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| Titel |
Decline of coral reefs during late Paleocene to early Eocene global warming |
| VerfasserIn |
C. Scheibner, R. P. Speijer |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1815-381X
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: eEarth ; 3, no. 1 ; Nr. 3, no. 1 (2008-07-10), S.19-26 |
| Datensatznummer |
250000777
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/ee-3-19-2008.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Since the 1980s the frequency of warming events has intensified and
simultaneously widespread coral bleaching, and enhanced coral mortality have
been observed. Yet, it remains unpredictable how tropical coral reef
communities will react to prolonged adverse conditions. Possibly, coral reef
systems are sufficiently robust to withstand continued environmental
pressures. But if coral mortality increases, what will platform communities
of the future look like? The co-evolution of early Paleogene carbonate
platforms and palaeoclimate may provide insight. Here we document the impact
of early Paleogene global warming on shallow-water carbonate platforms in
the Tethys. Between 59 and 55 Ma, three discrete stages in platform
development can be identified Tethys-wide: during the first stage carbonate
platforms mainly consisted of coralgal reefs; during the second –
transitional – stage coralgal reefs thrived only at middle latitudes and
gave way to larger foraminifera as dominant carbonate producer in low
latitudes; finally, during the third stage, newly developing larger
foraminifera lineages completely took over the role as main
carbonate-producing organisms in low to middle latitudes. We postulate that
rising temperatures led to a stepwise demise of Paleocene coral reefs,
giving way to an unprecedented expansion of larger foraminifera, dominating
Tethyan platforms during the early Eocene. |
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