HOLOCENE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ON THE ALGARVE COAST: A DIATOM-BASED STUDY

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Publications

Modern diatom assemblages as tools for paleoenvironmental reconstruction: a case study from estuarine intertidal zones in southern Iberia

Publication . Gomes, Ana; Boski, T.; Moura, Delminda; Szkornik, Katie; Witkowski, Andrzej; Connor, Simon; Laut, Lazaro; Sobrinho, Frederico; Oliveira, Sónia

Diatoms are unicellular algae that live in saline, brackish and freshwater environments, either floating in the water column or associated with various substrates (e.g., muddy and sandy sediments). Diatoms are sensitive to changes in environmental variables such as salinity, sediment texture, nutrient availability, light and temperature. This characteristic, along with their short lifespan, allows diatoms to quickly respond to environmental changes. Since the beginning of the 20th century, diatoms have been widely used to study the Holocene evolution of estuaries worldwide, particularly to reconstruct ecological responses to sea-level and climate changes. However, diatoms have been poorly studied in estuarine intertidal zones, due to the complexity of these environments, which have both fluvial and marine influences.

2017Conference object

Open Access

O registo de diatomáceas e foraminiferos da Ria Formosa (Sul da Península Ibérica): uma contribuição para a compreensão da evolução Holocénica do sistema lagunar.

Publication . Gomes, Ana; Pereira, Laura; Boski, T.; Connor, Simon; Mendes da Silva de Sousa, Carlos A; Oliveira, Sónia; Santana, Paulo

As part of a multi-proxy study to reconstruct the Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa Lagoon, diatom and foraminifera assemblages were analyzed in a ca. 24.6-m-deep borehole, which crossed the entire infill sequence of the local paleovalley. Except in a few samples, diatom assemblages were generally poorly preserved, whereas foraminiferal assemblages were mostly well preserved. In the core depths interval from 23.5 and 3.2 m, both proxies indicate a marine environment installed during the progressive flooding of the fluvial valley during the Holocene. Above 3.2-m, both proxies

2013Conference object

Open Access

The Holocene history of the Guadiana estuary as told by diatoms and chrysophyte cysts

Publication . Gomes, A.I.; Boski, T.; Moura, Delminda; Szkornik, Katie; Connor, Simon; Witkowski, Andrzej

In order to tell the history of the Guadiana Estuary since the Last Glacial Maximum, a core collected therein, and spanning more than 13200 cal. years B.P., was studied regarding its diatom and chrysophyte cyst fossil records. Additionally, a diatom-based transfer function was used to reconstruct paleo-salinity and paleo-duration of tidal inundation to better understand the estuary’s evolution in relation to sea-level rise and climate changes. This study identifies some important climatic events, such as the Allerød climatic optimum, the Younger Dryas and three dry and cold events at 10600, 9100 and 7600 cal. years B.P., most of which were not identified by other proxies. Moreover, it also revealed that, prior to 13200 cal. years B.P., there was a mudflat environment in the place where the core was collected, consistent with an estuary slightly confined in the narrow valley under marine/tidal influence. Afterwards, this environment evolved into a salt marsh. The strongest marine influence was inferred to the period between 10000 and 7000 cal. years B.P., embracing a phase of rapid sea-level rise, non compensated by sedimentation, that favored the development of a mudflat. From this period onwards, diatom assemblages seem to indicate an evolution to a more enclosed environment, probably similar to the actual configuration of the area.

2015-09Conference object

Open Access