Modelos de sedimentación de carbonatos templados en el Plioceno de la Cuenca de Carboneras

Resumen

Temperate carbonates with abundant remains of coralline algae, bryozoans and bivalves accumulated in the Carboneras basin, a small embayment of the Mediterranean Sea in SE Spain, during the lower Pliocene. Within this basin, three distinct sedimentary models co-existed at a time: a) On the steep northern margin, a prograding distally steepened ramp with well-marked, platform-slope clinoforms. In this context, bivalves extensively colonized the outer platform, while rhodolith pavements covered the platform-edge area. This margin was affected by southeasterly wind-driven storms, which mobilized coarse-grained, bioclastic sediments from the platform and redeposited them as storm layers on the platform-slope, b) On the southern margin of the basin, a spit-platform, formed by longshore currents driven by southeasterly winds, on top of which some shoals developed. These shoals were dismantled from time to time by northeastern storms and the removed sediment deposited at the lee-side slope of the spit-platform; c) On the gentle and protected western margin, a homoclinal ramp, with oyster banks, rhodolith pavements and small coralline algal/bryozoan/bivalve buildups colonizing inner to outer-ramp settings