This palynological study is carried out on the Eocene sediments in the Tsoul section, which is located in the Taza region, Tsoul Unit, eastern External Rif, northeastern Morocco. It aims their age ...assessment and paleoenvironmental interpretations, based on palynological data. The palynological content is diverse, well preserved and rich in organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts), whereas spores and pollen are rare. We identified 117 dinocyst species (including some reworked species), among which 6 species and 1 acme are good biostratigraphic markers of the Bartonian (middle Eocene). The main dinocyst bioevents that are used to assign the studied section to the Bartonian include the lowest occurrences (LOs) of
Glaphyrocysta semitecta
,
Impagidinium dispertitum
,
Lentinia serrata
,
Membranophoridium aspinatum
and
Operculodinium divergens
, the highest occurrence (HO) of
Castellodinium compactum
and the acme of
Polysphaeridium
spp. Regarding the paleoenvironment, the studied section was deposited in a marine environment, characterized by a low productivity inferred from the scarcity of peridinioid cysts and by important environmental changes ranging from restricted inner neritic (lagoon) conditions, inferred from the dominance of
Homotryblium
and
Polysphaeridium
, to outer neritic open marine conditions inferred from the dominance of
Spiniferites
.
Purpose – The aim of this article is to specify the determining factors behind the decision to adopt either an internal or external means of the household waste management service in Moroccan local ...authorities (LAs), particularly in the “communes”. Research methodology – The methodology applied is quantitative, based on a questionnaire addressed by e-mail to 115 “Communes”. The SPSS 25 software was used to analyze the result of the logistic regression. Results – Our findings show that socio-territorial factors do not have a significant influence upon the choice of a local waste management service delivery mode, while organizational and institutional factors, particularly financial resources, do influence this choice. Local authorities with better financial resources tend to rely less on in-house solid waste management services. Research limitations – Methodological limitations such as sample size and a lack of reliable data on public service delivery, may be overcome in an exploratory study by using a qualitative method (interviews, case studies). Practical implications – Our study sheds light on the factors explaining the development of public service management methods as well as testing proposals favoring the effective use of management techniques in the local context. Originality/Value – The originality of our study lies in its quantitative investigation of waste management service delivery mode in Moroccan local authorities emphasizing the role of financial resources and distinguishing itself from previous research by finding that socio-territorial factors do not significantly affect this choice.
New biostratigraphic investigations based on palynomorphs (mainly dinoflagellate cysts), foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton recovered from eight geological sections indicate that the Hangu ...Formation near the Pluton-Pipirig area (Tarcău Nappe, Eastern Carpathians, Romania), previously assigned to the Senonian–Paleocene interval, includes only uppermost Cretaceous deposits. The palynological assemblages are moderately rich, with a total of 167 well-preserved taxa. The marine palynomorphs – essentially consisting of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) – are dominated by peridinioid taxa, mainly recorded in upper Upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian deposits, and by a high-diversity assemblage of gonyaulacoid taxa during the late Maastrichtian. Marine algae and dinogymnioid dinocysts were less common. The terrestrial palynoflora is dominated by fern spores and angiosperm pollen, with subordinate gymnosperm pollen. The foraminiferal assemblages include an assortment of well-preserved agglutinated forms, present mainly in the upper Maastrichtian deposits, whereas calcareous benthics and planktonic foraminifera are rare and poorly preserved. Calcareous nannoplankton assemblages are also rare, often represented by two taxa (Micula staurophora and Watznaueria barnesiae); certain important biostratigraphic markers were found to be reworked in the analyzed deposits. Age assignments for the studied sections were mainly provided by dinocysts, through the identification of significant marker taxa and comparisons with well-calibrated Campanian–Maastrichtian dinocyst assemblages from well-dated sections and stratotypes, located mostly in the Northern Hemisphere.
Indices such as particulate organic matter (POM) composition, the relative abundance of dinocyst eco-groups, as well as agglutinated foraminiferal morphogroups, were used to reconstruct the depositional environments of the Hangu Formation from the studied area. The upper Upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian deposits from the Pluton-Pipirig sections were mainly deposited in neritic marine conditions, although occasional redeposition of the sediments transported by turbidity currents towards deeper water settings is not excluded, either. The depositional environments evolve towards outer neritic to distal (bathyal) during the late Maastrichtian, as indicated by palynofacies constituents and by high frequencies of gonyaulacoid dinocysts and deep-water benthic foraminifera.
•Upper Campanian–Maastrichtian microfossils, Eastern Carpathians, Romania, are studied.•Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological conditions are discussed.•A new detailed geological map for the studied area was proposed.
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to focus on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by local authorities (LAs) in order to understand to which extent, they impact the value ...chain of local public services. The value creation in this article concerns not only economic effectiveness and efficiency but also the articulation and development of ICTs in the strategy of the LA, as well as the impact on citizen satisfaction. Research methodology – The methodology applied is quantitative, based on a questionnaire addressed to managers and officials in different Moroccan LAs (regions, provinces and prefectures, municipalities). SPSS 25 was used as a materiel to analyze the result of the linear regression. Findings – The results obtained confirm the importance of ICT in terms of optimization of expenses, the improvement of the quality of work by facilitating communications between services. In addition, the ICT are no longer centered on the managerial side, but contribute to the consecration of good governance principles, namely transparency and citizen participation. Research limitations – The present research excludes political leaders throughout data collection. Methodologically speaking, this means that the study can also take on the meaning of an exploratory study with qualitative method (interviews, case studies) in order to understand how these ICT, contribute to local public value creation. Practical implications – The research provides clues to LA managers about the importance of ICT and their contribution to value creation. The results obtained encourage decision makers to accept this change and to adopt the ICT approach in order to provide a higher quality of services. Originality/Value – The originality of this paper lies in the variables and the context in which they are studied. The existing literature interested in introducing ICTs in the public sector focus on the use of these tools to achieve economic performance. Furthermore, only a few research papers have been conducted on value creation in LA including the impact of ICT which justifies the originality and novelty of this paper.
The Mississippian (Tournaisian–Visean) of the Jbel Asdaf area in the Tisdafine Basin (Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco) has been, for the first time, the subject of a palynological study. This work aims ...first to describe the lithological and the paleontological composition of the Aït Yalla and Tinerhir Formations, then to refine the age, reconstruct the paleoenvironment and assess the thermal maturity of the organic matter. The studied section is subdivided, from oldest to youngest, into three intervals, according to their lithological and paleontological compositions. Lithologically, the lower interval (lower part of the Aït Yalla Formation) and middle interval (upper part of the Aït Yalla Formation and basal part of the Tinerhir Formation) consist mostly of clay shales and green shales, respectively, both alternating with limestone or sandstone beds. The upper interval (upper part of the Tinerhir Formation) is dominated by sandstones, also alternating with pelitic-sandstone or limestone beds. The kerogen delivered by the analyzed samples is mostly of continental origin, composed mainly of opaque phytoclasts, while translucent phytoclasts and miospores are less represented. Marine fraction, consisting mainly of granular amorphous organic matter and some phytoplankton, are rare. Biostratigraphically, the late Visean
Tripartites vetustus
–
Rotaspora fracta
(VF) miospore Zone of the Western Europe biozonal scheme is recognized with some regards in the Tinerhir Formation, based on the first occurrence of the miospore
Rotaspora
cf.
knoxi
.
Vallatisporites
aff.
ciliaris
is another biostratigraphic marker taxon of the assemblage, whose the last occurrence marks the end of the VF Biozone at the top of the analyzed section. Qualitative and quantitative parameters of the different palynofacies constituents (e.g., shape, size, % of opaque and translucent phytoclasts) show, from the base to the top of the section, a gradual transition from a distal marine environment generally recognized in the Aït Yalla Formation towards an intermediate marine environment in the Tinerhir Formation, suggesting a sea-level fall. Optical analyses performed on the color of palynomorphs, mainly spores, suggest a thermal maturity, ranging from late mature to early post-mature stage for most of the analysed samples, with a burial depth and a temperature of at least 3300 m and 90 °C, respectively.
For the first time, a dinoflagellate cyst analysis is provided for the Upper Cretaceous–lower Paleogene transition in the Dababiya borehole, near Luxor, southern Egypt. Rich and relatively ...well-preserved dinoflagellate cyst assemblages have been recovered; a total of 173 species and subspecies have been identified. Many of these were not previously known from Egyptian material. The biostratigraphical dinoflagellate cyst events recorded in the present study have allowed us to propose the first K/Pg boundary dinocyst zonation scheme for Egypt and to compare this with existing dinoflagellate cyst zonations worldwide. In ascending order, the observed latest Maastrichtian dinoflagellate cyst events include successively the last occurrence (LO) of Cannosphaeropsis utinensis, the first occurrences (FOs) of Apteodinium fallax, Disphaerogena carposphaeropsis, Kenleyia leptocerata and the LOs of Alisogymnium euclaense, Dinogymnium spp. and Pterodinium cretaceum. The most significant early Danian dinoflagellate cyst events used in this study are the FOs of Danea californica, Carpatella cornuta, Cassidium fragile, Lanternosphaeridium reinhardtii, Senoniasphaera inornata and Membranilarnacia? tenella. The dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphical results, calibrated with data from benthic and planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton from the same set of samples, have enabled a more accurate identification of the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary than previously suggested for the succession studied.
•Dinocyst analysis across the K–Pg transition is presented form the Dababiya Borehole.•Several dinocyst taxa are encountered for the first time from Egypt.•Seven new dinocyst zones are proposed.•The dinocyst zonation is correlated to planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nanoplankton.
This paper presents a quantitative study of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) and palynofacies of the Campanian–Danian marly succession at the village of Tattofte (western External Rif, northwestern ...Morocco). The paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretations, inferred from this palynologic analysis, are compared to coeval sequences of other areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Changes in the relative abundances of dinocyst taxa, which are paleoenvironmental indicators, throughout the section suggest a deposition in a marine inner to outer neritic setting. The upper Campanian dinocyst assemblage is characterized by the presence of outer neritic-oceanic and low productivity indicator taxa (e.g., Spiniferites spp., Odontochitina spp.) and cold-water taxa (e.g., Manumiella spp., Chantangiella spp., Laciniadinium spp.), whereas, the lower Maastrichtian assemblage is characterized by inner neritic, high productivity and warm-water indicator taxa (e.g., Palaeocystodinium spp., Andalusiella spp.). The upper Maastrichtian dinocyst assemblage displays a return to an outer neritic environment under a transgressive regime, but with a cooling pulse and a moderate productivity. However, the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary interval records remarkable changes in the relative abundances of dinocyst taxa, indicating an inner neritic (coastal) setting, which is the most proximal in the study section; such changes reflect instable paleoenvironmental conditions which may be related to global cooling periods, likely caused by the Deccan volcanism in India and/or the Chicxulub asteroid impact in Mexico at the K/Pg boundary. In the Danian, the dinocyst relative abundances indicate a gradual return to stable environmental conditions.
A quantitative analysis of the kerogen plots (palynomorphs, phytoclasts and amorphous organic matter (AOM)) reveals five types of palynofacies, generally indicating oxic to suboxic marine environments. The upper Campanian and upper Maastrichtian (lowermost part) strata are characterized by a playnofacies (V), indicating a distal shelf, while the lower Maastrichtian and lower Danian (uppermost part) strata record a playnofacies (III), reflecting an intermediate inner-outer neritic environment. However, the K/Pg boundary transition is characterized by playnofacies types (I) and (II), indicating a proximal (coastal) environment.
Diverse and well-preserved assemblages of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts have been recovered from the Matulla Formation (Coniacian – Santonian), Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Among the abundant ...dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, the new species Odontochitina elbeialyi sp. nov. and Odontochitina ornata sp. nov. (Family Ceratiaceae) are described. The two new species are unique by having a granulate periphragm and three prominent horns. The horns are truncated distally and devoid of striae, ridges and perforations. Odontochitina elbeialyi sp. nov. is characterized by a weakly expressed tabulation on the pericyst indicated by the occasional presence of sutural lines or low ridges indicating the cingulum (two transverse ridges), at plate boundaries. Odontochitina ornata sp. nov. differs from the former, particularly by its clear tabulation, which is corniform gonyaulacoid and more strongly expressed by sutural ridges, and by rare short (rudimentary) sutural (mostly gonal) nipple-like, to truncated processes. Based on the current material, Odontochitina elbeialyi sp. nov. and Odontochitina ornata sp. nov. have short stratigraphic ranges and may therefore be considered as stratigraphic markers for the late Santonian (Late Cretaceous). Their comparison with all formally published species of the genus Odontochitina is presented and discussed, and the associated relevant dinoflagellate cyst taxa are also indicated. The paleoenvironmental significance of the Odontochitina elbeialyi sp. nov. and Odontochitina ornata sp. nov. is discussed.
•Diverse dinocyst assemblage is recorded from the Upper Cretaceous of Egypt.•Two new species of Odontochitina are described.•Odontochitina elbeialyi has a granulate periphragm and truncated horns.•Odontochitina ornata has a gonal nipple-like to truncated processes.•Both taxa may be considered as stratigraphic markers for the late Santonian.
Pentadinium dababiyaense is a new, organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst), described herein from Upper Cretaceous core material from the Dababiya borehole, Upper Nile Valley, Egypt. It is ...characterized by having a distinctive cavate apical horn and cavate sutural crests with lace-like perforations in the periphragm. The sutural crests, together with the precingular type P archeopyle indicate a gonyaulacoid tabulation. The species has a very short stratigraphic range within the latest Maastrichtian and may constitute a useful stratigraphic marker.
•A new dinocyst, Pentadinium dababiyaense is described.•It has a cavate apical horn and cavate sutural crests with lace-like perforations.•It has a very short stratigraphic range in the latest Maastrichtian.
•We study a Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary geosite at Ouled Haddou.•High Planktic foraminifera and dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphic resolution.•Complete and continuous Cretaceous–Palaeogene ...boundary transition.•Deposition in neritic (Maastricchtian) to open marine (Danian) conditions.
Planktic foraminifera and organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst investigations in the Ouled Haddou outcrop (eastern external Rif Belt) in northern Morocco, revealed a continuous sedimentation and a complete record of the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) transition. Both planktic foraminifera and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages observed in the studied Maastrichtian–Danian boundary interval are diverse and well-preserved and contain numerous chronostratigraphically significant bio-events that have allowed a high resolution biostratigraphic analysis, based on the first and last occurrences of index species and also on the massive disappearance and abundance changes of different taxa. Planktic foraminifera allow correlation of the studied interval with the uppermost Maastrichtian Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the lower Danian Guembelitria cretacea, Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina, Parasubbotina pseudobulloides and Subbotina triloculinoides zones. A mass extinction of planktic foraminifera is observed at the end of the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone. This mass extinction is followed by three renewal steps of planktic foraminifera in the basal Danian. The Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary is placed just above the mass extinction of Globotruncanids and Heterohelicids and below the first appearences of earliest Danian markers genera Globoconusa, and Parvularugoglobigerina.
According to dinoflagellate cysts, the recognition of the latest Maastrichtian and earliest Danian is based on global bio-events, including the first occurrence of the latest Maastrichtian species Disphaerogena carposphaeropsis, Glaphyrocysta perforata, and Manumiella seelandica, the latest Maastrichtian acme of Manumiella seelandica, and the first occurrence of the earliest Danian markers Carpatella cornuta, Damassadinium californicum and Senoniasphaera inornata. The dinoflagellate Damassadinium californicum Zone characterizing the Danian in the Northern Hemisphere is recognized in this section. The Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary is placed, at the same position determined by Planktic foraminifera, immediately above the acme of Manumiella seelandica and the last appearance of few Cretaceous taxa such as Dinogymnium spp. and Alisogymnium euclaense, and directly below the first occurrences of Carpatella cornuta, Damassadinium californicum and Senoniasphaera inornata. However, in contrast to calcareous planktic foraminifera, dinoflagellate cysts did not undergo a mass extinction at the K–Pg boundary, but shows important changes in the relative abundances of different species or groups of morphologically related species.
Both planktic foraminifera and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages suggest deposition in subtropical to warm temperate province, but in an austere sea environments under a regressive regime during the uppermost Maastrichtian and open sea environments under a transgressive regime during the lower Danian. Dinoflagellate cysts indicate relatively stable warm conditions during the upper Maastrichtian, followed successively by cooler conditions in the uppermost Maastrichtian and at the K–Pg boundary, a gradual warming alternated by 3 rapid successive cooling pulses in the lower most Danian, and then a gradual returning to relatively warm conditions.
The Ouled Haddou section needs to be preserved as a geoheritage site, because it is the sole Moroccan section with a good quality and an easy access, and hosts a complete registration of the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary transition.
