Abstract
Diverse assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts occur in Coniacian-Maastrichtian sedimentary sequences in Israel, which represent the inner (shallower) and outer (deeper, seaward) belt of a Late Cretaceous upwelling system along the margin of the southern Tethys. The assemblages are composed mainly of peridinioid (P) and gonyaulacoid (G) cysts in varying concentrations. It is suggested that the observed fluctuations in the numerical peridinioid/gonyaulacoid (P/G) cyst ratio reflect mainly changes in upwelling intensity and productivity in the studied area: high P/G values represent a higher productivity and vice versa. The P/G curve indicates a generally high productivity during the Campanian, followed by a decrease during the Maastrichtian. The inner part of the upwelling region is characterized by higher P/G values, representing a higher productivity. The similarity between the P/G ratio curve and the foraminiferal-based paleoproductivity curve from the same sections supports the utility of the P/G ratio as a reliable productivity indicator, applied here for the first time to Upper Cretaceous sediments.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 231-240 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Marine Micropaleontology |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1994 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This researcwha sc onductewdi thint hef rame-worko f projecNt o. 30010o ft heG eologicaSlu r-veyo f Israel.I t wasp artlyf undedb y the Belfer Centeor f EnergyR esearchg,r antN o. 032-7100, and the Ministryo f Energya ndInfrastructure. We thankI . Perathf or editoriaal ssistancaen d H. BrinkhuisB, . Dalea ndG .L. Williamsf ortheir usefucl ommenotsn t hem anuscripAt.. Pe'era nd R. Kalbop reparetdh ed iagrams.