Publication details
Geological and morphological evolution of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) from the biogeographical view
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Landscape Ecology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Geology and mineralogy |
| Keywords | geological history; migration possibilities; Gulf of Aden; crystalline rocks; sedimets; transfer zone; transgression; tsunami; uplift |
| Description | The aim of the paper is to interpret new information about the Gulf of Aden geology, from the view of possible ways of terrestrial biota species imigration to the Socotra Islands. Time of the opening of the Gulf of Aden rift (ca 20-17 Ma), accompanied by large-scale uplift of the land was the last time when terrestrial biota could relatively easily reach the area of the Socotra Archipelago on land from the African mainland, and also from present-day Arabia. Nevertheless, channels in Guardafui and Brothers basins made important, but perhaps non-fatal, barriers. The last and most important uplift of Haggier Mts. (important refugium of mesophilous biota on Socotra) occurred at the end of the Miocene Epoch (9-6 Ma BP). That was probably the time of the last Tertiary emergence of the Socotra Platform, potentially enabling some species to migrate across narrowed abovementioned channels. Great changes in sea level occurred during the Quaternary Period, periodically exposing the surface of the Socotra platform. Two channels persisted, preventing the invasion of modern species onto the Socotra Archipelago. Channels within the Brothers basin between Abd al-Kuri Isl. and other islands of the Archipelago formed some barriers to dispersal, and probably led to important biota differences in the scope of the Archipelago. Finally, a scenario of the “facilitation” provided by tsunami and sea currents for the immigration of biota onto the Archipelago is presented. |