Messinian salinity crisis & Zanclean Flood image series (6.5 million years ago)

The animation shows the salinity crisis of Messiniense in the Mediterranean Sea, that took place in the Miocene geological era, characterized by the accumulation of masses of salt on its bottom and probably including a period of almost complete desiccation.

A possible cause of the subsequent closure of the connection with the Atlantic is the removal of plaque collapsing (slab rollback) during a phenomenon of subduction in combination to the change of sea level.

Following the complete closure between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea the level of the Mediterranean Sea dropped rapidly just because there was no supply of water coming from the Atlantic. The rivers that flowed into the sea, began to run the seabed creating deep ruts and waterfalls in its delta. The evaporation produced the storage of large amounts of salt on the sea bottom.

Presumably, during the period in which the level of the Mediterranean Sea was 1500-1200 meters lower than today, some mammals passed through Africa and Europe, through the present Gibraltar Strait.

It is believe that the crisis saline, ended with a flood of enormous dimensions of the Atlantic in the Mediterranean Sea 5.33 million years ago, through an passage opened in the current Straits of Gibraltar. When the strait collapsed to the level of the sea, the Atlantic overflowed in the Mediterranean Sea and the water, the erosion due to the waters dug a groove getting bigger, finishing the filling process catastrophic, that lasted only few months.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Find cities with similar climate

This map has been created using The Global environmental stratification. The Global environmental stratification (GEnS), based on statistical clustering of bioclimate data (WorldClim). GEnS, consists of 125 strata, which have been aggregated into 18 global environmental zones (labeled A to R) based on the dendrogram. Interactive map >> Via www.vividmaps.com Related posts: - Find cities with similar climate 2050 - How global warming will impact 6000+ cities around the world?

The Appalachian Mountains, the Scottish Highlands, and the Atlas Mounts in Africa were the same mountain range

The Central Pangean Mountains was a prominent mountain ridge in the central part of the supercontinent Pangaea that extends across the continent from northeast to southwest through the Carboniferous , Permian Triassic periods. The mountains were formed due to a collision within the supercontinents Gondwana and Laurussia during the creation of Pangaea. It was comparable to the present Himalayas at its highest peak during the start of the Permian period. It isn’t easy to assume now that once upon a time that the Scottish Highlands, The Appalachian Mountains, the Ouachita Mountain Range, and the Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa are the same mountains , once connected as the Central Pangean Mountains.

Moose population in North America

The moose population in North America is shrinking swiftly. This decrease has been correlated to the opening of roadways and landscapes into this animal's north range. In North America, the moose range includes almost all of Canada and Alaska, the northern part of New England and New York, the upper Rocky Mountains, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Isle Royale. In 2014-2015, the North American moose population was measured at around one million animals. The most abundant moose population (about 700,000) lives in Canada. About 300 000 moose remains in nineteen U.S. states Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The largest moose specimens are found in Alaska 200 thousand moose. Below the map shows the size of US states scaled by the moose population. Via www.vividmaps.com

Ecoclimax

Search This Blog