Summary
This paper describes (i) the Recent distribution pattern of various types of carbonate sediments in Troms county (northern Norway), and (ii) the onset of carbonate sedimentation after the final deglaciation of the Fennoscandian ice-shield. The distribution of major facies belts is strongly dependent on hydrographic and topographic constraints. The main bulk of carbonate deposits is derived from maerl-producing coralline algal biotopes that are restricted to the photic zone of waveprotected areas and influenced by tidal currents. Furthermore, extended mollusc and echinoderm-rich arenites are present in the area investigated. In deeper subtidal areas, terrigenous sediments of Late Weichselian to Early Holocene age are preserved. However, these are strongly influenced by later winnowing processes, generating a coquina lag deposit that serves as a secondary hardground for a diverse fouling community. The Holocene facies successions can be seen in several raised outcrops, containing the transition from glacigenic to Recent non-glacigenic depositional conditions. Autochthonous radiocarbon dated rhodolith banks, which mark the onset of carbonate sedimentation, yielded surprisingly young ages of 5,500 YBP. Around 5,500 YBP, present-day oceanographic and climatic conditions had already been firmly established. This time-lag can be explained with the behaviour of postglacial sea level fluctuations in the area. From 10,000 their cooperation in this project. We address our sincere thanks specifically to Prof. T.O. Vorren, Dr. M. Hald, Dr. B. Gulliksen, Dr. J. Hansen, Dr. J.J. Møller, Dr. E. Thomsen, and Dr. G. Corner for their dedicate help in organizing our field trips in Troms and for extensive scientific discussions. Special thanks to capitain K. Bendiksen for his patience and professional skill while operating the vessel ‘OTTAR’ in the skerry area even under bad weather conditions. S. Rasmussen and G. Ellingsen assisted during the cruises and very kindly introduced us to the Norwegian way of life. Special thanks to the two reviewers (Prof. Dr. W.-Ch. Dullo and anonymus) for their critical but constructive remarks. J. Welling and Dr. M. Kaminski improved the language of the final version of the manuscript. This project is part of the German Science Foundation’s main research program ‘Globale und regionale Steuerungsprozesse biogener Sedimentation”. Financial support was kindly provided by the Deutsche Forschungs-gemeinschaft (He 1671/1-1, 2).
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Adey, W.H. (1970): The effects of light and temperature on growth rates in boreal-subarctic crustose corallines.—J. Phycol.,6, 269–276, 7 Figs., 1 Tab., Baltimore
— (1971): The sublittoral distribution of crustose corallines on the Norwegian coast.—Sarsia,46, 41–58, 21 Figs., Bergen
— (1976): Crustose coralline algae as microenvironmental indicators for the Tertiary.—In:Gray, J. &Boucot, A.J.: Historical biogeography, plate tectonics, and the changing environment.—459–464, 2 Figs., 1 Tab., Corvallis (Oregon State University Press)
Adey, W.H. &Adey, P.J. (1973): Studies on the biosystematics and ecology of the epilithic crustose corallinaceae of the British Isles.—Br. phycol. J.,8, 343–407, 71 Figs., London
Adey, W.H. &Macintyre, I.G. (1973): Crustose coralline algae: A re-evaluation in the geological sciences.—Geol. Soc. Am. Bull.,84, 883–904, 31 Figs., 6 Tabs., Boulder
Adey, W.H. &McKibbin, D.L. (1970): Studies on the maerl speciesPhymatolithon calcareum (Pallas) nov. comb. andLithothamnium corallioidesCrouan in the Ria de Vigo.—Bot. Mar.,8, 100–106, 16 Figs., Washington
Akpan, E.B. &Farrow, G.E. (1985): Shell bioerosion in highlatitude low energy environments: Firths of Clyde and Lorne, Scotland.—Marine Geology,67, 139–150, 8 Figs., Amsterdam
Andersen, B.G. (1968): Glacial geology of western Troms, north Norway.—Norges Geol. Undersøk.,256, 1–160, 3 Pls., 29 Figs., 7 Tabs., Olso
Berthois, L. &Guilcher, A. (1959): Les bancs de Saint Marc et du Moulin Blanc (Rade de Brest) etremarques sur la sedimentation du Maerl (Lithothamnion calcareum).—Cahiers Océanographiques,11, 13–23, 4 Pls., Paris
Bosence, D.W.J. (1977): Ecological studies on two carbonate sediment-producing algae.—In:Flügel, E. (Ed.): Fossil Algae. —270–278, 1 Pl., 4 Figs, Berlin (Springer)
— (1979): Live and dead faunas from coralline algal gravels, Co. Galway.—Palaeontology,22/2 449–478, 2 Pls., 5 Figs., 7 Tabs., London
— (1980): Sedimentary facies, production rates and facies models for recent coralline algal gravels, Co. Galway, Ireland.—Geol. J.,15, 91–111, 1 Pl., 7 Figs., 4 Tabs., Liverpool
— (1983a): Description and classification of rhodoliths (rhodoids, rhodolites).—In:Peryt, T. (Ed.): Coated Grains.—217–224, 4 Figs., 1 Tab., Berlin (Springer)
— (1983b): The occurrence and ecology of recent rhodoliths—A review.—In:Peryt, T. (Ed.): Coated Grains.—225–242, 5 Figs., 1 Tab., Berlin (Springer)
Cabioch, J. (1966): Contribution à l’Étude morphologique, anatomique et systématique de deux MélobésiéesLithothamnium calcareum(Pallas) Areschoug etLithothamnium corallioidesCrouan.—Bot. Mar.,9, 33–53, 4 Pls., 4 Figs., Hamburg
Chave, K.E. (1967): Recent carbonate sediments-anunconventional view.—J. Geol. Educat.,15/5, 200–204, 3 Figs., 2 Tabs., Washington
Corner, G.D. (1980): Preboreal deglaciation chronology and marine limits of the Lyngen-Storfjord area, Troms, North Norway.— Boreas,9, 239–249, 8 Figs., 1 Tab., Oslo
Dekko, T. &Rokoengen, K. (1980): Submerged beaches off Troms, north Norway.—Inst. Kontinentalsokkelundersøk.,101, 5–34, 15 Figs., Trondheim
Dullo, W.-C., Moussavian, E. &Brachert, T.C. (1990): The foralgal crust facies of the deeper fore reefs in the Red Sea: A deep diving survey by submersible.—Geobios,23/3., 261–281, 4 Pls., 3 Figs., Lyon
Edyvean, R.G.J. &Ford, H. (1987): Growth rates ofLithophyllum incrustans (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from South West Wales. —Br. phycol. J.,22, 139–146, 5 Figs., 1 Tab., London
Eide, L.I. (1978): Ocean currents on the Halten and Malangsgrunnen banks.—Inst. Kontinentalsokkelundersøk.,97, 1–302, 132 Figs., Trondheim
Eilertsen, H.C., Falk-Petersen, S., Hopkins, C.C.E. &Tande, K. (1981): Ecological investigations on the plankton community of Balsfjorden, northern Norway.—Sarsia,66, 25–34, 11 Figs., Bergen
Evers, W. (1962): The problem of coastal genesis, with special reference to the ‘strandflat’, the ‘banks’, or ‘grounds’, and ‘deep channels’ of the Norwegian and Greenland coasts.—J. Geol.,70, 621–630, 8 Figs., Chicago
Farrow, G.E., Cucci, M. &Scoffin, T.P. (1978): Calcareous sediments on the nearshore continental shelf of western Scotland.—Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh,76B, 55–75, 5Pls., 8 Figs., 7 Tabs., Edinburgh
Feyling-Hanssen, R.W. (1955): Stratigraphy of the marine Late Pleistocene of Billefjorden, Vestspitsbergen.—Norsk Polarinst. Skr.,107, 1–226, 27 Pls., 57 Figs., 3 Tabs., Olso
Foslie, M. (1895): The Norwegian forms ofLithothamnion.—Kong. norske Vidensk. Selsk. Skrifter1894, 29–209, 23 Pls., Trondheim
Gärtner, H.R.v. (1958): Vorkommen von Serpelriffen nördlich des Polarkreises an der norwegischen Küste.—Geol. Rundsch.,47, 72–73, 1 Fig., Stuttgart
Gilbert, R. (1984): The movement of gravel by the algaFucus vesicolosus (L.) on an Arctic intertidal flat.—J. Sed. Petrol.,54/2, 463–468, 5 Figs., Tulsa
Gunatilaka, A. (1977): Recent carbonate sedimentation in Connemara, Western Ireland.—Estuarine Coast. Mar. Sci.,5, 609–631, 6 Figs., 2 Tabs., London
Hagen, N.T. (1983): Destructive grazing of kelp beds by sea urchins in Vestfjord, northern Norway.—Sarsia,68, 177–190, 7 Figs., 2 Tabs., Bergen
Hald, M. &Vorren, T.O. (1983): A shore displacement curve from the Tromsø district, North Norway.—Norsk Geol. Tidsskr.,63, 103–110, 6 Figs., Oslo
Henrich, R. (1989): Glacial/Interglacial cycles in the Norwegian Sea: Sedimentology, paleoceanography, and evolution of Late Pliocene to Quaternary northern hemisphere climate.—In:Eldholm, O. et al.: Proc. of the Ocean Drilling Program.— Scientific Results,104, 189–232, 3 Pls., 24 Figs., 5 Tabs., Washington
— (1990): Cycles, rhythms, and events in Quaternary Arctic and Antarctic glaciomarine deposits.—In:Bleil, U. &Thede, J. (Eds.): Geological history of the Polar Oceans: Arctic versus Antarctic.—213–244, 16 Figs., Kluwer Acad. Press, Netherlands
Hessland, I. (1942): Über subfossile Massenvorkommen vonCorallina officinalisLinné—Senckenbergiana leth.,25, 19–40, 14 Figs., 4 Tabs., Frakfurt
— (1943): Marine Schalenablagerungen Nord-Bohusläns.—Bull. Geol. Inst. Uppsala,31, 1–346, 4 Pls., 115 Figs., Uppsala
Holtedahl, H. (1962): The problem of coastal genesis, with special reference to the ‘strandflat’, the ‘banks’, or ‘grounds’, and ‘deep channels’ of the Norwegian and Greenland coasts: a discussion.—J. Geol.,70, 631–633, Chicago.
Johnson, J.H. (1962): The algal genusLithothamnium and its fossil representatives.—Quart Colorado School of Mines,57/1, 1–111, 13 Pls., 14 Tabs., Golden
Kjellmann, F.R. (1883): The algae of the Arctic—Kongl. Svenska Vetensk. Akad. Handling.,20/5, 1–350, 31 Pls., Stockholm
Kudrass, H.-R. (1974): Experimental study of nearshore transportation of pebbles with attached algae.—Marine Geology,16, M9-M12, 2 Figs., Amsterdam
Lees, A. &Buller, A.T. (1972): Modern temperature-water and warm-water shelf carbonate sediments contrasted.—Marine Geology,13, M67-M73, 3 Figs., Amsterdam
Lees, A., Buller, A.T. &Scott, J. (1969): Marine carbonate sedimentation processes, Connemara, Ireland.—Reading Univ. Geol. Repts.,2, 1–63, 6 Pls., 39 Figs., Dublin
Mangerud, J. &Gulliksen, S. (1975): Apparent radiocarbon ages of recent marine shells from Norway, Spitsbergen, and Arctic Canada.—Quart. Res.,5, 263–273, 4 Figs., 1 Tab., Washington
Marthinussen, M. (1962): C14-datings referring to shore lines, transgressions, and glacial substages in Northern Norway.— Norges. Geol. Undersøg. Årbog,215, 37–67, 2 Pls., 1 Tab., Oslo
Mörner, N.-A. (1979): The Fennoscandian uplift and Late Cenozoic geodynamics:Geological evidence.—Geo Journal,3/3, 287–318, 33 Figs., 3 Tabs., Wiesbaden
— (1981): Crustal movements and geodynamics in Fennoscandia. —Tectonophysics,71, 241–251, 4 Figs., Amsterdam
Moussavian, E. (1989): Über die systematische Stellung und die Bestimmungskriterien der Solenoporaceen (Rhodophyceae).— Cour. Forsch. Inst. Senck.,109, 51–91, Frankfurt
Møller, J.J. (1986): Holocene transgression maximum about 6000 years BP at Ramså, Vesterålen, North Norway.—Norsk geogr. Tidsskr.,40, 77–84, 8 Figs., 1 Tab., Oslo
— (1987): Shoreline relation and prehistoric settlement in northern Norway.—Norsk geogr. Tidsskr.,41, 45–60, 11 Figs., 2 Tabs., Oslo
— (1989): Geometric simulation and mapping of Holocene relative sea-level changes in northern Norway.—J. Coastal Research,5/3, 403–417, 11 Figs., 1 Tab., Charlottesville
Nelson, C.S. (Ed.) (1988): Non-tropical shelf carbonates-modern and ancient.—Sedimentary Geology,60, 367 p., 177 Figs., Amsterdam
Pendlebury, D.C. &Dobson, M.R. (1976): Sediment and macrofaunal distributions in the eastern Malin Sea, as determined by side-scan sonar and sampling.—Scott. J. Geol.,11/4, 315–332, 5 Figs., 1 Tab., Edinburgh
Rokoengen, K., Bell G., Bugge, T., Dekko, T., Gunleiksrud, T., Lien, R., Løfaldli, M. &Vigran, J.O. (1977): Prøvetaking av fjellgrunn og løsmasser utenfor deler av Nord Norge i 1976.— Inst. Kontinentalsokkelundersøk.,91, 1–65, 26 Figs., Trondheim
Schäfer, P. &Fretwald, A. (1990): Besiedlungsstrategien von Fouling-Gemeinschaften auf lebendenChlamys islandica, Tromsø, Nord-Norwegen.—Nachr. Dt. Geol. Ges.,43, 86, Hannover
Scoffin, T.P. (1988): The environments of production and deposition of calcareous sediments on the shelf west of Scotland.—In:Nelson, C.S. (Ed.): Non-tropical shelf carbonates—modern and ancient.—Sedimentary Geology,60, 107–124, 6 Figs., 1 Tab., Amsterdam
Sneli, J.-A. (1968): TheLithothamnion community in Nord-Möre, Norway, with notes on the epifauna ofDesmarestia viridis (Müller).—Sarsia,31, 69–74, 1 Tab., 2 Figs., Bergen
Soot-Ryen, T. (1934): Hydrographical investigations in the Tromsø district 1930.—Tromsø Museums Arshefter,52, 1–78, 1 Pl., 82 Figs., 28 Tabs., Tromsø
Stearn, C.W., Scoffin, T.P. &Martindale, W. (1977): Calcium carbonate budget of a fringing reef on the west coast of Barbados. I. Zonation and productivity.—Bull. Mar. Sci.,27/3: 479–510, 28 Figs., 11, Tabs., Miami
Sundby, S. (1983):Influence of bottom topography on the circulation at the continental shelf of northern Norway.—Fiskeridir. Skr. Ser. Havforskninsunders., 15 pp., Bergen
Sundet, J.H. (1988): Haneskjellets utbredelser og fangst av haneskjell.—Ottar,170, 8–12, 4 Figs., Tromsø
Syvitski, J.P.M., Farrow, G.E., Atkinson, R.J.A., Moore, P.G. &Andrewa, J.T. (1989): Baffin Island fjord macrobenthos: Bottom communities and environmental significance.—Arctic,43/3, 232–247, 11 Figs., 4 Tabs., Montreal
Sælen, O.H. (1950): The hydrography of some fjords in northern Norway.—Tromsø Museums Arshefter,70/1, 1–93, 10 Pls., 42 Figs., Tromsø
Sætre, H.J. (1972): Strømmålinger i Tromsøysundet og Sandnessundet, februar 1972.—Rep. Norw. Hydrodyn. Lab., 1–20, Trondheim
Sætre, R. &Ljøen, R. (1972): The Norwegian Coastal Current.— Proc. 1st. Int. Conf. on Port and Ocean engineering under arctic conditions,1, 514–535, 11 Figs., Trondheim
Thomsen, E.T. &Vorren, T.O. (1986):Macrofaunal palaeoecology and stratigraphy in Late Quaternary shelf sediments off northern Norway.—Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.,56, 103–150, 8 Pls., 13 Figs., 3 Tabs., Amsterdam
Vahl, O. (1983): Mucus drifting in the limpetHelcion (=Patina) pellucidus (Prosobranchia, Patellidae).—Sarsia,68, 209–211, 2 Figs., 1 Tab., Bergen
Vorren, T.O., Hald, M., Edvardsen, M. & Lind-Hansen, O.-W. (1983): Glacigenic sediments and sedimentary environments on continental shelves: General principles with a case study from the Norwegianshelf.—In:Ehlers, J. (Ed.): Glacial deposits in North-West Europe, 61–73, 8 Figs., Rotterdam
Vorren, T.O., Hald, M. &Lebesbye, E. (1988): Late Cenozoic environments in the Barents Sea.—Paleoceanography,3/5, 601–612, 7 Figs., Washington
Vorren, T.O., Lebesbye, E., Andreassen, K. &Larsen, K.-B. (1989). Glacigenic sediments on a passive continental margin as exemplified by the Barents Sea.—Marine Geology,85, 251–272, 21 Figs., Amsterdam
Vorren, T.O. &Rønnevik H.C. (1980): Sokkelens naturhistorie. —Ottar,118, 9–26, 20 Figs., Tromsø
Wiboro, K.F. (1963): Some observations on the Iceland scallopChlamysislandica (Müller) in Norwegian waters.—Fiskeridir. Skr. Ser. Havforskningsunders,13/6, 38–53, 12 Figs., 1 Tab., Bergen
Willkomm, H. (1976): Altersbestimmungen im Quartär. Datierungen mit Radiokohlenstoff und anderen kernphysikalischen Methoden.—276pp., München
Wilson, J.B. (1988): A model for temporal changes in the faunal composition of shell gravels during a transgression on the continental shelf around the British Isles.—In:Nelson, C.S. (Ed.): Non-tropical shelf carbonates-modern and ancient. —Sedimentary Geology,60, 95–105, 4 Figs., 1 Tab., Amsterdam
Woelkerling, W.J. (1988): The coralline red algae: An analysis of the genera and subfamilies of nongeniculate corallinaceae.— Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), 268 pp., London (Oxford University Press)
Woodborne, M.W., Rogers, J. &Jarman, N. (1989): The geological significance of kelp-rafted rock along the west coast of South Africa.—Geo-Marine Letters,9, 109–118, 13 Figs., New York
Wrage, W. (1937): Wattbildungen an der nordnorwegischen Küste. —Ann. d. Hydr.,65/3, 97–104, 1 Pl., 18 Figs., Hamburg
Wray, J.L. (1979): Paleoenvironmental reconstructions using benthic calcareous algae.—Bull. Cent. Rech. Explor. Prof. Elf-Aquitaine,3/2, 873–879, 6 Figs., Pau
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Freiwald, A., Henrich, R., Schäfer, P. et al. The significance of high-boreal to subarctic maerl deposits in northern Norway to reconstruct holocene climatic changes and sea level oscillations. Facies 25, 315–339 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536764
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536764