Sisma-Ventura, G., Antonioli, F., Silenzi, S. et al. (9 more authors) (2020) Assessing vermetid reefs as indicators of past sea levels in the Mediterranean. Marine Geology. 106313. ISSN 0025-3227
Abstract
The endemic Mediterranean reef building vermetid gastropods Dendropoma petraeum complex (Dendropoma spp) and Vermetus triquetrus develop bio-constructions (rims) on rocky shorelines at about Mean Sea Level (MSL) and are therefore commonly used as relative sea-level (RSL) markers. In this study, we use elevations and age data of vermetid reefs to (1) re-assess the vertical uncertainties of these biological RSL indicators, and (2) evaluate the vertical growth rates along a Mediterranean east-west transect, in attempt to explain the differences found in both growth rates and uncertainties. In Israel, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and laser measurements relative to the local datum show that the reef surfaces mainly occupy the upper intertidal zone with variations in elevation from +0.51 ± 0.07 m to +0.13 ± 0.05 m along the coast. However, in specific sites the vertical uncertainty exceeds the tidal range. In some places the local vermetid species D. anguliferum and V. triquetrus appear to alternate along the vertical rim profiles. This study documents a spatial variability of vertical growth rates, ranging from ~1 mm yr−1 in Israel and Crete, to ~0.1–0.2 mm yr−1 in NW Sicily and Spain. The order of magnitude of the difference in growth rates correlates with the east-west spatial thermal gradient of Sea-Surface Temperature (SST). Preferential skeleton deposition of D. petraeum and V. triquetrus measured by growth axis δ18O analysis shows that most calcification occurs at SST above the mean annual value. These findings indicate that vermetid reefs are a site-specific RSL indicator, displaying various vertical uncertainties and inner-structure complexities. Local data on the indicative range of vermetids are required when reconstructing relative sea-level changes using fossil vermetids.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Bio-markers,Growth rates,Mediterranean Sea,Past sea-level,Vermetid reefs |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Environment and Geography (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 25 Jan 2021 12:20 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 17:11 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106313 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106313 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:170425 |
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