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  • Chronology of the sedimentary processes during the postglacial sea level rise in two estuaries of the Algarve coast, Southern Portugal
    Publication . Boski, T.; Camacho, Sarita; Moura, Delminda; Fletcher, William; Wilamowski, A.; Veiga-Pires, C.; Correia, Victor; Loureiro, C.; Santana, Paulo
    Four profiles of estuarine sediments obtained from boreholes drilled in the Algarve, Southern Portugal were studied in order to reconstruct the process of sediment accumulation driven by the postglacial sea level rise. In addition to the sedimentological analysis, the Foraminifera Index of Marine Influence (FIMI) permitted assessment of the nature and organization of sedimentary facies in the BelicheeGuadiana and Gilão-Almargem estuaries. The Beliche- Guadiana CM5 and Almargem G2 profiles accumulated in a sheltered environment, with the former presenting an almost continuous record of the sea level rise since ca 13 000 cal yr BP. The G1 and G3 profiles from the Gilão-Almargem area represent a more discontinuous record of the last 8000 years, which accumulated in the more dynamic environment of an outer estuary. The integration of all radiocarbon ages of dated levels, led to an estimate of sediment accumulation rates. Assuming a constant position of the sediment surface with respect to the tidal range and a negligible compaction of sediment, the sea level rose at the rate of 7 mm yr ^-1 in the period from 13 000 to 7500 cal yr BP. This process slowed down to ca 0.9 mm yr 1 from 7500 cal yr BP until the present. The marked historical change in the rate of sediment accumulation in these estuaries also occurred with the accumulation of organic matter and is, therefore, important data for global biogeochemical models of carbon. The main obstacle to obtain higher temporal resolution of the sedimentary processes was the intense anaerobic respiration of organic matter via sulphate reduction, which did not allow any accumulation of peat and, furthermore, led to erasure of the palaeontological record by acid formed from the subsequent oxidation of sulphides.
  • Postglacial sea-level rise and sedimentar response in the Guadiana Estuary, Portugal/Spain border
    Publication . Boski, T.; Moura, Delminda; Veiga-Pires, C.; Camacho, Sarita; Duarte, Duarte; Scott, David; Fernandes, Sandro
    The study of sedimentological features, foraminifera and molluscan fauna in samples recovered from four rotary boreholes permitted, after 14C dating, the first assessment of the post-glacial transgression in Guadiana River Estuary. The Holocene sequence is underlain by coarse sediments from delta fan enclosing continental swamp deposits dated 16980 year BP. The Holocene sedimentary sequence was deposited either directly on this delta fan gravels or on top of fluvial sands deposited probably between 11000 and 10000 yr BP. An accelerated phase of the estuary infilling by clayey sediments containing the saltmarsh foraminifer Trochammina, began ca. 9800 year BP, when sea level was about 39 m below present. Between 7500 and 7000 year BP, the central part of the estuary started to accommodate coarser sediments, partially introduced from the continental shelf. The first phase of Holocene sea-level rise at a rate of 0.85 m/century terminated ca. 6500 year BP. Since then, lagoonal sediments in the vicinity of the estuary have been enclosed behind sand spits and predominantly sandy sedimentation was initiated within the estuary. After a second phase of slower rise at the rate of 0.3 m/century, which lasted until ca. 5000 year BP, the sea approached the present level.
  • Palaeosurface reconstruction based on sedimentary record and in sea level evolution in the Guadiana Estuary (Southern Iberia)
    Publication . Loureiro, C.; Boski, T.; Albardeiro, L.; Moura, Delminda; Terefenko, P.; Camacho, Sarita; Veiga-Pires, C.
    The sedimentary infilling of the Guadiana estuary, in the Southern Iberian Peninsula, has been extensively studied using a variety of laboratory methods, namely geochemical and sedimentological analyses, foraminifera assemblages and palynological profiles, supported by 14C dating [1-3](...)
  • Postglacial sea-level rise in South Portugal as recorded in Guadiana Estuary
    Publication . Boski, T.; Moura, Delminda; Camacho, Sarita; Duarte, Duarte; Scott, David; Veiga-Pires, C.; Pedro, Paulo; Santana, Paulo
    The Guadiana River Estuary is located in the terminal part of a deeply incised river valley, which accumulated several tens of meters of sediments during the Holocenic transgression. Five cored boreholes (see Fig.1 for localisation) that reached the pre-Holocenic substratum were drilled recently in order to recognize the architecture of sedimentary facies and to quantify the accumulation of organic carbon trapped in sediments during the valley infilling by marine waters. It was assumed that due to structural constraints imposed by Palaeozoic and Mezozoic substratum, the main estuarine channel did not change its position significantly. Consequently borehole locations were chosen in order to represent different sedimentary environments in the estuary: proximity to the main channel (CM1 and CM3), external sea facing (CM4) and lagoonal (CM2 and CM5) environments.
  • Postglacial organic carbon accumulation in coastal zones-A possible cause for varying atmospheric CO2 levels: preliminary data from SW Portugal
    Publication . Boski, T.; Moura, Delminda; Correia, Victor; Martins, H.; Veiga-Pires, C.; Camacho, Sarita; Wilamowski, A.
    We report the preliminary data on organic carbon accumulation rates which are being determined in the infill sequences of several estuaries, in the coastal fringe of Algarve (S Portugal). The so far analysed sedimentary sequences of Guadiana River estuary represent the time span from ca 10000 yr. cal BP to present. The obtained data indicate that until ca 7000 yr. cal BP, i.e. during the period of fast sea level rise, organic carbon accumulated at an average rate ranging from 160 to 320 gm yr . In the Middle and Upper Holocene, when the sea level rise was not exceeding 25cm/century the organic carbon accumulation rate dropped to an average value of ca 50 gm yr . The analysis of gas bubble content from ice cores indicates that the atmospheric CO concentration evolved during the last glacial/interglacial transition, from 180 ppv minimum during the LGM to the 270 ppmV preindustrial level. Considering that the terrestrial particulate organic matter is an essential fertiliser of the ocean, it is postulated that enhanced burial of POM in the coastal areas during the period of fast postglacial sea level rise is responsible for decrease of primary productivity in the open ocean and consequent transfer of 200 Gt. ofCto the atmosphere.