Paleodiversity and Paleoenvironmental Conditions of the Coniacian Santonian Strata in the Southwestern Aures Batna Algeria)

Abstract

This study presents a paleoenvironmental and paleontological assessment of the geological formations in the Batna region, northeastern Algeria, geologically part of the Aurès Mountains in the eastern Saharan Atlas. By analyzing the spatial distribution of both microfossils and macrofossils, the study reconstructs the marine depositional environments that prevailed during the Cretaceous. The results reveal three major paleoenvironmental settings: warm, shallow carbonate platforms, oxygen-depleted outer shelf zones, and nutrient-rich open marine environments associated with Tethyan circulation. These patterns reflect eustatic sea-level changes and tropical climatic conditions. The study underscores the paleogeographic importance of the Aurès as a transitional corridor between North Africa and the broader Tethyan realm, offering valuable insights into regional stratigraphy and global Cretaceous paleoceanography.