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Sedimentary, Geochemical and Micropaleontological Responses to Sea Level Variations in the Vitoria Estuary, Espírito Santo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2018

Giseli Modolo Vieira Machado ,
Alex Cardoso Bastos ,
Alex da Silva de Freitas  and
Jose Antônio Baptista Neto
Giseli Modolo Vieira Machado*
Affiliation:
Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo.
Alex Cardoso Bastos
Affiliation:
Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, 514 Fernando Ferrari Av., Goiabeiras 29060-900, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Alex da Silva de Freitas
Affiliation:
Institute of Geoscience/Department of Geology, Fluminense Federal University, Gen. Milton Tavares de Souza Av., Boa Viagem 24210-346, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
Jose Antônio Baptista Neto
Affiliation:
Institute of Geoscience/Department of Geology, Fluminense Federal University, Gen. Milton Tavares de Souza Av., Boa Viagem 24210-346, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Marine insertion indicators in the Vitoria estuary (ES) revealed relative variations in sea level during the Holocene in three sediment cores. Sedimentological, geochemical (C/N ratio), and paleontological (shells and palynomorphs) analysis and 14C dating associated five sedimentary facies to different estuarine deposits. A C/N ratio <10 at the core base indicated organic matter of marine origin. Moving up the cores to 110–150 cm, an abrupt increase in C/N to 26–63 in every core suggests the sudden entry of higher plants into the estuary, potentially the moment sea level retreated. High continental (10,743 palynomorphs/g) and low marine palynomorph concentrations (323 palynomorphs/g) suggest a primarily continental source even during transgression and at high sea level. Around 8973 cal BP, an open bay already existed in the region of Vitoria. Sea level potentially exceeded the current level around 7110 cal BP. The transgressive maximum was at 5567 cal BP. Marine insertion indicators, such as marine shells, low C/N ratios and foraminiferal linings, did not always respond directly to sea level oscillations. These discrepancies probably result from lateral variations in sedimentary deposits from transport patterns and from variations in organic matter and palynomorph preservation due to differences in river and obstacle proximity.

Keywords

C/N ratiodatingestuary sedimentpalynomorphssea level
Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 60 , Issue 2 , April 2018 , pp. 583 - 600
Copyright
© 2018 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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Footnotes

a

Current address: Department of Geography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, 514 Fernando Ferrari Av., Goiabeiras 29060-900, Vitoria, ES, Brazil

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