The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways

Abstract Oceanic gateways have modulated ocean circulation and have influenced climatic variations throughout the Earth´s history. During the late Miocene (7.8–7.35 Ma), the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea were connected through the Rifian Corridor (Morocco). This gateway is one of the few...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Olmo Miguez-Salas, Francisco J. Rodríguez-Tovar, Wouter de Weger
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/630bb8f94226470db58fef2c78db3daa
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:630bb8f94226470db58fef2c78db3daa
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:630bb8f94226470db58fef2c78db3daa2021-12-02T12:11:06ZThe Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways10.1038/s41598-021-83820-x2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/630bb8f94226470db58fef2c78db3daa2021-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83820-xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Oceanic gateways have modulated ocean circulation and have influenced climatic variations throughout the Earth´s history. During the late Miocene (7.8–7.35 Ma), the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea were connected through the Rifian Corridor (Morocco). This gateway is one of the few examples of deep ancient seaways with a semi-continuous sedimentary record. Deposits comprise turbidites intercalated between deep-sea mudstone (i.e., hemipelagites and drift deposits), channelized sandstone contourite facies, and shallow marine sandstone. Herein an ichnological analysis was conducted in these upper Miocene sediments to improve characterisation of palaeoenvironmental conditions. In addition, ichnofacies were analysed to elucidate how bottom currents control ichnofacies distribution and can modify their attributes. Turbidite deposits are typified by vertical trace fossils (i.e., Ophiomorpha), conforming the Ophiomorpha rudis ichnosubfacies. Contouritic sandstone exhibits high density and low diversity trace-fossil assemblage, with predominant Macaronichnus and Scolicia, resembling a proximal expression of the Cruziana ichnofacies. Shallow marine environments are dominated by vertical trace fossils (e.g., Conichnus, Ophiomorpha, Skolithos), allowing an assignation to the Skolithos ichnofacies. This study reveals for the first time a variability in ichnofacies attributes and distribution at the Rifian Corridor, associated with turbidites, contourite and shallow marine sediments. Hydrodynamic energy reveals as the major factor controlling trace maker communities in the studied seaway. Highly energetic conditions typical of shallower settings are present in deeper-water environments (i.e., slope), contributing to ichnodiversity impoverishment in ichnofacies.Olmo Miguez-SalasFrancisco J. Rodríguez-TovarWouter de WegerNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Olmo Miguez-Salas Francisco J. Rodríguez-Tovar Wouter de Weger The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
description	Abstract Oceanic gateways have modulated ocean circulation and have influenced climatic variations throughout the Earth´s history. During the late Miocene (7.8–7.35 Ma), the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea were connected through the Rifian Corridor (Morocco). This gateway is one of the few examples of deep ancient seaways with a semi-continuous sedimentary record. Deposits comprise turbidites intercalated between deep-sea mudstone (i.e., hemipelagites and drift deposits), channelized sandstone contourite facies, and shallow marine sandstone. Herein an ichnological analysis was conducted in these upper Miocene sediments to improve characterisation of palaeoenvironmental conditions. In addition, ichnofacies were analysed to elucidate how bottom currents control ichnofacies distribution and can modify their attributes. Turbidite deposits are typified by vertical trace fossils (i.e., Ophiomorpha), conforming the Ophiomorpha rudis ichnosubfacies. Contouritic sandstone exhibits high density and low diversity trace-fossil assemblage, with predominant Macaronichnus and Scolicia, resembling a proximal expression of the Cruziana ichnofacies. Shallow marine environments are dominated by vertical trace fossils (e.g., Conichnus, Ophiomorpha, Skolithos), allowing an assignation to the Skolithos ichnofacies. This study reveals for the first time a variability in ichnofacies attributes and distribution at the Rifian Corridor, associated with turbidites, contourite and shallow marine sediments. Hydrodynamic energy reveals as the major factor controlling trace maker communities in the studied seaway. Highly energetic conditions typical of shallower settings are present in deeper-water environments (i.e., slope), contributing to ichnodiversity impoverishment in ichnofacies.
format	article
author	Olmo Miguez-Salas Francisco J. Rodríguez-Tovar Wouter de Weger
author_facet	Olmo Miguez-Salas Francisco J. Rodríguez-Tovar Wouter de Weger
author_sort	Olmo Miguez-Salas
title	The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
title_short	The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
title_full	The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
title_fullStr	The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
title_full_unstemmed	The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
title_sort	late miocene rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/630bb8f94226470db58fef2c78db3daa
work_keys_str_mv	AT olmomiguezsalas thelatemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways AT franciscojrodrigueztovar thelatemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways AT wouterdeweger thelatemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways AT olmomiguezsalas latemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways AT franciscojrodrigueztovar latemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways AT wouterdeweger latemiocenerifiancorridorasanaturallaboratorytoexploreacaseofichnofaciesdistributioninancientgateways
_version_	1718394631960395776

The Late Miocene Rifian corridor as a natural laboratory to explore a case of ichnofacies distribution in ancient gateways

Ejemplares similares