléoclimats

Cette note expose un ensemble de synthèses régionales sur les thèmes suivants: les macrofossiles de l'Angleterre; les bois de l'Albien du Boulonnais; les végétaux de Normandie du Crétacé moyen; les milieux forestiers littoraux du Cénomanien inférieur de l'Anjou et des Charentes; les macroflores du Crétacé moyen continental de l'Espagne; les gisements de l'Italie et du Sahara.L'esquisse d'une évolution possible de quelques végétations de ces contrées est proposée, ainsi que les arguments paléoclimatiques que l'on peut en déduire.This paper presents a regional synthesis concerning mid-Cretaceous plant megafossils from England, Normandy, Northern and Western France, Spain, Italy, and the Sahara. A possible evolution pattern is offered for these floras during mid-Cretaceous time; some climatic arguments are presented.     

The history of the mangrove vegetation in Bénin during the Holocene: A palynological study

Pollen analysis of three core samples,YEV-I, GOHO.00 and DO.00, taken in the coastal area of Bénin shows the existence of mangrove during the Holocene. This mangrove underwent many physiognomic changes from the middle to the late Holocene. In the course of the middle Holocene (from 7500 to 2500 years before present (BP)), it stretched over a large area from the littoral inland. It was tightly closed and almost monospecific, dominated by Rhizophora. During the late Holocene, this mangrove started to regress around 3000 years BP and disappeared about 2500 years BP from the studied sites. It has been replaced by swamp meadows dominated by Paspalum vaginatum Sw. and a fresh water environment colonised by taxa such as Persicaria, Typha, Ludwigia, and Nymphaea.     

Les séries du carbonifère inférieur de la région d''Adarouch, NE du Maroc central: lithologie et biostratigraphie

The early Carboniferous series of the Adarouch area (northeast central Morocco) are subdivided into three sedimentological and biostratigraphical units. The first unit, which belongs to the Late Visean zones V3bβ and V3bγ, was deposited on shallow carbonate platforms. The second unit belongs to the Late Visean zone, V3c, and incudes terrigenous deposits, such as turbidites, shales and olistostromes. The third unit belongs to the Serpukhovian stage and consists of sandstones and limestones. A new biostratigraphical analysis, which is based on foraminiferal, algae and pseudoalgae, allows an accurate dating of the units. The deposits of the zones V3bβ and V3bγ contain characteristic calcareous microfossils, such as Stacheoides sp., Pseudoendothyra sp. and Ungdarella uralica. The V3c zone (300–400 m) is shown in two oolitic beds of the Mouarhaz and Akerchi Formations, respectively, with Janischewskina sp. and Asteroarchaediscus sp. The Serpukhovian stage is characterised by the disappearance of the algae Koninckopora and the appearance of the brachiopod Titanaria. The new data from the Adarouch area confirm the Moroccan biostratigraphical scale of the Moroccan meseta.     

Les argiles bleues du Cambrien inférieur de Saint-Pétersbourg et leur fissuration. Implications pour des stockages souterrains

The Lower Cambrian Saint Petersburg blue clays are composed of predominant illite and chlorite, sometimes accompanied by kaolinite. The <0.1 μm fraction has a high content of illite–smectite mixed layers. Particle-size distribution is more than 50% of clay particles and about 30% of silts. These blue clays correspond to plastic (and soft) clays; they may be compared to the Callovian clays of Bure (France), where storage of natural waste is envisaged. To cite this article: M. Arnould et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1135–1140.

Résumé

Les « argiles bleues » du Cambrien Inférieur de Saint-Pétersbourg sont constituées d'illite dominante et de chlorite, avec parfois présence de kaolinite. Des interstratifiés illite/montmorillonite sont très abondants dans la phase <0,1 μm. Du point de vue granulométrique, outre plus de 50% de particules argileuses, il existe une phase silteuse de l'ordre de 30%. Du point de vue pétrophysique, ce sont des argiles plastiques, de consistance molle. Elles sont subhorizontales et ont jusqu'à 116 m d'épaisseur. Outre l'absence de métamorphisme, malgré leur âge, leur caractère le plus remarquable est leur réseau de fracturation, bien observable en carrière. Les joints sont nets, sans remplissage ni cimentation. Les plans verticaux sont particulièrement développés. Le volume unitaire des blocs de matrice ne dépasse guère 1 m³. Des traces d'oxydation témoignent de circulations d'eau. Ces argiles silteuses anciennes peuvent aider à mieux connaı̂tre et comprendre les argilites silteuses épigénétiques calloviennes du site de Bure (Haute-Marne, France), où un stockage souterrain de déchets nucléaires est envisagé. Pour citer cet article : M. Arnould et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1135–1140.     

Mouvements actuels des blocs tectoniques dans l’arc Bético-Rifain à partir des mesures GPS entre 1999 et 2005

GPS velocities and seismicity across the Betic–Rif Arc structural domains (Morocco and Iberia) provide a basis to evaluate present-day seismotectonic processes between different deformation belts. The results show asymmetric movements in the complex Alboran system accommodating the convergence between the African (Nubian) and Eurasian plates. While the Betic Mountains are attached to Iberia, moving toward the southeast with respect to Africa, the Rif is divided into three blocks with distinct displacements relative to Nubia: (1) the Tangier block moving southeastward, (2) the Central Rif block moving SSW, and (3) the Oriental Rif block undergoing clockwise rotation. GPS-derived motions decrease in rate from the Rif nappes complex to the foreland.     

Les granitoïdes néoprotérozoïques de Khzama, Anti-Atlas central, Maroc: marqueurs de l''évolution d''un magmatisme d''arc à un magmatisme alcaline

Petrological study and zircon typology provide important information that is related to the classification and genesis of Neoproterozoic granitoids in the Khzama area (northeast Siroua). The Pan-African granitoids show a transition from island-arc magmatism to alkaline magmatism. A space and time zonation of magmatism from the north to the south is evident. Early Pan-African granitoids were generated from various magma sources through different petrogenetic mechanisms. The first association corresponds to the low-K calc-alkaline plutons of Ait Nebdas, the second one correponds to high-K calc-alkaline post-collisional granites (Tamassirte-Tiferatine and Ifouachguel). Finally, shoshonitic magmatism (Irhiri) ends the magmatic evolution of the region. Thus, the late Pan-African granitic plutonism began with calc-alkaline associations and ended with K-alkaline magmatism in a transtensional setting, heralding the onset of the Moroccan Palæozoic cycle.     

Les structures de la couverture Néoprotérozoïque terminal et Paléozoïque de la région de Tata, Anti-Atlas centre-occidental, Maroc: déformation polyphasée, ou interactions socle/couverture pendant l'orogenèse hercynienne?

The western Anti-Atlas was formed by a Precambrian basement in the core of anticlines, surrounded by a Neoproterozoic and Palæozoic cover. The structural study of the Tata regional rocks shows a heterogeneous deformation, characterised especially by two types of folds in two orthogonal directions: north-south to north-northeast-south-southwest-trending and east-west-trending.The north-south structures are present in all of the Palæozoic cover and belong to the major Variscan compression of Late Carboniferous age by a comparison of the other domains of the western Anti-Atlas. Alternatively, east-west folding is assigned only to the lower part of the cover and consists of a ductile heterogeneous deformation, especially marked at the basement-cover interface. These folds are associated with a subhorizontal cleavage, indicating a southern vergence of the structures. A discussion of the age and the tectonic style of these structures is proposed, as well as their significance within the Variscan belt along the northern margin of the West African Craton.     

Les capitaux et le milieu géographique capital and the geographical milieu Raum und Kapital

Processes of regional concentration and development of capital suggest a geographical interpretation. Firstly towns and regions can be studied in terms of their financial strength. Financial strenght is a decisive attractive power in all countries with a market economy.Lastly the world-wide movement of capital is important to our understanding of all spatial exchange processes relating to the migration of workers and the exchange of goods. The movement of capital is controlled at a few important financial centres whose outward appearance and structure manifest this function.

Zusammenfassung

Processes of regional concentration and development of capital suggest a geographical interpretation. Firstly towns and regions can be studied in terms of their financial strength. Financial strenght is a decisive attractive power in all countries with a market economy.Lastly the world-wide movement of capital is important to our understanding of all spatial exchange processes relating to the migration of workers and the exchange of goods. The movement of capital is controlled at a few important financial centres whose outward appearance and structure manifest this function.     

Les minerais de fer de l'Ordovicien inférieur du bassin de Bretagne-Anjou,France*

The iron resources of the ‘Bretagne-Anjou’ basin proceed essentially from four layers of sedimentary ore in the lower gres armoricain (Arenig). The more frequent paragenesis combine quartz, magnetite, siderite and silicates (bavalite, stilpnomelane). The hematite and pyrite parageneses are rarer. Two ore types were distinguished petrographically: one type with allochems and one without allochems. The study of both paragenesis and thickness variations of the ore layers enables one to reconstitute the sedimentation history: iron is dissolved on the emerged cadomian reliefs and transported to the sedimentary basin, which was shallow and strewn with islands and shoals. Then, according to local conditions, iron precipitated either under its oxydized forms (hematite, magnetite) or under its reduced forms (silicates, pyrite, siderite). The essential factors of parageneses differentiation were the depth of the basin, the water agitation and the organic matter content of the sediment. In some cases little concretions were formed in the sediment and gave rise to allochems which can be moved away later and deposited elsewhere.     

Les tholeiites a affinité alcaline du secteur ouest du Siroua (Anti-Atlas central, Maroc): temoins d'une distension au Néoproterozoïque

The Upper Proterozoic granitoids of the western part of the Siroua Massif (central Anti-Atlas, Morocco) are cut by doleritic dykes injected along submeridian and equatorial directions. These dykes were emplaced before deposition of late Neoproterozoic formations (PIII). According to and incompatible element ratios, these dolerites constitue two discrete chemical groups unrelated to orientation and thickness. They are both enriched in large ion lithophile elements, Zr, Th and light rare earth elements, and correspond to continental tholeiites displaying an alkaline affinity. This alkaline affinity is also confirmed by clinopyroxene and amphibole chemistry. Emplacement of these doleritic dykes occurred under an extensional regime active in the Anti-Atlas range during the Upper Proterozoic.     

Tableau de répartition stratigraphique des Grands Foraminifères caractéristiques du Crétacé moyen de la région Méditerranéenne

Le Groupe de Travail Européen des Grands Foraminifères présente un tableau de répartition stratigraphique de 42 espèces bien définies du Crétacé moyen de la région méditerranéenne. La répartition stratigraphique proposée pour chaque espèce est fondée soit sur des propres observations soit sur des données de la littérature supprimer et est contrôlée par la présence d'Ammonites ou de Foraminifères planctoniques.A summarizing account is presented of the deliberations of the research group for Large Foraminifers of the IGCP Project “Mid-Cretaceous Events”. Large Foraminifers are of incontestable value for dating carbonate platform sequences owing to the absence of many other diagnostic groups of organísms. A table of stratigraphical distributions for 42 species is presented.