Sea-level changes and black shales associated with the late Paleocene thermal maximum: Organic-geochemical and micropaleontologic evidence from the southern Tethyan margin (Egypt-Israel)

Special Paper of the Geological Society of America

Volumn 356, Issue , 2002, Pages 533-549

  Speijer, Robert P ^a   Wagner, Thomas ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF BREMEN   (Germany)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ECOLOGY; FERTILIZERS; GEOCHEMISTRY; GLOBAL WARMING; OIL SHALE; ORGANIC CARBON; PRODUCTIVITY; STRATIGRAPHY; THERMAL EXPANSION;

BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY; CONTINENTAL MARGIN; ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY; RELATIVE SEA LEVEL; SEALEVEL CHANGE; STRATIGRAPHIC INTERVALS; TETHYAN MARGINS; TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON;

SEA LEVEL;

BLACK SHALE; MICROFOSSIL; MICROPALEONTOLOGY; ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY; PALEOCENE; SEA LEVEL CHANGE; TETHYS; TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON;

EGYPT; ISRAEL;

EID: 84871973184     PISSN: 00721077     EISSN: None     Source Type: Book Series    
DOI: 10.1130/0-8137-2356-6.533     Document Type: Article

References (92)

1. Alsharhan, A.S., and Salah, M.G., 1997, A common source rock for Egyptian and Saudi hydrocarbons in the Red Sea: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 81, p. 1640-1659.
2. Arthur, M.A., Schlanger, S.O., and Jenkyns, H.C., 1987, The Cenomanian-Turonian oceanic anoxic event. 2. Palaeoceanographic controls on organic-matter production and preservation, in Brooks, J., and Fleet, A.J., eds., Marine petroleum source rocks: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 26, p. 401-420.
3. Aubry, M.-P., Berggren, W.A., and Lucas, E., 1998, Late Paleocene-early Eocene climatic and biotic events in the marine and terrestrial records: New York, Columbia University Press, 513 p.
4. Bains, S., Corfield, R.M., and Norris, R.D., 1999, Mechanisms of climate warming at the end of the Paleocene: Science, v. 285, p. 724-727.
5. Bains, S., Norris, R.D., Corfield, R.M., and Faul, K.L., 2000, Termination of global warmth at the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary through productivity feedback: Nature, v. 407, p. 171-174.
6. Baumann, K.H., Young, J.R., Cachao, M., and Ziveri, P., 2000, Biometric study of Coccolithus pelagicus and its palaeoenvironmental utility: Journal of Nannoplankton Research, v. 22, p. 82.
7. Benjamini, C., 1992, The Paleocene-Eocene boundary in Israel: A candidate for the boundary stratotype: Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, v. 186, p. 49-61.
8. Berggren, W.A., and Norris, R.D., 1997, Biostratigraphy, phylogeny and systematics of Paleocene trochospiral planktonic foraminifera: Micropaleontology, v. 43, Supplement, 116 p.
9. Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., III, and Aubry, M.-P., 1995, A revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy, in Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Aubry, M.-P., and Hardenbol, J., eds., Geochronology, time scales and global stratigraphic correlation: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), Special Publication 54, p. 129-212.
10. Bernhard, J.M., 1996, Microaerophilic and facultative anaerobic benthic foraminifera: A review of experimental and ultrastructural evidence: Revue de Paléobiologie, v. 15, p. 261-275.
11. Bernhard, J.M., and Bowser, S.S., 1999, Benthic foraminifera of dysoxic sediments: Chloroplast sequestration and functional morphology: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 46, p. 149-165.
12. Bernhard, J.M., Sen Gupta, B.K., and Borne, P.F., 1997, Benthic foraminiferal proxy to estimate dysoxic botom-water oxygen concentrations: Santa Barbara Basin, U.S. Pacific continental margin: Journal of Foraminiferal Research, v. 27, p. 10.
13. Bertrand, P., and Lallier-Vergès, E., 1993, Past sedimentary organic matter accumulation and degradation controlled by productivity: Nature, v. 364, p. 786-788.
14. Boersma, A., and Premoli-Silva, I., 1991, Distribution of Paleogene planktonic foraminifera: Analogies with the recent?: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 83, p. 29-48.
15. Bolle, M.P., Pardo, A., Adatte, T., von Salis, K., and Burns, S., 2000a, Climatic evolution on the southeastern margin of the Tethys (Negev, Israel) from the Palaeocene to the early Eocene: Focus on the late Palaeocene thermal maximum: Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 157, p. 929-941.
16. Bolle, M.P., Tantawy, A.A., Pardo, A., Adatte, T., Burns, S., and Kassab, A., 2000b, Climatic and environmental changes documented in the upper Paleocene to lower Eocene of Egypt: Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae, v. 93, p. 33-51.
17. Bralower, T.J., Zachos, J.C., Thomas, E., Parrow, M., Paull, C.K., Kelly, D.C., Silva, I.P., Sliter, W.V., and Lohmann, K.C., 1995, Late Paleocene to Eocene paleoceanography of the equatorial Pacific Ocean: Stable isotopes recorded at Ocean Drilling Program Site 865, Allison Guyot: Paleoceanography, v. 10, p. 841-865.
18. Bralower, T.J., Thomas, D.J., Zachos, J.C., Hirschmann, M.M., Röhl, U., Sigurdsson, H., Thomas, E., and Whitney, D.L., 1997, High-resolution records of the late Paleocene thermal maximum and circum-Caribbean volcanism: Is there a causal link?: Geology, v. 25, p. 963-966.
19. Bujak, J.P., and Brinkhuis, H., 1998, Global warming and dinocyst changes across the Paleocene/Eocene Epoch boundary, in Aubry, M.-P., Lucas, S.G., and Berggren,W.A., eds., Late Paleocene-early Eocene climatic and biotic events in the marine and terrestrial records: New York, Columbia University Press, p. 277-295.
20. Cachao, M., and Moita, M.T., 2000, Coccolithus pelagicus, a productivity proxy related to moderate fronts off western Iberia: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 39, p. 131-155.
21. Calvert, S.E., and Pedersen, T.F., 1992, Organic carbon accumulation and preservation in marine sediments: How important is anoxia?, in Whelan, J.K., and Farrington, J.W., eds., Organic matter; productivity, accumulation, and preservation in recent and ancient sediments: New York, Columbia University Press, p. 231-263.
22. Charisi, S.D., and Schmitz, B., 1995, Stable (δ13C, δ18O) and strontium (87Sr/ 86Sr) isotopes through the Paleocene at Gebel Aweina, eastern Tethyan region: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 116, p. 103-129.
23. Charisi, S.D., and Schmitz, B., 1998, Paleocene to early Eocene paleoceanography of the Middle East: The δ13C and δ18O isotopes from foraminiferal calcite: Paleoceanography, v. 13, p. 106-118.
24. Cramer, B.S., Aubry, M.P., Miller, K.G., Olsson, R.K., Wright, J.D., and Kent, D.V., 1999, An exceptional chronologic, isotopic, and clay mineralogic record of the latest Paleocene thermal maximum, Bass River, New Jersey, Ocean Drilling Program 174AX: Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, v. 170, p. 883-897.
25. Dickens, G.R., 2000, Methane oxidation during the late Palaeocene thermal maximum: Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, v. 171, p. 37-49.
26. Dickens, G.R., 2001a, Carbon addition and removal during the Late Palaeocene thermal maximum: Basic theory with a preliminary treatment of the isotope record at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1051, Blake Nose, in Kroon, D., Norris, R., and Klaus, A., eds., Western North Atlantic Palaeogene and Cretaceous palaeoceanography: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 183, p. 293-306.
27. Dickens, G.R., 2001b, On the fate of past gas: What happens to methane released from a bacterially mediated gas hydrate capacitor?: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 2, Paper number 2000GC000131 (Available at http://www.gcubed.org).
28. Dickens, G.R., O'Neil, J.R., Rea, D.K., and Owen, R.M., 1995, Dissociation of oceanic methane hydrate as a cause of the carbon isotope excursion at the end of the Paleocene: Paleoceanography, v. 10, p. 965-971.
29. Dickens, G.R., Castillo, M.M., and Walker, J.C.G., 1997, A blast of gas in the latest Paleocene: Simulating first-order effects of massive dissociation of oceanic methane hydrate: Geology, v. 25, p. 259-262.
30. Espitalié, J., Deroo, G., and Marquis, F., 1985, La pyrolyse Rock-Eval et ses applications: Revue de l'Institut Français du Pétrole, v. 40, p. 25-89.
31. Gavrilov, Y.O., Kodina, L.A., Lubchenko, I.Y., and Muzylev, N.G., 1997, The late Paleocene anoxic event in epicontinental seas of peri-Tethys and formation of the sapropelite unit: Sedimentology and geochemistry: Lithology and Mineral Resources, v. 32, p. 427-450.
32. Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Owens, J.P., 1993, Latest Paleocene lithologic and biotic events in neritic deposits of southwestern New Jersey: Paleoceanography, v. 8, p. 495-514.
33. Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Mason, D.B., 2000, Stratigraphic and climatic implications of clay mineral changes around the Paleocene/Eocene boundary of the northeastern US margin: Sedimentary Geology, v. 134, p. 65-92.
34. Hallock, P., Premoli-Silva, I., and Boersma, A., 1991, Similarities between planktonic and larger foraminiferal evolutionary trends through Paleogene paleoceanographic changes: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 83, p. 49-64.
35. Haq, B.U., Hardenbol, J., and Vail, P., 1988, Mesozoic and Cenozoic chronostratigraphy and cycles of sea level change, in Wilgus, C.K., et al., eds., Sea-level changes: An integrated approach: Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special Publication 42, p. 71-108.
36. Jones, R.W., 1987, Organic facies: Advances in petroleum geochemistry, v. 2, p. 1-90.
37. Jorissen, F.J., de Stigter, H.C., andWidmark, J.G.V., 1995, A conceptual model explaining benthic foraminiferal microhabits: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 26, p. 3-15.
38. Kaiho, K., Arinobu, T., Ishiwatari, R., Morgans, H.E.G., Okada, H., Takeda, N., Tazaki, K., Zhou, G., Kajiwara, Y., Matsumoto, R., Hirai, A., Niitsuma, N., and Wada, H., 1996, Latest Paleocene benthic foraminiferal extinction and environmental changes at Tawanui, New Zealand: Paleoceanography, v. 11, p. 447-465.
39. Katz, M.E., Pak, D.K., Dickens, G.R., and Miller, K.G., 1999, The source and fate of massive carbon input during the latest Paleocene thermal maximum: Science, v. 286, p. 1531-1533.
40. Kelly, D.C., Bralower, T.J., Zachos, J.C., Premoli Silva, I., and Thomas, E., 1996, Rapid diversification of planktonic foraminifera in the tropical Pacific (ODP Site 865) during the late Paleocene thermal maximum: Geology, v. 24, p. 423-426.
41. Kelly, D.C., Bralower, T.J., and Zachos, J.C., 1998, Evolutionary consequences of the latest Paleocene thermal maximum for tropical planktonic foraminifera: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 141, p. 139-161.
42. Kennett, J.P., and Stott, L.D., 1991, Abrupt deep-sea warming, palaeoceanographic changes and benthic extinctions at the end of the Palaeocene: Nature, v. 353, p. 225-229.
43. Koch, P.L., Zachos, J.C., and Gingerich, P.D., 1992, Correlation between isotope records in marine and continental carbon reservoirs near the Palaeocene/ Eocene boundary: Nature, v. 358, p. 319-322.
44. Koutsoukos, E.A.M., and Hart, M.B., 1990, Cretaceous foraminiferal morphogroup distribution patterns, palaeocommunities and trophic structures: A case study from the Sergipe Basin, Brazil: Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, v. 81, p. 221-246.
45. Kouwenhoven, T.J., Speijer, R.P., Van Oosterhout, C.W.M., and Van der Zwaan, G.J., 1997, Benthic foraminiferal assemblages between two major extinction events; the Paleocene El Kef section, Tunisia: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 29, p. 105-127.
46. Kuhnt, W., Herbin, J.P., Thurow, J., and Wiedmann, J., 1990, Distribution of Cenomanian-Turonian organic facies in the western Mediterranean and along the adjacent Atlantic margin, in Huc, A.Y., ed., Deposition of organic facies, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology, v. 30, p. 133-160.
47. Kump, L.R., and Arthur, M.A., 1999, Interpreting carbon-isotope excursions: Carbonates and organic matter: Chemical Geology, v. 161, p. 181-198.
48. Kuss, J., Scheibner, C., and Gietl, R., 2000, Carbonate to platform transition along an upper Cretaceous to lower Tertiary Syrian Arc uplift, Galala Plateaus, Eastern Desert of Egypt: GeoArabia, v. 5, p. 405-424.
49. Lu, G., Keller, G., Adatte, T., and Benjamini, C., 1996, Abrupt change in the upwelling system along the southern margin of the Tethys during the Paleocene-Eocene transition event: Israel Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 44, p. 185-195.
50. Luger, P., 1985, Stratigraphie der marinen Oberkreide und des Alttertiärs im südwestlichen Obernil-Becken (SW-Ägypten) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Mikropaläontologie, Palökologie und Paläogeographie: Berliner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, Reihe A: Geologie und Paläontologie, v. 63, 151 p.
51. Lüning, S., Marzouk, A.M., and Kuss, J., 1998, The Paleocene of central East Sinai, Egypt: "Sequence stratigraphy" in monotonous hemipelagites: Journal of Foraminiferal Research, v. 28, p. 19-39.
52. Mart, Y., 1991, Some Cretaceous and early Tertiary structures along the distal continental margin of the southeastern Mediterranean: Israel Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 40, p. 77-90.
53. Mello, M.R., Telnaes, N., and Maxwell, J.R., 1995, The hydrocarbon source potential in the Brazilian marginal basins: A geochemical and paleoenvironmental assessment, in Huc, A.Y., ed., Paleogeography, paleoclimate, and source rocks: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 40, p. 233-272.
54. Monechi, S., Angori, E., and Speijer, R.P., 2000, Upper Paleocene biostratigraphy in the Mediterranean region: Zonal markers, diachronism and preservational problems: GFF, v. 122, p. 108-110.
55. Moodley, L., and Hess, C., 1992, Tolerance of infaunal benthic for low and high oxygen concentrations: The Biological Bulletin, v. 183, p. 94-98.
56. Mostafa, A.E.D.R., 1993, Organic geochemistry of source rocks and related crude oils in the Gulf of Suez area, Egypt, 147 of Berliner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, Reihe A: Berlin, Selbstverlag Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, FU Berlin, 163 p.
57. Müller, C., 1985, Late Miocene to recent Mediterranean biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments based on calcareous nannoplankton, in Stanley, D.J., and Wezel, F.C., eds., Geological evolution of the Mediterranean Basin: New York, Springer-Verlag, p. 471-485.
58. Norris, R.D., and Röhl, U., 1999, Carbon cycling and chronology of climate warming during the Palaeocene/Eocene transition: Nature, v. 401, p. 775-778.
59. Olsson, R.K., and Wise, S.W., Jr., 1987, Upper Paleocene to middle Eocene depositional sequences and hiatuses in the New Jersey Atlantic Margin, in Ross, C.A., and Haman, D., eds., Timing and depositional history of eustatic sequences: Constraints on seismic stratigraphy: Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication 24, p. 99-112.
60. Pardo, A., Keller, G., Molina, E., and Canudo, J.I., 1997, Planktic foraminiferal turnover across the Paleocene-Eocene transition at DSDP Site 401, Bay of Biscay, North Atlantic: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 29, p. 129-158.
61. Röhl, U., Bralower, T.J., Norris, R.D., and Wefer, G., 2000, New chronology for the late Paleocene thermal maximum and its environmental implications: Geology, v. 28, p. 927-930.
62. Said, R., 1962, The geology of Egypt: Amsterdam, Elsevier, 377 p.
63. Said, R., 1990, Cenozoic, in Said, R., ed., The geology of Egypt: Rotterdam, Balkema, p. 451-486.
64. Savrda, C.E., and Bottjer, D.J., 1991, Oxygen-related biofacies in marine strata: An overview and update, in Tyson, R.V., and Pearson, T.H., eds., Modern and ancient continental shelf anoxia: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 58, p. 201-219.
65. Schmitz, B., Speijer, R.P., and Aubry, M.-P., 1996, Latest Paleocene benthic extinction event on the southern Tethyan shelf (Egypt): Foraminiferal stable isotopic (δ13C, δ18O) records: Geology, v. 24, p. 347-350.
66. Schmitz, B., Charisi, S.D., Thompson, E.I., and Speijer, R.P., 1997, Barium, SiO2 (excess), and P2O5 as proxies of biological productivity in the Middle East during the Palaeocene and the latest Palaeocene benthic extinction event: Terra Nova, v. 9, p. 95-99.
67. Schulz, M., and Schäfer-Neth, C., 1997, Translating Milankovitch climate forcing into eustatic fluctuations via thermal deep water expansion: A conceptual link: Terra Nova, v. 9, p. 228-231.
68. Sen Gupta, B.K., and Machain-Castillo, M.L., 1993, Benthic foraminifera in oxygen-poor habitats: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 20, p. 183-201.
69. Shahar, J., 1994, The Syrian arc system: An overview: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 112, p. 125-142.
70. Shipboard Scientific Party, 1998, Explanatory notes, in Kroon, D., Norris, R.D., et al., eds., Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Part A, Initial Reports, Leg 171B: College Station, Texas, Ocean Drilling Program, p. 11-44.
71. Sinninghe Damsté, J.S., and Köster, J., 1998, A euxinic southern North Atlantic Ocean during the Cenomanian/Turonian oceanic anoxic event: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 158, p. 165-173.
72. Speijer, R.P., 1994, Extinction and recovery patterns in benthic foraminiferal paleocommunities across the Cretaceous/Paleogene and Paleocene/Eocene boundaries [Ph.D. thesis]: Geologica Ultraiectina, v. 124, 191 p.
73. Speijer, R.P., 1995, The late Paleocene benthic foraminiferal extinction as observed in the Middle East: Bulletin de la Société Belge de Géologie, v. 103, p. 267-280.
74. Speijer, R.P., and Morsi, A.M., 2002, Ostracode turnover and sea-level changes associated with the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum: Geology, v. 30, p. 23-26.
75. Speijer, R.P., and Schmitz, B., 1998, A benthic foraminiferal record of Paleocene sea level and trophic/redox conditions at Gebel Aweina, Egypt: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 137, p. 79-101.
76. Speijer, R.P., Schmitz, B., Aubry, M.-P., and Charisi, S.D., 1996a, The latest Paleocene benthic extinction event: Punctuated turnover in outer neritic foraminiferal faunas from Gebel Aweina, Egypt: Israel Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 44, p. 207-222.
77. Speijer, R.P., Van der Zwaan, G.J., and Schmitz, B., 1996b, The impact of Paleocene/Eocene boundary events on middle neritic benthic foraminiferal assemblages from Egypt: Marine Micropaleontology, v. 28, p. 99-132.
78. Speijer, R.P., Schmitz, B., and Van der Zwaan, G.J., 1997, Benthic foraminiferal extinction and repopulation in response to latest Paleocene Tethyan anoxia: Geology, v. 25, p. 683-686.
79. Speijer, R.P., Schmitz, B., and Luger, P., 2000, Stratigraphy of late Palaeocene events in the Middle East: Implications for low-to middle-latitude successions and correlations: Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 157, p. 37-47.
80. Strouhal, A., 1993, Tongeologische Entwicklungstrends in kretazischen und tertiären Sedimenten Nordostafrikas: Regionale Fallbeispiele: Berliner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, Reihe A: Geologie und Paläontologie, v. 155, 68 p.
81. Thomas, E., 1989, Development of Cenozoic deep-sea benthic foraminiferal faunas in Antarctic waters, in Crame, J.A., ed., Origins and evolution of the Antarctic biota: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 47, p. 283-296.
82. Thomas, E., 1998, Biogeography of the late Paleocene benthic foraminiferal extinction, in Aubry, M.P., Lucas, S.G., and Berggren, W.A., eds., Late Paleocene-early Eocene climatic and biotic events in the marine and terrestrial records: New York, Columbia University Press, p. 214-243.
83. Tissot, B.P., and Welte, D.H., 1984, Petroleum formation and occurrence (second edition): Berlin, Springer-Verlag, 699 p.
84. Tyson, R.V., and Pearson, T.H., 1991, Modern and ancient continental shelf anoxia: An overview, in Tyson, R.V., and Pearson, T.H., eds., Modern and ancient continental shelf anoxia: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 58, p. 1-24.
85. Tyson, R.V. 1987, The genesis and palynofacies characteristics of marine petroleum source rocks, in Brooks, J., and Fleet, A.J., eds., Marine petroleum source rocks: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 26, p. 47-67.
86. van der Zwaan, G.J., Duijnstee, I.A.P., den Dulk, M., Ernst, S.R., Jannink, N.T., and Kouwenhoven, T.J., 1999, Benthic foraminifers: Proxies or problems? A review of paleocological concepts: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 46, p. 213-236.
87. VanMorkhoven, F.P.C.M., Berggren,W.A., and Edwards, A.S., 1986, Cenozoic cosmopolitan deep-water benthic foraminifera: Pau, Elf Aquitaine, Bulletin des Centres de Recherches Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine, Memoir 11, 421 p.
88. van Os, B., Middelburg, J.J., and de Lange, G.J., 1996, Extensive degradation and fractionation of organic matter during subsurface weathering: Aquatic Geochemistry, v. 1, p. 303-312.
89. Wagner, T., and Dupont, L.M., 1999, Terrestrial organic matter in marine sediments: Analytical approaches and eolian-marine records from the central equatorial Atlantic, in Fischer, G., and Wefer, G., eds., The use of proxies in paleoceanography: Examples from the South Atlantic: Heidelberg, Springer-Verlag, p. 547-574.
90. Wagner, T., and Pletsch, T., 1999, Tectono-sedimentary controls on Cretaceous black shale deposition along the opening equatorial Atlantic gateway (ODP Leg 159), in Cameron, N.R., Bate, R.H., and Clure, V.S., eds., The oil and gas habitats of the South Atlantic: Geological Society [London] Special Publication 153, p. 241-265.
91. Wignall, P.B., 1994, Black shales: Oxford, Oxford University Press, Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics 30, 127 p.
92. Zachos, J.C., Lohmann, K.C., Walker, J.C.G., and Wise, S.W., 1993, Abrupt climate changes and transient climates during the Paleogene: A marine perspective: Journal of Geology, v. 101, p. 191-213.