As assembléias dos foraminíferos planctônicos fósseis de dois testemunhos amostrados do Atlântico tropical oeste representativo dos últimos 30.000 anos foram analisadas junto com estimativas de paleotemperatura superficial e ∂18O e ∂13C do foraminífero planctônico Globigerinoides ruber \'branca\'. Estes resultados mostraram que durante o Último Máximo Glacial e durante os eventos de resfriamento de curta duração Heinrich 1 and Younger Dryas o Atlântico tropical oeste manteve altas paleotemperaturas superficiais. Este estudo sugere que durante este período o Atlântico tropical oeste ocorreu uma acumulação de sal e clor nesta porção do Atlântico como conseqüência do enfraqueciemnto do transporte de calor e sal através do equador. Ao final destes eventos a intensificação do transporte de calor e sal foi restabelecido, baixando a temperatura superficial aos valores conhecidos atuamente. Este estudo sugere que o Atlântico tropical oeste atuou como um reservatório de calor e sal durante a deglaciação. / The planktonic foraminiferal assemblages of two piston cores from western tropical Atlantic covering the last 30,000 years have been analysed together with paleoceanographic ANN sea surface temperature reconstruction and ?18O and ?13C of the shallow dwelling planntonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber \'white\'. These proxies reveal that during the Last Glacial Maximum and during the Heinrich 1 and Younger Dryas cold events, the western tropical experienced warm periods. This study suggest that during these warm intervals a pronounced accumulation of heat and salt occurred at western tropical Atlantic, as a result of cross-equatorial heat and salt transport decrease. At the end of these events, the intensification of cross-equatorial heat and salt transport cooled and freshened the western tropical surface waters. This study suggests the western tropical Atlantic served as a heat and salt reservoir during deglaciation.

O conhecimento das preferências ecológicas de espécies de foraminíferos planctônicos tem sido muito utilizada em investigações paleoceanográficas obtendo bons resultados. O presente estudo realizou inferências sobre as condições oceanográficas das águas superficiais da porção sudoeste do Atlântico Sul nos últimos 450.000 anos através da variação da abundância de foraminíferos planctônicos em dois testemunhos da Bacia de Campos. A partir da Análise de Correspondência foram identificados os três principais fatores responsáveis pela variação dos foraminíferos planctônicos encontrados em cada um dos testemunhos. No testemunho KF-13 os três fatores principais foram interpretados como temperatura, espessura da camada de mistura e sazonalidade; enquanto para o testemunho KF-14 os fatores foram definidos como espessura da camada de mistura, produtividade e sazonalidade. Com esses fatores foram identificados os intervalos de maior intensidade de ventos e produtividade na região. As principais mudanças climáticas do Atlântico Sul encontram-se relacionadas às mudanças de intensidade de ventos e dos sistemas dependentes deles como o Giro Subtropical do Atlântico e a Zona de Convergência Subtropical. / Paleoceanographic investigations based on planktonic foraminifera ecologic preferences are widely and succesfully applied. The present study infered surface waters oceanographic conditions from the South Atlantic southwest margin in the past 450.000 years through the planktonic foramifera abundance variation in two cores from Campos Basin. Correspondence Analysis defined three principal factors responsible for the planktonic foraminifera abundance variation in each core. The three KF-13 main factors were interpreted as temperature, mixed layer thickness and sazonality; KF-14 principal factors were defined as mixed layer thickness, productivity and sazonality. These factors made it possible to identify higher wind stress and higher productivity intervals in this region. The main climatic variations in South Atlantic are due to changes in wind stress and the systems which depend on it such as the Atlantic Subtropical Gyre and the Subtropical Convergence Zone.

Para dar suporte ao atual debate sobre as consequências climáticas da liberação antropogênica de CO2 na atmosfera, o refinamento do conhecimento sobre mudanças climáticas e oceanográficas no passado é necessário. A Circulação de Revolvimento Meridional do Atlântico (CRMA) tem papel fundamental na oceanografia e clima das áreas sob influência do Oceano Atlântico, controlando diretamente a estratificação e distribuição de massas d\'água, a quantidade de calor transportada pelo oceano e os ciclo e armazenamento de compostos químicos, como o CO2 em mar profundo. A formação e circulação da Água Intermediária Antártica (AIA), envolvida no transporte de calor e sal para o giro subtropical do Hemisfério Sul e nas teleconexões climáticas entre altas e baixas latitudes, é componente importante do ramo superior da CRMA. A reconstrução de propriedades de massas de água intermediárias é, portanto, importante para a compreensão dos sistemas de retroalimentação entre oceano-clima. No entanto, informações quanto a evolução da AIA continuam limitadas. Oscilações da CRMA e consequentes mudanças na distribuição de calor tem implicações importantes para o clima Sul Americano, influenciando a disponibilidade de umidade para o Sistema de Monções Sul Americano (SMSA), via temperatura da superfície marinha e posicionamento da Zona de Convergência Intertropical. Neste trabalho nós reconstruímos a assinatura isotópica da AIA durante os estágios isotópicos marinhos 2 e 3 (41-12 cal ka AP) usando isótopos de carbono e oxigênio de foraminíferos bentônicos (gêneros Cibicidoides e Uvigerina) de um testemunho de sedimentos marinhos datados por radiocarbono (1100 m de profundidade e a 20°S na costa do Brasil). Concluímos que propriedades físicas e químicas da AIA mudaram durante os estadiais Heinrich 3 e 4, provavelmente como consequência de enfraquecimento da CRMA durante estes períodos. Também reconstruímos as condições continentais do leste brasileiro entre o último máximo glacial e a deglaciação (23-12 cal ka AP) baseadas em razões Ti/Ca de nosso testemunho de sedimentos marinhos como indicadoras de aporte terrígeno do Rio Doce. A maior parte da chuva que cai na Bacia do Rio Doce está relacionada a atividade do SMAS. Nosso registro de Ti/Ca em conjunto com \'\'delta\' POT.18\'O de espeleotemas da Caverna Lapa Sem Fim, também no leste do Brasil, sugere diminuição marcante da chuva durante o interestadial Bølling-Allerød, provavelmente relacionada a enfraquecimento do SMAS. Ademais comparamos as razões de Ti/Ca com dados de saída da rodada SYNTRACE do modelo climático CCSM3 com forçantes transientes para a última deglaciação. Os registros geoquímicos e a saída do modelo mostram resultados consistentes entre si e sugerem que o leste da América do Sul passou pelo seu período mais seco de toda a última deglaciação durante o interestadial Bølling-Allerød, provavelmente relacionado ao enfraquecimento do SMAS. / To support the current debate and actions to be taken about climatic consequences of anthropogenic release of CO2, a refined understanding about past climatic and oceanographic changes is necessary. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) plays a fundamental role in the oceanography and climate of the Atlantic realm, directly controlling stratification and distribution of water masses, the amount of heat that is transported by the ocean, and the cycling and storage of chemical species, such as carbon dioxide in the deep sea. The formation and circulation of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) is an important component of the upper branch of the AMOC, involved in the transport of heat and salt within the Southern Hemisphere subtropical gyre and driving high-low latitude climatic teleconnections. Reconstructing intermediate water properties is, therefore, important for understanding feedbacks within the ocean-climate system. However, information on AAIW evolution remains limited. AMOC oscillations and changes in heat distribution have strong implications for the South American climate, influencing moisture influx availability for the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM), via sea surface temperatures and Intertropical Convergence Zone positioning. Here we reconstruct AAIW isotopic signature during marine isotope stages 2 and 3 (41-12 cal kyr BP) using carbon and oxygen isotopes from benthic foraminifera (Cibicidoides and Uvigerina genera) of a radiocarbon dated marine sediment core (1100m water depth and 20°S, off the Brazilian coast). We find that AAIW\'s physical and chemical properties changed Heinrich stadials 3 and 4, probably as a consequence of AMOC decreased strength during these periods. We also reconstruct Last Glacial Maximum and deglacial (23-12 cal kyr BP) continental conditions over eastern Brazil based on Ti/Ca of our marine sediment core as a proxy for Doce River (draining eastern Brazil) terrigenous input. Most of the rainfall in the Doce River Basin is related to the activity of the SASM. Our Ti/Ca record together with a speleothem \'\'delta\' POT.18\'O composite from Lapa Sem Fim Cave, also in eastern Brazil, suggests a major decrease in precipitation during the Bølling-Allerød interstadial, likely related to a weakening of the SASM. We further compared our Ti/Ca results with the output of the SYNTRACE run of the CCSM3 fully-coupled climate model with transient forcing for the last deglaciation. Geochemical records and model output show consistent results and suggest that eastern South America experienced the driest period of the whole last deglaciation during the Bølling-Allerød and that this dry spell was likely related to decreased SAMS intensity.

Os isótopos de oxigênio (18O) e carbono (13C), registrados nas testas dos foraminíferos são descritores mensuráveis (proxies) da paleotemperatura e paleoprodutividade, respectivamente, amplamente utilizados em estudos paleoceanográficos. Em amostras de sedimento marinho, o tamanho de testa dos foraminíferos é uma importante fonte de variabilidade isotópica que não limita o uso destes proxies, desde que a mesma seja conhecida e entendida. No presente estudo, analisou-se o sinal de 18O e de 13C em testas da espécie bentônica, Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, e das espécies planctônicas, Globigerinoides ruber (branca) e Globorotalia truncatulinoides (dextral) retidas em quatro frações de tamanho de malha de peneiras (150-250, 250-300, 300-355 e >355µm). Foram utilizadas amostras de topo de dois testemunhos localizados na Margem Continental Brasileira (em torno de 2000 metros de lâmina d´água). Foi comparado o sinal isotópico das amostras com o sinal isotópico da água do mar atual da região de estudo. Foi observado que C. wuellerstorfi calcifica em equilíbrio de 18O e com um desequilíbrio positivo (0,2-0,3) de 13C com respeito á água do mar de fundo. Os valores isotópicos desta espécie não variaram (13C) ou variaram levemente (18O) com o aumento no tamanho. Os valores de 18O registrados em G. ruber (branca) não apresentaram tendência com o tamanho de testa e refletiram uma profundidade aparente de calcificação na superfície do oceano (entre 0-100 metros). Os valores de 18O registrados em G. truncatulinoides (dextral) apresentaram aumento com o tamanho de testa (até 1,22) e refletiram uma profundidade aparente de calcificação em águas da termoclina (entre 200-400 metros). O sinal de 13C aumentou com o tamanho de testa tanto em G. ruber (branca) (até 1,85), como em G. truncatulinoides (dextral) (até 1,26). Os valores de 13C referentes aos maiores tamanhos de testas estão mais próximos dos valores de 13C da água do mar da profundidade aparente de calcificação estimada para cada espécie. Este trabalho corrobora a importância da seleção do tamanho de testa dos foraminíferos em estudos paleoceanográficos para a região de estudo, especialmente no sinal de 13C em foraminíferos planctônicos. / Stable oxygen (18O) and carbon (13C) isotope composition registered in foraminifera test are widely used in paleoceanography studies as paleotemperature and paleoprodutivity proxies. On the sea floor, samples size test is an important source of stable isotope variability related to the ecology and physiology of foraminifera. This variability does not restrict the use of these proxies when the relation between size and stable isotopes is known and understood. 18O and 13C values were analyzed in four size sieves fractions (150-250, 250-300, 300-355 e >355µm) in foraminiferal tests of Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi (benthic specie), Globigerinoides ruber (white) and Globorotalia truncatulinoides (right) (planktonic species), in two core topes located on the Brazilian continental margin (around 2,000 meters). Modern seawater stable isotope composition was used for data interpretation. In general, the relation between stable isotope and size for each species was consistent in all samples. C. wuellerstorfi calcifies in equilibrium with 18O, while it is enriched (0.2-0.3) in 13C values with respect to deep sea isotopic values. No clear isotopic size-related changes were observed for this species. 18O values do not change with test size in G. ruber (white) and reflect an apparent calcification depth in superficial waters (0-100 meters). 18O enrichment with size was observed for G. truncatulinoides (right) (up to 1.22) and reflects an apparent calcification depth in thermocline waters (between 200-400 meters). 13C values were clearly enriched with size in both G. ruber (white) (up to 1.85) and G. truncatulinoides (right) (up to 1.26). 13C values of the largest size sieve fraction reflects most accurately 13C values of the estimated calcification depth for each specie. This work highlights the importance of selecting foraminifera test size for paleoceanographic studies, especially in what concerns about carbon isotopes in planktonic foraminifera.

Submitted by Biblioteca de Pós-Graduação em Geoquímica BGQ (bgq@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-06-28T17:17:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Mestrado_Douglas_Lessa.pdf: 3403575 bytes, checksum: c2258dd694038b2de4cd788d914d41c4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-28T17:17:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Mestrado_Douglas_Lessa.pdf: 3403575 bytes, checksum: c2258dd694038b2de4cd788d914d41c4 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Química. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geoquímica, Niterói, RJ / Dois box-cores e 15 amostras de sedimento de superfície de fundo foram coletadas na plataforma continental ao largo de Cabo Frio, com o s objetivos de reconstituir a variabilidade do sistema de ressurgência da Água Central do Atlân tico Sul (ACAS) durante o último, milênio utilizando foraminíferos planctônicos; e em um gradiente batimétrico, estudar os efeitos da profundidade sobre a assembléia de foram iníferos planctônicos e bentônicos. Seis espécies de foraminíferos planctônicos foram domina ntes sendo Globigerinoides ruber a mais abundante em todas as amostras. Além de G. ruber , Globoturborotalita rubescens e Globigerinella calida foram associadas à oligotrófica Água Tropical (AT) , enquanto Globigerina bulloides , Turborotalita quinqueloba e Globigerinita glutinata foram associadas à produtiva ACAS. O estudo da assembléia de foramin íferos no gradiente batimétrico revelou um forte aumento da razão planctônico/bentônico (P/ B) com a profundidade a partir de 86 metros, e um crescimento muito acelerado das abundâ ncias absolutas a partir de 110 metros. Também houve uma diferenciação das assembléias de f oraminíferos planctônicos entre profundidades mais rasas (55 – 100 metros) e mais p rofundas (100 – 125 m), sendo que as espécies indicadoras de águas frias e produtivas te nderam a ocupar o intervalo entre as isóbatas de 100 e 115 metros. O perfil BCCF06-03 re gistrou um período de quase 1.200 anos, com taxa de sedimentação variando entre 0,011 a 0,0 32 cm.ano -1 , enquanto o perfil BCCF06- 05 registrou o intervalo entre 960 e 540 anos AP co m taxa de sedimentação constante de 0,025 cm.ano -1 , e três principais fases de produtividade foram ob servadas. Os períodos correspondentes as fase I e II (1160 – 500 anos AP) foram marcados por uma anomalia negativa dos eventos El Niño, sendo que a primeira fase foi a mais produtiva na qual a associação entre G. bulloides e T. quinqueloba indicou ressurgências fortes, associadas a presença de fatores oceanográficos diferentes dos a tuais. Na segunda fase, estes fatores perderam importância, fazendo aumentar a freqüência dos foraminíferos associados a AT. Por fim a fase III (últimos 500 anos) foi caracterizada por um fortalecimento gradual da ressurgência na Pequena Idade do Gelo (PIG), indica das pelo aumento das abundâncias relativas de Neogloboquadrina dutertrei e Globigerina falconensis , no início da PIG e aumento das espécies G. bulloides e G. glutinata no auge da PIG, seguido por uma mudança significativa na oscilação da ressurgência a partir de 170 anos AP. A ressurgência na fase III foi associada a fatores atmosféricos: migração para o sul da Zona de Convergência Intertropical (ZCIT) durante a PIG e um aumento na variabilidade dos eventos El Niño nos últimos 170 anos. / Two box-cores and 15 bottom surface sediment samples were collec ted at continental shelf off Cabo Frio, with the purposes of reconstruct the variability of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) upwelling system during the last millennium, using planktonic foraminifera; and in the bottom surface sediment, studying the depth eff ects upon benthic and planktonic foraminiferal assemblages. Six planktonic foraminif er’s species were dominant being Globigerinoides ruber the most abundant in all sediment samples. In addi ction to G. ruber , Globoturborotalita rubescens and Globigerinella calida were associated to oligothrophic Tropical Water (TW), while Globigerina bulloides , Turborotalita quinqueloba and Globigerinita glutinata were associated to SACW which is rich in nutrients . The study of foraminiferal assemblages through the bathymetric g radient revealed a strong growth of planktonic/benthic ratio (P/B) from 86 metres to 12 5 metres of depth, and an abrupt growth of absolute abundances starting at 110 metres. There w as also a difference in planktonic foraminiferal assemblages among the 100 and 115 iso baths. The box-core BCCF06-03 covered a period of 1.200 cal years, with sedimenta tion rate varying among 0,011 and 0,032 cm.ano -1 , while the box-core BCCF06-05 covered a period amo ng 960 and 540 cal years BP with constant sedimentation rate of 0,025 cm.ano -1 , and three main phases were observed. The correspondent period to phases I and II (1160 – 500 cal years BP) were marked by a negative anomaly of El Niño events, where the first phase wa s the most productive of box-cores, where the association between G. bulloides and T. quinqueloba indicated strong upwelling, associated to presence of different oceanographic f actors in relation to recent. The second phase, these oceanographic factors lost importance, doing rise the frequency of associated foraminifers to TW. In the latter, phase III (lasts 500 years) was characterized by a gradual strength of upwelling during the Little Ice Age (LI A), indicated by the relative abundances of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei and Globigerina falconensis in the beginning of LIA, and a increasing of G. bulloides and G. glutinata relative abundances at the maximum of LIA, followed by a significative change in the oscillati on from 170 cal years BP. The upwelling in the phase III was associated to atmospheric factors : south migration of Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) during the LIA, and a incre asing of El Niño events in the lasts 170 years.

Ce travail de doctorat a pour objectif de comprendre les mécanismes et les réponses régionales de la variabilité climatique Holocène en ciblant plus spécifiquement la Rade de Brest et la Baie de Douarnenez. Dans les environnements côtiers, la vulnérabilité des sociétés humaines face aux aléas climatiques est particulièrement élevée et les pressions anthropiques s’exerçant sur les écosystèmes sont de plus en plus fortes. Ainsi, il s’agit de discuter la part respective des forçages naturels de ceux liés aux activités humaines dans les différents signaux paléoenvironnementaux holocènes reconstruits. Pour cela, plusieurs séquences sédimentaires nous ont permis de renseigner différentes périodes au cours des 10 000 dernières années. Des études multiproxies principalement basées sur des analyses palynologiques (pollen et kystes de dinoflagellés) ont été conduites permettant de discuter en parallèle des signaux continentaux et marins. Les études polliniques permettent de caractériser l’évolution des paysages terrestres tandis que les dinokystes, dénombrés à partir des mêmes lames palynologiques que les grains de pollen et spores, permettent de discuter les conditions paléohydrologiques de surface. De plus, dans le but d’affiner la compréhension de l’enregistrement des palynomorphes dans les sédiments marins de la Rade de Brest, des échantillons de surface délivrant un message palynologique actuel ont été analysés en préambule de l’étude paléoenvironnementale Holocène. Cette thèse a mis en évidence la robustesse des études palynologiques pour l’étude des variations paléoenvironnementales à l’échelle régionale en milieu côtier, et a démontré la pertinence de l’outil pour mettre en évidence l’imbrication des influences humaines et naturelles. Ce travail apporte ainsi une contribution régionale à l’étude de la variabilité environnementale Holocène en Bretagne, fournissant des enregistrements palynologiques haute résolution sur les derniers 150 ans (résolution de 1 à 4 ans) ainsi que sur les derniers milliers d’années caractérisés par l’influence grandissante des sociétés humaines en lien avec l’accroissement de la déforestation et des pratiques agro-pastorales sur les bassins versants (résolution moyenne de 30 ans). / This PhD study aims at understanding mechanisms and regional responses of the Holocene climatic variability, targeting the Bay of Brest and the Bay of Douarnenez. In coastal environments, the vulnerability of human societies to climate hazards is particularly high and anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems are increasing. In this context, the respective part of natural forcings from those related to human activities can be discussed thanks to paleoenvironmental Holocene reconstructions carried out on sediment archives.Several sedimentary sequences allowed us to focus on different key periods across the last 10,000 years BP.Multiproxy studies mainly based on palynological analyzes (pollen and dinoflagellate cysts) allowed discussing continental and marine signals in parallel, and thus to better understand forcing mechanisms.Pollen studies are used to characterize terrestrial landscape evolutions while dinocysts, counted from the same palynological slides as pollen grains and spores, make it possible to discuss surface palaeohydrological conditions. In addition, in order to complete the understanding of our Holocene palynomorph records conducted on Bay of Brest marine sediments, Bay of Brest surface sediments were investigated so as to deliver a current palynological message.This work has demonstrated the robustness of palynological studies conducted at a regional scale and in a macro-estuarian environment, and also the relevance of our tools to highlight the intertwining of human and natural influences. This work therefore represents a regional contribution to the study of Holocene environmental variability in Brittany, providing high resolution palynological records over the last 150 years (resolution of 1 to 4 years) as well as over the last 9,500 years BP (averaged resolution of 30 years) characterized by the growing influence of human societies in relation to increased deforestation and agropastoral practices on watersheds.

The several million years preceding the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary has been the focus of many studies. Changes in ocean circulation and sea level, extinctions, and major volcanic events have all been documented for this interval. Important research questions these changes raise include the climate dynamics during the warm, but not hot, time after the decay of the Late Cretaceous greenhouse interval and the stability of ecosystems prior to the mass extinctions at the end-Cretaceous. I document several biotic perturbations as well as changes in ocean circulation during the Maastrichtian stage of the latest Cretaceous that question whether the biosphere was being preconditioned for the end-Cretaceous extinction. The first event at Shatsky Rise in the tropical North Pacific was the brief acme of inoceramid clams at ~71 Ma, followed by their abrupt extinction during the “mid-Maastrichtian event” at 70.1 Ma. The second is an intriguing dissolution event that began ~67.8 Ma at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1209 (2387 m). The dissolution event is marked by very poor planktic foraminiferal preservation and sharply reduced calcareous plankton diversity. The shift into the dissolution interval was initially gradual, then rapid. Within the late Maastrichtian dissolution interval, the planktic/benthic (P/B) ratio is low, planktic foraminifera are highly fragmented, larger taxa are mostly absent, small taxa are relatively abundant, and planktic foraminifera and nannofossil species richness are low. The event is followed by an abrupt recovery in carbonate preservation ~300 kyr prior to the K/Pg boundary. Was the dissolution event caused by a change in deep water circulation, migration of the site out of the high productivity tropical belt, or ocean acidification associated with Deccan Traps volcanism? Our data show that changing deep water masses, coupled with reduced productivity and associated decrease in pelagic carbonate flux was responsible for the dissolution interval, while Deccan Traps volcanism may have caused surface ocean acidification ~200-kyr prior to the K/Pg mass extinction event.

Examination of stream and roadcut exposures of the Cowlitz Formation allows the selection of measured representative sections, and collection of fossils, from an area roughly defined by the intersection of the boundaries of Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties in Oregon. The study defines the features of the local environment of deposition, correlates sections to derive a composite columnar section, and develops a checklist of species for both microfossils and megafossils of the Cowlitz Formation.

In this thesis, the results of microfossil, biofacies, and geochemical analyses (µXRF) of the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Ferron – Notom delta, Utah, USA are reported and discussed. The Notom delta is the oldest of three clastic deltas in the Ferron Sandstone Member, Mancos Shale Formation. Foraminifera and testate amoebae were recovered from ninety-eight mudstone samples among five well-exposed outcrops (Caineville North, Steamboat, Blue Hills, Neilson Wash, and Coalmine Wash). Detailed observations showed foraminifera, and testate amoebae tests have undergone post-burial compression (flattening), dissolution, and transport/reworking; therefore, identification of these assemblages to their species level is difficult. The micropaleontological analysis of the Ferron-Notom delta consists of three studies. Morphogroup analysis was applied on foraminifera and testate amoebae, where a relationship between the test morphology and habitat was established. Morphogroup analysis resulted in four main morphogroups and eleven morphotypes and were assigned to life mode, environment, and feeding strategies. Three foraminifera morphogroups and one testate amoebae morphogroup were established indicate a range of environments, from shallow shelf to shallow shelf to lagoon/estuary environments. Biofacies analysis using the morphotypes was applied on three outcrops (Caineville North, Steamboat, and Blue Hills). We use the morphotypes to define the four main biofacies using cluster analysis, and biodiversity indices. Four biofacies showed marine and fluvial (freshwater) influences. Salinity and OM indices were derived from the relationship of foraminifera morphotypes (BiS, TrS, TS) and testate amoebae morphotypes (Ta-F, Ta-D, Ta-S) that follows lithofacies trends. Because of the under-representation of calcareous foraminifera (due to taphonomic and/or diagenetic factors), the biodiversity indices are treated herein as relative measures. Despite this taphonomic bias, the agglutinated foraminifera and testate amoebae morphogroups show trends with salinity both among the outcrops and stratigraphically within the outcrops. The Blue Hills outcrop represents the most landward and lowest salinity environment (tidally-influenced backwater), Steamboat is more coast proximal with a higher salinity of the delta front and fluvial estuarine environments, and the Caineville North outcrop represents the most coast proximal (fluvial/estuarine to deltaic/prodeltaic) with salinities ranging from low to medium. It appears that the landward transport and coastward of tests was a significant source of taphonomic bias. Nonetheless, the assemblages provide useful depositional information that correlates with previously documented lithofacies data. A salinity index based on a ratio of trochospiral taxa versus testate amoebae was found to provide a useful measure of coastal proximity that matches lithofacies trends. The µXRF analysis was conducted on twenty-nine mudstone samples from the Caineville North outcrop to examine elemental proxies for paleo-salinity (Sr/Ba), organic matter (K/S), redox (V/Ni), and sediment sources (Zr/Rb, Ti/Fe, Ti/Ca). Twenty-nine surface mudstone samples collected from four lithofacies representing prodelta, delta front, fluvial valley fill and shelf environments. Fourteen elements (Ti, Fe, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ni, Rb, Zr, S, V, Cu, Mn, Si, and K) were used to calculate proxy ratios to detect variations in terrigenous sediments, carbonate production, salinity, grain size, and fluvial inputs in the Caineville North outcrop. Elemental data showed good correspondence between the elemental data and the lithofacies and microfossil indices. Sr/Ba and Ca/Fe showed relationships with carbonate content and proximity to the shoreline. The paleo-salinity proxy (Sr/Ba) did not respond to salinity, but was more responsive to lithological change of carbonate content. The microfossil salinity index seems to be a more accurate paleo-salinity indicator. The proxy for fluvial input of sediment (Zr/Rb and Ti/Fe) agree well with the lithofacies trends, and Zr/Rb and Ti/Fe showed highest values within the fluvial valley fill facies, with higher variability of Ti/Fe compared to the other lithofacies (prodelta, delta front, and shelf), corresponding to response to the proximity of the depositional sites to a fluvial sediment source. The redox proxy V/Ni matched the previously derived microfossil OM index ("bolivind-type" taxa) showing a strong relationship between eutrophication and redox trends. The study aims to establish important baseline geochemical compositions of sediment sources to establish patterns and trends with sediment succession in the deeper basin (offshore; i.e. Mancos Shale). Potentially, these nearshore to fluvial trends will provide important geochemical data to assess changes in paleoclimate, and sea-level in offshore sediment successions. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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