The Jurassic of the Peniche Peninsula (Portugal): Scientific, Educational and Science Popularization Relevance

Abstract

The Peniche Peninsula shows the most continuous carbonate sedimentary succession of the Jurassic in Portugal. In this paper, supported by several important scientific arguments from the different domains of Sedimentary Geology, we highlight this locality as a focal point to understand the Early Jurassic time interval. Among several other themes we emphasize the definition of the Toarcian GSSP, the discussion around the Early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event and the organic-rich deposition occurred in the Sinemurian- Pliensbachian of the Peniche Peninsula section. These key geological themes have been the focus of significant educational/scientific outreach, involving Geology promotion activities directed towards different audiences, on a local and international scale.

Full text

Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España 30 (1)
THE JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL):
SCIENTIFIC, EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENCE POPULARIZATION
RELEVANCE
El Jurásico de la Península de Peniche (Portugal): relevancia científica,
educativa y divulgativa
Luís Vítor Duarte1, Ricardo Louro Silva2, Francisco Félix3, María José Comas-Rengifo4, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha5,
Emanuela Mattioli6, Ricardo Paredes4, João Graciano Mendonça Filho7and Maria Cristina Cabral8
1MARE — Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal. lduarte@dct.uc.pt
2Basin and Reservoir Lab, Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Ricardo.Silva@Dal.Ca
3Escola Secundária of Peniche, Peniche, Portugal. ffelix43@hotmail.com
4Department of Paleontology, Faculty of Geological Sciences, University Complutense de Madrid, Spain. mjcomas@geo.ucm.es;
ricardo.paredes@ucm.es
5Department of Earth Sciences and GeoBioTec, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal.
rbr@fct.unl.pt
6Univ. Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ens de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5276 LGL-TPE, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France.
emanuela.mattioli@univ-lyon1.fr
7Department of Geology, Geosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. graciano@geologia.ufrj.br
8Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Departamento de Geologia and Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Portugal. mccabral@fc.ul.pt
ISSN (versión impresa): 0214-2708
ISSN (Internet): 2255-1379
55
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Abstract: The Peniche Peninsula shows the most continuous carbonate sedimentary succession of the Ju-
rassic in Portugal. In this paper, supported by several important scientific arguments from the different do-
mains of Sedimentary Geology, we highlight this locality as a focal point to understand the Early Jurassic
time interval. Among several other themes we emphasize the definition of the Toarcian GSSP, the discussion
around the Early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event and the organic-rich deposition occurred in the Sinemu-
rian–Pliensbachian of the Peniche Peninsula section. These key geological themes have been the focus of
significant educational/scientific outreach, involving Geology promotion activities directed towards diffe-
rent audiences, on a local and international scale.
Key-words: Lower Jurassic, global reference geosite, scientific relevance, educational activities, Peni-
che, Portugal.
Resumen: La Península de Peniche, situada en la Cuenca Lusitánica, muestra la sucesión carbonática se-
dimentaria más continua del Jurásico Inferior de Portugal. En ella ha quedado registrada la evolución y
los principales cambios paleoambientales ocurridos en el Margen Occidental ibérico durante este intervalo.
Investigaciones recientes sobre varias peculiaridades científicas relacionadas con diferentes aspectos de la
Geología Sedimentaria han convertido esta localidad en un punto clave para entender este intervalo de
tiempo del Jurásico Inferior. Esto se debe principalmente a: i) la definición de la Ponta do Trovão como el
GSSP (Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point) de la base del Piso T
oarciense; ii) la discusión sobre
el Evento Anóxico Oceánico del Toarciense y su correlación con una extinción en masa de 2º orden y, iii)
la sedimentación rica en materia orgánica que tuvo lugar durante la parte superior del Sinemuriense y el
Pliensbachiense. Además, se hace hincapié en las características sedimentarias únicas de gran parte de los
depósitos del Toarciense relacionadas con un episodio notable y singular de la sedimentación dentro del
contexto de la Cuenca Lusitánica. Estos temas geológicos claves han atraído a numerosos equipos de in-
vestigadores de diferentes partes del mundo. La sección de Peniche ha sido el objeto de importantes y sig-
nificativas actividades de divulgación científica y educativa por su interés científico global, el excelente
conocimiento estratigráfico de dicha sección, así como por su accesibilidad y extraordinario valor paisa-
jístico. También ha sido el foco de atención para realizar acciones de promoción de la Geología dirigidas
a diferentes públicos a escala local e internacional. Dichas actividades han consistido en clases de campo

Significant parts of the Earth’s history are told from ex-
ceptional geological sites across the planet. Inevitably, at
the top of the list are those locations that record the main
episodes of global change that occurred on the surface of
the Earth, with a more or less pronounced impact in the
biosphere (e.g., Raup and Sepkoski, 1982; Wignall, 2001;
White and Saunders, 2005). The Fransfontein section in
north-west Namibia, where the latest Neoproterozoic suc-
cession supports the Snowball Earth theory (e.g., Hoffman
and Schrag, 2002) or Gubbio in Italy, including the classic
iridium record that was used as the first argument for the
end of Cretaceous meteorite impact theory (e.g., Alvarez et
al., 1980), are, among others, examples of exceptional sites
that contribute to our understanding about Earth’s history.
The Jurassic series of the Lusitanian Basin stand out as
a highlight of the Portuguese sedimentary geology (e.g.,
Brilha et al., 2005; Henriques et al., 2005), particularly the
Lower Jurassic succession cropping out on the Peniche Pe-
ninsula (Duarte, 2004, 2005; Rilo et al., 2010; Fig. 1). Lo-
cated in the western Iberian margin, this locality presents a
continuous record of marine carbonate sediments, from
inner ramp to hemipelagic settings, dated from the Sine-
murian (Early Jurassic) to the possible beginning of Middle
Jurassic (Fig. 2) (e.g., Mouterde, 1955; Wright and Wilson,
1984; Duarte and Soares, 2002; Duarte et al., 2004). Due to
the excellent outcrop conditions, high-resolution stratigra-
phic control, and singular sedimentological and geochemi-
cal features, Peniche is regarded as a reference to the study
of the Portuguese Lower Jurassic (e.g., Duarte, 2004, 2005;
Suan et al., 2010; Silva and Duarte, 2015) and the evolution
of the Proto-Atlantic Ocean. Recent research developed at
Peniche, especially that to the Toarcian Global Boundary
Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) (e.g., Rocha et al.,
2013, 2016) and the Early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event
(T-OAE; e.g., Hesselbo et al., 2007; Suan et al., 2008a,
2008b, 2010), make this location a global geosite in terms
of the Jurassic System.
In this review, we aim to summarise and put into con-
text the stratigraphical, sedimentological and palaeoenvi-
ronmental importance of the geological record of the
Peniche section for the study of the Jurassic interval, from
local basinal evolution to a global scale point of view, tes-
56 JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL)
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
para estudiantes de nivel primario, secundario y universitario, programas de capacitación de diferentes ca-
rreras profesionales (principalmente maestros de escuelas secundarias y geólogos del petróleo), reuniones
de campo internacionales e iniciativas dirigidas a la comprensión pública de la Ciencia, como por ejem-
plo, excursiones de campo, conferencias, talleres, mesas redondas y exposiciones de fotografía. Todo ello
pone de manifiesto la necesidad y el beneficio que tiene el transmitir a la sociedad los avances científicos
en Geología.
Palabras clave: Jurásico Inferior, geositio de referencia global, relevancia científica, actividades edu-
cativas, Peniche, Portugal.
Duarte, L.V., Silva, R.L., Félix, F., Comas-Rengifo, M.J., da Rocha, R.B., Mattioli, E., Paredes, R., Mendonça
Filho, J.G. and Cabral, M.C. (2017): The Jurassic of the Peniche Peninsula (Portugal): scientific, educational
and science popularization relevance. Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1): 55-70.
Fig. 1.- The Peniche Peninsula: a) Location in the context of the Lower Jurassic deposits cropping out in the onshore of the Lusitan-
ian Basin (based on Duarte et al., 2010b); b) Aerial view with the main observation geological sites (see text).

tified by the high number of publications in international
geosciences journals. At the same time, and while explo-
ring other themes, we document the diversity of training
activities developed with several educational communities,
from primary school to undergraduate/postgraduate uni-
versity students, secondary school teachers, and petroleum
geologists. Lastly, we present an overview of several acti-
vities (developed over the last 15 years) aimed a public en-
gagement. All actions are advantaged by the excellent
geological knowledge, exposure conditions and scenic
value of this site.
The Jurassic of the Peniche Penin-
sula: a stratigraphic review
There is profuse literature on the
geology and stratigraphy of the Jurassic
record at Peniche, mostly starting from
the late nineteenth century (e.g., Chof-
fat, 1880; Mouterde, 1955; França et
al., 1960). Overall, the sedimentary se-
ries is more than 450 m-thick and is
dated from the Early (?) Sinemurian to
the extreme base of Middle Jurassic
(Aalenian?) (Mouterde, 1955; Duarte
and Soares, 2002; Duarte et al., 2004,
2017).
On the Peniche Peninsula, the
Lower Jurassic is divided into five for-
mations, corresponding to the Coimbra,
Água de Madeiros, Vale das Fontes, Le-
mede, and Cabo Carvoeiro formations
(see Duarte and Soares, 2002; Duarte et
al., 2004) (Fig. 2). The later three have
their type-sections defined in the Peni-
che Peninsula (Duarte and Soares,
2002). Despite the abundance and di-
versity of ammonites, particularly bet-
ween the topmost Sinemurian
(Raricostatum Zone) to the Middle
Toarcian (base of the Gradata Zone)
(Mouterde, 1955; Phelps, 1985; Dom-
mergues, 1987; Mouterde et al., 2007;
Paredes et al., 2013a, 2013b; Silva et
al., 2015), they are almost absent at the
base (Coimbra Formation) and at the
top of the succession (last member of
the Cabo Carvoeiro Formation) due to
its shallow-water depositional setting
(see Wright and Wilson, 1984; Duarte,
1997; Duarte and Soares, 2002). Ho-
wever, recent high-resolution ammonite
biostratigraphic studies developed in
several parts of the series, and their in-
tegration with the overall ammonite re-
cord of the Lusitanian Basin, allowed
the refinement of the Sinemurian–
Pliensbachian (Raricostatum–Jame-
soni) and Margaritatus–Emaciatum (=
Spinatum) ammonite zone boundaries (e.g., Silva et al.,
2011, 2015; Paredes et al., 2013a, 2013b; Duarte et al.,
2014). Supported by these works, chronostratigraphic li-
mits have been redefined, slightly altering the age limits of
the Água de Madeiros–Vale das Fontes and Vale das Fon-
tes–Lemede formations (Fig. 2). These inferences are con-
firmed by several calcareous nannofossils biostratigraphic
studies, focusing on the Pliensbachian–Toarcian interval of
Peniche (e.g., Perilli and Duarte, 2006; Oliveira et al.,
2007; Mattioli et al., 2013).
57
Luís Vítor Duarte, Ricardo Louro Silva, Francisco Félix, María José Comas-Rengifo, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha,
Emanuela Mattioli, Ricardo Paredes, João Graciano Mendonça Filho and Maria Cristina Cabral
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Fig. 2.- Stratigraphical log of the Upper Sinemurian–Aalenian (?) succession at Peniche:
lithostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy (2nd-order Transgressive (T)–Regressive (R) cy-
cles) and main sedimentary features (adapted and modified from Duarte et al., 2004;
Duarte, 2007a). PMb – Polvoeira Member; PPLMb – Praia da Pedra Lisa Member; MLUP
Mb - Marls and limestones with Uptonia and Pentacrinus member; LML Mb - Lumpy
marlstones and limestones member; MLOF Mb – Marly limestones with organic facies
member; CC1 to CC5 Mb – Cabo Carvoeiro members 1 to 5.

According to Duarte and Soares (2002), and corrobo-
rated by previous works (e.g., Wright and Wilson, 1984;
Elmi et al., 1988; Dommergues, 1987; Duarte, 1997; Fer-
nández-López et al., 2000) and recent works (e.g., Duarte,
2007a; Duarte et al., 2004, 2010b; Silva et al., 2011, 2015),
each formation displays singular sedimentological and pa-
laeontological (essentially invertebrate fossils and ichno-
fossils) features that allow the identification of the formal
Polvoeira and Praia da Pedra Lisa members, and the three
and five informal members of Vale das Fontes Formation
(Marls and limestones with Uptonia and Pentacrinus,
Lumpy marls and limestones, Marly limestones with orga-
nic facies) and Cabo Carvoeiro (CC1 to CC5 members)
Formation, respectively (Fig. 2). Micropalaeontological re-
sults from ostracod studies revealed the occurrence of se-
veral species (Pinto et al., 2007b; Loureiro et al., 2013),
some of them new with relevance for Jurassic ostracods di-
versity (Cabral et al., 2014).
Scientific relevance of the Peniche Peninsula
The Lower Jurassic of Peniche is currently an interna-
tional reference for the study of several subjects with high
scientific impact. Examples are the definition of the Toar-
cian GSSP and the discussion revolving around the T-OAE
record, supported by the extraordinary number of papers in
international reference journals (Table I). In addition to
these two subjects, several other relevant themes have been
developed in the Jurassic of Peniche, such as the occurrence
of the organic-rich deposits of latest Sinemurian–Pliensba-
chian age and the several unique sedimentary features, wi-
thin the evolutionary context of the Lusitanian Basin,
recorded in the Cabo Carvoeiro Formation. These four
main geological themes of discussion, here synthesised in
terms of scientific relevance, have attracted numerous
teams of researchers from different parts of the world and
the development of several projects.
The Toarcian GSSP
The Toarcian is the fourth stage of the Jurassic System, and
its name is derived from the city of Thouars (Western France)
that was firstly introduced by Alcide d’Orbigny (1842-1851).
The Thouars section (Vrines quarry; Fig. 3a) is now considered
the “historic” stratotype section for the Toarcian. After a long
deliberation, initiated by Dr. Serge Elmi and collaborators in
1996, the Ponta do Trovão site (Figs. 1 and 3b) is, since De-
cember 2014, the formal worldwide reference to the Pliensba-
chian–Toarcian boundary (Toarcian GSSP, ~182.7 Ma; Grads-
tein et al., 2012). This resolution, supported by the Internatio-
nal Commission on Stratigraphy and ratified by the
International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), arises from
a report authored by 20 researchers (Rocha et al., 2013) and de-
veloped after the meeting “The Peniche section (Portugal);
Contributions to the definition of the Toarcian Global Stratotype
Section and Point”, organised in June 2005 at Peniche, under the
auspicious of the International Subcommission on Jurassic Stra-
tigraphy (Elmi et al., 2005; Rocha, 2007). This stratigraphic
boundary (Fig. 4) is defined by the ammonoid record but sus-
tained by a wide range of biotic and abiotic stratigraphic mar-
kers, including calcareous nannofossils, ostracods, brachiopods,
carbon and oxygen stable isotopes and cyclostratigraphy (e.g.,
Mouterde, 1955; Elmi, 2006; Rocha et al., 2013, 2016).
The Early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event and mass
extinction
The Early Toarcian corresponds to one of the Earth’s his-
toric intervals where great changes in the lithosphere-ocean-
biosphere-atmosphere are recorded, in this case including the
emplacement of the Karoo-Ferrar Large Igneous Province (e.g.,
Jourdan et al., 2007; Sell et al., 2014), a 2nd-order mass ex-
tinction (e.g., Little and Benton, 1995; Palfy and Smith, 2000),
and the T-OAE (e.g., Jenkyns, 1988). This last event is well
testified by the worldwide negative carbon isotope excursion
recorded in sediments (e.g., Hesselbo et al., 2000, 2007; Caru-
thers et al., 2011; Suan et al., 2011; Kemp and Izumi, 2014).
Regarding the geological record of the T-OAE, the portion
corresponding to the Abalo beach (Fig. 3c) of the Peniche sec-
tion is acknowledged internationally, mainly due to the pionee-
ring work of Hesselbo et al. (2007). Based on a high-resolution
carbon isotope record measured in bulk carbonate and fossil
wood, Hesselbo et al.(2007) presented evidence of a major per-
turbation in the carbon cycle affecting the oceanic and atmos-
pheric reservoirs (Fig. 4). The relevance of this paper in the
scientific community is evident by its high number of citations
(Table I). Since then, many others of similar scientific impact
have been published, focusing, for example, on cyclostrati-
graphy, palaeoceanography, palynology and calcareous nanno-
fossil evolution across the uppermost Pliensbachian–Lower
Toarcian (e.g., Suan et al., 2008a, 2008b, 2010; Mattioli et al.,
2008, 2009; Barrón et al., 2013; Huang and Hesselbo, 2014;
Pittet et al., 2014). At the same time, several research projects re-
lating the response of benthic fauna to palaeoenvironmental
changes that occurred through the Early Toarcian have been de-
veloped, tracing the mass extinction associated with the Poly-
58 JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL)
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Scientific Themes Main Publications Number of Citations
WoS/Scopus
Toarcian GSSP Hesselbo et al. (2007) 191/210
and T-OAE Suan et al. (2008b) 98/108
Suan et al. (2010) 81/89
Sinemurian-Pliensbachian Duarte et al. (2010b) 31/55
organic-rich deposits Silva et al. (2011) 22/31
Reggiani et al. (2010b) 14/18
Sedimentary aspects of the Toarcian Wright and Wilson (1984) 43/53
Pittet et al. (2014) 15/19
Table I.- Main cited ISI papers
by each relevant scientific theme
about the Jurassic of Peniche
presented and discussed in the
text (data based on Journal Cita-
tion Report and Scopus, both ac-
cessed in 14th November 2016).
WoS: Web of Science.

morphum -Levisoni ammonite Zone boundary. The Peniche sec-
tion includes an exceptionally complete record of this extinc-
tion event, well observed in ostracods (Pinto et al., 2007a) and
brachiopods (Comas-Rengifo et al., 2015). Well documented in
other sections of the Lusitanian Basin, the Early Toarcian mass
extinction is characterized by the disappearance of the ostracod
Metacopina Suborder (see also Cabral et al., 2013) and the bra-
chiopod Spiriferida Order (see also Comas-Rengifo et al., 2013).
In addition, Rita et al. (2016) demonstrate that the foraminifera
population was also negatively affected at the base of Levisoni
Zone, although without evidence of extinction.
Organic deposition in the uppermost Sinemurian–
Pliensbachian
Considering its lithological characteristics and organic mat-
ter richness, the uppermost Sinemurian and Pliensbachian
(Água de Madeiros and Vale das Fontes formations) have been
59
Luís Vítor Duarte, Ricardo Louro Silva, Francisco Félix, María José Comas-Rengifo, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha,
Emanuela Mattioli, Ricardo Paredes, João Graciano Mendonça Filho and Maria Cristina Cabral
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Fig. 3.- a) The historical Toarcian Stratotype according to d’Orbigny (1842-1851) at Thouars, Western France (July 2012); b) The Toarcian
GSSP at Ponta do Trovão, Peniche (dashed line: Pliensbachian–Toarcian boundary); c) The Abalo beach that records the base of the Levisoni
Zone (beginning of the T-OAE; see text), dashed line: Polymorphum–Levisoni Zone boundary; d) The organic-rich facies of the MLOF mem-
ber cropping out at Portinho da Areia do Norte beach; e) Shallow-water carbonates of the Upper Toarcian (CC5 Mb) cropping out at Nau dos
Corvos; f) The Pentacrinus penichensis (Loriol) recorded in the Peniche Peninsula between Remédios and Cabo Carvoeiro (see Figure 1).

60 JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL)
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Fig. 5.- Field sedimentary and stratigraphical details of the Pliensbachian organic-rich deposits and lower Toarcian turbidites cropping
out at Peniche: a) Base of the MLOF member of the Vale das Fontes Formation (Portinho da Areia do Norte); b) Subarkosic conglom-
erate level (C) at the base of CC2 member (base of Levisoni Zone; Abalo beach). LML – Lumpy marls and limestones member.
Fig. 4.- Main global events well recognised across the Pliensbachian–Lower Toarcian succession cropping out in the Peniche Penin-
sula (see text).

identified as a potential hydrocarbon source rock interval in the
Lusitanian Basin (e.g., Oliveira et al., 2006; Duarte et al., 2010b,
2011, 2012). The Vale das Fontes Formation, formally defined
in the Peniche section at Portinho da Areia do Norte (Figs. 1, 3d
and 5a; Duarte and Soares, 2002; Duarte et al., 2010b), has
being extensively studied over the past years, not only from an
organic geochemistry and petroleum potential stand point, but
also investigating palaeoenvironments and palaeoclimates. Con-
cerning the later topics, are highlighted here the contributions
of Reggiani et al. (2010a, b), focusing in ocean dynamics of cal-
careous nannofossils, and of Silva et al. (2011, 2012, 2015) and
Silva and Duarte (2015), dealing with high-resolution strati-
graphy and geochemical signatures linked with major environ-
mental perturbations (stable isotopes and elemental
geochemistry) contemporaneous with the deposition of the or-
ganic-rich facies [Marly limestones with organic facies (MLOF)
member] of the Vale das Fontes Formation (Figs. 2 and 3d).
The Cabo Carvoeiro Formation: contrasting deposition
during the Early Jurassic
The calcarenitic deposits of Cabo Carvoeiro Formation
(Toarcian) cropping out at Cabo Carvoeiro are one of the main
themes of study regarding the Lusitanian Basin sedimentary
evolution, contrasting with the general domain of marly-li-
mestone deposits observed elsewhere (see Duarte, 1997;
Duarte and Soares, 2002; Pittet et al., 2014). This aspect of the
Jurassic depositional record has been the subject of several se-
dimentological studies, standing out particularly the submarine
fan model proposed by Wright and Wilson (1984). This epi-
sode of sedimentation starts with siliciclastic turbidites (with
quartz and feldspar) (Figs. 2 and 5b), contemporary with the
T-OAE (see Hesselbo et al., 2007; Suan et al., 2008b) and in-
terbedded in a marly succession poor in benthic macrofauna,
and ends with the deposition of oolitic limestones/grainstones,
more or less enriched in quartz and a shallow water platform
macrofauna (bivalves, gastropods, crinoids and ahermatipic co-
rals) (Figs. 2 and 3e). Of particular interest is the occurrence of
Pentacrinus penichensis (Loriol, 1890), an iconic invertebrate
fossil of the Portuguese record, especially expressive around
the Remédios and Cabo Carvoeiro localities (Fig. 3f).
The Cabo Carvoeiro Formation is exclusive to Peniche
and represents a 2nd-order regressive phase, also observed in
other parts of the Lusitanian Basin (Duarte, 2007a). The cau-
ses of the particular siliciclastic deposition in the Early Toar-
cian, with sediments akin to the nearby Berlengas islands
igneous mineralogy (e.g., Wright and Wilson, 1984; Duarte,
1997), seems to be linked to a tectonic event dated from the
base of Levisoni Zone (e.g., Duarte, 1997). This event, with
regional expression in the basin (see Kullberg et al., 2001),
overlaps the marine flooding event generally observed in
other European basins (e.g., Hallam, 1988; Hardenbol et al.,
1998) and the major climate change occurred in this period of
Earth planet (e.g., Suan et al., 2010; Dera et al., 2011).
Geological Heritage of the Peniche Jurassic
It is extensive the theoretical literature about Geological
Heritage and its assessment applied to several case studies (e.g.,
Gray, 2004; Pena dos Reis and Henriques, 2009; Lima et al.,
2010; Fassoula et al., 2012; Brilha, 2016). The Jurassic of the
Peniche Peninsula is recognized as an important part of the Por-
tuguese geoheritage, mostly due to its scientific and educatio-
nal relevance, exceptional exposure conditions, and scenic
value, attributes presented and discussed in Duarte (2004, 2005)
and Rilo et al. (2010). In conjunction with other geosites (e.g.,
Henriques et al., 2005), the Jurassic record in the Lusitanian
Basin was considered by ProGEO-Portugal as one of the four-
teen frameworks of international relevance in Portuguese geo-
logy (see Brilha et al., 2005). This particularity is due to the
well exposed and studied stratigraphic sections, from the Het-
tangian to the Tithonian, and from different depositional con-
texts (continental to marine deposits) (Henriques et al., 2005).
Moreover, special attention is paid to the Lower Jurassic car-
bonate series cropping out in Peniche, S. Pedro de Moel and
Rabaçal (e.g., Duarte, 2004). Considering each of these affir-
mations of relevance, several works of geological heritage in-
ventory and assessment have been performed for the Peniche
Peninsula (e.g., Duarte, 2004; Rilo et al., 2010). Although the
Peniche sections have not been included in any national geo-
logical protection system, the Peniche Municipality declared
in 2007 the Ponta do Trovão as a “Site of Municipality Interest”
(see Rocha et al., 2013). In addition to the ratification of Toar-
cian GSSP (Rocha et al., 2016), the aforementioned arguments
should compel decision makers to adopt more objective poli-
cies for geoconservation (e.g., Gray, 2011; Proser et al., 2013).
The comprehensive geoheritage inventory and assessment
study performed by Rilo et al.(2010) for the Peniche Peninsula,
together with some of the new contributes presented in this
paper, are an important support for future geoconservation ef-
forts by local or national authorities. The improvements and
requalification efforts made at Ponta do Trovão, resulting of
the recent ceremony of placing the Golden Spike (Fig. 6), are
a good example of geological valorization promoted by the
Municipality of Peniche.
Educational and training activities
Due to its scientific, stratigraphic, and overall geolo-
gical value and great exposure conditions, the Peniche Pe-
ninsula also has the potential to support immersive and
focussed educational and training activities (e.g., Duarte,
2004, 2005; Rilo et al., 2010; and references therein). Se-
veral practical actions have been performed over the last
years at Peniche aimed at primary (elementary), secon-
dary, and university student activities, and high-school te-
acher educational programmes (e.g., Duarte, 2006).
Considering the relevance of the organic-rich deposition
of Pliensbachian age, among other interesting sedimento-
logical aspects observed in the whole succession, also in-
cluded here are activities linked with the training of
petroleum geologists.
Practical and field work activities of university students
The Peniche Peninsula has been a preferential place for
different practical activities related with Sedimentary Geo-
logy, especially on the domains of Sedimentology (as argued
61
Luís Vítor Duarte, Ricardo Louro Silva, Francisco Félix, María José Comas-Rengifo, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha,
Emanuela Mattioli, Ricardo Paredes, João Graciano Mendonça Filho and Maria Cristina Cabral
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017

by Duarte, 2004, 2006), Stratigraphy, and Palaeontology of
undergraduate level classes of several Portuguese and foreign
universities. The large diversity of carbonate facies (e.g.,
hemipelagites, organic-rich deposits, turbidites, and sha-
llow-water carbonates), the abundance of invertebrate
macrofossils (e.g., ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, bra-
chiopods, gastropods, crinoids, echinoids, ahermatypic
corals) and ichnofossils (Arenicolites, Chondrites, Di-
plocraterion, Phymatoderma, Rhizocorallium, Skolithos,
Thalassinoides, Zoophycos) (Fig. 2), observed in the
whole succession or the integrated stratigraphic analysis
related to the definition of the Toarcian GSSP are solid
arguments to successfully underpin practical activities
linked with these subjects.
At a graduate level, and in addition to the obvious rele-
vance to the teaching of Sedimentary Basin Analysis or
other courses of master’s programmes several extra-curri-
cular actions and workshops have been organized at Peni-
che, including summer courses that involved lectures, field
and laboratory work (Figs. 7a,b). However, amongst these
potential initiatives, perhaps the most interesting and trea-
ding topic is the discussion revolving around the carbon
cycle perturbation (evidenced by a carbon isotope curve;
see Hesselbo et al., 2007) and mass extinction (Pinto et al.,
2007a; Comas-Rengifo et al., 2015) related with the T-OAE
and the previous Pliensbachian record (see Silva and
Duarte, 2015; Fig. 4). In fact, these themes have been de-
veloped in practical activities related with Global Changes
and/or Global Changes and Climatology courses (see cu-
rricular organization of Geosciences and Environmental
Engineering Masters courses of Coimbra University, Por-
tugal; see Duarte, 2010).
Primary and secondary activities
The Peniche Peninsula has a huge didactic potential for
high-school practical activities, mostly supported by field
trips aimed at students (Dias, 2004) and teachers. Several
locations around the Peniche Peninsula, such as Papôa, Luz
Fortress, Portinho da Areia do Norte, Ponta do Trovão-
Abalo beach, Remédios, or Cabo Carvoeiro (Fig. 1), have
been used as a teaching support for students of different le-
vels of education. These sites constitute a solid background
to promote the understanding of diverse geological con-
cepts and problems, especially in the domain of Sedimen-
tary Geology. Several educational activities have been
developed within the subject of Natural Sciences of diffe-
rent levels of Primary teaching and Biology and Geology
(10th and 11th Portuguese grades), and Geology (pre-Uni-
versity level) of Secondary teaching (Table II). The greatest
success has been obtained in field classes relating to sub-
jects of Secondary teaching (Félix, 2007, 2010), testified
by the number and recurrence of sessions, that include local
(Peniche Municipality) and regional schools, as well as ins-
titutions of other parts of the country, which lay in diffe-
rent geological contexts (Table II; Fig. 7c). Félix (2007,
2010) synthesize the themes that can be developed in the
Peniche Peninsula according to the syllabus of Biology and
Geology, and Geology subjects of Secondary level. Each
of these activities have been evaluated and monitored over
the past ten years.
These themes also provide a good training to teachers
from the Secondary level. In fact, based on the high-reso-
lution stratigraphical, palaeontological and sedimentolo-
gical level of knowledge (references above cited), several
training activities have been performed in the Peniche Pe-
ninsula involving, for example, the Portuguese Associa-
tion of Biology and Geology Teachers (2006-2007 and
2009), or other associations of Natural Sciences teachers
(Fig. 7d).
Petroleum geologists sessions and training activities
In addition to the diverse array of singular aspects of the
stratigraphic succession cropping out in the Peniche Penin-
sula as the Lower Jurassic reference section of the Lusita-
nian Basin, with a clear impact in the development of Basin
Analysis and Petroleum Geology, several works pointed out
62 JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL)
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Fig. 6.- a) The Toarcian Golden Spike at Ponta do Trovão (Peniche Peninsula); b) Interpretative panel of Toarcian GSSP produced by
Municipality of Peniche and unveiled during the ceremony of placing the Golden Spike at Ponta do Trovão (25th July 2016).

63
Luís Vítor Duarte, Ricardo Louro Silva, Francisco Félix, María José Comas-Rengifo, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha,
Emanuela Mattioli, Ricardo Paredes, João Graciano Mendonça Filho and Maria Cristina Cabral
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
the importance of the Vale das Fontes Formation organic-
rich unit as a hydrocarbons source-rock (e.g., Oliveira et al.,
2006; Ferreira et al., 2010; Duarte et al., 2010b, 2011; Co-
rreia et al., 2012). The good exposure conditions, accessi-
bility and knowledge (including the high-resolution organic
geochemistry studies developed by authors; see references
above) of the series, as well as the continuous exploration
for hydrocarbon over the last years in the Lusitanian and Pe-
niche basins, turned the Portinho da Areia do Norte outcrop
(Fig. 3d) into an obligatory site, for both the training of pe-
troleum geologists (e.g., Duarte, 2007b; Azerêdo and
Duarte, 2012) and industry partners during field seminars
for energy companies (see also, Duarte et al., 2011). Seve-
ral groups are developing their training activities in the Pe-
niche Peninsula (e.g., Pena dos Reis and Pimentel, 2015).
Besides the source-rock thematic associated to the Vale das
Fontes Formation, as pointed out in Pena dos Reis and Pi-
mentel (2015) when addressing hypothetic petroleum
systems of the Lusitanian Basin, the Peniche sedimentary
succession presents several other characteristics relevant to
the study of carbonate reservoirs. For example, the calci-
clastic carbonate facies of the uppermost Cabo Carvoeiro
Formation (mainly the Cabo Carvoeiro 5 member; Fig. 2) is
regarded as a potential hydrocarbon reservoir (e.g., Wright
and Wilson, 1984; Azerêdo and Duarte, 2012).
Science to geoscientists and society
Parallel to the educational and training activities, seve-
ral other actions of scientific dissemination have been per-
formed in the Peniche Peninsula, many coordinated by the
authors of this paper. Here we emphasize two different
kinds of activities: field trips for geoscientists and scienti-
fic sessions to general public.
National and international scientific association field trips
Since 2004, the authors have been involved in the coor-
dination of several field trips devoted to the Jurassic of Pe-
niche, often as part of the scientific programme of interna-
tional scientific meetings and covering different domains of
Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Geochemistry, Palaeontology
and Geological Heritage. One of these events was a field trip
included in the 23rd International Association of Sedimento-
logists (IAS) meeting, held in Coimbra during September
2004. This field trip, entitled “Early Jurassic carbonate evo-
lution in the Lusitanian Basin: facies, sequence stratigraphy
and cyclicity” (Duarte et al., 2004), was centred in Peniche.
Together with the Rabaçal and S. Pedro de Moel sections
(Fig. 1), these constitute the three main outcrops concerning
of the Lower Jurassic of Lusitanian Basin (see also Duarte,
2004). Two different field trips have been performed in Pe-
niche during 2005, under the auspices of the International
Subcommission on Jurassic Stratigraphy and ProGEO. The
first meeting, mentioned in a previous section (Elmi et al.,
2005; Rocha, 2007), brought together members of the Toar-
cian Working Group and promoted a fruitful discussion about
the proposal of the Ponta do Trovão as the Toarcian GSSP
(see Rocha, 2007; Rocha et al., 2013, 2016). The second
event corresponded to the field trip “Jurassic heritage and
geoconservation in Portugal: selected sites” (Henriques et
al., 2005), included in the IV International Symposium Pro-
GEO on the Conservation of the Geological Heritage, held in
Braga. One stop of this event was dedicated to the Jurassic
of Peniche Peninsula (Duarte, 2005).
In addition to several field trips pertaining to “regional
meetings”, such as the VII Meeting of Young Researchers in
Palaeontology, held in Torres Vedras (Duarte, 2009), or the
X Geochemical Meeting of Portuguese Language Countries
(Duarte et al., 2010a), that combined involved more than 120
participants, highlighted here two important initiatives spon-
sored by the International Committee for Coal and Organic
Petrology and International Commission on Stratigraphy. In
2011, the Peniche Peninsula was the focus of the only field
trip associated with the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Interna-
tional Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology, held in
Porto, and dedicated to dispersed organic matter (see Duarte
et al., 2011; Fig. 7e). Among the several field trips proposed
Level of Education Title of Activity Periodicity
“A trip with feet and hands on (our) Earth", 2008
Workshop of Geology
“A trip to the world of ammonites”, Theater 2008
Primary School Storytelling and educational games about the fossil 2008
record of Ponta do Trovão, Library/Resource Centre
of the High-School of Peniche
"The magic ship", pedestrian tour across the Jurassic Each year between 2012-2015
outcrops of Peniche
Field classes about the Lower Jurassic of the Peniche Each year (several times)
Peninsula with local Secondary Schools between 2002-2016
Secondary School Field classes about the Lower Jurassic of the Peniche 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007,
Peninsula, with several schools from other regions of 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014
Portugal (e.g., Gouveia, Matosinhos, Porto, Tábua and Viseu)
Week “So much Sea"; field-trip across the Peniche Peninsula Each year between 2012-2016
Table II.-Typology of some educational activities with primary and secondary schools developed in the Peniche Peninsula in the last 15 years.

64 JURASSIC OF THE PENICHE PENINSULA (PORTUGAL)
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
within the 1st International Congress on Stratigraphy
(STRATI2013), held in Lisbon, one of them was dedicated
to the recent advances in Stratigraphy of the Jurassic of Pe-
niche (see Duarte et al., 2017). In 2014 a field trip to the Pe-
niche region was included in the series of “behind the scenes”
tours of the Geologists’ Association, to show the different ge-
ological aspects of the Peniche Peninsula to a group of geo-
logists from a large range of specialities.
The international scope of these different field trips,
also demonstrates the scientific impact of the Peniche Pe-
Fig. 7.- Examples of educational and scientific popularization of science activities developed in the Peniche Peninsula: a) Laboratory
session at Peniche Museum included in the First Summer Geological Course carried out in September 2005 with Portuguese and Span-
ish master’s students supported by Earth Sciences Department of University of Coimbra and Municipality of Peniche; b) Field-trip stop
to observe the Pliensbachian organic-rich facies, included in session “Organic and carbonate sedimentation: from Palaeozoic to Recent”,
a workshop organized by the Project PTDC/CTE GIX/098968/2008 “High-resolution stratigraphy of the Lower Jurassic organic-rich
marine series in the Lusitanian Basin”, supported by the FCT-MCTES and COMPETE FEDER (Portugal) (September 2010); c) "Geo-
logy, geologists and their methods", practical activity with Biology and Geology course students from the Peniche Secondary School
(Portinho da Areia do Norte beach, September 2008); d) Practical training with Secondary teacher’s of Natural Sciences (Papôa, June
2016); e) Organic-rich facies and generating hydrocarbon potential of the Vale das Fontes Formation (Pliensbachian) cropping out in
the Portinho da Areia do Norte beach (63rd Annual Meeting of the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology field-trip:
“The Lower Jurassic of west coast of Portugal: stratigraphy and organic matter in carbonate sedimentation”, September 2011; Duarte
et al., 2011); f) Science popularization session “Geology by the sea: Geological histories of Peniche” included in the national program
called “Geology in the Summer” (Portinho da Areia do Norte, August 2007).

ninsula in the diverse aspects of the Lower Jurassic strati-
graphy. Furthermore, these events brought participants
from around the world.
Scientific dissemination to general public
Several dozen activities of scientific dissemination tar-
geting the general public have been performed in the Peni-
che Peninsula. These activities usually take form as field
trips, but sometimes include lectures, workshops, round-ta-
bles, and photography exhibitions (Table III). These are
mostly organized by universities, high-schools, environ-
mental and heritage societies, and the Cultural Department
of the Peniche Municipality. From this wide range of acti-
vities, we emphasize the session “Geology by the sea: Ge-
ological histories of Peniche”, included in the national
program “Geology in the Summer”. This session was or-
ganized by the Earth Sciences Department of University of
Coimbra and sponsored by the Portuguese Ministry of
Science and Technology. It included participants from all
over the country and of varying ages (7 to 75 years old),
generally without a formal geological background (Fig. 7f).
This session took place on the Peniche Peninsula during
summer one to two times a year between 2001 and 2012
(see also Duarte, 2004). Although it is impossible to enu-
merate all formal sessions carried out over recent years,
some of them organised by regional and local groups and
associations (Table III); also of significance is the “Senior
University of Peniche”, which included the program “Yes-
terday School, Today School", aimed at people over 60
years old (Table III).
In all these sessions, the Jurassic leitmotif has been arti-
culated with countless interesting subjects of Geology, ex-
traordinarily preserved on the Peniche Peninsula. They are
the cases of the Cretaceous volcanic breccia of Papôa (Ro-
mariz, 1963-64; Andrade, 1979), the coastal karst that domi-
nates the landscape of the uppermost Toarcian carbonate
deposits of Remédios–Cabo Carvoeiro area, and the coastal
dynamics recorded since the Pleistocene and evidenced by
geomorphological and geological criteria observed around
the Peniche Peninsula (e.g., Henriques, 1996; Romão, 2009).
All these activities aimed to a broader audience are evi-
65
Luís Vítor Duarte, Ricardo Louro Silva, Francisco Félix, María José Comas-Rengifo, Rogério Bordalo da Rocha,
Emanuela Mattioli, Ricardo Paredes, João Graciano Mendonça Filho and Maria Cristina Cabral
Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 30(1), 2017
Title Type of Initiative Periodicity
“Geology by the sea: geological histories of Peniche” included National Each year: 2001-2003,
in the Program “Geology in the Summer” 2004-2012
Field trips with different audiences Local Several years
Field trips with “Senior University of Peniche” Local 2010, 2014, 2015
Lectures and field sessions included in Local and Regional Meetings: Regional 2005
“Geological Heritage of Peniche: Elements to its characterization”,
1st Journeys of Archaeology and Heritage of Peniche
“Histories of seas and shellfishes counted by the Cabo Carvoeiro rocks”, Regional 2006
8th Cultural Week of the University of Coimbra
“From the rocks to the palaeogeographic reconstitutions. Examples from National 2006
the Peniche region”, 20th National Meeting of Geography Teachers
“Geological Heritage of Peniche. A place in the World”, Coastwatch National 2007
National Seminar "Becoming from coast"
Workshop “Geological Heritage of the Peniche Peninsula”, Regional 2008
Coastwatch Activity
Field-trip “Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Peniche Peninsula”, Regional 2011
European Heritage Days
“Echo Beach: International Youth Exchange", Peniche International 2013
“The Toarcian GSSP at Ponta do Trovão (Peniche)”, Municipal National 2015
Museum of Peniche
Other activities: Regional 2004/2006
Diverse launch flyers (Arméria, Environmental Movement)
Book release “Fossils: The narrators of the Earth history”, Municipal Regional 2008
Museum of Peniche
Book release “Trip to the ammonite’s world”, Peniche Fortress Regional 2009
Photography exhibitions:
“Surfaces, textures and floors of the Peniche shoreline”, Municipal Regional 2014/2015
Museum of Peniche, High-School of Bombarral
“Fragments of the Peniche Geology: Aesthetic perspective”, Regional 2015
High-School of Peniche
Table III.- Typology of main promotion science activities developed in the Peniche Peninsula in the last 15 years.

dence of the societal impact of the geological research pro-
jects developed over the last years in the Peniche Penin-
sula. The diversity of subjects, adapted to different
audiences, underline the great success of the Lower Jurassic
of Portugal for science dissemination, an obligation and a
social responsibility of scientists (e.g., Greenwood and
Riordan, 2001; Weigold, 2001; Stewart and Nield, 2013).
Final remarks
In this paper, we highlight the importance of the sedi-
mentary record preserved in the Peniche Peninsula as a sin-
gular site for scientific research concerning the Jurassic
Stage, sustained by a large diversity of scientific, educa-
tional, and general public activities.
The Toarcian GSSP located at Ponta do Trovão, re-
cently approved (2014) by IUGS, and the scientific re-
search developed in the Abalo beach focusing on the
record of the T-OAE and associated 2nd-order mass-ex-
tinction highlights Peniche as an internationally relevant
site to understand planetary-scale palaeoenvironmental
dynamics. Moreover, all knowledge of the stratigraphy and
palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Jurassic carbonate
succession recorded in the cliffs of the Peniche Peninsula,
including hemipelagites, organic-rich deposits (potential
source rocks), siliciclastic turbidites and shallow-water car-
bonates, diverse invertebrate fossils and ichnofossils,
allows for the continuous improvement of the models cons-
training Proto-Atlantic evolution.
Favoured by optimal conditions of accessibility to the
outcrops, and such as demonstrated in this paper, each of
these characteristics have been outlined in a variety of
scientific, educational and outreach activities, embracing
all educational levels (Primary to University), students and
teachers, petroleum geologists, international scientific so-
cieties, regional and local environmental and heritage as-
sociations, and the general public. The number and variety
of sessions performed over the last 15 years, as well as the
constant positive feedback given by the participants, con-
firm the high educational value and impact in the growing
popularization of this geologic locality.
Acknowledgements
This work had the support of the Fundação para a Ciên-
cia e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project
UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE and it is a con-
tribution in the context of the IGCP 655 Toarcian Oceanic
Anoxic Event: Impact on marine carbon cycle and ecosys-
tems. Authors thank the Municipality of Peniche the avai-
lability of the photography of Figure 1. We would like to
acknowledge Luis Carcavilla Urqui and Marcos Aurell Car-
dona for their remarks and Kallen Rutledge for her assis-
tance in English revision.
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