Over the last few years (2013–2016) repeated high-resolution multibeam surveys were carried out at the recent-most delta lobe of the Po river (in correspondence to Po della Pila). The collected ...multibeam bathymetry together with backscatter data, seabed samples and high-resolution seismic profiles provided insights on the short-term morphological and sedimentological evolution of this extremely dynamic submarine portion of the delta. A high variety of geomorphological features and depositional bodies were observed from the mouth bar to the prodelta slope such as, for example, the alongshore and transverse bars (formed under the effect of marine currents), gravitational-instability phenomena and collapse depressions (driven by fluid expulsion). Concurrently, the analysis of the seabed reflectivity and sediment samples allowed the identification of two main dominant types of seafloor sediment, corresponding to sandy and muddy seabed and the mapping of their variable distribution in the study area.
The comparison of time-lapsed, high-resolution DEMs showed that the main changes occurred on the northern side of the prodelta slope, where a new lobe-shaped fine-sediment deposit built up to 4.5 m adding roughly a volume of 1.16 Mm3 of new sediments. At the same time in the prodelta slope transverse depositional bars showed a clear migration toward the south of the system and local subsidence phenomena up to 1.5 m between 7 and 10 m water depth are observed.
•Subsidence in the Po River Delta.•Submarine landslides in the Po River Delta.•Bedforms and sediment transport processes.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In this research, sediments from the Sečovlje Salina (northern Adriatic, Slovenia) were geochemically investigated in order to decode the mobility of metal(oid)s in the hypersaline environment. The ...results demonstrated that the concentrations of As, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn and Zn were comparable to those detected in various similar coastal background areas, as well as in the Sečovlje salt marsh core sample. The estimated mobility potential of metal(oid)s in sediment decreases in the following order: Mo > As > Cu > Sb > Sn > Co > Pb > Ni > Zn. Since the hypersaline sediment (e.g. healing mud) is used as a healing factor (it can be applied directly on human skin), the study of metal(oid) bioavailability in an interaction between the hypersaline sediments and the artificial sweat was also performed. It is significant that the metal(oid) contents are leached in very low concentrations and are treated as nontoxic for humans according to international norms for cosmetic products. The study provides information in order to assess the role of metal mobility on the potential health impact of the application of natural healing mud.
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•The transfer of metal(oid)s in a hypersaline environment was investigated.•Availability of metal(oid)s from a health risk perspective was conducted.•Sediment-water physical and geochemical properties induced limited mobility dynamics.•Extraction testing in artificial sweat indicate low mobility of metal(oid)s.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
ABSTRACT
This study concerns the analysis of a 37‐year long directional wave time series recorded since 1979 at the CNR‐ISMAR oceanographic research tower, located in the Northern Adriatic Sea. The ...length of the time series allows to describe the wave climate in the North Adriatic and to identify trends and links with large‐scale climate patterns. The northern part of the Adriatic Sea is characterized by two main wind and correspondingly wave regimes, strongly forced by the regional orography: the long‐fetch south‐easterly ‘sirocco’ and the short‐fetch strong north‐easterly ‘bora’ wind generated waves, blowing along the major and minor axis of the basin, respectively. Bora is the most frequent regime, but high waves are mostly associated to sirocco. A clear decrease of the significant wave height 99th percentile is evident, paralleled by a smaller, but distributed along the annual cycle, increase of the 50th and 75th ones. The estimated trend of the frequency of events above a certain threshold confirms an increase of the average storm frequency, with a shift from both the lower and the higher to the central part of the distribution, paralleled by a decrease of the maximum Hs values. In particular, a distributed decrease of the bora significant wave height is recognized. For sirocco the tendency is less pronounced, but with an evident increase of the frequency of the mean values. The high sensitivity of this particular area to even small variations of large‐scale climate allows to explore possible links of the local wave, hence wind, activity with large‐scale Northern Hemisphere circulation patterns or weather regimes. Our main interest is on the storm tracks and jet stream location/intensity over vast areas, which led us to choose four reference patterns: the North Atlantic Oscillation and the East Atlantic (EA), EA/Western Russia and Scandinavian patterns.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•Chemical composition and technological quality of Mytilus galloprovincialis is reported.•High n-3/n-6 ratio values characterised the mussels reared in the Gulf of Trieste.•Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu and Zn ...concentrations posed always no hazard to human health.•A second order polynomial regression describes year around changes in condition index.
Nutritional quality parameters, microbiological and technological quality indicators (condition index, meat yield and water-holding capacity) of blue mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, reared in the North Adriatic Sea were characterised at monthly intervals over a 1year period. Contents of protein (7.5–11.6g/100g), lipid (1.0–2.2g/100g) and ash (2.2–3.3g/100g) varied significantly accordingly to condition index (6–15%). n-3 PUFAs were the predominant fatty acids (38.7–45.9% of fatty acids) and docosahesaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids were the most abundant (167 and 93.3mg/100g, respectively). Glycine, glutamic and aspartic acids accounted for 40% of total amino acids. All samples exhibited limited concentrations of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu and Zn, as well as Na. M. galloprovincialis from the North Adriatic Sea showed the highest technological and nutritional quality, considering also the inter-annual variability, in late spring, which corresponds to the period immediately before gamete release.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The Kvarner area is located in the Northern Adriatic Sea, between the south-east Istrian Swell, the Rijeka coast and the Croatian sea boundary. It includes several islands, representing the ...outcropping parts of anticlines produced by the compressional/transpressional deformation of the External Dinaric Chain. An extensive 2D seismic dataset, acquired for hydrocarbon exploration and calibrated by wells, allowed us to reconstruct the time structural maps in Kvarner and unravel its regional fault pattern. The Dinaric compressional phase affected the area in the Late Cretaceous, with both thin- and thick-skinned tectonics related to Adriatic Carbonate Platform (AdCP) succession rigidity. Structural highs facing the Kvarner offshore from the Istrian inland continue through the Kvarner and Rijeka bays and outcrop in the islands. These anticlines, originating from the pre-Messinian Dinaric thrust system, were reactivated by the post-Messinian transpression, as testified by flower structures. Several sharp valleys represent two main low structural lineaments, developed between the anticlines and partially incised during the Messinian. They were observed throughout the entire studied area, specifically in the western part of the bays, where the lineament continues through the valleys and penetrates the SW-Istria land. Data show that the Messinian erosional effect and sedimentation patterns were influenced and driven by the morphology of older structures produced by the Dinaric compressional phase.
•Thin-and thick-skinned tectonics is present in the External Dinarides.•Structures of Kvarner Islands continue in the Istrian peninsula through Kvarner offshore.•Sharp valleys are filled by a prograding clinoform system bounded by two major unconformities.•Older tectonic structures played an important role in recent geodynamics of External Dinarides.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The occurrence of larval Anisakidae and Raphidascarididae in anchovies and sardines from the North Adriatic Sea has been estimated. Anisakis pegreffii and Hysterothylacium aduncum were reported, with ...low prevalence values. In brief, a total amount of 7650 fish specimens collected between September 2011 and 2012 were analysed using three different inspection analyses: a visual inspection of the coelomic cavity, an examination of the viscera exploiting the positive hydro-tropism of the larvae (modified Baermann technique) and enzymatic digestion of muscular tissue pools. Low level of infestation was reported for Anisakis sp. in both in anchovies and sardines, while higher values were reported for Hysterothylacium sp. Subsamples of nematodes collected were characterized at species level using the molecular diagnostic key based on ITS nuclear ribosomal region, and A. pegreffii and H. aduncum were identified. The low prevalence of Anisakis sp. in sardines and anchovies from the North Adriatic Sea could be related to the peculiar distribution of cetaceans and carnivorous zooplankton in the investigated region and could be used as a potential tag to define oily fishes from this specific fishing area as at low-risk for anisakiasis.
•Anchovies and sardines were analysed to evaluate the presence of anisakid nematodes.•Anisakis pegreffii and Hysterothylacium aduncum were reported.•Low prevalence values for Anisakis pegreffii were reported in both fish species.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
•The proposed methodology analyses climate change impacts on marine water quality.•The application to the North Adriatic considers 2 future scenarios: 2070 and 2100.•Most of the aquaculture plants ...are located in areas with high/very high risk scores.•RRA outputs provide a basis for the definition of adaptation and management plans.
Climate change is posing additional pressures on coastal ecosystems due to variations in water biogeochemical and physico-chemical parameters (e.g., pH, salinity) leading to aquatic ecosystem degradation.
With the main aim of analyzing the potential impacts of climate change on marine water quality, a Regional Risk Assessment methodology was developed and applied to coastal marine waters of the North Adriatic. It integrates the outputs of regional biogeochemical and physico-chemical models considering future climate change scenarios (i.e., years 2070 and 2100) with site-specific environmental and socio-economic indicators.
Results showed that salinity and temperature will be the main drivers of changes, together with macronutrients, especially in the area of the Po’ river delta.
The final outputs are exposure, susceptibility and risk maps supporting the communication of the potential consequences of climate change on water quality to decision makers and stakeholders and provide a basis for the definition of adaptation and management strategies.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Agglutinated foraminifera from surface sediments of two sites (S1 and E1) in the North Adriatic Sea were investigated in order to detect their test composition and to explore possible links with the ...surrounding environment.
Chemical-mineralogical analyses of the agglutinated tests by scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, suggest that the chemical composition of the test surfaces generally mirrors the one of the sea-floor sediment. Only some species, as Reophax nana and Leptohalysis scottii exhibit a clear selectivity of the agglutinated grains. In detail, specimens of R. nana from site E1, which is mainly characterized by high hydrodynamic conditions at the sea-floor, show a preferential selection of mineral grains containing high concentrations of Zircon (Zr) and Titanium (Ti) even if these elements occur in very low concentrations in the surrounding sediment. L. scottii exclusively picks mica flakes to build the test. We suggest that the compositional differences recorded in the considered agglutinated foraminiferal tests represent distinctive life strategies in order to live successfully in different environments.
•Agglutinated foraminifera were investigated in recent sediments from the Adriatic Sea.•Test surface mineralogical composition reflect the surrounding sediment.•Reophax nana select heavy minerals to survive in high energy environments.•Leptohalysis scottii use phillosilicates to build their test as adaptive strategy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Within the United Nations Sustainable Development 2030 agenda, sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sector needs sea water quality monitoring. This is a very demanding and expensive task ...which results in the sea being largely undersampled. MaDCrow is a research and development project supported by the European Regional Development Fund, that involves citizens as data collectors while aiming to improve public environmental awareness and participation in scientific research. Its goal is to create an innovative technological infrastructure for real-time acquisition, integration and access of data, thus generating knowledge on sea water quality and marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Trieste. Data acquisition is based on an autonomous and removable device, developed within the project, that can be deployed on any small size sailing boat, recreational vessel, or fishing boat. The device holds low-cost sensors to measure pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and salinity and the hardware and software to acquire, georeference and transmit the environmental data without interfering with the activities of the boats. In this work we analyze the use, capabilities and advantages of low-cost sensors but also their limitations, comparing, with a special focus on pH, their performances with those of the traditional ones. Applying the paradigm in a highly anthropized area such as the Gulf of Trieste, which is characterized also by a very high spatial and temporal variability of environments, we point out that this new approach allows to monitor sea water quality and highlight local anomalies with a resolution and spatial and temporal coverage that was not achievable with previous procedures, but yet at very low costs. Once received, data are then processed and submitted to a mediation flow that contextualizes and disseminates them for public use on a website. The final products have been customized to reach stakeholders such as tourists, fishermen and policy makers. The availability of information understandable to everyone, while fostering environmental awareness, stimulates, at the same time, involvement and participation of citizen scientists in the initiative. In the future, while committing to enlarge the number of participants, we will extend the analysis also toward other types of sensors.
Abstract
Morphological and genetic investigations have led to the identification of
Spiophanes adriaticus
sp. nov. (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from the North Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean). A total ...of 81 specimens were recorded along the sublittoral zone between 8 and 27.5 m of depth. This species differs from other congeners by having: two pairs of black eyes, a cirriform occipital antenna, dorsal ciliated organs as thin bands usually extending to chaetigers 11–12, dorsal ciliated crests from chaetiger 14–17, undulate glandular opening on chaetigers 5–7, unhooded hooks from the 15th chaetiger and Y shaped tubes. A detailed description and illustrations are provided for the new species. Through DNA barcoding results and comparison of DNA sequences of the new species with those of other congeners available in the GenBank database, the validity of the new finding was confirmed.
Spiophanes adriaticus
sp. nov. represents the eighth species of
Spiophanes
recorded for the Mediterranean Sea. A key for the identification of Mediterranean
Spiophanes
species is also provided.
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