Cenomanian biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironments in the northwest Carmel region, northern Israel

Planktic foraminifera from three cores and an outcrop section from the northwest Carmel region, northern Israel were studied. The sequence analysed, between the top Yagur and base Muhraqa Formations, comprises the Isfiye, Bet Oren, Khureibe and Junediya chalky Formations. Rotalipora brotzeni, R. reicheli and the lower part of the R. cushmani Zones date this chalky sequence as Early to Middle Cenomanian. The Cenomanian chalks were deposited in an outer shelf environment. Five ecostratigraphic intervals of alternating low and high relative abundance of planktic foraminifera were recognized, reflecting sea-level changes. These intervals correspond to third order cycles 2.2 to 2.4 of the supercycle UZA-2 of Haq et al. (1988) and to sequences 2 to 5 of Robaszynski et al. (1993). The lowstand, transgressive and highstand phases of sequence 2 were recognized within ecostratigraphic intervals 1-3 of the Isfiye Formation. The late Early Cenomanian lowstand of sequence 3 is found within ecostratigraphic interval 3 and corresponds to the Bet Oren Formation. This lowstand and the following transgressive and highstand phases of ecostratigraphic interval 4 of the Kureibe Formation coincides with the combined sequences 3-4. Ecostratigraphic interval 5 corresponds to sequence 5. A hiatus, probably spanning the Upper Cenomanian to Lower Turonian, terminates the Cenomanian chalk complex.