Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and paleoclimatology of the Paleocene succession, Tenida area, Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract

This study is a preliminary quantitative analysis of Paleocene calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the Tenida area (Egypt) in order to establish a detailed biostratigraphic framework as well as to reconstruct the paleoclimatic trends. A total of 48 samples with an average sample spacing of 1.5m allowed the identification of 63 calcareous nannofossil species belonging to 19 different genera. The preservation of the studied samples varies from poor to moderate and is characterized by the frequent presence of small frangible placoliths, and nannoliths. This study recognizes three calcareous nannofossil biozones in the Danian-Thanetian time interval; Chiasmolithus danicus (NP3) Zone, Ellipsolithus macellus (NP4) Zone, and Heliolithus kleinpellii (NP6) Zone. Moreover, the multivariate statistical analysis of the calcareous nannofossil communities reveals a relationship between the distribution of these nannofossil assemblages and variations in paleoclimatic trends. Accordingly, the relative abundances of Coccolithus pelagicus in addition to nine calcareous nannofossil genera along with the diversity and preservation indices of calcareous nannofossil elements have been used to elucidate changes in paleoclimatic trends. Based on the cyclic change from cold to warm climates, it was possible to subdivide the Paleocene Period recorded in the Tenida section into four paleoclimatic intervals. The oldest is a global cooling trend spanning 2.01Myr long, starting in the early Paleocene (Danian) during the deposition of the lower part of the Kharga Shale Member. This cooling trend is followed by a ∼0.56Myr warming trend during deposition of the middle part of the Kharga Shale Member that was followed by a return to a cooling mode, with an estimated duration of roughly 1.67Myr. The last interval includes a 0.39Myr long period at the Selandian/Thanetian boundary interval, which is dominated by a global warming trend during deposition of the upper part of the Upper Kharga Shale Member.