Hamid Slimani

Dinoflagellate cysts from the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary at Ouled Haddou, southeastern Rif, Morocco: biostratigraphy, paleoenvironments and paleobiogeography

A palynological investigation of a section dated by foraminifera, at Ouled Haddou, south-eastern Rifian Corridor, northern Morocco, revealed a rich and well-preserved dinoflagellate cyst assemblage that allowed a palynological separation of Maastrichtian from Danian deposits. The gradual change of the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages and the biostratigraphic resolution attained, suggest that the studied Maastrichtian—Danian section is continuous. The recognition of the latest Maastrichtian and earliest Danian is based on global dinoflagellate cyst events, including the first occurrence of the latest Maastrichtian species Disphaerogena carposphaeropsis, Glaphyrocysta perforata, and Manumiella seelandica, the latest Maastrichtian acme of Manumiella seelandica, and the first occurrence of the earliest Danian markers Carpatella cornuta, Damassadinium californicum, Eisenackia circumtabulata, Membrani-larnacia tenella and Senoniasphaera inornata. The Cretaceous—Paleogene boundary is placed above the latest Maastrichtian events, mainly immediately above the acme of M. seelandica and below the earliest Danian events, particularly below the first occurrences of C. cornuta and D. californicum. The biostratigraphic interpretations are based on a comparison with calibrated dinoflagellate cyst ranges from several reference sections, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere middle latitudes. The Cretaceous—Paleogene boundary is not marked by a mass extinction of dinoflagellate cyst species, but shows important changes in the relative abundances of different species or groups of morphologically related species. These changes are paleoenvironmentally controlled. The peridinioid assemblage suggests deposition in a subtropical to warm temperate province. One dinoflagellate cyst species, Phelodinium elongatum, is formally described.

Connecting the Chalk Group of the Campine Basin to the dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy of the Campanian to Danian in borehole Meer (northern Belgium)

A palynological study of the Chalk Group (Campanian-Danian) in the Meer borehole (northern Belgium), which penetrated the thickest succession known in the Campine Basin, has revealed diverse, well-preserved organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. The succession contains numerous chronostratigraphically significant dinocyst events, which are based mainly on the highest consistent occurrences of index species. At least 35 bio-events have enabled a subdivision into nine intervals, at stage or substage level, within the Campanian to Danian interval, as based on comparison with coeval assemblages elsewhere in northwest Europe, inclusive of stratotypes of stages and stage boundaries. Bio-events allow correlation of the section studied with the Campanian Exochosphaeridium? masureae, Areoligera coronata and Samlandia mayi zones, the Maastrichtian Pervosphaeridium tubuloaculeatum, Deflandrea galeata and Hystrichostrogylon coninckii zones, and the Danian Damassadinium californicum Zone. In addition, a correlation with other zonal schemes for the southern North Sea Basin and with conventional northwest European belemnite zones is presented. Comparisons with Boreal and Tethyan realms confirm that most bio-events may also be useful for interregional and global correlation. The Campanian-Danian dinocyst biostratigraphy of the Meer borehole is put alongside geophysical well logs and an ecozonation, in order to check the validity of lithostratigraphical correlations across the Campine Basin. This first, detailed correlation attempt shows that sensitivities to facies change associated with differences in accommodation space and sediment supply appear to be at the base of slight, yet consistent, shifts between the local lithological succession and the standard lithostratigraphical scheme of the Maastricht type area.

New species of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts from the Maastrichtian–Danian boundary interval at Ouled Haddou, northern Morocco

Slimani, H., Louwye, S. & Toufiq, A., September 2012. New species of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts from the Maastrichtian–Danian boundary interval at Ouled Haddou, northern Morocco. Alcheringa 36, 341–358. ISSN 0311-5518. Seven new dinoflagellate cyst species and subspecies, previously figured under open nomenclature, from Maastrichtian and Danian deposits of Ouled Haddou (eastern external Rif Chain) in northern Morocco are formally described, and their stratigraphic ranges are clarified. Conosphaeridium lifum sp. nov. and Kenleyia chabaka sp. nov. have fibrous and reticulate wall surfaces, respectively. Oligosphaeridium saghirum sp. nov. is a small cyst with funnel-shaped distal process extremities. Spiniferella cornuta subsp. kacira subsp. nov. and Fibrocysta brevispinosa sp. nov. are distinguishable by their very short processes. Riculacysta chaouka sp. nov. is characterized by its perforate spinose ectophragm. Andalusiella bacita sp. nov. is a small and spindle-shaped cyst with only a single antapical horn.

A new genus and two new species of dinoflagellate cysts from the Upper Cretaceous of the Maastrichtian type area and Turnhout (northern Belgium)

Abstract Campanian and Maastrichtian chalks from Beutenaken and Hallembaye quarries in the Maastrichtian type area and from the Turnhout borehole in northern Belgium contain two new dinoflagellate cysts, Batiacasphaera solida, Slimani sp. nov. and Neosphaerodictyon filosum, Slimani gen. et sp. nov. Batiacasphaera solida is coarsely granulate to tuberculate. The type of the new genus Neosphaerodictyon is a chorate gonyaulacoid, bearing 1 filamentous process per plate and with an apical archeopyle (tA) and characteristic reticulate periphragm. Both have distinctive morphologies and restricted occurrences in the Campanian (B. solida) and in the Campanian and Early Maastrichtian (N. filosum) stages, and are therefore considered to be potential stratigraphical markers.

Models of Digital Educational Resources Indexing and Dynamic User Profile Evolution

The modelling of the user profile and its integration into the search process is an effective way in personalized information search within a repository of educational digital resources. Therefore, it raises gradually the issue concerning the dynamic development of this profile so as the information requester sets up queries. In our approach presented in this paper, we propose two models for personalized search on digital educational resources. The first is to establish an index of repository resources while the second is to build the user profile and boost its evolution after each query submitted by the user based on a classical Bayesian network representing a search activity.

Sharing the digital pedagogical resources among institutions of higher education in Morocco

In this paper, we tackle the issue of inventory of digital resources within institutions of higher education in Morocco. We also raise the issue regarding the lack of centralization, sharing, and archiving of resources among these institutions. We aim to create a model of a Moroccan bank of digital resources. We then present a solution detailing the concept of repository of digital resources and adopting the ORI-OAI model. We will modify such a model so that every query on the search engine triggers a result that match the profile of the user who makes the search.

New junior synonyms of the Late Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts Membranigonyaulax wilsonii Slimani 1994 and Turnhosphaera hypoflata (Yun 1981) Slimani 1994

The Late Cretaceous organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst species Microdinium? sincfalensis Louwye 1997 and Invertocysta flandriensis Louwye 1997 are considered to be junior synonyms of Membranigonyaulax wilsonii Slimani 1994 and Turnhosphaera hypoflata (Yun 1981) Slimani 1994, respectively.