Eustatic and tectonic controls on Quaternary Ras Leona marine terraces (Strait of Gibraltar, northern Morocco)

Well-preserved Quaternary staircased marine terraces appear on Ras Leona limestone relief. This is a peculiar sector of the Betic-Rif Cordillera, lying in the four-way junction between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and Europe and Africa. The age and altitude correlation of the Ras Leona terraces with travertine-covered lateral equivalent terraces fashioned in the neighbouring Beni Younech area, and comparison with those along the Moroccan Atlantic coasts, would suggest that the Ras Leona terraces were mainly formed by eustatic factors. The importance of the eustasy is supported by further comparisons with Spanish and Moroccan Mediterranean terraces and with different marine terraces developed on passive-margin coasts around the world. A tectonic event occurred mainly during the period between the formation of the Maarifian and the Ouljian terraces (i.e., between 370 and 150 ka). The moderate Quaternary tectonic uplift deduced from the marine terraces and its comparison with uplifted marine terraces developed in active subduction setting disagrees with the model of an active eastwards subduction below the Gibraltar tectonic arc.     

Biological Processes Responsible for Travertine Deposition: A Review and Future Prospect

The investigation of biological processes responsible for travertine deposition allows us to better understand the travertine petrographic and geochemical signatures as proxies of climatic and environmental change. This paper reviewed the organisms associated with travertines, the biotic micro-fabrics formed within travertines, the biological processes associated with travertine precipitation and their controls on travertine geochemical properties. Prospects of the future research on biological processes responsible for travertine precipitation were provided. Bacteria, algae and mosses are the most important organisms that involve in the precipitation of travertines. The growth of these organisms leads to the formation of a range of various porosity, crystal fabrics and lamination within travertines. Three main biological processes responsible for travertine deposition can be classified, including \mathrm{①} a process of aquatic plant growth generating a turbulent condition and consequent CO₂ evasion, \mathrm{②} a metabolic (mainly photosynthetic) process mediating carbonate precipitation and \mathrm{③} a ‘surface-control’ process influencing nucleation and crystal growth. These processes play an important role in the migration and transformation of elements in travertine-depositing system and thus determine the properties of water chemistry and geochemistry of carbonate deposits. Travertine deposits have great potential to be valuable records for the geobiological study. Further investigation is required to simultaneously track biotic and abiotic interactions in modern travertine-depositing environments and quantify the contribution of these two processes and apply the results to accurately interpret travertine records.     

Geochronological position of badlands and geomorphological patterns in the Guadix–Baza basin (SE Spain)

The Guadix–Baza basin is one of a number of intramontane depressions located within the Betic Cordillera (SE Spain), where the geological and geomorphological evolution is controlled by tectonic activity. The basin ceased to be closed after capture by the Atlantic network, when five main land systems developed. Late Pleistocene geological evolution basically consisted of erosional modelling, when badlands were deeply incised in highly erodible materials (marls and silts). Three travertine platforms and several Palaeolithic sites were used to determine that this main incision period fell within a 115,000–48,000 yr range. There are few signs of geomorphological evolution of this basin in the last 48,000 yr. Based on these geomorphological data and soil development, tectonic uplift of the basin probably played a secondary role in its evolution, and climatic conditions in southern Iberia in the 144,000–48,000 yr period were more humid and variable than later.     

钙华生物沉积作用研究进展与展望

弄清钙华生物沉积作用有助于更好地理解钙华微岩相结构和地球化学特征的气候环境指示意义。总结和综述了与钙华沉积相关的生物群落、生物成因钙华微岩相结构、钙华生物沉积作用过程及其对钙华地球化学特征影响的研究进展,并展望了未来的研究重点。细菌、藻类和苔藓等广泛参与到钙华沉积中,形成了许多不同类型的孔隙结构、晶体结构和纹层结构。生物沉积过程主要包括:①生物生长扰动水流使得CO2逸出;②代谢作用(如光合作用)过程诱导碳酸钙沉积;③"表面控制"过程影响晶体成核及生长。生物沉积作用驱动了元素的迁移转化,对沉积水体和钙华地球化学特征具有重要影响。钙华在地球生物学研究中具有重要潜力,未来需要加强现代钙华沉积中的物理化学和生物过程相互作用机制及其各自贡献的量化研究,以便准确地解译钙华沉积记录。