@article {DRINIA2007251,
	title = {Palaeoenvironmental conditions preceding the Messinian Salinity Crisis: A case study from Gavdos Island},
	journal = {Geobios},
	volume = {40},
	number = {3},
	year = {2007},
	note = {The Messinian Salinity Crisis revisited},
	pages = {251-265},
	abstract = {The Messinian pre-evaporitic sedimentary succession of Gavdos Island (Metochia section) is a nearly uninterrupted succession of marine sediments, dominated by finely laminated diatomaceous marls, which are cyclically alternating with clayey diatomites and white diatomites. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the planktonic foraminiferal fauna allowed the recognition of nine bioevents, which have been astronomically dated for the Mediterranean. The base of the diatomitic succession in Gavdos Island is dated at 6.722Ma and the top at 6.015Ma. The studied section contains benthic foraminiferal genera characteristic of an outer shelf to slope environment. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of this microfauna revealed three benthic foraminiferal fossil assemblages and the occurrence of allochthonous species transported into the bathyal environment by current activity. The cyclical pattern of the benthic foraminifera assemblages indicates that the studied sediments have been affected by repeated episodes of basin restriction characterized by low diversity benthic foraminifera populations, and a limited planktonic foraminifer association typified by shallow, surface-dwelling forms. This restriction was partly due to Antarctic cooling, which produced palaeo-Mediterranean sea-level oscillations during the Early Messinian, as a prelude to closure of the Atlantic connections. The relative impact of climatic versus tectonic control on sedimentation patterns within this basin is discussed. R{\'e}sum{\'e} Les s{\'e}diments marins du Messinien pr{\'e}-{\'e}vaporitique de l{\textquoteright}{\^\i}le de Gavdos (coupe de Metochia) sont quasi continus et domin{\'e}s par des marnes diatomitiques finement lamin{\'e}es alternant de fa{\c c}on cyclique avec des diatomites argileuses et des diatomites blanches. L{\textquoteright}analyse qualitative et quantitative de la faune de foraminif{\`e}res planctoniques a permis la mise en {\'e}vidence de neuf {\'e}v{\'e}nements biologiques qui ont {\'e}t{\'e} dat{\'e}s par l{\textquoteright}astrochronologie {\`a} l{\textquoteright}{\'e}chelle de la M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e. La base de la succession diatomitique de l{\textquoteright}{\^\i}le de Gavdos date de 6,722Ma et son sommet de 6,015Ma. La coupe contient des genres de foraminif{\`e}res benthiques caract{\'e}ristiques d{\textquoteright}un environnement allant de la plate-forme externe au talus. L{\textquoteright}analyse qualitative et quantitative de cette microfaune r{\'e}v{\`e}le trois assemblages de foraminif{\`e}res benthiques et la pr{\'e}sence d{\textquoteright}esp{\`e}ces allochtones apport{\'e}es dans le domaine bathyal par l{\textquoteright}activit{\'e} des courants. Le caract{\`e}re cyclique des assemblages de foraminif{\`e}res benthiques indique que ces s{\'e}diments ont {\'e}t{\'e} affect{\'e}s par des {\'e}pisodes r{\'e}p{\'e}t{\'e}s de confinement du bassin caract{\'e}ris{\'e}s par la faible diversit{\'e} des populations de foraminif{\`e}res benthiques et une association restreinte de foraminif{\`e}res planctoniques marqu{\'e}e par des formes affectionnant les habitats de surface dans des eaux de faible profondeur. Ce confinement {\'e}tait en partie d{\^u} au refroidissement antarctique qui entra{\^\i}na des oscillations du niveau marin de la M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e pendant le Messinien inf{\'e}rieur en pr{\'e}lude {\`a} la fermeture des corridors de connexion avec l{\textquoteright}oc{\'e}an Atlantique. Les impacts relatifs des for{\c c}ages du climat et de la tectonique sur les processus s{\'e}dimentaires dans ce bassin sont discut{\'e}s.},
	keywords = {Benthic foraminifera, Diatomaceous marls, Foraminif{\`e}res benthiques, Gavdos, Marnes diatomitiques, Messinian, Messinien, Palaeoenvironment, Pal{\'e}oenvironnement},
	issn = {0016-6995},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2007.02.003},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016699507000290},
	author = {Hara Drinia and Assimina Antonarakou and Nikolaos Tsaparas and George Kontakiotis}
}
