Palaeoenvironmental interpretation of microphytoplankton diversity trends in the Cambrian–Ordovician of the northern Sahara Platform

Analysis of vertical fluctuations in assemblage diversity and relative abundances of microphytoplankton morphological classes permits palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the Cambrian–Ordovician stratal sequences in the Hassi-RʹMel area (north-central Algeria) and northern Rhadames Basin (southern Tunisia). Abundance fluctuations of acritarch morphological classes and assemblage diversity appear to be related to changes in depositional facies. The present palaeoenvironmental interpretation is primarily based on a comparison with microphytoplankton distributional trends in modern depositional environments. Where possible, the observations are tested against palaeoenvironmental information derived independently from previous lithostratigraphical, macropalaeontological, and petrographical studies of the formations investigated. The present data support the following palaeoenvironmental scenario: during Late Cambrian times, relatively shallow water, neritic conditions prevailed throughout the study area, with evidence for a more proximal environment in southern Tunisia. In the early Tremadoc, open marine, offshore conditions characterized the central Algerian region, but a shallower water setting is indicated for southern Tunisia. During the late Arenig–Llanvirn interval, an open marine, offshore setting is envisaged for the southern Tunisian region, with more proximal conditions prevailing in the Algerian Hassi-RʹMel area. During the entire Ashgill, an essentially restricted marine environment was established throughout the study area. Some stratigraphically important acritarch species (e.g. Acanthodiacrodium angustum) appear to be facies-sensitive; the recognition of palaeoecological control on microphytoplankton distribution has important consequences on the biostratigraphic application of these microfossils.