New insights from microfauna associations characterizing palaeoenvironments, sea level fluctuations and a tsunami event along Sfax Northern coast (Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia) during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene

Abstract

Late Pleistocene to Holocene evolution of the Northern coast of Sfax (Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia) is deduced on the basis of the analyses of sediment cores and coastal outcrops. The environmental changes are established by means of microfauna and mollusk assemblages and biocenotic parameters complemented by geochemical, sedimentological and correspondence analysis (CA). An opened embayment, rich in warm Senegalese fauna, allowed the deposition of quartz-rich sands Late Pleistocene in age. During the Late Holocene, a major modification of the environmental characters is recognized. The dominance of marine ostracod and coastal foraminifera coupled with high values of species richness characterize a widely opened lagoon. This lagoon is subjected to the action of the alongshore drifts which are responsible for the build-up of sand spits and the genesis of the present sebkhas. Two transgressive events, overlying the marine Late Pleistocene quartz-rich sands, are dated at 2018–2419 and 1001–1804 a cal BP. The dominance of marine and coastal foraminifera, the recurrence of ostracods and the high values of biocenotic parameters testify these two events. Sudden changes, toward 0–502 a cal BP, in the structure of populations, geochemical element concentrations and sedimentological trend argue in favor of a tsunami event and the settlement of peculiar environment. The latter records (1) the reworking of Holocene microfauna and Tyrrhenian sands rich in mollusks eroded from the marine substrata; (2) the high concentration of poorly stratified and poorly sorted shells; (3) fining-upward and thinning landward sequences; (4) the dominance of articulated bivalves and sharpened shells; and (5) the locally extensive deposits up to 160 m inland rising in altitude of about 0.75 m. This extreme event can be correlated with the tsunami generated by the strong earthquake, 1908 AD in age, in Eastern Sicily or by one of the earthquakes recorded during the 18th Century around the Mediterranean basin such as Sfax earthquake of 1750 AD.