Climate-driven hydrological change and carbonate platform demise induced by the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (southern Pyrenees)

The Campo section in the Spanish Pyrenees is classical for shallow-water Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) studies. Despite extensive work in the last decades, the stratigraphic location of the onset of the negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE), and hence the Paleocene/Eocene (P/E) boundary, remains a matter of considerable debate in the Campo section. Here we present new biostratigraphic, sedimentological and carbon-isotopic data across the late Paleocene to Eocene strata to constrain the precise stratigraphic position of the P/E boundary and investigate environmental changes across the PETM. Foraminiferal assemblages of biozone SBZ4 found below the Claret Formation are replaced by SBZ6 assemblages above. Detailed microfacies analysis indicated that the pre-PETM upper Navarri Formation represents transgressive inner-ramp deposits, overlain unconformably by mixed carbonate-siliciclastic deposits of the syn-PETM Claret Formation, overlain unconformably in turn by renewed carbonate-ramp deposition in the post-PETM lower Serraduy Formation. The temporary demise of the carbonate ramp during the PETM is ascribed to increased siliciclastic supply associated with a significant change in regional hydrology driven by an increase in magnitude and frequency of extreme rainfall and runoff events.

Automated summary

This study presents new biostratigraphic, sedimentological, and carbon-isotopic data to constrain the precise stratigraphic position of the Paleocene/Eocene boundary and investigate environmental changes across the PETM. It is found that the temporary demise of the carbonate ramp during the PETM is attributed to increased siliciclastic supply driven by changes in regional hydrology.