Opažanja u obalnom području u okviru ADRICOSM projekta: Tršćanski zaljev

In the framework of the ADRICOSM project, from October 2002 to September 2003, a coastal observing system network was set up in the Gulf of Trieste. During this period, 36 CTD cruises were performed over a grid of 19 stations. An accurate data acquisition and quality check protocol was implemented for data decimation and smoothing. However, data analysis showed that conductivity/ salinity spikes were recorded at the depth of the very sharp thermocline observed in summer 2003. The exceptionally high salinity waters and the marked thermocline observed in the Gulf of Trieste in spring and summer 2003 directed us to compare the distributions of the temperature and salinity fields observed during ADRICOSM cruises with the available climatological values of the Gulf of Trieste, in order to assess whether the data collected during this research deviated significantly from the climatology.U okviru projekta ADRICOSM, od listopada 2002. do rujna 2003. godine, provedeno je 36 krstarenja tijekom kojih se uzorkovalo CTD sondom na 19 postaja u Tršćanskom zaljevu. Posebna pažnja je posvećena kvaliteti podataka. Tijekom ljeta 2003. godine opaženi su nagli skokovi vrijednosti saliniteta i gustoće (tzv. “spikes”) u području izražene termokline. U proljeće i ljeto 2003. godine vrijednosti saliniteta bile su izrazito visoke. Polja temperature i saliniteta određena za to razdoblje uspoređena su s postojećim podacima ne bi li se utvrdilo koliko odstupaju od prosjeka

Mapping human impacts to support sustainable uses of marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean sea

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, 23-27 May 2022, Vienna, AustriaLocal and global anthropogenic pressures due to climate change and to local uses and activities are exerting significant cumulative impacts to greater extents of the oceans and seas. Coastal ecosystems are particularly threatened by the intensity and coexistence of several marine uses and pressures, including sewage and urban constructions, tourism, ship traffic, fisheries and aquaculture. Assessment of pressures and the identification of mitigation measures are key urgent actions, as already highlighted by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14. The aim of this work, developed within the Interreg-Med project SHAREMED, is to systematize existing knowledge on threats and pollution, including those of transboundary origin, for long term strategies and common action marine spatial planning, jointly developed with stakeholders. The quest is to assess coexisting environmental threats, and their propagation in space and time, at proper spatial and temporal scales, according to the type and action of each stressor (i.e. global vs. local). Cumulative pressures are tackled within a dedicated Atlas comprising three sub-basinsins of the Mediterranean Sea: the North Adriatic Sea, the Sicilian Channel and the North-Western region. The Atlas integrates information generated at the best available resolutions by 1) in-situ sampling, 2) remote observations, 3) numerical models, and 4) focusing on target ecosystems and habitat forming species. These sub-basins are subjected to multiple local and larger scale (e.g. climate) pressures that propagate in space and time, and across political boundaries, that need to be addressed through coordinated actions, based on evidence-rooted common understanding. Interactions with relevant Stakeholders, solicited through an online survey, and meetings, were used to select target ecosystems and to identify the key relevant pressures. The Atlas is based on open-access databases and portals, literature reviews and from ad-hoc model simulations concerning marine heatwaves, ship traffic, oil pollution, marine litter and fishing efforts. We will present the main preliminary results and needs and gaps in observations related to marine ecosystems threatsPeer reviewe

The origin of organic matter in Holocene sediments in the Bay of Koper (Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea)

Three cores, V-3, V-5 and MK-6, drilled in the inner part of the Bay of Koper were used to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions occurring during the Holocene. Based on stable isotope results two depositing environments can be distinguished in the cores: the upper, marine and lower, brackish sedimentation. Marine sedimentation prevailed over fluvial sedimentation at depths of 15 m, 19 m and 10 m in the V-3, MK-6 and V-5 cores respectively.The marine part of the core V-3 was influenced by varying amounts of land-derivedorganic carbon transported by the River Rižana, while in MK-6 and V-5 cores the marine algae and/or microphytes constituted the main source of sedimentary organic carbon. The fluvial sedimentaion has typically lower δ13Corg and higher C/N ratios, ~ – 26 ‰ and > 12 respectively and based on stable carbon isotope mass balance the terrestrial organic carbon present up to 70 to 100 % of the sedimentary organic carbon. On the other hand, the higher δ15N values observed at some depths in the fluvial sedimentation indicated that nitrogen could be of marine origin. The observed data in parallel with previous studies are in good agreement with the simultaneous rise of the sea level in the Northern Adriatic

Interannual evolution of seasonal thermohaline properties in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic) 1991-2003

Temperature and salinity data, collected by conductivityžtemperatureždepth cruises over the Gulf of Trieste during 1991-2003, were analyzed using different methods..

Impact of submarine karst sulfur springs on benthic foraminiferal assemblage in sediment of northern Adriatic Sea

Purpose This work highlights the sedimentary characteristics and the role of submarine sulfur-rich karstic springs in the distribution of benthic foraminifera in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea (Bay of Koper). Little is known about how local conditions such as temperature and sulfur bursts may influence sediment properties, benthic habitat variability, and composition of foraminiferal assemblages. Here we compare the distribution of total and living benthic assemblages in surface sediment samples collected from a funnel-shaped depression created by submarine sulfur springs. Materials and methods Sampling was performed at water depths between 24.6 and 32.2 m in fine-grained sandy silt to silty sand (partially washed). Sedimentological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses of the sediment were carried out and the distribution of benthic foraminifera living around the springs was studied. Results and discussion In general, sediment characteristics (i.e., mineralogical, geochemical, and organic content) around the sulfur springs do not show prominent deviations from the marine surface sediment of the areahowever, some differences exist among depressions of different depths. Deeper depressions in the lower parts probably extend to older continental sediments of Late Pleistocene age with alluvial features, while shallower depressions were formed entirely in Holocene marine sediments typical of a wider area. Only one of the five samples (M05) contained living foraminifera in sufficient abundance for biocenosis research. The benthic foraminiferal assemblages of moderate diversity are composed of opportunistic species. Elphidium translucens, Ammonia ex gr. tepida, Haynesina depressula, and Porosononion granosum dominate, while A. neobeccarii, Reussella spinulosa, and Textularia bocki are subordinate. Conclusions The distribution and diversity of foraminifera in the sediment near sulfur springs can be explained by several factors and their interactions. The intensity of the spring discharge affects the mixing/oxygenation of the sediment, the shape of spring depressions, and the granulometry of the coarser sediment around the springs. Sediment characteristics indicate different types of sediment origin. This is related to and can be explained by the depth of spring depressions