Article
Geography, Physical
Joana F. Cruz, Ioanna Bouloubassi, Arnaud Huguet, Alice M. S. Rodrigues, Thiago P. Santos, Igor M. Venancio, Douglas Lessa, Rodrigo L. Sobrinho, Rodrigo A. Nascimento, Marcelo C. Bernardes
Summary: This study reconstructed the upper temperature variations in the Subtropical South-western Atlantic (SSWA) using organic proxies. The results showed similar patterns in sea temperature records derived from alkenone-based UK'37 and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (isoGDGTs)-based TEXH86 proxies. The study suggests that the joint use of these proxies is a promising approach to estimating paleoceanographic changes in the upper thermocline.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Flavia Tiemi Masumoto, Amanda Alves Gomes, Rayane dos Santos de Franca, Marcelo Roberto Souto de Melo
Summary: This report provides the first evidence of persistent marine litter on the Southwestern Atlantic continental slope. Plastic was the most common and abundant material found, and the density of litter was higher off Sao Paulo due to the presence of oil and gas platforms and cargo vessels.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Beatriz Fernandes de Barros Bomfim Santana, Thaise Ricardo Freitas, Juliana Leonel, Carla Bonetti
Summary: This study analyzed the characteristics of Uvigerinidae species on the continental slope of the Western South Atlantic and discussed their distribution and variations during the late glacial cycle. The dominance of Trifarina angulosa during interglacial stages suggests its preference for warmer, nutrient-poor, and oxygen-rich North Atlantic Deep Water. The study also highlights the potential use of biotic descriptors as proxies in studies on paleocirculation and carbon flows in the South Atlantic.
MARINE MICROPALEONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Silvia Regina Bottezini, Debora Diniz, Andreia Souza Pereira de Avila, Adriana Leonhardt
Summary: This study compared continental palynomorphs and marine sediment proxies to understand the influence of the continent on ocean productivity during the late Quaternary. The results suggest that continental inputs likely contribute more to palynomorphs than the Brazilian Coastal Current. During glacial intervals, there was an intensification of upwelling and wind dust transport, which may have transported pollen grains to the core region. The rise in sea level interferes with the fertilization of marine waters by continental input.
OCEAN AND COASTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geology
Antonio Enrique Sayao Sanjines, Marta Claudia Viviers, Denize Santos Costa, Geise de Santana dos Anjos Zerfass, Gerhard Beurlen, Oscar Strohschoen Jr
Summary: This study describes and interprets the upper Aptian planktonic foraminifera assemblages in the post-salt section of the Santos, Campos, and Espirito Santo Brazilian marginal basins, providing insights into biostratigraphy and relative ages. The analysis of material from 26 wells reveals that the marine sedimentary rocks deposited above the evaporitic sequence are of upper Aptian age. This reassessment of the biostratigraphic framework suggests an earlier establishment of a marine environment in the studied basins, contributing to the understanding of early South Atlantic Ocean geological evolution.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrea da Consolacao de Oliveira Carvalho, Rodrigo Kerr, Virginia Maria Tavano, Carlos Rafael B. Mendes
Summary: The structure of phytoplankton community in the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean is influenced by environmental variables, particularly sea-air CO2 net fluxes. The relationship between phytoplankton and CO2 dynamics is complex and has not been extensively studied. This research investigates the interaction between CO2 uptake and dominant phytoplankton groups in the region. It is found that the biology of the region plays an important role in the modulation of CO2 fluxes. The study also identifies two distinct biogeochemical regions divided by a transitional zone, with different phytoplankton and CO2 behavior patterns.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. I. Isola, M. E. Bravo, G. Bozzano, F. Palma, J. P. Ormazabal, S. Principi, D. Spoltore, R. Martin, F. D. Esteban, A. A. Tassone
Summary: The study uses acoustic data, sediment core grain size results, and AMS C-14 ages to describe in detail the geomorphology of the southern part of the Piedra Buena Terrace, revealing kilometric-sized sub-circular depressions and a submarine canyon on the seabed. It also finds that the shallow sedimentary structure of the study area consists of patchy-mounded deposits with two distinct seismic facies and a preferential northward location.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. M. de Mahiques, F. J. Lobo, U. Schattner, A. Lopez-Quiros, C. B. Rocha, R. J. S. Dias, I Montoya-Montes, A. C. B. Vieira
Summary: The Santos Basin margin in southwestern Brazil provides a unique environment for studying the morphological imprint of bottom currents on seafloor morphology. The study identified four seafloor domains and found that salt tectonics plays a major role in shaping the seafloor morphology.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Adriano Vangone, Carlo Doglioni
Summary: The study reveals significant differences in the gross crustal structure of the Atlantic Ocean passive continental margins between the western and eastern sides, including the continental-ocean transition, MOHO dip angle, and continental crust width. These systematic asymmetries suggest the early stages of continental rifting driven by polarized westward motion of the plates.
GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
R. A. Nascimento, I. M. Venancio, C. M. Chiessi, J. M. Ballalai, H. Kuhnert, H. Johnstone, T. P. Santos, M. Prange, A. Govin, S. Crivellari, S. Mulitza, A. L. S. Albuquerque
Summary: The study revealed the importance of changes in upper ocean circulation in the western tropical Atlantic for the northward heat transport as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, with seasonal thermocline stratification being driven by precession. Using oxygen isotopes and Mg/Ca, the research confirmed that changes in thermocline temperature predominantly impact stratification.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Dean A. Ostenaa, Mark S. Zellman, Matthew L. Morgan, Christopher B. DuRoss, Richard W. Briggs, Ryan D. Gold, Shannon A. Mahan, Harrison J. Gray, Lauren Broes, Kassandra Lindsey
Summary: This study presents geomorphic analyses, geochronology, and paleoseismic trenching data to document the rupture history of the Cheraw fault over the past 19 ka and evaluate slip rate changes over the past 200 ka. The results show evidence of multiple surface rupture events and suggest a possible response to rapid erosional unloading and/or a limited paleoseismic history for the Cheraw fault.
BULLETIN OF THE SEISMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
A. E. Lopez-Perez, B. Rubio, D. Rey, M. Plaza-Morlote, L. M. Pinheiro
Summary: Studies of the surficial sedimentary record from passive continental margins provide crucial knowledge about sedimentary dynamics and changes through recent geological times. This study presents a detailed record of tectono-sedimentary processes on an isolated high marginal platform, revealing structural features and different water mass-controlled sedimentary systems. The results also indicate erosive features and extremely low sedimentation rates in the study area.
Article
Geography, Physical
Luigi Ferranti, Pierfrancesco Burrato, Daniele Sechi, Stefano Andreucci, Fabrizio Pepe, Vincenzo Pascucci
Summary: Mapping and luminescence aging of raised marine terraces and aeolian ridges along a 90 km coastal stretch in southwestern Sicily provide the first quantitative assessment of vertical tectonic deformation in this region. The results demonstrate that the uplift includes a regional component related to the involvement of thicker crustal portions of the northern African continental margin in the thrust belt, and a local component corresponding to actively growing bedrock folds.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guilherme A. Pedrao, Marcus V. Hirama, Mariana O. Tomazella, Ana Luiza S. Albuquerque, Cristiano M. Chiessi, Karen B. Costa, Felipe A. L. Toledo
Summary: In this study, the variations in coccolithophore assemblages and major elements (Fe, Ca, and Ti) were associated to reconstruct paleoceanographic and paleoproductivity changes. The oscillation of relative sea level was found to be the key process controlling paleoproductivity.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Wildman, R. Brown, J. Ye, D. Chardon, D. Rouby, A. N. Kouamelan, M. Dall'Asta
Summary: This study investigates the thermal and tectonic evolution of the West African continental margins through new apatite fission-track (AFT) data analysis in Guinea and Ivory Coast. The results reveal the thermal effect of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP), rapid cooling along the coast during the early to mid-Cretaceous period, and moderate cooling across longer wavelengths.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosalinda C. Montone, Mariana B. Alonso, Marcos Cesar O. Santos, Paula Mendez-Fernandez, Satie Taniguchi, Ana Paula M. Barbosa, Renato M. Goncalves, Janeide de Assis Padilha, Carolina Bertozzi, Josilene da Silva, Juliana Marigo, Antonio Derley S. Pereira, Rafael A. Lourenco
Summary: This study analyzed the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Franciscana dolphins from three regions in Brazil. The results showed that PCBs and DDTs were the predominant pollutants, with the highest PCB concentrations observed in highly urbanized and industrial areas. The sex and maturity of the dolphins had significant effects on the POPs concentrations. Although the concentrations of POPs are declining, PCB levels remain high and pose adverse health effects on the dolphins.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
A. C. R. Albergaria-Barbosa, E. Schefuss, S. Taniguchi, P. S. Santos, M. Cunha-Lignon, M. Tassoni-Filho, R. C. L. Figueira, M. M. Mahiques, M. C. Bicego
Summary: The study aimed to characterize the distribution and sources of terrigenous organic matter (OM) in the surface sediments of a subtropical estuarine-lagoon system surrounded by the Atlantic Rainforest. The n-alkanes and their isotopic composition were evaluated in both sediment samples and leaves from representative plant species. The results indicated that riparian vegetation was the main source of terrigenous OM, while mangrove trees also had an influence, particularly in the eastern region of the system.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Raissa Basti Ramos, Uri Schattner, Francisco Jose Lobo, Mascimiliano Maly, Rodolfo Jasao Sores Dias, Orlemir Carerette, Paulo Yukio Gomes Sumida, Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques
Summary: A multibeam survey conducted in November 2019 discovered a line of seafloor protrusions in the Santos Basin continental slope. This line, named the Tupana Carbonate Ridge (TCR), is composed of Cold-Water Coral carbonate mounds and is 35 kilometers long. The study suggests that the TCR's morphology may have been shaped by seafloor hydrodynamics eroding the carbonate mounds and forming elongated contourite systems.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Barbara P. H. Righetti, Jaco J. Mattos, Luiza R. Manaut, Josilene da Silva, Rafael A. Lourenco, P. Fruet, Afonso C. D. Bainy, Karim H. Luchmann
Summary: The study examined the influence of niche partitioning on metabolic pathways in two subspecies of bottlenose dolphins. It found differences in the detoxification of pollutants, antioxidant metabolism, immune activity, and lipid metabolism. Coastal dolphins were more exposed to environmental pollutants and showed higher enzyme activity and mRNA levels related to detoxification and immune response, while oceanic dolphins showed higher mRNA levels related to lipid biosynthesis.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guillaume Lassalle, Rebecca Del Papa Moreira Scafutto, Rafael Andre Lourenco, Paulo Mazzafera, Carlos Roberto de Souza Filho
Summary: Oil spills have long-lasting and damaging effects on mangrove forests, impacting their conservation and ecosystem services worldwide. This study examines the sublethal effects of one of the largest oil spills in history, the Baixada Santista pipeline leak in Brazil in 1983. The research finds that the oil spill resulted in significant tree dieback, a recolonization period, and a permanent loss of canopy cover. The persistence of oil pollution in sediments and the continuous exposure of mangrove trees to high levels of pollution were identified as the main factors affecting the health and productivity of mangroves in the long term.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia H. M. Sousa, Marcio Santana dos Santos de Jesus, Cintia Yamashita, Rafaela N. M. Mendes, Fabrizio Frontalini, Eduardo Siegle, Bianca Kim, Paulo A. L. Ferreira, Raquel Reno, Maria Virginia Alves Martins, Jorge L. P. M. Nascimento, R. C. L. Figueira, Michel M. de Mahiques
Summary: A study found that anthropic influences, including marina construction, have a significant impact on coastal areas in Brazil. By analyzing a 50-cm-long sediment core with dated information, the study revealed that the pier marina construction in the 1970s led to a decline in environmental quality in the study area, including increased mud accumulation, higher concentrations of organic carbon and trace elements, and changes in benthic foraminiferal assemblages. These results provide a baseline for future biomonitoring projects in the affected region and demonstrate the strong capability and reliability of benthic foraminifera as bioindicators of paleoenvironmental changes in coastal environments and human-induced changes.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francielli V. Peres, Fabiana S. Paula, Amanda G. Bendia, Julia B. Gontijo, Michel M. de Mahiques, Vivian H. Pellizari
Summary: This study investigates the prokaryotic communities in sediment samples from a salt diapir and pockmark field in Santos Basin. The results show that the composition of prokaryotic communities differs between surface and subsurface sediments, with Nitrososphaeria dominating in surface sediments and Dehalococcoidia dominating in subsurface sediments. Additionally, a metagenomic analysis reveals the prevalence of CSP1-5, a non-methanotrophic methylotroph, in the sediment samples.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Amanda Gerotto, Hongrui Zhang, Renata Hanae Nagai, Heather M. Stoll, Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira, Chuanlian Liu, Ivan Hernandez-Almeida
Summary: Understanding the variations in ocean carbonate chemistry is essential for understanding the global carbon cycle. Fossil shells from marine calcifiers are widely used as proxies for past ocean carbon cycle. However, interpreting these records can be challenging due to physiological and ecological responses during organisms' life cycles and potential preservation at the seafloor. This study presents a new dissolution proxy based on the morphological attributes of coccolithophores from the Noelaerhabdaceae family. Evaluating the influences of calcification and preservation on fossil morphology, the results suggest that carbonate saturation of the deep ocean explains the highest proportion of variation in the morphological data.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira, Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira, Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques, Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa
Summary: This study investigated the distribution of 226Ra and 228Ra in bottom sediment of the Santos basin and established a spatial variation model for these isotopes. The study found that latitudinal and bathymetric differences have an impact on the content of radionuclides, which are probably derived from different sources and sedimentation patterns.
OCEAN AND COASTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Rafael Andre Lourenco, Gabrielle Vieira Lube, Raphael De Lucca Marcello Jarcovis, Josilene da Silva, Amanda Camara de Souza
Summary: This review thoroughly examines the bioaccumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marine organisms, including the influence of their physicochemical attributes, metabolic processes, and associated risks and toxicity. It also discusses the discrepancies in methodological approaches used for establishing sediment and water quality guidelines, emphasizing the criteria based on adverse effects data linked to PAHs. Efforts in establishing local quality guidelines for a tropical area are described.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques, Uri Schattner, Claudio Riccomini, Valdecir de Assis Janasi, Francisco Jose Lobo, Paulo Vasconcelos, David S. Thiede, Raissa Basti Ramos, Rosangela Felicio dos Santos
Summary: This study reports the discovery and analysis of xenoliths of altered basalt clasts found in two exhumed diapirs in the southern Santos Basin in the SW Atlantic. These xenoliths provide direct evidence of an Early Campanian post-rift magmatic event in the area and are possibly sourced from a cluster of volcanic centers and sills above the Aptian salt deposits. The findings highlight the importance of salt diapirism in transporting subsurface fragments to the ocean floor, and suggest that further exploration of salt diapirism could reveal unknown aspects of geological history.
JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Beatriz D. Araujo, Cintia Yamashita, Ana C. A. Santarosa, Amanda V. Rocha, Thaisa M. Vicente, Rafaela N. M. Mendes, Camila C. Passos, Maria Virginia Alves Martins, Silvia Helena M. Sousa
Summary: This study characterizes the spatial distribution and composition of living Benthic Foraminifera (BF) and investigates how environmental conditions, such as organic matter, can influence these protozoa communities in the northern and southern sectors of the Santos Basin. The research reveals that the ecological structure of the community changes primarily along the bathymetric gradients. The quantity and quality of food, related to hydro-sedimentary dynamics and bentho-pelagic coupling, are the main factors determining the distribution of living BF assemblages in the SB.
OCEAN AND COASTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Monica A. V. Petti, Paula F. Gheller, Sandra Bromberg, Paulo C. Paiva, Michel M. Mahiques, Thais N. Corbisier
Summary: This study described the spatial variation of benthic macrofauna in different areas of Martel Inlet in the Antarctic Peninsula. The results showed that the benthic organisms had higher density and abundance in ice-free areas. The findings of this study will be valuable for future research on the response of benthic assemblages to climate change and glacier retreat in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2023)
