@article{TomasFrijiaBoemelburgetal.2016,
  author    = {Tomas, Sara and Frijia, Gianluca and Boemelburg, Esther and Zamagni, Jessica and Perrin, Christine and Mutti, Maria},
  title     = {Evidence for seagrass meadows and their response to paleoenvironmental changes in the early Eocene (Jafnayn Formation, Wadi Bani Khalid, N Oman)},
  series = {Sedimentary geology : international journal of applied and regional sedimentology},
  volume    = {341},
  journal   = {Sedimentary geology : international journal of applied and regional sedimentology},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0037-0738},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.sedgeo.2016.05.016},
  pages     = {189 -- 202},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The recognition and understanding of vegetated habitats in the fossil record are of crucial importance in order to investigate paleoecological responses and indirectly infer climate and sea-level changes. However, the low preservation potential of plants and macroalgae hampers a direct identification of these environments in the geological past. Here we present sedimentological and paleontological evidences as tool to identify the presence of different seagrass-vegetated environments in the shallow marine settings of the lower Eocene jafnayn platform of Oman and their responses to paleoenvironmental changes. The studied lower Eocene deposits consist of well bedded, nodular pacicstones dominated by encrusting acervulinid and alveolinid foraminifera passing upward to an alternance of packstones with echinoids and quartz grains and grainstones rich in Orbitolites, smaller miliolid foraminifera and quartz grains. The presence of seagrass is inferred by the occurrence of encrusting acervulinids and soritid Orbitolites, as well as by their test morphologies together with further sedimentological criteria. The clear shift observed in the faunal assemblages and sedimentary features may be related to a major reorganization of the carbonate system passing from a carbonate platform to a ramp-like platform with increased terrigenous sedimentation. Heterotroph tubular acervulinids and oligotroph alveolinids of the carbonate platform were replaced upward by more heterotroph organisms such as large, discoidal Orbitolites and smaller miliolids, most likely due to enhanced nutrient levels which would have led to a change of phytal substrate, from cylindrical-leaf dominated grasses into flat-leafed ones. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{TomasHomannMuttietal.2013,
  author    = {Tomas, Sara and Homann, Martin and Mutti, Maria and Amour, Frederic and Christ, Nicolas and Immenhauser, Adrian and Agar, Susan M. and Kabiri, Lahcen},
  title     = {Alternation of microbial mounds and ooid shoals (Middle Jurasssic, Morocco) - response to paleoenvironmental changes},
  series = {Sedimentary geology : international journal of applied and regional sedimentology},
  volume    = {294},
  journal   = {Sedimentary geology : international journal of applied and regional sedimentology},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0037-0738},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.sedgeo.2013.05.008},
  pages     = {68 -- 82},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {The occurrence of neritic microbial carbonates is often related to ecological refuges, where grazers and other competitors are reduced by environmental conditions, or to post-extinction events (e.g. in the Late Devonian, Early Triassic). Here, we present evidence for Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) microbial mounds formed in the normal marine, shallow neritic setting of an inner, ramp system from the High Atlas of Morocco. The microbial mounds are embedded in cross-bedded oolitic facies. Individual mounds show low relief domal geometries (up to 3 m high and 4.5 m across), but occasionally a second generation of mounds exhibits tabular geometries (<1 m high). The domes are circular in plan view and have intact tops, lacking evidence of current influence on mound preferred growth direction or distribution patterns, or truncation. The mound fades consists almost entirely of non-laminated, micritic thrombolites with branching morphologies and fine-grained, clotted and peloidal fabrics. Normal marine biota are present but infrequent. Several lines of evidence document that microbial mound growth alternates with time intervals of active ooid shoal deposition. This notion is of general significance when compared with modern Bahamian microbialites that co-exist with active sub-aquatic dunes. Furthermore, the lack of detailed studies of Middle Jurassic, normal marine shallow neritic microbial mounds adds a strong motivation for the present study. Specifically, Bajocian mounds formed on a firmground substratum during transgressive phases under condensed sedimentation. Furthermore, a transient increase in nutrient supply in the prevailing mesotrophic setting, as suggested by the heterotrophic-dominated biota, may have controlled microbial mound stages.},
  language  = {en}
}