Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis

The Neuquén Basin is a stratigraphically- and economically-important Early Cretaceous depocentre located in west-central Argentina. The Early Valanginian to Early Barremian succession (upper Vaca Muerta, Mulichinco and Agrio Formations) contains a rich fossil record, with abundant bivalves and ammon...

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Publicado: 2008
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Acceso en línea:https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo
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spelling paper:paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo2025-07-30T17:38:00Z Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis Bivalves Brachiopods Corals Echinoids Geochemistry Palaeoecology Serpulids abundance biostratigraphy bivalve brachiopod coral Cretaceous depocenter echinoderm fossil record geochemistry hydrodynamics isotopic analysis oxygen isotope paleoecology paleosalinity reef shell volcanic island water temperature Argentina Neuquen Neuquen Basin Pacific Ocean South America Ammonoidea Anthozoa Bivalvia Brachiopoda Echinoida Ostreidae Serpulidae The Neuquén Basin is a stratigraphically- and economically-important Early Cretaceous depocentre located in west-central Argentina. The Early Valanginian to Early Barremian succession (upper Vaca Muerta, Mulichinco and Agrio Formations) contains a rich fossil record, with abundant bivalves and ammonoids. Palaeosalinities are determined systematically throughout the succession, based on an oxygen isotope analysis of unaltered oyster shells from two localities in Neuquén province. A total of 188 oyster samples from 52 stratigraphic levels were processed. A total of 52 mean values of δ18O isotope are used to calculate palaeosalinities, assuming an estimated water temperature of 25 °C. The observed range of palaeosalinities, between the maximum and the minimum, is 19, which is in conflict with published accounts of this being a fully marine succession. The isotopic data are combined with independent faunal evidence to evaluate palaeosalinity variation both laterally and temporally. Significant fluctuations in water salinity are indicated, with a clear tendency to increase from brachyhaline to euhaline and near hyperhaline conditions through time. The fluctuations were probably due to dilution from normal marine water, caused primarily by variations in rainfall and continental runoff. In addition, the presence of a volcanic island arc along the western margin of the basin may have at least partially isolated the basin from the marine waters of the Pacific Ocean. Also, a gulf-shaped basin may have inhibited hydrodynamic exchange with the ocean while enhancing retention of continental waters. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 2008 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
topic Bivalves
Brachiopods
Corals
Echinoids
Geochemistry
Palaeoecology
Serpulids
abundance
biostratigraphy
bivalve
brachiopod
coral
Cretaceous
depocenter
echinoderm
fossil record
geochemistry
hydrodynamics
isotopic analysis
oxygen isotope
paleoecology
paleosalinity
reef
shell
volcanic island
water temperature
Argentina
Neuquen
Neuquen Basin
Pacific Ocean
South America
Ammonoidea
Anthozoa
Bivalvia
Brachiopoda
Echinoida
Ostreidae
Serpulidae
spellingShingle Bivalves
Brachiopods
Corals
Echinoids
Geochemistry
Palaeoecology
Serpulids
abundance
biostratigraphy
bivalve
brachiopod
coral
Cretaceous
depocenter
echinoderm
fossil record
geochemistry
hydrodynamics
isotopic analysis
oxygen isotope
paleoecology
paleosalinity
reef
shell
volcanic island
water temperature
Argentina
Neuquen
Neuquen Basin
Pacific Ocean
South America
Ammonoidea
Anthozoa
Bivalvia
Brachiopoda
Echinoida
Ostreidae
Serpulidae
Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
topic_facet Bivalves
Brachiopods
Corals
Echinoids
Geochemistry
Palaeoecology
Serpulids
abundance
biostratigraphy
bivalve
brachiopod
coral
Cretaceous
depocenter
echinoderm
fossil record
geochemistry
hydrodynamics
isotopic analysis
oxygen isotope
paleoecology
paleosalinity
reef
shell
volcanic island
water temperature
Argentina
Neuquen
Neuquen Basin
Pacific Ocean
South America
Ammonoidea
Anthozoa
Bivalvia
Brachiopoda
Echinoida
Ostreidae
Serpulidae
description The Neuquén Basin is a stratigraphically- and economically-important Early Cretaceous depocentre located in west-central Argentina. The Early Valanginian to Early Barremian succession (upper Vaca Muerta, Mulichinco and Agrio Formations) contains a rich fossil record, with abundant bivalves and ammonoids. Palaeosalinities are determined systematically throughout the succession, based on an oxygen isotope analysis of unaltered oyster shells from two localities in Neuquén province. A total of 188 oyster samples from 52 stratigraphic levels were processed. A total of 52 mean values of δ18O isotope are used to calculate palaeosalinities, assuming an estimated water temperature of 25 °C. The observed range of palaeosalinities, between the maximum and the minimum, is 19, which is in conflict with published accounts of this being a fully marine succession. The isotopic data are combined with independent faunal evidence to evaluate palaeosalinity variation both laterally and temporally. Significant fluctuations in water salinity are indicated, with a clear tendency to increase from brachyhaline to euhaline and near hyperhaline conditions through time. The fluctuations were probably due to dilution from normal marine water, caused primarily by variations in rainfall and continental runoff. In addition, the presence of a volcanic island arc along the western margin of the basin may have at least partially isolated the basin from the marine waters of the Pacific Ocean. Also, a gulf-shaped basin may have inhibited hydrodynamic exchange with the ocean while enhancing retention of continental waters. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
title Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
title_short Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
title_full Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
title_fullStr Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
title_full_unstemmed Palaeosalinity variations in the Early Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
title_sort palaeosalinity variations in the early cretaceous of the neuquén basin, argentina: evidence from oxygen isotopes and palaeoecological analysis
publishDate 2008
url https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00310182_v260_n3-4_p477_Lazo
_version_ 1840325232795058176