Reconstituição paleoambiental das enseadas do Flamengo e da Fortaleza, Ubatuba, S.P., durante o Holoceno, inferida a partir da variação das associações de foraminíferos / Paleoenvironmental reconstitution of Flamengo and Fortaleza bays, Ubatuba, SP, during the Holocene, inferred from the variations of Benthic foraminifera associations

Juliana Braga Silva

Variations in Holocene environments in the marine bays of Flamengo and Fortaleza at Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, southeast Brazil, were detected in cores UB1 and UB3, respectively, on the basis of the distribution pattern of foraminiferal associations and their correlation with abiotic characteristics of the sediments. Correlations were then established between changes in faunistic composition and existing sea-level variation curves. The UB1 Core measures 222 cm and was collected at Saco da Ribeira at a water depth of 3.1 m. This core is predominantly made up of silty sediments with biodetritus and plant fragments. Arenaceous layers at its base were dated by radiocarbon at 7.290 + 40 years B.P., and also occur between 32 and12 cm depth. The UB3 Core measures 342 cm and was collected at Praia do Lázaro at a water depth of 3.8 m. It is predominantly silty and contains fragments of plants, oxidized plants and biodetritus. Sandy and muddy sand layers were encountered at its base, with a radiocarbon age of 7.530 + 40 years B.P., and between 32 and 12 cm of depth. 76 species and 40 genera of benthic foraminifera and one species of planktonic foraminifera were identified in the cores. The observed associations are typical of normal marine, inner shelf environments, with low oxygen. Hyaline foraminifera predominate over porcelaneous species. Only one species of agglutinated test was found within the five samples of the UB3 Core. The bioindicator species indicate environments with a predominance of Coastal Water (CA), moderate hydrodynamic energy, high organic matter accumulation and low oxygen concentrations for both Praia do Lázaro and Saco da Ribeira since early on. They also show that the deep marine circulation in Saco da Ribeira has become ever more restricted from approximately 7.500 years B.P. until the present, while in Praia do Lázaro, deep circulation has not suffered any strong alteration. Taphonomical data suggest that there is no post mortem process capable of completely modifying the foraminiferal associations analyzed in the cores. All the microfaunistic evidence suggests at least two distinct phases of marine behavior for the two bays over the past 7.500 years: a former transgressive phase, that lasted until approximately 5.100 years B.P., during which the bays were connected; and a latter generally regressive phase, that would have extended itself until, at least, the depth of 32 cm in both cores, during which the appearance of the Tômbolo do Saco da Ribeira would have begun to hinder circulation between Praia do Lázaro and Saco da Ribeira.

AUTOR(ES)

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

RESUMO

ASSUNTO(S)

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados