The imbricated margin of stable Adria, which belongs to the External Dinarides, comprises a chain of islands, which follow the dominant NW-SE Dinaric trend in the northern segment, while the dominant ...tectonic orientation changes to WNW-ESE in the central Adriatic area, near Split. The new paleomagnetic results documented in this paper are from the islands of the latter and can be interpreted in terms of tectonics together with already published robust data sets from the Northern Adriatic Islands and stable Adria, respectively. The problems addressed are the proposed extra CCW rotation in the central Adriatic area relative to the rest of the Dinarides, the differences in the tectonostratigraphic models of the offshore External Dinarides, the relationship to Stable Adria and the reason for the arcuated shape of the thrust front between stable and imbricated Adria.
From the five largest Central and Southern Adriatic Islands over 1000 independently oriented cores, representing 98 Upper Tithonian – Paleocene carbonate localities, were subjected to standard laboratory processing of the natural remanent magnetization, component analysis, and statistical evaluation on locality and between locality levels. The results lead to the conclusion that these islands moved in close co-ordination with both, the Northern Adriatic Islands and stable Adria, at least from the Albian on. The different tectonic trends characterizing the islands and reflected also in the arcuated shape of the thrust front between Stable and Imbricated Adria is explained by the dominance of one of the Late Cretaceous and younger compressional strain fields. The structures due to the Late Cretaceous strain field are dominant in Cres island (N-S trend), the ones formed during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene prevail in the Northern Adriatic islands (NW-SE trend), SE of Cres. The WSW-ENE general orientation of the structures in the Central Adriatic area is due to the strong neotectonic deformation.
•There is no evidence for post-Aptian relative movement between the Adriatic islands.•The changing tectonic trend of the islands reflect differently oriented strain fields.•The Adriatic islands moved in close co-ordination with stable Adria after the Aptian.•The arcuated thrust front SW of the islands matches the tectonic trend of the islands.
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•First regional investigation of EOCs in Dinaric karst aquifers.•65 different EOCs detected, conc. <1 ng/L for almost half.•EOC concentrations are two orders of magnitude lower than ...in other groundwater types.•EOCs are detected more frequently than in other types of groundwater.•EOCs are detected in greater or comparable numbers than in other groundwater types.
Emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) have become of increasing interest due to concerns about their impact on humans and the wider environment. Karst aquifers are globally widespread, providing critical water supplies and sustaining rivers and ecosystems, and are particularly susceptible to pollution. However, EOC distributions in karst remain quite poorly understood. This study looks at the occurrence of EOCs in the Croatian karst, which is an example of the “classical” karst, a highly developed type of karst that occurs throughout the Dinaric region of Europe. Samples were collected from 17 karst springs and one karst lake used for water supply in Croatia during two sampling campaigns. From a screen of 740 compounds, a total of 65 compounds were detected. EOC compounds from the pharmaceutical (n = 26) and agrochemical groups (n = 26) were the most frequently detected, while industrials and artificial sweeteners had the highest concentrations (range 8–440 ng/L). The number of detected compounds and the frequency of detection demonstrate the vulnerability of karst to EOC pollution. Concentrations of 5 compounds (acesulfame, sucralose, perfluorobutane sulfonate, emamectin B1b, and triphenyl phosphate) exceeded EU standards and occurred at concentrations that are likely to be harmful to ecosystems. Overall, most detections were at low concentrations (50 % <1 ng/L). This may be due to high dilution within the exceptionally large springs of the Classical karst, or due to relatively few pollution sources within the catchments. Nevertheless, EOC fluxes are considerable (10 to 106 ng/s) due to the high discharge of the springs. Temporal differences were observed, but without a clear pattern, reflecting the highly variable nature of karst springs that occurs over both seasonal and short-term timescales. This research is one of a handful of regional EOC investigations in karst groundwater, and the first regional study in the Dinaric karst. It demonstrates the need for more frequent and extensive sampling of EOCs in karst to protect human health and the environment.
Mobile belts are long-lived deformation zones composed of an ensemble of crustal fragments, distributed over hundreds of kilometres inside continental convergent margins. The Mediterranean represents ...a remarkable example of this tectonic setting: the region hosts a diffuse boundary between the Nubia and Eurasia plates comprised of a mosaic of microplates that move and deform independently from the overall plate convergence. Surface expressions of Mediterranean tectonics include deep, subsiding backarc basins, intraplate plateaux and uplifting orogenic belts. Although the kinematics of the area are now fairly well defined, the dynamical origins of many of these active features are controversial and usually attributed to crustal and lithospheric interactions. However, the effects of mantle convection, well established for continental interiors, should be particularly relevant in a mobile belt, and modelling may constrain important parameters such as slab coherence and lithospheric strength. Here we compute global mantle flow on the basis of recent, high-resolution seismic tomography to investigate the role of buoyancy-driven and plate-motion-induced mantle circulation for the Mediterranean. We show that mantle flow provides an explanation for much of the observed dynamic topography and microplate motion in the region. More generally, vigorous small-scale convection in the uppermost mantle may also underpin other complex mobile belts such as the North American Cordillera or the Himalayan–Tibetan collision zone.
The tectonic structure of the Eastern Alps is heavily debated with successive geophysical studies that are unable to resolve areas of ambiguity (e.g., the presence of a switch in subduction polarity ...and differing crustal models). In order to better understand this area, we produce a high resolution Moho map of the Eastern Alps based on a dense seismic broadband array deployment. Moho depths were derived from joint analysis of receiver function images of direct conversions and multiple reflections for both the SV (radial) and SH (transverse) components, which enables us to map overlapping and inclined discontinuities. We observe the European Moho to be underlying the Adriatic Moho from the west up to the eastern edge of the Tauern Window. East of the Tauern Window, a sharp transition from underthrusting European to a flat and thinned crust associated with Pannonian extension tectonics occurs, which is underthrust by both European crust in the north and by Adriatic crust in the south. The Adriatic lithosphere underthrusts northward below the Southern Alps and becomes steeper and deeper towards the Dinarides where it dips towards the north-east. Our results suggest that the steep high velocity region in the mantle below the Eastern Alps, observed in tomographic studies, is likely to be of European origin.
•A high resolution Moho map of the Eastern Alps.•Mapping of overlapping Moho discontinuities (where underthrusting occurs).•Evidence for a continuous European plate derived southward subducting interface.•Thinned Pannonian basin connected crust is underthrust by European and Adriatic crust.
Knowledge about the crustal thickness is one of the key elements in the reconstruction of the regional tectonic history. The Dinaric mountain belt is one of the most enigmatic segments of the ...Alpine‐Mediterranean collision zone, characterized by large variations in crustal thickness and not studied sufficiently. We present a new Moho depth map for the wider Dinarides region which was created using teleseismic earthquake recordings from 87 permanent and temporary seismic stations in the region. Teleseismic data were analyzed using the receiver function method to extract converted P to S waves.
The resulting Moho topography fits well within a structural framework comprising a thicker crust under the Dinarides, which gradually becomes thinner toward the Pannonian and Adriatic domains. The profiles crossing the northwestern Dinarides are marked by a relatively sharp decrease in crustal thickness north of the main thrust front. This transition is followed by significant crustal thinning toward the Pannonian basin. The Mohorovičić discontinuity lies the deepest in the central and southern Dinarides, at depths of over 55 km. Here similarly to the northwestern segment we observe a jump in the crustal thickness when transitioning toward the Internal Dinarides, which hints at possible underthrusting (or subduction) of the Adria plate in this region. Moho depths in the transition zone toward the Pannonian basin and in the Pannonian basin proper vary between 25 and 35 km. In the Adriatic domain, we find crustal thickness ranging from 30 km to more than 45 km around the Central Adriatic islands.
Key Points
New crustal thickness map of the Dinarides and surrounding areas
Thicker crust in the central Adriatic, a deep crustal root in the south Dinarides and a tightly constrained transition from the deep Dinaric to the shallower Pannonian Moho
Jump in the crustal thickness when transitioning toward the Internal Dinarides, which hints at possible underthrusting of the Adria plate in this region
Large areas of Montenegro were glaciated during the Pleistocene. This paper presents evidence from the massifs of central Montenegro, including Durmitor and Sinjajevina, Moračke Planine, Maganik, ...Prekornica and Vojnik. Glacial deposits have been subdivided on the basis of morphostratigraphy and soil weathering and 31 U-series ages from cemented tills provided a geochronological framework. The largest glaciation occurred before 350 ka when a series of conjoined ice caps over the massifs of central Montenegro covered a total area of nearly 1500 km
2. These formed during MIS 12 and correspond with the largest Skamnellian Stage glaciations in Greece to the south. Later Middle Pleistocene glaciations occurred during the penultimate glacial cycle correlating with the Vlasian Stage in Greece (MIS 6) when ice caps covered an area of 720 km
2 over central Montenegro. There is also geochronological evidence of glacial deposits dating from the interval between MIS 12 and MIS 6, before the interglacial complex of MIS 7. This glaciation appears to have been very similar in extent to that which occurred during MIS 6. The last glacial cycle in central Montenegro was characterised by valley and cirque glaciers covering a total area of 49 km
2. It is very likely that glaciers have been present in the mountains of central Montenegro during every glacial cycle since a small glacier still survives today. The smaller glaciers of the last glacial cycle are likely to have been associated with summer temperatures that were warmer than those of earlier cold stages. The striking contrast in the extent and thickness of ice cover during the cold stages of the Pleistocene has an important bearing on the geomorphological and biological evolution of the Balkans.
► Middle Pleistocene ice caps in central Montenegro covered an area of nearly 1500 km
2, including over the Durmitor massif. ► U-series ages indicate that the most extensive glaciation occurred before 350 ka during MIS 12 (c. 470–420 ka). ► Later, less extensive, glaciations occurred during MIS 10-6 (360–130 ka) and MIS 5d-2. ► Cirque and valley glaciers were also present during the Younger Dryas and a modern Holocene glacier still survives today. ► Glaciers exerted considerable influence on geomorphological and biological evolution of the Balkans.
The Middle-Late Jurassic mountain building process in the Western Tethyan realm was triggered by west- to northwestward-directed ophiolite obduction onto the wider Adriatic shelf. This southeastern ...to eastern Adriatic shelf was the former passive continental margin of the Neo-Tethys, which started to open in the Middle Triassic. Its western parts closed from around the Early/Middle Jurassic boundary with the onset of east-dipping intra-oceanic subduction. Ongoing contraction led to ophiolite obduction onto the former continental margin since the Bajocian. Trench-like basins formed concomitantly within the evolving thin-skinned orogen in a lower plate situation. Deep-water basins formed in sequence with the northwest-/westward propagating nappe fronts, which served as source areas of the basin fills. Basin deposition was characterized by coarsening-upward cycles, i.e. sedimentary mélanges as synorogenic sediments. The basin fills became sheared successively by ongoing contractional tectonics with features of typical mélanges. Analyses of ancient Neo-Tethys mélanges along the Eastern Mediterranean mountain ranges allow both, a facies reconstruction of the outer western passive margin of the Neo-Tethys and conclusions on the processes and timing of Jurassic orogenesis. Comparison of mélanges identical in age and component spectrum in different mountain belts figured out one Neo-Tethys Ocean in the Western Tethyan realm, instead of multi-ocean and multi-continent scenarios.
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•Neo-Tethys Triassic-Jurassic outer passive margin reconstruction from mélange analysis•Contribution to the question: how many Triassic-Jurassic oceans in the Western Tethys•Examples of carbonate-clastic radiolaritic deep-water sedimentary mélange basin fills•Middle-Late Jurassic mountain building process triggered by ophiolite obduction•Neo-Tethys Triassic-Jurassic Wilson cycle description
Systematic differences in mineral composition of mantle peridotites are observed in ophiolites and peridotitic bodies from the Alpine Tethys, the Pyrenean domain, the Dinarides and Hellenides, and ...the Iberia-Newfoundland rifted margins. These differences can be understood in the context of the evolution of rifted margins and allow the identification of 3 major mantle domains: an inherited domain, a refertilized domain and a depleted domain. Most clinopyroxene from the inherited domain equilibrated in the spinel peridotite field and are too enriched in Na2O and Al2O3 to be residues of syn-rift melting. Clinopyroxene from the refertilized domain partially equilibrated with plagioclase and display lower Na2O and Al2O3, and elevated Cr2O3 contents. The refertilized domain is a hybrid zone, which locally preserves remnants from the inherited domain and overlapping chemical compositions. Depleted domains with clinopyroxene similar to abyssal peridotites are rare and Nd-isotopic studies indicate that they represent ancient periods of melting unrelated to the opening of the Jurassic and Cretaceous oceanic basins of the Alpine Tethys and southern North Atlantic. In many studied sections of mantle rocks in exposed ophiolites a systematic spatial distribution of the different domains with respect to the evolution of rifted margins can be identified. This new approach integrates observations from exposed and drilled mantle rocks and proposes that the mantle lithosphere evolved and was modified during an extensional cycle from post-orogenic collapse through several periods of rifting to seafloor spreading. The defined chemical and petrological characteristics of mantle domains based on clinopyroxene and spinel compositions are compiled on present-day and paleogeographic maps of Western and Central Europe. These maps show that the observed distribution of mantle domains are linked to processes related to late post-Variscan extension, rift evolution and refertilization associated to crustal/lithospheric extension, and the development of embryonic oceanic domains.
•Mapping the nature of mantle in Central and Western Europe that relies on the tectonic process related to an extensional cycle.•Model of mantle from the orogenic collapse to oceanic opening for hyper-extended margins.•Tools to identify the signatures of the three mantle types through an extensional cycle spatially and temporally constrained.
The integrated understanding of processes and mechanisms driving the coupled evolution of orogens and sedimentary basins and the underlying lithosphere-mantle system, requires a multi-scale temporal ...and spatial approach that crosses the traditional boundaries of disciplines and methodologies. While analysing the sedimentary infill we need to account for the characteristics and variations of the exhumation, evolving topography and external forcing in the source area, and the complexity of a transport system that is often characterized by a massive unidirectional sediment influx during moments of activity at tipping points or gateways. Such an influx can often span across multiple depocenters and sedimentary basins and is conditioned by an evolving structural geometry that can migrate in time, directly related to the evolving lithospheric structure in orogens that are influenced by their inherited rheology. Depocenters can be fed from multiple directions, while having an endemic or endorheic character during key evolutionary moments. The thermal structure and its variability in continental and oceanic domains conditions the rheology and subsequent structural evolution of the orogens, subduction zones and sedimentary basins, with significant consequences for understanding societally relevant issues. Quantifying basin deposition requires analysing the sediment transport network that can often span multiple interacting orogenic and sedimentary systems, where understanding the allogenic or autogenic nature of sedimentary processes can be significantly enhanced by knowing the inherited and evolving structural and tectonic parameters. Such sedimentary quantification is important for understanding the orogenic structure and the evolution of subduction systems, that include mechanisms such as cycles of burial-exhumation, formation of highly arcuate orogens and timings of nappe stacking events. Deriving processes in orogen - sedimentary basins systems also requires testing process-oriented hypotheses by focused studies in well-known natural laboratories, such as the examples from the Pannonian-Carpathians - Alps - Dinarides system and its analogues used by the numerous contributions in the special Global and Planetary Change issue entitled Understanding the multi-scale and coupled evolution of orogens, sedimentary basins and their underlying lithosphere, whose significance is explained in our review.
•Integrated understanding of processes and mechanisms driving the coupled evolution of orogens and sedimentary basins.•Quantifying deposition requires analysing sediment transport across multiple interacting orogenic and sedimentary basins.•Quantifying sedimentary basins is important for understanding the orogenic structure and the evolution of subduction systems.•Testing process-oriented hypotheses in well-known natural laboratories, such the Pannonian - Carpathians - Alps - Dinarides.
The Balkan peninsula is an important biogeographic region of Europe which houses the Dinaric Alps, a mountain range rich in biodiversity. The fauna of Orthoptera has, in recent years, been an ...important subject of study in Croatia, but many of the Dinaric mountains in Croatia remain poorly sampled. Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the exception of some foreign expeditions, remains almost completely unknown with regards to the distribution of Orthoptera. This paper presents the inventory of the orthopteran faunas of Dinara, Svilaja, Kamešnica, and Troglav mountains and Livanjsko polje, with research conducted in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021 and 2022. A total of 67 localities were visited and 115 species were recorded. For each species in each locality, a simple abundance estimation was carried out and is reported here. A comparative checklist of species is provided, combining the literature and newly gathered data. Although many species were recorded, most of the visited areas would benefit from more research. Recently, with the establishment of Dinara Nature Park, conservation efforts in Croatia have increased but the same cannot be said for Bosnia and Herzegovina, where more conservation work is required.