Amnon Rosenfeld

Relative Sea Level Changes During the Cretaceous in Israel

Detailed lithologic, microfaunal, and biometric investigations, using relative abundances, diversity indexes, and duration charts of ostracods and foraminifera, allowed the recognition of sea level changes during the Cretaceous of Israel. Three major transgressive-regressive sedimentation cycles occur on the northwest margins of the Arabian craton. These cycles are the Neocomian-Aptian, which is mostly terrigenous sediments; the Albian-Turonian, which is basin marls and platform carbonates; and the Senonian, which is uniform marly chalks. The cycles are separated by two major regional unconformities, the Aptian-Albian and Turonian-Coniacian boundaries. The sedimentary cycles are related to regional tectonic and volcanic events and eustatic changes. The paleodepth curve il ustrates the gradual sea level rise, reaching its maximum during the Late Cretaceous, with conspicuous advances during the late Aptian, late Albian-Cenomanian, early Turonian, early Santonian, and early Campanian. Major lowstands occur at the Aptian-Albian, Cenomanian-Turonian, Turonian-Coniacian, and Campanian-Maastrichtian boundaries. This model for Israel agrees well with other regional and global sea level fluctuations. Four anoxic events (black shales) accompanying transgressions correspond to the Cretaceous oceanic record. We hypothesize the presence of mature oil shales in the present-day eastern Mediterranean basin close to allochthonous reef blocks detached from the Cretaceous platform.

Mid-turonian anoxic event in Israel — a multidisciplinary approach

Abstract Bituminous marls of the Daliyya Formation with up to 2% total organic carbon content, from the Galame quarry, Mount Carmel, northern Israel were studied. A great part of the organic matter is composed of exceptionally abundant dinoflagellate cysts. These sapropelic sediments were deposited in oxygen-depleted, quiet waters in a shelf basin. The massive encystment and good preservation of the cysts, chitinous test linings of foraminifers and the occurrence of pyrite also indicate reducing environments. Primary production was stimulated by upwelling of nutrient-rich oceanic waters, influx of fresh-water and derivates from the Mount Carmel volcanism. A middle Turonian age was determined on the basis of planktonic foraminifers ( Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica zone) and ostracodes ( Cythereis rawashensis kenaanensis zone). The anoxic event in the studied area post-dated the main phase of the global Late Cenomanian-Early Turonian anoxic event OAE-2, due to a pre-existing structural high in this region.

Detailed biostratigraphy of the Santonian/Campanian boundary interval in Northern Israel

One of the best continuous and fossiliferous Late Santonian-Early Campanian successions in Israel is the approximately 6m thick Kabri section in northern Israel. Its chalky marls were deposited in an outer shelf to upper slope environment with minor depth fluctuations. This Santonian/Campanian interval was studied examining calcareous nannoplankton, palynomorphs, ostracods and benthonic and planktonic foraminifera. The planktonic foraminiferal Dicarinella asymetrica - Globotruncanita elevata concurrent range zone was first observed in Israel in the Kabri section. The first occurrence of Aspidolithus parcus parcus herein is characterized by small specimens, difficult to determine by light microscopy. The lower boundary of the Campanian in this sequence was defined by the first occurrence of G. elevata, in accordance with the ammonite stage definition. This datum line nearly coincides with the first occurrence of the nannofossil marker A. parcus parcus and with the base of the Leguminocythereis dorsocostata (S-4) ostracod zone, both slightly above the foraminiferal boundary.

Combined ostracod and planktonic foraminiferal biozonation of the Late Coniacian – Early Maastrichtian in Israel

The distribution and zonation of planktonic foraminifera and ostracods during the Late Coniacian – Early Maastrichtian succession in Israel was studied in detail from six surface sections. The combination of contemporaneous biozones led to a more accurate age determination of the local ostracod zones, according to the Tethyan planktonic foraminiferal zonation. The configuration of the biozones of both taxa presents more datum lines for stratigraphic correlation of the Senonian strata of Israel. Three new ostracod species were described from Campanian sediments: Cytherelloidea zinensis, Loxoconcha hebraica and Cristaeleberis ordinata.

Palaeocene ostracods from southern Israel

Abstract Palaeocene ostracods from Israel are described for the first time. From four sections from the northern Negev, a common to rare ostracods assemblage, consisting of twenty species belonging to fourteen genera, was recovered. The ostracod faunas indicate an outer shelf — upper slope environment with normal marine conditions. Many of the ostracod taxa have a long stratigraphical range (Santonian/Campanian — Eocene) and a wide geographical distribution throughout the Middle East and Africa. Martinicythere bassiounii is described as a new species.

The middle Turonian Daliyya type section in Israel: biostratigraphy, palaeoenvironment and sea-level changes

The type section of the marly Daliyya Formation in Daliyat el Karmil, northern Israel, has been examined for planktonic foraminifera and ostracods. The coexisting assemblages of the upper part of the Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica total range zone (= Marginotruncana sigali interval zone) and of the Cythereis rawashensis kenaanensis assemblage zone indicate that this succession is middle Turonian in age. The depth of deposition varied from neritic (100–200 m) to shallow (≈50 m) with a short littoral episode. The palaeobathymetric oscillations agree rather well with global sea-level changes. Included in this paper are taxonomic remarks on some of the foraminifera and ostracods.