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First evidence for the Cenomanian–Turonian oceanic anoxic event (OAE2, ‘Bonarelli’ event) from the Ionian Zone, western continental Greece - International Journal of Earth Sciences

  • ️Jenkyns, Hugh C.
  • ️Fri Jun 02 2006

Abstract

Integrated biostratigraphic (planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils), chemostratigraphic (bulk C and O isotopes) and compound-specific organic geochemical studies of a mid-Cretaceous pelagic carbonate—black shale succession of the Ionian Zone (western Greece), provide the first evidence for the Cenomanian–Turonian oceanic anoxic event (OAE2, ‘Bonarelli’ event) in mainland Greece. The event is manifested by the occurrence of a relatively thin (35 cm), yet exceptionally organic carbon-rich (44.5 wt% TOC), carbonate-free black shale, near the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary within the Vigla limestone formation (Berriasian–Turonian). Compared to the ‘Bonarelli’ black-shale interval from the type locality of OAE2 in Marche–Umbria, Italy, this black shale exhibits greatly reduced stratigraphic thickness, coupled with a considerable relative enrichment in TOC. Isotopically, enriched δ13C values for both bulk organic matter (−22.2‰) and specific organic compounds are up to 5‰ higher than those of underlying organic-rich strata of the Aptian-lower Albian Vigla Shale member, and thus compare very well with similar values of Cenomanian–Turonian black shale occurrences elsewhere. The relative predominance of bacterial hopanoids in the saturated, apolar lipid fraction of the OAE2 black shale of the Ionian Zone supports recent findings suggesting the abundance of N2-fixing cyanobacteria in Cretaceous oceans during the Cenomanian–Turonian and early Aptian oceanic anoxic events.

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Acknowledgements

The project is co-funded by the European Social Fund and National Resources (EPEAEK II) PYTHAGORAS II. We wish to thank I. Bakopoulos (University of Athens) for assisting with the field component of this work, J. Cartlidge and T. O’Connell (University of Oxford) for performing the bulk isotopic analyses, and S. Schouten (NIOZ) for facilitating the acquisition of compound-specific stable isotope data. Much of the analytical work for this study was done while H. Tsikos was a guest scientist at NIOZ during late 2003 and early 2004.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 157 84, Attiki, Greece

    Vassilis Karakitsios

  2. Department of Geology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Harilaos Tsikos

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PR, UK

    Hugh C. Jenkyns

  4. Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ), 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands

    Yvonne van Breugel & Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté

  5. Museum of Natural History, Municipality of Amaroussion, 15122, Attiki, Greece

    Lyda Koletti

Authors

  1. Vassilis Karakitsios

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  2. Harilaos Tsikos

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  3. Yvonne van Breugel

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  4. Lyda Koletti

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  5. Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté

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  6. Hugh C. Jenkyns

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Correspondence to Vassilis Karakitsios.

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Karakitsios, V., Tsikos, H., van Breugel, Y. et al. First evidence for the Cenomanian–Turonian oceanic anoxic event (OAE2, ‘Bonarelli’ event) from the Ionian Zone, western continental Greece. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 96, 343–352 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-006-0096-4

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  • Received: 06 September 2004

  • Accepted: 06 March 2006

  • Published: 02 June 2006

  • Issue Date: April 2007

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-006-0096-4

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