The benthic foraminiferal response to the mid-Maastrichtian event in the Maastrichtian-type area

Abstract

The mid-Maastrichtian event (MME), ~69 Ma, represents a global negative δ 13 C excursion which is linked to the extinction of inoceramid bivalves and latitudinal migration of planktonic foraminifera. While the actual extinction of inoceramids was diachronous across the globe, the decline of this important fossil group is generally linked to environmental changes across the mid-Maastrichtian interval. The MME is potentially related to changes in oceanic circulation. While the MME, and associated decline of inoceramids, has been recorded from a variety of deep-sea sites, little is known about the MME signature in shallow epicontinental environments.