Latitudinal migration of calcareous nannofossil Micula murus in the Maastrichtian: implications for global climate change

TY - JOUR

T1 - Latitudinal migration of calcareous nannofossil Micula murus in the Maastrichtian

T2 - implications for global climate change

AU - Thibault, Nicolas Rudolph

AU - Gardin, Silvia

AU - Galbrun, Bruno

PY - 2010/3

Y1 - 2010/3

N2 - Micula murus is one of the main calcareous nannofossil biostratigrapic markers of Tethyan and Intermediate provinces in the upper Maastrichtian (uppermost Cretaceous). A review of its first occurrence at 14 deep-sea sites and sections shows that it is time transgressive from the Tropical Realm of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the intermediate latitudes of the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the northern Tethys. M. murus remained confined to the Tropical Realm for ~1.2 m.y. in the early-late Maastrichtian, thus supporting high-latitudinal thermal gradients. It subsequently spread out in the late Maastrichtian to temperate latitudes and to the Tethys in coincidence with the onset of a thermohaline circulation change ca. 67.5 Ma, suggesting a major change in surface-water circulation and interocean communications.

AB - Micula murus is one of the main calcareous nannofossil biostratigrapic markers of Tethyan and Intermediate provinces in the upper Maastrichtian (uppermost Cretaceous). A review of its first occurrence at 14 deep-sea sites and sections shows that it is time transgressive from the Tropical Realm of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the intermediate latitudes of the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the northern Tethys. M. murus remained confined to the Tropical Realm for ~1.2 m.y. in the early-late Maastrichtian, thus supporting high-latitudinal thermal gradients. It subsequently spread out in the late Maastrichtian to temperate latitudes and to the Tethys in coincidence with the onset of a thermohaline circulation change ca. 67.5 Ma, suggesting a major change in surface-water circulation and interocean communications.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0091-7613

VL - 38

SP - 203

EP - 206

JO - Geology

JF - Geology

ER -