This study was conducted in the Middle Branch of Bue Marino Cave (Sardinia, Italy) to reconstruct paleoecological conditions during the Holocene through microfaunal proxies in seven surface sediment samples and a short sediment core (BMD-2018, 18 cm), all collected in 2018 and another core sampled in 2021 (BMD-2021, 28 cm). The first attempt at dating cave sediment through luminescence was conducted on BMD-2021; the derived age was 6.04 ± 0.47 ka at 18 cm depth. Although continuous sedimentation and constant rates are not probable in the cave, this indicates that the sedimentary record dates to the early times after the Holocene flooding of the cave by the sea. Benthic foraminifera and grain size were analyzed in all surface samples and core BMD-2018, while only benthic foraminifera were studied in BMD-2021. The recent foraminiferal assemblages, studied from an ecological point of view, were applied as modern analog to reconstruct the paleoecological conditions in sediment cores. Significant changes in the sedimentary environment were excluded; the two cores showed a similar foraminiferal turnover at a similar depth, from an older assemblage with prevailing indifferent Ammonia inflata to a younger one with prevailing opportunist Eggerelloides advena. This turnover was attributed to changes in the amount and/or quality of available nutrients. Based on these results, this event is likely related to possibly attributable to the effects of climate changes that occurred in the Holocene. However, more extensive studies are necessary to better understand the effects of the climatic/environmental events in the Late-Holocene in the caves. Although it represents a first attempt at paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on sediments from a Mediterranean marine cave, this study demonstrated that benthic foraminifera are refined paleoenvironmental proxies and that the integrated approach with the luminescence dating produces reliable results for studying the effects of global changes in these environments.

The upper continental slope offshore Capo Vaticano (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) is characterized by a contourite depositional system with well-developed elongated sediment drifts. This system is related to a northward paleo-bottom current, similar to the present-day modified-Levantine Intermediate Water (modified-LIW) flowing from the Messina Strait. In this work, we show results from an integrated analysis of descriptive oceanography, high-resolution seismic profiles and core data (i.e., grain size, foraminiferal assemblages, tephrostratigraphy and AMS radiocarbon dating) collected from the crest and moat sectors of drift deposits. The studied succession formed since the mid Holocene, under the action of the modified-LIW and the stratigraphic architecture indicates an upslope migration of the moat and rather stable position of the crest sector. Grain-size features recorded from two sediment cores indicate the occurrence of a succession of complete bi-gradational sand-rich contourite sequences. Sandy facies were observed both as lag deposits formed in active moat channel and as coarser intervals of bi-gradational sequences forming drift deposits close to its crest. Their occurrence would highlight that upper slope environments impacted by intermediate water masses and proximal to sandy sources may represent favorable settings for accumulation of sandy sediment. The moat sector is characterized by a more complex stratigraphic record, where either moat sedimentation or lateral deposition of finer sediment occur, suggesting that further investigation is required to better understand this complex element of contourite systems. Based on available age information, some of the bi-gradational sequences probably formed during the Dark Age Cold Period, providing example of a small-scale cyclicity of contourite deposition, likely related to short-term (possibly multicentennial scale) fluctuations of the paleo modified-LIW. According to age constraints and analysis of foraminiferal assemblages, these fluctuations were likely governed by climate variations, with a weaker activity during warmer periods and faster currents during colder events.

The coast of the Gulf of Orosei (Sardinia, Italy) consists of impressive cliffs set up on dolostones and limestones characterized by wide karst systems connected to the sea. Marine caves, which are part of these system flooded by seawater through marine entrances, may be considered as extreme environments because of wide spatial and temporal environmental variability due to changing marine and terrestrial contributions. This study presents the results of the third survey carried out in summer 2016 in the Bue Marino cave, as part of a research project started in 2014 aimed at the application of Benthic Foraminifera (BF) as ecological indicators in Mediterranean marine caves for the identification of different habitats and their environmental interpretation. Sediment and water samples were collected from a total of 25 stations from two distinct sectors of the cave (North Branch and Middle Branch); sediments were analysed for living and dead BF and grain size, while Temperature, Salinity, pH and Dissolved Oxygen were measured in water samples collected close to sediment water interface. Two main foraminiferal assemblages, with distinct characteristics with respect to the typical Mediterranean shallow-water ones, were recognized by means of Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling, and a Canonical Correspondence Analysis deduced their environmental significance. A well oxygenated, less saline environment with coarse bottom sediment, correlated with a mixed calcareous-agglutinated assemblage (Gavelinopsis praegeri, Rosalina spp., Eggerelloides advenus and Reophax dentaliniformis) with high species diversity (H-index 2.32–3.57) and low foraminiferal density, was exclusive of the North Branch. A scarcely oxygenated, more saline environment with fine bottom sediment enriched in vegetal debris was related to a prevalently agglutinated assemblage characterized by low species diversity (H-index 1.60–2.68), with high dominance of E. advenus (up to 83.6%) associated to Ammonia tepida, and high foraminiferal density, recognized in the Middle Branch. These different environments were interpreted considering the different modes of feeding the karst systems of the two branches. They also corresponded to two distinct ecozones, Entrance and Confluence, already recognized in earlier studies. The environmental significance of the foraminiferal ecozones recognized in this study and their comparison with the ones identified in the previous years, helped to consider the ecological zonation as a tool for detecting seasonal and, possibly, long term annual environmental variability in the marine system.

The seabed of the Pontine Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea) insular shelf is peculiar as it is characterized by a mixed siliciclastic–carbonate sedimentation. In order to reconstruct the Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental evolution of the Pontine Archipelago, this study investigates the succession of facies recorded by two sediment cores. For this purpose, benthic foraminifera and rhodoliths assemblages were considered. The two cores (post-Last Glacial Maximum in age) were collected at 60 (CS1) and 122 m (Caro1) depth on the insular shelf off Ponza Island. The paleontological data were compared with seismo-stratigraphic and lithological evidence. The cores show a deepening succession, with a transition from a basal rhodolith-rich biodetritic coarse sand to the surface coralline-barren silty sand. This transition is more evident along core Caro1 (from the bottom to the top), collected at a deeper water depth than CS1. In support of this evidence, along Caro1 was recorded a fairly constant increase in the amount of planktonic foraminiferal and a marked change in benthic foraminiferal assemblages (from Asterigerinata mamilla and Lobatula lobatula assemblage to Cassidulina carinata assemblage). Interestingly, the dating of the Caro1 bottom allowed us to extend to more than 13,000 years BP the rhodolith record in the Pontine Archipelago, indicating the possible presence of an active carbonate factory at that time.

Environmental evolution and morphodynamics reconstruction were conducted by means of a multidisciplinary studies (geomorphological, microfaunistic, geochemical, stratigraphic) on the Special Protection Site of Palude di Torre Flavia (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) to provide a background for future monitoring actions to safeguard and manage of this site and to display a multidisciplinary approach applicable to similar sites in the world. This site has a high naturalistic value, because it includes a wetland area today threatened by coastal erosion due to both anthropogenic impact and climate change. In the past, the wetland should be wider than the current one status and, during the time, it was susceptible to an ongoing reduction due to a prevailing erosive trend. This erosive character resulted in reduced backshore width and the steepening of the shoreface. Two seasonal beach profiles, carried out in March and September of 2017, show reversed profile features, confirmed also by microfaunal and sedimentological data. This anomalous climate regime occurring during 2017 belongs to a series of climate irregularities occurring in the last years along the Italian peninsula that testifies an ongoing climate change at a global scale. On the contrary, the wetland shows minor seasonal changes probably due to the addition of adequate volumes of freshwater for the Palude di Torre Flavia's management. Although the chemical analysis showed no significant anthropogenic pollution the presence of eutrophic foraminiferal assemblages, in the northern sector of the studied area, could be indicative of periodically anthropogenic water eutrophication caused by the summer tourism.

As a result of their location at the boundary between marine and continental domains, marine caves are affected by wide spatial and seasonal environmental changes. Only recently have benthic foraminifera been recognized as reliable indicators for the ecological zonation of these environments. The present study is focused on two marine caves of the Orosei Gulf, Sardinia, Italy: Bue Marino and Bel Torrente. It investigates the spatial and seasonal variability of benthic foraminiferal assemblages relative to sediment grain size and water parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) collected during two campaigns in August 2014 and April 2015. The results from 2014 have been partially published. Based on a comparison of the results of the two campaigns, the considerable reduction of foraminiferal abundance in Bel Torrente was deduced to occur because of the strong freshwater flows occurring during the rainy season; in Bue Marino, the less severe water flow allowed the identification of both living and dead foraminifera, although strongly reduced in number. These identifications allowed benthic foraminifera to be used to define the ecological zonation. Entrance, confluence, and transitional ecozones were identified in Bue Marino cave on the basis of species abundance. The second ecozone, not recognized in 2014, was correlated with plant debris at the confluence of the two cave branches. The other two ecozones, which are characterized by the faunal shift from hyaline- to agglutinated-prevalent assemblages, were attributed to the gradient of abiotic parameters detected from the outer to the inner portions of the cave. In both campaigns the same ecozones were recognized in terms of species composition, with exceptions being found to different extents as a result of seasonal variability. As the distribution of foraminiferal ecozones is conditioned by a decreasing gradient of marine influence, long-term monitoring may be regarded as a promising tool for future studies on sea-level change.

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages from 19 superficial marine sediment samples of a coastal area in the Ligurian Sea were analysed for benthic foraminifera in order to recognize changes in assemblage composition and structure, decrease of faunal density, increased morphological abnormalities and inclusion of heavy metals in carbonate tests as possible evidences of environmental stress. Also grain size was determined as a main factor conditioning foraminifer's distribution. The generalized low faunal density was considered as indicative of environmental stress, attributable to the well-known natural Cr and Ni enrichment, which characterizes marine sediments of the region. The cluster analysis highlighted distinct foraminiferal assemblages with decreasing species diversity approaching to the coast. This distribution was interpreted as the result of local source of environmental stress, probably due to the stream contribution. Deformed foraminifera more abundant than background levels of unstressed environments were also recorded in 39% of samples. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analyses were carried out on carbonate tests of 55 specimens to investigate the role of the incorporation of heavy metals in the development of morphological abnormalities. Foraminifera showed the inclusion of heavy metals, not present in control specimens, indicating that environmental stress, due to metal sediment enrichment, plays a role in this phenomenon. Although anomalous elements were detected both in normal and deformed specimens and chambers, it was supposed that deformities develop as a result of the toxic effect of heavy metals on cytological activities because, contrarily to the normal specimens, all the deformed ones included anomalous elements. Higher occurrence of deformities in porcelaneous tests, typically enriched in Mg, is associated to the higher number of incorporated elements (Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn).

At the southern margin of the Central Anatolian Plateau (CAP), marine deposits that overlie the Central Tauride units at up to 2 km of elevation were used to constrain the onset of uplift to the middle-late Miocene. This study demonstrates that much younger marine deposits cap the southern margin. We recognize the Last Common Occurrence of Neogloboquadrina spp. (sin) (0.61 Ma) and Pseudoemiliania lacunosa (0.467 Ma), which points to an early middle Pleistocene age. The benthic fauna indicates an epibathyal marine environment (400 to 500 m paleodepth), with an associated paleocoastline now at similar to 1,500 to 1,600 m above sea level. Our new results imply uplift rates of up to 3.21-3.42 mm/yr for the CAP southern margin since the deposition of the young marine units. In the area, the evaluation of late Pleistocene and Holocene uplift rates of similar to 1 mm/yr points to a post early middle Pleistocene short-lived period of rapid uplift of the CAP southern margin, which can correlate the short-lived surface uplift signal in numerical models of slab breakoff. Overall, this work demonstrates that the majority of the modern topography at the CAP southern margin (1,500 to 1,600 m) was only recently acquired, pointing to the absence of a significant orographic barrier along the southern plateau margin prior to 500 ka. The multiphased uplift recognized at the CAP southern margin by previous authors, as well as the fast uplift rate documented in this work, can be linked to lithosphere delamination and subsequent slab breakoff during the Arabian-Anatolian continental collision. Plain Language Summary At the southern margin of the Central Anatolian Plateau (CAP), marine deposits that overlie the Central Tauride units at up to 2 km of elevation were used to constrain the onset of uplift to the Middle-Late Miocene. This study demonstrates that much younger marine deposits cap the southern margin. We recognize some bioevents within the calcareous plankton that point to an early Middle Pleistocene age (ca. 475 Ma). The benthic fauna indicate an epibathyal marine environment (400 to 500 m palaeodepth), with an associated palaeo-coastline now at ca. 1500 to 1600 ma.s.l. Our new results imply uplift rates of ca. 3 mm/yr for the CAP southern margin since the deposition of the young marine units. Overall, this work demonstrates that the majority of the modern topography at the CAP southern margin (1500 to 1600 m) was only recently acquired, pointing to the absence of a significant orographic barrier along the southern plateau margin prior to 500 ka. Such rapid uplift of the CAP southern margin after the early Middle Pleistocene would have caused major palaeogeographic and palaeoclimate changes in the area, which likely influenced local biodiversity.

The Mediterranean Basin is a semi-enclosed basin highly sensitive to climate changes such as evaporation-precipitation processes and glacial-interglacial transitions. It is composed by two main basins, the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean, which are differently sensitive to the high latitude and low latitude climate interactions. Such differences could translate in different reactions to climate changes recorded in the bottom sediments, i.e. the enhanced effects of the freshwater inputs on the bottom oxygenation in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this paper we investigate the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate derived from the study of Early Pleistocene (Calabrian) deep marine deposits cropping out along the southern margin of the Central Anatolian Plateau at the Gulnar East section (southern Turkey). Using benthic and planktonic foraminifers the bottom oxygenation and the sea surface temperature (SST) were evaluated through the calculation of the benthic foraminifera oxygen index (BFOI) and palaeoclimate curve. The results show that the marine epibathyal palaeonvironment in this Eastern Mediterranean area reacted to the palaeoclimate changes with the water mass stratification (warm periods) and/or with enhanced primary productivity (cool/cold periods) leading to the deposition of sapropel layers with different degrees of bottom oxygenation.

The new record of a shallow-water submarine hydrothermal field (<150 m w.d.) in the western Mediterranean Sea (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) allows us to study CO2 fluid impact on benthic foraminifers. Benthic foraminifers calcification process is sensitive to ocean acidification and to local chemical and physical parameters of seawater and pore water. Thus, foraminifers can record specific environmental conditions related to hydrothermal fluids, but at present their response to such activity is poorly defined. The major outcome of this study is the finding of a very uncommon taxon for the Mediterranean Sea, i.e., the Spiculosiphon oceana, a giant foraminifer agglutinating spicules of sponges. This evidence, along with the strong decrease of calcareous tests in the foraminiferal assemblages associated to hydrothermal activity, provides new insights on the meiofauna living in natural stressed environment. In particular, observations obtained from this study allow us to consider S. oceana a potential tolerant species of high CO2 concentrations (about 2-4 times higher than the normal marine values) and a proxy of acidic environments as well as of recent ocean acidification processes.

Mediterranean marginal basins recorded the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC) in various structural settings, including syn-rift, thrust-top, foredeep, and foreland basins. During the MSC, the Apennines were one of the mobile belts of the peri-Mediterranean chain. Starting from more hinterland areas, allochthonous units of both the northern and southern Apennines migrated toward the Adriatic foreland, developing allochthonous-top sedimentary basins. One of these basins, on top of the Molise allochthonous units (southern Apennines), recorded almost all of the main steps of the MSC. In a gypsum quarry district, the occurrence of conduits yielding flow-mobilized sediments, which cross-cut the Lower Evaporites, testifies to a fluid-migration event responsible for the formation of a brecciated mudgrade limestone buildup. This event can be connected with the Mediterranean drawdown responsible for the Messinian erosional surface (MES). The post-evaporitic marly succession that unconformably overlies the Lower Evaporites and the “Brecciated limestones” is characterized by the presence of Paratethyan molluscs and ostracods (Loxoconcha muelleri and Loxocorniculina djafarovi zones), and small mammals, among which is recorded the occurrence of Stephanomys debruijni. A disconformity within the post-evaporitic succession divides it into lower (p-ev1) and upper (p-ev2) Lago-Mare deposits. A further erosional surface separates the Messinian Lago-Mare sediments from fully marine lower Zanclean (MPl2 Zone) deposits. Whilst the unconformity separating the Lower Evaporites and the Lago-Mare deposits (although enhanced by a tectonic event) could be related to a late Messinian base level drop (MES1), as well as the disconformity between p-ev1 and p-ev2 (MES2), the younger angular unconformities affecting both the Lago-Mare deposits (p-ev2) and the fully marine Pliocene sediments might be related to two different phases of orogenic transport. Those events affected the Molise allochthonous units during their Late Miocene-Early Pliocene forelandward migration.

Recent investigations highlighted the occurrence of a giant depression related to hydrothermal activity off the Pontine Archipelago (central Mediterranean Sea, Italy). The new record of a giant seeping depression (Zannone Giant Pockmark, ZGP) in shallow-water provides the opportunity to study fluid vent impact on meiobenthic communities. The micropaleontological analyses on living (Rose Bengal stained) and dead assemblages recorded inside and outside the Zannone Giant Pockmark, allow to highlight changes in the structure and composition of the foraminiferal community that suggest variations of fluid emissions in different sectors of the study area. Inside the ZGP, under the direct influence of venting activity, a very peculiar living foraminiferal assemblage is found. It consists of agglutinated species (Spiculosiphon oceana, Jaculella acuta, Deuterammina rotaliformis) never found or very rare in the Mediterranean Sea. On the contrary dead assemblage testifies the changes on foraminiferal assemblages under carbonate dissolution process. Outside the pockmark in the nearby area of ZGP, the integrated meiofaunal and geochemical data suggest a transitional condition between vent influenced sedimentation and the typical carbonate sedimentation recorded in the rest of the Pontine Archipelago. In particular a possible spread of the venting activity in the northern and southern sectors of the study area, towards the edge of the Zannone insular shelf, is inferred.The impact of fluid emissions on foraminiferal assemblages can be summarized in the following observations: reduced biodiversity, increase of agglutinated species with predominant siliceous component in the test structure, limited distribution of living specimens inside the sediment, disappearance of porcelaneous taxa and presence of carbonate loss tests. As the result, the venting activity is likely to be the main environmental driver on the meiofaunal distribution.We also report, at the emission sites in the Pontine Archipelago, the presence of agglutinated species such as Spiculosiphon oceana, Jaculella acuta, Deuterammina rotaliformis, never found earlier in the Mediterranean Sea.

Thirteen samples were collected from three coastal bays of northeastern Sardinia (Gallura). Bays are areas of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sedimentation. Seagrasses and algae, widely distributed in the shallow-water environments, contribute to the carbonate factory. Near-shore benthic foraminifers (111 species, 50 genera), occurring in the shallower water areas of Posidonia oceanica , were taxonomically identified and the assemblages were investigated by statistical analysis to determine if any groups of samples or species correlate with a specific sub-environment. Dominant taxa are phytophilous and three main assemblages were identified: the Lobatula lobatula/Elphidium crispum assemblage and Lobatula lobatula/Peneroplis pertusus assemblage are linked to the distribution of P. oceanica , whereas the Peneroplis/Quinqueloculina assemblage reflects oligotrophic conditions and a mixed algal/ Posidonia substrate. Taxonomic abundance and diversity appear to be mainly controlled by the type of phytal substrate.

The bottom samples of two cores (CS1 and Caro1) collected at 60 and 122 m water depth in the marine area near Ponza Island (Pontine Archipelago, Tyrrhenian Sea) are investigated. In particular, benthic foraminiferal and bioclastic content is considered.The calcareous red algae (pralines, boxworks and unattached branches) are abundant in both samples and, particularly, in the CS1_bottom as well as the benthic foraminifers. The siliceous sponge spicules also are very diversified and abundant in the CS1_bottom samples, while in the Caro1_bottom they are rare and fragmented. Benthic foraminiferal assemblage of two samples is dominated by Asterigerinata mamilla and Lobatula lobatula, typical epiphytic species but also able to live on circalittoral detrital seafloors.Based on these data it is possible to assume that the bottom of the cores was deposited in the upper circalittoral zone and anyway within the present-day depth limit distribution of calcareous red algae in the Pontine Archipelago (lower than 100 m water depth).

The present study shows the preliminary micropalaeontological results obtained from surface samples collected during an Eurofleet marine geological survey in the Terceira offshore (Azores Archipelago, Portugal) carried out in September 2011.Benthic foraminiferal assemblages were studied in order to obtain a sea-floor ecological characterisation in natural stressed environments like active volcanic area of the Azores Islands. Sediments were collected at water depths ranging between 260 and 410 m and consist of blackish, sand-sized glass shards, in which highly vesicularto scoriaceous clasts prevail on fluidal striated fragments. All samples were stained with Rose Bengal to determine living and dead assemblages.The dominance of living specimens suggests that the first generation of foraminiferal colonisers was found. Diversity index (α-Fisher index), Faunal density and Foraminiferal Abnormality Index (FAI) were calculated to assess the structure of the assemblage and the degree of environmental stress. Living and dead assemblages are verysimilar; they are very scarce but sufficiently diversified. The living benthic assemblage is dominated by epi/shallow infaunal species Angulogerina angulosa and typical infaunal taxa like Bolivina spp.Subordinately other epifaunal (Ehrenbergina bradyi, Lenticulina spp., Quinqueloculina seminula, Stomatorbina concentrica) and agglutinated species (Ammoglobigerina globigeriniformis, Eggerelloides scabrus, Haplophragmoides canariensis, Spiroplectinella wrightii, Textularia spp.) are also recorded. Significant frequencies of specimens showing signs of test decalcification were found. These test alterations could be due to hydrothermal fluids, since similar features were recorded in foraminiferal specimens coming from other volcanic substrates in the Aeolian Arc (Tyrrhenian Sea). The dominance of living and dead A. angulosa specimens allows us to consider this species as opportunistic pioneer taxon able to colonise stressed environments. This is confirmed also by the highest values of FAI (>2%), recorded in most of the samples, indicating a persisting environmental stress. Angulogerina angulosa and Bolivina spp. are the species showing more abundant deformed specimens (irregular development of chambers and aberrant tests). On the basis of our observations, the recolonisation process and the spatial distribution patterns are strongly influenced by the sea bottom high hydrodynamic regime which is responsible for volcanic deposit transport and depositional events. These conditions may be reflected on the relationship between benthic foraminifers and substrate features, which are mainly restricted to grain size, morphology and texture of volcanic shards.