Title
Fossil molluscs from borehole Hollum (Ameland, the Netherlands) constrain three successive Quaternary interglacial marine intervals in the southern North Sea Basin
Author
Meijer, T.
Pouwer, R.
Cleveringa, P.
de Wolf, H.
Busschers, F.S.
Wesselingh, F.P.
Publication year
2021
Abstract
When dealing with stratigraphic successions in marginal basin settings, the geological record is often fragmented due to erosion and reworking processes. The North Sea Basin is an example: it has a fragmented Quaternary record; in particular, Middle Pleistocene intervals are poorly known. As a result, we have little insight into climate, marine environmental conditions and biodiversity in this period. Here we describe and discuss a succession of three interglacial marine mollusc-bearing intervals in a borehole from Ameland in the northern Netherlands (borehole B01H0189 near Hollum). These intervals are attributed to marine isotope stages MIS7, MIS5e and MIS1. The Holocene Celtic type of faunas (interval 0–26.24 m below surface (b.s.)) and Eemian Lusitanian type of faunas (26.24–30.40 m b.s.) are well-known from previous research. The newly reported MIS7 Oostermeer fauna (32.80–39.00 m b.s.) represents mostly full marine settings between storm wave base and fair-weather wave base. In composition and diversity, the MIS7 and MIS1 faunas strongly resemble and differ from the MIS5e fauna. This is the first well-documented record of three stacked marine interglacial assemblages from the southern North Sea Basin at one location. This new record enables us to make complete marine faunal characterisations of successive interglacial periods. Key implications for southern North Sea stratigraphy and palaeogeography are the resemblance of marine faunas and conditions in MIS7 and MIS1, the presence of a relatively warm latest MIS6 freshwater interval and confir mation and characterisation of the warm Eemian interval north of
Subject
Late Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
Holocene
Mollusca
Northern Netherlands
Stratigraphy
Geological Survey Netherlands
2015 Energy
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:7b30fc43-1c9d-4466-903a-9ae755e3b826
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/njg.2021.2
TNO identifier
968206
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISSN
0016-7746
Source
Geologie en Mijnbouw/Netherlands Journal of Geosciences, 1-8
Document type
article