PALEONTOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THREE LAMINATED SEDIMENTARY UNITS OF LATE PLIOCENE-EARLY PLEISTOCENE AGE FROM THE MONTE SAN NICOLA SECTION IN SICILY

A micropaleontological and geochemical study of three Upper Pliocene—Lower Pleistocene laminated units from the Monte San Nicola section in southern Sicily was carried out in order to determine prevailing surface and bottom water conditions during their deposition. Although all three laminites are devoid of benthic foraminifera, the benthic assemblages present in the marls immediately below and above the laminites are diagnostic of oxygen—depleted bottom waters and suggest that anoxic conditions persisted during laminite depositio