Messinian events in the Sorbas Basin in southeastern Spain and their implications in the recent history of the Mediterranean

摘要: Abstract The Messinian (Late Miocene) marine stratigraphic record of the Sorbas Basin (S.E. Spain) is well preserved and can be considered as being representative entire western Mediterranean. It exhibits a series features relating to: (1) composition, characteristics evolution coral reefs; (2) changes between temperate subtropical climates; (3) extensive development microbial carbonates (stromatolites thrombolites) at end Messinian. Each these has global significance. Porites , which major almost only component in reefs, heavily encrusted with stromatolites. These reefs grew edge belt were totally eliminated because cooling. Lowermost-Messinian carbonate sediments reflect climate, whereas those immediately above, contain bioherms coastal are subtropical. shift from to conditions during early was accompanied by an important change water circulation within Temperate times marked cold surface Atlantic waters entering Mediterranean, coincided warm Mediterranean east. thermally stratified, favoured deposition euxinic marls diatomites centre basin. upwelling nutrient-rich promoted stromatolite Halimeda growth on adjacent slopes. Lastly, attained giant dimensions late Messinian, regarded measure their success occupying variety ecological niches. This abundance available habitats believed have resulted “salinity crisis”, followed re-colonization In this context proliferation due opportunism communities colonizing new environments, rather than complete absence other competitive biota. We do not believe that hypersaline causal factor normal-marine biota associated them.