acoustic response, and textural characteristics of the sediment; the seafloor morphology, sediment dynamics, and the angle and orientation of the seafloor, which in
combination with assemblages of habitat-forming species enables habitat identification and mapping. In many cases, the high diversity and patchiness of habitats can be
explained by the high environmental variability resulting from the broad geomorphological diversity (De La Torriente et al. 2018). The geological contribution has
been crucial for these studies, to allow the consistent identification and mapping of
the habitats using benthic samples. These examples demonstrate the intrinsic association of geoscience and habitats, and it is from these associations that a better
understanding of the total ecosystem can be made and ultimately managed (Barrie
and Conway 2008).
6.7 Conclusions
This contribution summarises the geomorphology of the Alboran Sea, based on
recent local and regional interdisciplinary studies, and the combined analysis of
acoustic, seismic, sedimentological, and CTDs data. The geological and oceanographic characteristics of the Alboran Sea make this sea an ideal context in which to
analyse geomorphology and sedimentary deposits from shallow to deep-sea areas.
Four major physiographic domains have been defined in the Alboran Sea:
(1) continental shelf, (2) continental slope, (3) base of slope, and (4) intraslope and
deep basins. The continental shelf is generally poorly developed, and the deep-sea
areas are dominated by a highly irregular topography.
The proximal margin (continental shelf) comprises depositional (prodeltas,
infralittoral prograding wedges, and bedform fields), erosive (submarine valleys,
wave-cut terraces), slides, and anthropogenic features. The distal margins and
adjacent sub-basins include features with a different genesis; these can be grouped
as tectonic, seamount, fluid outflow, contourite, mass-movement, and biogenic
structures. The main tectonic features with seafloor relevance are folds with dominant ENE-WSW strikes, and faults that can be grouped into two main sets of N25
E
sinistral and N130
E dextral kinematics. Both predominantly affect the central and
eastern seafloor of the Alboran Sea. Several seamounts, with different origins and
varying sizes, are scattered along the continental slopes and in the sub-basins. Fluid
outflow features include mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, pockmarks, and authigenic
carbonates patches, which occur mainly in the Western Alboran Basin. A great
variety of depositional (drifts), erosional (moats, channels, and scarps), and mixed
(terraces) contourite features have been mapped from the shelf-break (>90 m water
depth) to the basins. Mass-movement features comprise turbidite systems mapped on
the Iberian margin; canyons mapped in the Iberian and African continental slopes
and in the Alboran Ridge flanks; and landslides mostly situated on seamount walls
and with a minor presence on the open continental slope. Finally, fields with
bioconstructions have been identified on the Iberian and African continental slopes.
6 Seafloor Morphology and Processes in the Alboran Sea
195
combination with assemblages of habitat-forming species enables habitat identification and mapping. In many cases, the high diversity and patchiness of habitats can be
explained by the high environmental variability resulting from the broad geomorphological diversity (De La Torriente et al. 2018). The geological contribution has
been crucial for these studies, to allow the consistent identification and mapping of
the habitats using benthic samples. These examples demonstrate the intrinsic association of geoscience and habitats, and it is from these associations that a better
understanding of the total ecosystem can be made and ultimately managed (Barrie
and Conway 2008).
6.7 Conclusions
This contribution summarises the geomorphology of the Alboran Sea, based on
recent local and regional interdisciplinary studies, and the combined analysis of
acoustic, seismic, sedimentological, and CTDs data. The geological and oceanographic characteristics of the Alboran Sea make this sea an ideal context in which to
analyse geomorphology and sedimentary deposits from shallow to deep-sea areas.
Four major physiographic domains have been defined in the Alboran Sea:
(1) continental shelf, (2) continental slope, (3) base of slope, and (4) intraslope and
deep basins. The continental shelf is generally poorly developed, and the deep-sea
areas are dominated by a highly irregular topography.
The proximal margin (continental shelf) comprises depositional (prodeltas,
infralittoral prograding wedges, and bedform fields), erosive (submarine valleys,
wave-cut terraces), slides, and anthropogenic features. The distal margins and
adjacent sub-basins include features with a different genesis; these can be grouped
as tectonic, seamount, fluid outflow, contourite, mass-movement, and biogenic
structures. The main tectonic features with seafloor relevance are folds with dominant ENE-WSW strikes, and faults that can be grouped into two main sets of N25
E
sinistral and N130
E dextral kinematics. Both predominantly affect the central and
eastern seafloor of the Alboran Sea. Several seamounts, with different origins and
varying sizes, are scattered along the continental slopes and in the sub-basins. Fluid
outflow features include mud diapirs, mud volcanoes, pockmarks, and authigenic
carbonates patches, which occur mainly in the Western Alboran Basin. A great
variety of depositional (drifts), erosional (moats, channels, and scarps), and mixed
(terraces) contourite features have been mapped from the shelf-break (>90 m water
depth) to the basins. Mass-movement features comprise turbidite systems mapped on
the Iberian margin; canyons mapped in the Iberian and African continental slopes
and in the Alboran Ridge flanks; and landslides mostly situated on seamount walls
and with a minor presence on the open continental slope. Finally, fields with
bioconstructions have been identified on the Iberian and African continental slopes.
6 Seafloor Morphology and Processes in the Alboran Sea
195