Miocene-Holocene paleoenvironmental changes in the Tinto River estuary (SW Spain) evidenced by sedimentology, geochemistry and fauna

This paper investigates the paleoenvironmental evolution of a long core extracted in a small cove located in the Tinto-Odiel estuary (SW Spain). The inferred reconstruction is supported by sedi-mentological, geochemical, paleontological data and dating. Seven phases have been identified, with the transit from Late Neogene marine environments to a subrecent freshwater pond and a final an-thropic filling. On the basis of these data, this area was flooded during the maximum of the MIS-1 transgression (6.5-5.2 cal. kyr BP), with the temporary presence of a subtidal channel with phanero-gam meadows. During this evolution, three geochemical peaks have been detected, which correspond to 1) the first evidence of mining activities (similar to 4.5 cal. kyr BP), 2) an interval of intensive mining (1850-1960) and 3) an industrial period (1966-1985), affected by the dumping of highly polluting waste into this estuary.