La importància dels factors biòtics en el desenvolupament de les plataformes carbonatades en l'"hivernacle" Cretàcic (cretaci superior, unitat central sud-pirinenca)

A prominent feature of Cretaceous seas (especially associated with the Tethys Ocean) was the episodic growth of extensive carbonate platforms. The bentic shelly biota of these platforms were major contributors to their facies architecture both through the "in situ" generation of sedimentary fabrics and as suppliers of sedimentary grains. Prominent among these organisms were the extinct rudists -sessile epifaunal bivalves of highly modified form- frequently associated with certain other taxa. The project aims to gain an accurate picture of the nature of rudist formations and associated facies through direct field and laboratory analysis of them. Detailed testing of hypotheses concerning the ecological attributes of rudists and their associated biota will allow reliable inferences on the reciprocal influences between the organisms and the biotopes they occupied. Phylogenetic and stratigrap