47 research outputs found

    Stable oxygen and carbon isotope composition of holocene mytilidae from the camarones coast (Chubut, argentina): Palaeoceanographic implications

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    The stable isotope composition of living and of Holocene Mytilidae shells was measured in the area of Camarones (Chubut, Argentina). The most striking results were the high δ18 O values measured in samples older than ca. 6.1 cal ka BP. In the younger samples, the δ18 O values remained substantially stable and similar to those of living specimens. Analysis of the data revealed the possibility for this isotopic shift to be driven mainly by changes in temperature probably accompanied by minor changes in salinity, suggesting cooler seawater before 6.1 cal ka BP, with a maximum possible temperature shift of ca. 5◦ C. A possible explanation of this change can be related to a northward position of the confluence zone of the Falkland and Brazilian currents. This is consistent with the data obtained in marine cores, which indicate a northerly position of the confluence in the first half of the Holocene. Our data are also in line with the changes in wind strength and position of the Southern Westerlies Wind, as reconstructed in terrestrial proxies from the Southernmost Patagonia region.Fil: Boretto, Gabriella Margherita. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Zanchetta, Giovanni. Università degli Studi di Pisa; Italia. Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria; Italia. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; ItaliaFil: Consoloni, Ilaria. Università degli Studi di Pisa; ItaliaFil: Baneschi, Ilaria. Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse; Italia. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; ItaliaFil: Guidi, Massimo. Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse; Italia. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; ItaliaFil: Isola, Ilaria. Istituto Nazione di Geofisica e Vulcanologia; ItaliaFil: Bini, Monica. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Italia. Università degli Studi di Pisa; ItaliaFil: Ragaini, Luca. Università degli Studi di Pisa; ItaliaFil: Terrasi, Filippo. Seconda Universita Degli Studi Di Napoli; ItaliaFil: Regattieri, Eleonora. Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse; ItaliaFil: Dallai, Luigi. Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse; Italia. Istituto Nazione di Geofisica e Vulcanologia; Italia. Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza"; Itali

    Understanding past climatic and hydrological variability in the Mediterranean from Lake Prespa sediment isotope and geochemical record over the Last Glacial cycle

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    Here we present stable isotope and geochemical data from Lake Prespa (Macedonia/Albania border) over the Last Glacial cycle (Marine Isotope Stages 5–1) and discuss past lake hydrology and climate (TIC, oxygen and carbon isotopes), as well as responses to climate of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation (TOC, Rock Eval pyrolysis, carbon isotopes, pollen). The Lake Prespa sediments broadly fall into 5 zones based on their sedimentology, geochemistry, palynology and the existing chronology. The Glacial sediments suggest low supply of carbon to the lake, but high summer productivity; intermittent siderite layers suggest that although the lake was likely to have mixed regularly leading to enhanced oxidation of organic matter, there must have been within sediment reducing conditions and methanogenesis. MIS 5 and 1 sediments suggest much more productivity, higher rates of organic material preservation possibly due to more limited mixing with longer periods of oxygen-depleted bottom waters. We also calculated lakewater δ18O from siderite (authigenic/Glacial) and calcite (endogenic/Holocene) and show much lower lakewater δ18O values in the Glacial when compared to the Holocene, suggesting the lake was less evaporative in the Glacial, probably as a consequence of cooler summers and longer winter ice cover. In the Holocene the oxygen isotope data suggests general humidity, with just 2 marked arid phases, features observed in other Eastern and Central Mediterranean lakes

    Evidence for carbon cycling in a large freshwater lake in the Balkans over the last 0.5 million years using the isotopic composition of bulk organic matter

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    In the DEEP core from the Lake Ohrid ICDP drilling project, the carbon isotope composition of bulk organic matter (δ13CTOC) over the last 516 ka shows a negative correlation with total organic carbon (TOC) and total inorganic carbon (TIC). This relationship is marked by periods of lower δ13CTOC values corresponding to higher TIC and TOC. Along with TOC/TN, the correlation between δ13CTOC and δ13CTIC suggests that most of the organic matter in the core is from aquatic primary production within the lake. The combination of TOC, TIC, and δ13CTOC is able to disentangle long-term glacial/interglacial cycles and, to a lesser extent, millennial scale climate variability. Over the longer term, δ13CTOC shows modest variability, indicating that the δ13C of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) pool is stabilised by the supply of karst spring water characterised by δ13CDIC influenced by the bedrock δ13C value, and the long residence time of the lake water and well mixed upper water column promoting equilibration with atmospheric CO2. However, comparison between arboreal pollen (AP%), TIC and TOC data indicates that the δ13CTOC signal is modulated by the leaching of soil CO2 through runoff and spring discharge, changes in primary productivity, and recycling of organic matter within the lake, all affecting δ13CDIC. Exceptionally low δ13CTOC during some interglacial periods (e.g. MIS7 and MIS9) possibly indicate rapid intensification of organic matter recycling and/or increasing stratification and enhanced methanogenesis, even if the latter process is not supported by the sedimentological data

    Carbon dioxide fluxes in Alpine grasslands at the Nivolet Plain, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy 2017–2023

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    The version of record of this article, first published in [Scientific Data], is available online at Publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03374-1We introduce a georeferenced dataset of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), Ecosystem Respiration (ER) and meteo-climatic variables (air and soil temperature, air relative humidity, soil volumetric water content, pressure, and solar irradiance) collected at the Nivolet Plain in Gran Paradiso National Park (GPNP), western Italian Alps, from 2017 to 2023. NEE and ER are derived by measuring the temporal variation of CO2 concentration obtained by the enclosed chamber method. We used a customised portable non-steady-state dynamic flux chamber, paired with an InfraRed Gas Analyser (IRGA) and a portable weather station, measuring CO2 fluxes at a number of points (around 20 per site and per day) within five different sites during the snow-free season (June to October). Sites are located within the same hydrological basin and have different geological substrates: carbonate rocks (site CARB), gneiss (GNE), glacial deposits (GLA, EC), alluvial sediments (AL). This dataset provides relevant and often missing information on high-altitude mountain ecosystems and enables new comparisons with other similar sites, modelling developments and validation of remote sensing data.This work was funded by the H2020 projects ECOPOTENTIAL (grant number: 641762), e-shape (grant number: 820852), eLTER PLUS (grant number: 871128), by the Italian National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP; mission 4, component 2, investment 1.4 of the Ministry of University and Research, funded by the European Union–NextGenerationEU; project code CN00000033), and by the ITINERIS NRRP Italian infrastructure project (project code No. IR0000032 - ESFRI Environment)

    Synchronous vegetation response to the last glacial-interglacial transition in northwest Europe

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    The North Atlantic region experienced abrupt high-amplitude cooling at the onset of the Younger Dryas stadial. However, due to chronological uncertainties in the available terrestrial records it is unclear whether terrestrial ecosystem response to this event was instantaneous and spatially synchronous, or whether regional or time-transgressive lags existed. Here we use new palynological results from a robustly dated lake sediment sequence retrieved from lake Hämelsee (north Germany) to show that vegetation change started at 12,820 cal. yr BP, concurrent with the onset of changes in local climate. A comparison of the Hämelsee results to a compilation of precisely dated palynological records shows instant and, within decadal-scale dating uncertainty, synchronous response of the terrestrial plant community to Late-Glacial climate change across northwest Europe. The results indicate that the environmental impact of climate cooling was more severe than previously thought and illustrates the sensitivity of natural terrestrial ecosystems to external forcing. © 2022, The Author(s)

    Etude de la géochimie et de l’environnement d’un écosystème côtière (Toscana du nord, Italie)

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    The Massaciuccoli palustrine marsh is amongst the most important wetlands in Tuscany. It is a coastal lagoon of fresh to brackish water, which drains a total basin area of about 112 km2 and opens to the sea by way of an artificial channel, known as Burlamacca.In the palustrine area there are old quarries (30 m max depth and 2.5 km2 total area) which have been left by the previous sand extraction activity. Sewage, wastewaters of reclamation lands and wastewaters of cattle-breeding and of a food-industry are the main polluting sources. Within the basin, there are two landfills and several agricultural farming activities.This research, attempts to study 1) the anthropogenic impact on water chemistry; 2) the seawater inflow, the groundwater infiltration and the evaporation rate; 3) the role of the excavation area and 4) the function of the biotic processes, by applying geochemical techniques and chemical (Br, B, Cl and nutrients) and isotopic (δ18O, δ11B, δ2H, δ13C, δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4) tracers.This study highlighted some important methodological aspects concerning:1-the role of biotic processes to regulate the contents of several dissolved chemical compounds2-the application of isotopes to trace the chemical-physical processes, taking place at the interface between the different compartments, to establish the origin of the elements and to get dating.In particular we point out:i. the distribution in the system of trace elements depends on the presence and intensity of biotic activityii. the importance of isotope geochemistry to trace the origin of water and active, chemical-physical processesiii. the increase in the radiocarbon activity of the sedimentary organic matter, corresponding to the atomic experiments carried out during the 60's, at different depths in the sediments from different sites in the lake.We can conclude that geochemical research allowed us to underline the influence of agricultural activity on the chemical composition of lake water, the hydrodynamic equilibrium and superficial sediment composition.The quarries, because of their high water volume, represent a hydraulic barrier for seawater intrusion into the lake. They act also as a sink for nutrients and they have a positive hydraulic function to prevent lake contamination. However, in future, they will become a serious problem if the stratification (chiefly due to chemical stability) disappears or if they are filled up.ivLe marais de Massaciuccoli est la plus importante zone humide de la Toscane septentrionale. C'est une lagune côtière qui draine un bassin d'environ 112 km2 de surface totale et qui est caractérisée par des eaux à salinité très variable. Cette zone est reliée à la mer par un canal artificiel, appelé « Burlamacca ».Dans cette zone palustre, on retrouve de vieilles carrières (profondeur maximum : 30 m., superficie totale : 2,5 km2 ), témoignage d'une ancienne activité d'extraction de sable siliceux. Les principales sources polluantes sont représentées par les déchets urbains et industriels et par les eaux de drainage agricole ; au sein du bassin, il y a en effet 2 décharges et plusieurs entreprises agricoles.Ce projet de recherche se propose d'étudier : 1) l'impact anthropique sur la chimie des eaux du bassin du lac de Massaciuccoli ; 2) l'apport de l'eau de mer, l'infiltration des eaux souterraines et le taux d'évaporation du lac ; 3) le rôle exercé par les anciennes carrières, et 4) le rôle des processus biologiques.Les résultats ont été obtenus en appliquant des techniques géochimiques et en utilisant des traceurs chimiques (Br, B, Cl et des éléments nutritifs) et isotopiques (δ18O, δ11B, δ2H, δ13C, δ34SSO4 et δ18OSO4).L'étude a mis en évidence des aspects méthodologiques importants, concernant :1. l'influence des processus biologiques sur le contenu des composés chimiques dissous dans les eaux2. l'application des techniques isotopiques qui, non seulement, a permis de suivre les processus chimiques et physiques qui se développent à l'interface entre les différents compartiments, mais qui a permis aussi d'établir l'origine des divers éléments et d'effectuer des datations.Notamment, on a mis en évidence les points suivants:a. la distribution des éléments dans le système étudié est fonction de la présence et de l'intensité de l'activité biologiqueb. la géochimie est importante pour tracer l'origine des eaux et des processus chimiques et physiques.c. Les datations effectuées sur la matière organique des sédiments avec le 14C mettent en évidence la présence d'un pic de l'activité radioactive, qui correspond aux essais atomiques effectués dans les années '60. La profondeur, à laquelle on peut trouver ces évidences, varie selon les différents sites échantillonnés.En conclusion, ce travail a permis de mettre en évidence l'influence de l'activité agricole sur la composition chimique de l'eau du lac, sur l'équilibre hydrodynamique et sur la composition du sédiment superficiel. En outre, les carrières, en relation à leur extension et profondeur, représentent une barrière hydraulique à l'intrusion de l'eau marine dans le lac ; la disparition de la stratification des eaux des carrières ou un éventuel remplissage de ces dernières pourrait devenir un problème très sérieux pour l'équilibre de l'écosystème palustre.v

    Etude de la géochimie et de l environnement d un écosystème côtière (Toscana du nord, Italie) ( le lac de Massaciuccoli (Toscana du nord, Italie))

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    Le marais de Massaciuccoli est la plus importante zone humide de la Toscane septentrionale. C est une lagune côtière qui draine un bassin d environ 112 km2 de surface totale et qui est caractérisée par des eaux à salinité très variable. Cette zone est reliée à la mer par un canal artificiel, appelé Burlamacca . Les principales sources polluantes sont représentées par les déchets urbains et industriels et par les eaux de drainage agricole ; au sein du bassin, il y a en effet 2 décharges et plusieurs entreprises agricoles. Ce projet de recherche se propose d étudier : 1) l impact anthropique sur la chimie des eaux du bassin du lac de Massaciuccoli ; 2) l apport de l eau de mer, l infiltration des eaux souterraines et le taux d évaporation du lac ; 3) le rôle exercé par les anciennes carrières, et 4) le rôle des processus biologiques. Les résultats ont été obtenus en appliquant des techniques géochimiques et en utilisant des traceurs chimiques (Br, B, Cl et des éléments nutritifs) et isotopiques ( 18O, 11B, 2H, 13C, 34SSO4 et 18OSO4)The Massaciuccoli palustrine marsh is amongst the most important wetlands in Tuscany. It is a coastal lagoon of fresh to brackish water, which drains a total basin area of about 112 km2 and opens to the sea by way of an artificial channel, known as Burlamacca. In the palustrine area there are old quarries (30 m max depth and 2.5 km2 total area) which have been left by the previous sand extraction activity. Sewage, wastewaters of reclamation lands and wastewaters of cattle-breeding and of a food-industry are the main polluting sources. Within the basin, there are two landfills and several agricultural farming activities. This research, attempts to study 1) the anthropogenic impact on water chemistry; 2) the seawater inflow, the groundwater infiltration and the evaporation rate; 3) the role of the excavation area and 4) the function of the biotic processes, by applying geochemical techniques and chemical (Br, B, Cl and nutrients) and isotopic ( 18O, 11B, 2H, 13C, 34SSO4 and 18OSO4) tracers.ORSAY-PARIS 11-BU Sciences (914712101) / SudocSudocFranceF

    Mediterranean catchments post-fire hydrogeological behavior and water quality: insights from the Pisano Mount area (Tuscany, Italy).

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    Wildfires are recognized as one of the most affecting ecological agents, altering geomorphological processes, hydrologic cycles, and water quality. On average from 50,000 to 65,000 fires occur in Europe every year, burning approximately 500,000 ha of forested areas. Between September 2018 and February 2019 two large wildfires burnt nearly 1,400 ha of forests and farmlands in the Pisano Mount area (northwestern Tuscany). The mountainous morphology of the area linked to the proximity to the sea causes high precipitation variability and intensity. This, joined with low permeability bedrock (mainly quartzites, schists, and phyllites) and with the extensive vegetation coverage, make the study site a hot spot for surface waters analysis. Moreover, burnt catchments are of primary importance in the recharge processes of the groundwater resources of the costal plain, which are exploited by a large number of inhabitants and agricultural facility. Consequently, the present study is aimed at understanding and quantifying the wildfire impacts on the hydrogeological dynamics and water quality in the studied catchments. Such impacts are being evaluated by comparing burnt and unburnt catchments, which were selected to be as similar as possible from geological, morphological, and vegetational perspectives. The multi-parameter selection method involved Principal Component Analysis and Distance analysis on many potentially feasible catchments. A network of automatic monitoring instruments was deployed on site. Five hydraulic sections of the main streams draining the area were monitored for hydraulic level and physico-chemical parameters. Hydrographs analysis was performed to infer differences in hydrogeological dynamics between burnt and unburnt basins. Monthly samples were collected for stream water and groundwater chemical analysis. In addition, four plate lysimeters were installed to sample soil water for its chemical characterization. The chemical analysis involved major anions and cations, trace elements, water isotopes, and organic compounds, to search for chemical perturbation potentially arising from the wildfire. The investigation highlighted various differences between the burnt and unburnt basin, mainly for the surface waters. The streams draining the burnt areas present different hydraulic behaviour and changes in physiochemical parameters in response to rainfall events. Moreover, the yearly variation of physiochemical parameters and chemical characteristics present an higher variance for those streams draining wildfire affected catchments

    Eddy Covariance data from ICOS-associated station IT-NIV – Summer 2019

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    Data stored here refer to Eddy Covariance (EC) data measured in 2019 during the snow-free season at the Alpine CZO (Critical Zone Observatory, hereafter CZO@Nivolet) which was established at the Nivolet Plain (Piani del Nivolet) in the Gran Paradiso National Park (GPNP), located in the western Italian Alps. The EC site (IT-NIV) is an ICOS-associated station. CZO@Nivolet is aimed at investigating the cross-scale interactions between climatic shifts and ecosystem functions multiple scales, involving multidisciplinary studies. The main research questions that we aim to answer are concerning: (a) the effect of bedrock lithology, soil physics and chemisty, topographic hetereogenity, biotic components and meteo-climatic parameters in modulating CO2 flux in alpine grassland; and (b) what are the controlling factors of organic C and weathering under geologic substrates and different topographic positions. The investigations started in 2017. In 2019, the EC tower was added to deeply study CO2, H20, latent and sensible heat exchanges between soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. Carbon dioxide fluxes and environmental variables are recorded during the snow-free season to estimate carbon storage and explore CO2 fluxes drivers in high-altitude grasslands. Further developments will regard the integration of different techniques (Eddy Covariance, Remote Sensing, Flux chambers) to improve both spatial and temporal extent of carbon fluxes estimates to finally assess grasslands' productivity.Funded also by National Interest Project NEXTDATA (Grant number: B51J11000840001
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