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Oligocene Rhodolith Beds in the Central Mediterranean Area

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Rhodolith/Maërl Beds: A Global Perspective

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 15))

Abstract

During the Oligocene, extensive carbonate platforms developed in the central Mediterranean. These areas were colonized by different organisms, being the coralline algae one of the most important contributors to the carbonate production. Red algae produced sediments in shallow seagrass environments, however dominate the mesophotic and oligophotic zones where produced rhodolith beds. The diffusion of red algae during the Oligocene was favoured by reduction in atmospheric CO2, a rise in seawater alkalinity and increasing Mg/Ca ratios. This chapter deals with these deposits analyzing the depositional models and the controlling factors accounting for the origin of rhodolith beds.

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Acknowledgments

Grazia Vannucci is gratefully acknowledged for discussion and collaboration through the years. The constructive criticisms and the comments by Juan C. Braga and Julio Aguirre are greatly appreciated. This work was supported by PRIN Project 2010–2011. Gabriel Walton is thanked for the revision of the English text.

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  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, La Sapienza Università di Roma, P. A. Moro 5, I-00185, Rome, Italy

    Marco Brandano

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  1. Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad de Baja California Sur, La Paz, BCS, Mexico

    Rafael Riosmena-Rodríguez

  2. School of Biological Sciences University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Wendy Nelson

  3. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    Julio Aguirre

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Brandano, M. (2017). Oligocene Rhodolith Beds in the Central Mediterranean Area. In: Riosmena-Rodríguez, R., Nelson, W., Aguirre, J. (eds) Rhodolith/Maërl Beds: A Global Perspective. Coastal Research Library, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29315-8_8

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