Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Matthew J. Jacobson, Pascal Flohr, Alison Gascoigne, Melanie J. Leng, Aleksey Sadekov, Hai Cheng, R. Lawrence Edwards, Okan Tuysuz, Dominik Fleitmann
Summary: Constraining palaeoclimate variability is crucial for predicting future climate change impacts in the Eastern Mediterranean. The high-resolution multiproxy data set from Kocain Cave in SW Turkey reveals regional fluctuations in effective-moisture. The record highlights the heterogeneity of regional climate and palaeoclimate proxy records, emphasizing the complexity of historical comparisons in understanding climatic impacts.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Antonietta Rosso, Gemma Donato, Rossana Sanfilippo, Donatella Serio, Francesco Sciuto, Francesco D'Alpa, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Mauro Pietro Negri, Daniela Basso
Summary: This study focuses on the epibiosis found on the bryozoan species Margaretta cereoides, which contributes to canopy formation on a coralligenous build-up. The researchers found that the diversity of epibionts on Margaretta cereoides is higher than on algae, possibly due to the morphology and persistence of the bryozoan's surface. In addition, the epibiont diversity on Margaretta cereoides is higher than reported for other Mediterranean species and Flustra foliacea from North Europe.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachid Cheddadi, Matthieu Carre, Majda Nourelbait, Louis Francois, Ali Rhoujjati, Roger Manay, Diana Ochoa, Enno Schefuss
Summary: The study shows that the northern Sahara and the Mediterranean region were wetter during the African Humid Period due to increased winter precipitation, not solely influenced by the monsoon. The increased seasonal contrast of insolation led to a strengthening and southward shift of the Mediterranean winter precipitation system, in addition to intensified summer monsoon. This seasonal distribution of rainfall, rather than the increased monsoon alone, was found to be more efficient in generating a green Sahara vegetation cover in the Early Holocene.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Geography
Giovanni De Falco, Alessandro Conforti, Walter Brambilla, Francesca Budillon, Giulia Ceccherelli, Mario De Luca, Gabriella Di Martino, Ivan Guala, Sara Innangi, Vincenzo Pascucci, Luigi Piazzi, Laura Pireddu, Antonio Santonastaso, Renato Tonielli, Simone Simeone
Summary: In this study, mapping of coralligenous banks along the continental shelf of Sardinia Island was successfully conducted using multibeam echosounder surveys and video transects. A total area of approximately 436 km2 of sparse patches of coralligenous banks was mapped in the depth range of 40-160 m. The study provides important information on the distribution of coralligenous banks as well as the edge of the continental shelf and rocky seabed.
Article
Geography, Physical
Ignacio A. Lazagabaster, Natalia Eguez, Micka Ullman, Roi Porat, Ido Wachtel, Uri Davidovich, Nimrod Marom
Summary: By radiocarbon dating mammalian remains from different caves in the Judean Desert, combined with archaeological survey data and bone collagen/apatite delta C-13 values, the study examines the impact of Holocene climate change and human settlement history on local food webs. The results suggest a shift in faunal composition in the late Holocene, attributed to a combination of anthropogenic and climatic factors.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geology
Yuval Burstyn, Ron Shaar, Jonathan Keinan, Yael Ebert, Avner Ayalon, Miryam Bar-Matthews, Joshua M. Feinberg
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility of speleothem magnetism as a paleo-hydrology proxy in speleothems growing in semi-arid conditions, particularly in two Holocene speleothems from Soreq Cave (Israel), showing a strong coupling between the inflow of magnetic particles and delta C-13. The findings suggest that the IRMflux values, representing magnetic particle influx, can be used to study changes in rainfall amount and soil erosion over time in these speleothem records.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elena Vortsepneva, Pierre Chevaldonne, Alexandra Klyukina, Elizaveta Naduvaeva, Christiane Todt, Anna Zhadan, Alexander Tzetlin, Ilya Kublanov
Summary: The study presents a new species of Solenogastres, Tegulaherpia sp., discovered in Mediterranean marine caves. The transparent mollusks were found to harbor a variety of microbial cells on their surface, including bacteria and archaea. These microbes, similar to those associated with other marine animals, are believed to play a role in nitrogen metabolism and biopolymer decomposition.
Article
Archaeology
Badr Alaoui-Sosse, Shinji Ozaki, Lionel Barriquand, Daniele De Luca, Paola Cennamo, Benoit Valot, Laurence Alaoui-Sosse, Pascale Bourgeade, Faisl Bousta, Lotfi Aleya, Stephane Pfendler
Summary: This study used metabarcoding survey to investigate the composition of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities in and around the prehistoric Aze cave. The results showed a negative correlation between cave bacteria and Eukaryote phototroph richness and the distance from the cave entrance. The richness, diversity, and specific OTUs were significantly higher outside the cave compared to the entrance and bottom. Different communities were found in each section of the cave, providing insights into the sources of microorganisms in the Aze cave.
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Aphrodite Kantsa, Consuelo M. De Moraes, Mark C. Mescher
Summary: Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) are found in five distinct global regions and include centers of agricultural production and hotspots of extratropical biodiversity. There has been considerable research on the persistence of diverse biological communities in MTEs, but important questions remain about the limits of ecological resilience in the face of accelerating environmental change.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Maria N. Gudnitz, Laurel S. Collins, Aaron O'Dea
Summary: The distribution and diversity of mid-Holocene tropical benthic foraminiferal assemblages were analyzed in different marine habitats in Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama. The study concludes that the mid-Holocene coral reef in the bay was a patch reef that included high-organic and seagrass facies, similar to modern habitats. Results from this research can be compared to modern foraminiferal studies to investigate differences between current habitats and pristine reefs of the mid-Holocene.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Patricia Gatinho, Catia Salvador, Amelia M. Silva, Ana Teresa Caldeira
Summary: Pristine environments like caves offer rich microbial diversity, with microorganisms developing unique survival skills such as biosynthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites. Studying microbial strains from cave surfaces is important to explore the biotechnological potential of these organisms, leading to the discovery of new products with various bioactivities. Recent advancements in genomics and bioinformatics have made the exploration of bacterial secondary metabolites more promising, highlighting the importance of these habitats as a potential source of bioactive compounds for sustainable biotechnological applications.
Article
Anthropology
Yameng Zhang, Hongliang Lv, Xinglong Zhang, Mei Zhu, Kunyu He, Haibing Yuan, Song Xing
Summary: The study shows that the ZG 1 cranial features are most similar to Southern China Neolithic populations, with some resemblance to Late Pleistocene humans as well. This finding supports the regionalization of morphological variability patterns between Northern and Southern Neolithic populations dating back at least 10,000 years.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Nick Marriner, David Kaniewski, Majid Pourkerman, Benoit Devillers
Summary: This study reconstructs the Mediterranean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) based on 54 records for the past 11,750 years. It reveals that Mediterranean Sea temperatures have risen rapidly in the past century, exceeding the warmest levels of the Holocene. This highlights the urgent issue of global warming in the Mediterranean region.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Catalina Mena, Rosa Balbin, Patricia Reglero, Melissa Martin, Rocio Santiago, Eva Sintes
Summary: Research on deep ocean prokaryotic communities in the western Mediterranean Sea reveals a common depth stratification pattern, but drastic changes in community composition and diversity occur at specific water masses or throughout the aphotic zone and at a basin scale. This highlights the importance of monitoring the temporal patterns of dark ocean prokaryotic communities for understanding ecosystem metabolism and carbon fluxes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valme Jurado, Yolanda Del Rosal, Concepcion Jimenez de Cisneros, Cristina Linan, Tamara Martin-Pozas, Jose Luis Gonzalez-Pimentel, Bernardo Hermosin, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
Summary: This study investigated the microbial communities of carbonate precipitates from drip waters in Nerja, a cave close to the sea in southeastern Spain. The bacterial composition of the precipitates showed significant differences depending on the galleries and halls within the cave.
Article
Fisheries
Rossana Sanfilippo, Donatella Serio, Claudia Deias, Antonietta Rosso
Summary: This study reports a new distribution site of the shallow-water reef building polychaete Sabellaria alveolata in the southeastern corner of Sicily, off Portopalo di Capo Passero. The rocky bottoms in this area, which are exposed to tidal effects, have a particular habitat formed by veneer-like bioconstructions of Sabellaria alveolata interspersed with a dense macroalgal community, including alien Caulerpa taxa, and dominated by Ericaria giacconei. First insights into the development of this unique habitat and possible relationships between Sabellaria and the associated algae are presented.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
A. Guido, A. Rosso, R. Sanfilippo, D. Miriello, G. Belmonte
Summary: The dark and confined conditions of submarine caves provide opportunities for the development of bioconstructions. Investigating the growth pattern of biostalactites helps clarify the growth style of cryptic bioconstructions in the fossil record. The Lampiune cave in Apulia serves as a natural laboratory for studying biostalactites and enhancing biodiversity. Microscopic observations and analyses reveal two types of building engineers and suggest variability in seawater chemistry. The uniform growth style of the biostalactite from its inception to the present is indicated by the consistency of organisms, microstructures, and biochemical signals.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Georgios Kazanidis, Adriano Guido, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, J. Murray Roberts, Vasilis Gerovasileiou
Summary: This study provides the first insight into the role of epibiosis and the 'habitat cascades' phenomenon in enhancing structural heterogeneity and biodiversity in remote and difficult-to-access biogenic habitats, such as cold-water coral reefs and marine caves. It acts as a stepping-stone for further exploration of 'habitat cascades' in habitats where scientific knowledge about this phenomenon is limited.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Valentina Alice Bracchi, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Luca Fallati, Andrea Giulia Varzi, Alessandra Savini, Mauro Pietro Negri, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, Adriano Guido, Marco Bertolino, Gabriele Costa, Elena De Ponti, Riccardo Leonardi, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Daniela Basso
Summary: Coralliguous is one of the most important ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea, supporting high levels of biodiversity. The study confirmed the primary role of crustose coralline algae as major builders of the Coralligenous, matching the evidence from the fossil record. It suggests considering the role of encrusting calcareous red algae in conservation and management policies.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Rossana Sanfilippo, Antonietta Rosso, Alfio Viola, Adriano Guido, Claudia Deias
Summary: The polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa lives in agglutinated tubes forming reef-like structures on shallow-water bottoms. Compared to Sabellaria alveolata, S. spinulosa has smaller tubes with a thinner wall, finer agglutinated sandy elements, and muddy particles participating in tube construction. The distribution of biocement in S. spinulosa is irregular, with larger empty spaces between adjacent tubes compared to S. alveolata.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geography
Andrea Giulia Varzi, Luca Fallati, Alessandra Savini, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, Marco Bertolino, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Daniela Basso
Summary: Peculiar columnar-shaped coralligenous (C) outcrops were documented offshore Marzamemi village (SE Sicily, Ionian Sea), and the extent and distribution of these outcrops were assessed using a new high-resolution bathymetric map. The C bioconstructions are mainly distributed along two depth ranges, 36-42 m and 86-102 m water depth.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Robin Fentimen, Eline J. Feenstra, Andres Ruggeberg, Efraim Hall, Antonietta Rosso, Irka Hajdas, David Jaramillo-Vogel, Bernard Grobety, Thierry Adatte, David Van Rooij, Norbert Frank, Anneleen Foubert
Summary: This study investigates the process of mound build-up in a cold-water coral mound system by comparing multiple core samples taken from different locations. The results show that the timing and rate of mound formation vary under cold conditions, possibly due to environmental factors.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Antonietta Rosso, Gemma Donato, Rossana Sanfilippo, Donatella Serio, Francesco Sciuto, Francesco D'Alpa, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Mauro Pietro Negri, Daniela Basso
Summary: This study focuses on the epibiosis found on the bryozoan species Margaretta cereoides, which contributes to canopy formation on a coralligenous build-up. The researchers found that the diversity of epibionts on Margaretta cereoides is higher than on algae, possibly due to the morphology and persistence of the bryozoan's surface. In addition, the epibiont diversity on Margaretta cereoides is higher than reported for other Mediterranean species and Flustra foliacea from North Europe.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mara Cipriani, Daniela Basso, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Marco Bertolino, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Fabio Bruno, Gabriele Costa, Rocco Dominici, Alessandro Gallo, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Antonietta Rosso, Francesco Perri, Rossana Sanfilippo, Francesco Sciuto, Adriano Guido
Summary: In this study, preliminary data on the ecological and depositional implications of micritic sediments in a coralligenous bioconstruction in Sicily, Italy are presented. The build-up is primarily composed of crustose coralline algae, providing a substrate for a diverse community. Two types of microcrystalline calcite, allochthonous and autochthonous micrite, related to fine skeletal debris, have been identified. The allochthonous micrite accumulates in the cavities of the framework, while the autochthonous micrite is deposited in situ through organic-mediated processes. The presence of these micritic sediments suggests the possible contribution of non-skeletal carbonate in strengthening the primary framework through syndepositional cementation.
RENDICONTI ONLINE DELLA SOCIETA GEOLOGICA ITALIANA
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Antonietta Rosso, Emanuela Di Martino
Summary: This paper provides an update on Mediterranean bryozoan diversity, including the description of new taxa and new species, and the addition of new records of non-indigenous species. The updated bryozoan fauna consists of 588 species, 220 genera and 99 families, with cheilostomatids dominating. The new information is the result of investigations of previously overlooked habitats, examination of historical collections, and the use of advanced technologies such as Scanning Electron Microscopy and molecular sequencing.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Emanuela Di Martino, Antonietta Rosso, Oleg Mandic
Summary: This study used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the bryozoan species described by Arthur Waters in the 19th century. Several important findings were made, including the synonymization of Eschara lunaris with Microporella verrucosa, the confirmation of Lepralia auriculata var. leontiniensis as Stephanotheca leontiniensis, and the reclassification of Biflustra rhynchota into the genus Amphiblestrum. Additionally, Onychocella angulosa was compared with Miocene syntypes to confirm its identification, and Busk's Microporella morrisiana from the Pliocene Coralline Crag was reidentified as M. appendiculata after comparison with a topotypic colony of the former species.
BOLLETTINO DELLA SOCIETA PALEONTOLOGICA ITALIANA
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laura Bonfiglio, Antonietta Rosso, Victoria Herridge, Gianni Insacco, Agatino Reitano, Gianmarco Minniti, Gabriella Mangano, Rossana Sanfilippo
Summary: This study discusses the distinctive features and fossil content of some caves in eastern Sicily, providing important information on geological chronology and paleoenvironment, contributing to a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the region.