Environmental evidence of Valencia lagoon coastal barrier stabilization from 8500 BP to Present. Climate and eustatic variations

Abstract The Albufera de Valencia is one of the largest lagoon in the Spanish Mediterranean. Two continuous borehole cores reaching depths of 8 and 14 m in the northern part of the lagoon underwent sedimentological, micropaleontological and biological study. The organic content was also analysed, and 14C radiometric dating and amino acid racemization were performed. Study of the content of benthic foraminifera and n-alkanes and alkanoic acids in the lagoon sedimentary record identified several periods. The core records showed seven different environments: alluvial; freshwater marsh; brackish marsh; brackish lagoon; brackish lagoon with marine connection, backbarrier flat, and backshore. The…