Offshore Neopycnodonte oyster reefs in the Mediterranean Sea

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Angeletti, L., & Taviani, M. Offshore Neopycnodonte oyster reefs in the Mediterranean Sea. Diversity, 12(3), (2020): 92, doi:10.3390/d12030092.Oysters are important ecosystem engineers best known to produce large bioconstructions at shallow depth, whilst offshore deep-subtidal oyster reefs are less widely known. Oyster reefs engineered by Neopycnodonte cochlear (family Gryphaeidae) occur at various sites in the Mediterranean Sea, between 40 and 130 m water depths. Remotely Operated Vehicle surveys provide new insights on this rather neglected reef types with respect to their shape, dimensions and associated biodiversity. We suggest that these little contemplated reefs should be taken in due consideration for protection.This work was partly supported by the EU FP-VI and VII HERMES and HERMIONE, by the ‘Convenzione MATTM-CNR per i Programmi di Monitoraggio per la Direttiva sulla Strategia Marina (MSFD, Art. 11, Dir. 2008/56/CE), and is part of the DG Environment programme IDEM (grant agreement no. 11.0661/2017/750680/SUB/EN V.C2)

Palaeobiology of Pliocene-Pleistocene shallow-water biocalcarenites (Northern Apennines, Italy) and their relationship with coeval sapropels

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Cau, S., Roveri, M., & Taviani, M. Palaeobiology of Pliocene-Pleistocene shallow-water biocalcarenites (Northern Apennines, Italy) and their relationship with coeval sapropels. Bollettino Della Societa Paleontologica Italiana, 59(1), (2020): 25-40, doi:10.4435/BSPI.2020.04.The interplay between carbonate and siliciclastic sediment production in shallow marine environments may result in the development of mixed depositional systems showing a cyclical arrangement of sedimentary facies. The palaeoenvironmental record associated with these cyclical facies changes is not always univocally correlated with eustatic oscillations, suggesting that other forcing processes have played an additional role. The Castell’Arquato Basin (CAB: Pliocene-Pleistocene, Northern Apennines, Italy) offers the opportunity to integrate the study of small and large-scale stratigraphic architectures with that of shell beds in shelf to deep-water successions. The analysis of diversity trends allows a first insight into the structure of CAB benthic communities associated with minor and major biocalcarenites. Biofacies types are identified through a multivariate analysis of a large quantitative database including shells of all molluscs, serpulids and brachiopods. The study shows that these bio-detrital deposits and their bracketing marine mudstones developed at inner-shelf settings and that taphonomic feedback played an important role in the stratigraphic distribution of biofacies. Benthic communities from shelly bottoms depend on the winnowing of fines by bottom currents, a factor that is not related to water depth in a simple manner. Heterogeneity of the seafloor is associated to high-diversity of communities of topset strata of major biocalcarenites. Communities living in siliciclastic bottoms depend on factors that are largely depth-dependant. The study confirms the correlation of major biocalcarenite cycles with coeval deep-water sapropels, supporting the hypothesis of a more effective role of high-amplitude climatic changes driven by orbital forcing. This affects the source-to-sink dynamics of the whole basin and the biological structuring processes of shelfal depositional settings and related ecosystems.Thanks to Stefano Dominici (Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Firenze) for his review and editorial handling. Ronald Nalin (Loma Linda University, California, USA) and an anonymous reviewer are acknowledged for their constructive comments and suggestions that improved an early version of the paper. We thank Alessandro Freschi, Gianluca Raineri (Riserva Geologica del Piacenziano e dello Stirone) and Carlo Francou (Museo Geopaleontologico “G. Cortesi”, Castell’Arquato) for their assistance with sample collection. This is ISMAR CNR, Bologna, scientific contribution n. 1950

Eugenio Barba e l’enigma dell’eslabón perdido

Con motivo de la reciente celebración del cincuenta aniversario del Odin Teatret, pequeña compañía internacional itinerante con base en Dinamarca y dirigida por Eugenio Barba, el autor busca una clave para comprender un fenómeno que integra de forma duradera tan singular a personas y, a la vez, teoría y práctica teatral. Se apoya en declaraciones recientes del director de escena español José Luis Gómez, que sirven de análisis para poner en valor la naturaleza del fenómeno como un “enclave” en constante cambio pero contenido en sus propios límites, que se pone en movimiento en busca de lo imprevisto a partir de cada fenómeno espectacular. Palabras clave: Eugenio Barba; Odin Teatret; ISTA; teatro y territorio; José Luis Gómez.On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Odin Teatret, a small itinerant international company based in Denmark and directed by Eugenio Barba, the author gains an understanding of a phenomenon that singularly integrates people and pratical/theoretical practice. The recent words by the scene director José Luis Gómez are used in the analysis with an aim to showcasing the nature of the phenomenon as an enclave constantly changing but contained within its own limits, that seeks the unexpected in every spectacular event

First documented record of a living solemyid bivalve in a pockmark of the Nile Deep-sea Fan (eastern Mediterranean Sea)

A living specimen of a solemyid bivalve was collected at bathyal depths near a pockmark in the Nile Deep-sea Fan (eastern Mediterranean) and is here presented. Both taxonomic and molecular results suggest a Solemya species but due to the small size of the animal and the lack of molecular data for other solemyid species the species cannot be determined. This is the first record of a living solemyid from deep-sea cold seeps in the Mediterranean Basin.FCT - SFRH/ BPD/64154/2009ANR DEEP-OASES - ANRO6BDV005CHEMECO ESF EURODEEPMPG-CNRS-GDRE - DIWOO

Design and application of three fingers grippers in microassembly

For the last ten years a miniaturisation process has spread in many different technical fields. This trend moved from the pressure of the electronic industry that crated a series of new products. These products present a set of novel problems to be solved for their manufacturing, handling and assemblying. Microassembly is one of the topic under a deep study and the research to automate the assembly operations would reduce its costs allowing a wide diffusion of these microproducts. This work focuses on the study and characterisation of 3 different mechanical grippers: a 2 fingers gripper, and two 3 fingers one, the first is a planar one while the second works in an out-of-plane condition. This last gripper is the more complex and requested for an analytical and FEM study of its capability of performing a forced peg-in-hole operation. The work continued by designing the supports and interfaces for all the grippers and in several tests to evaluate the hysteresis of the devices. All the grippers have been controlled via stepper motors, whose control has been developed within this thesis. Concerning the planar grippers the force is transmitted by using bowdens/wires, while the out-of-plane gripper is actuated by driving belt and two pulleys and srew-die coupling. In conclusion, the planar 2 and 3 finger grippers demonstrated a good compliance, particularly interested for peg-in-hole with clearance, while the out-of-plane gripper was able to supply a high force, particularly important in forced peg-in-hole operations

Early Miocene Mollusca from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (ANDRILL 2A drill core), with a review of Antarctic Oligocene and Neogene Pectinidae (Bivalvia)

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2013. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of The Palaeontological Association for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Palaeontology 57 (2014): 299-342, doi:10.1111/pala.12067.Retrotapes andrillorum n. sp., Hiatella cf. arctica (Linnaeus, 1767), ?Yoldia sp. (internal mould), and six taxa of Pectinidae are reported from the Burdigalian section of the ANDRILL 2A core, drilled in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea. The pectinids are Adamussium cf. jonkersi Quaglio et al., 2010, Antarctipecten n. gen. alanbeui (Jonkers, 2003), Austrochlamys forticosta n. sp., Austrochlamys cf. marisrossensis Jonkers, 2003, Ruthipecten n. gen., n. sp. (not named), and a fragmentary specimen representing an unnamed genus and species. In a revision of Antarctic Pectinidae, Austrochlamys Jonkers, 2003, Ruthipecten n. gen. (proposed for Chlamys (Zygochlamys) tuftsensis Turner, 1967, reported only from Wright Valley and the Vestfold Hills, not present in ANDRILL 2A), Leoclunipecten n. gen. (proposed for Austrochlamys gazdzickii Jonkers, 2003, reported only from Oligocene rocks of King George Island, not present in ANDRILL 2A) and the unnamed genus in ANDRILL 2A are assigned to subfamily Chlamydinae, tribe Chlamydini, whereas Adamussium Thiele, 1934 and Antarctipecten n. gen. are assigned to subfamily Palliolinae, tribe Adamussiini. The diverse Pectinidae in ANDRILL 2A suggest sea temperatures roughly 5°C warmer than at present in the Ross Sea during Early Miocene time.MT thanks the Italian National Antarctic Program for partial funding, and AGB thanks the ANDRILL project (GNS 1 Science GCT Programme) for funding.2014-09-1

Late Glacial to Preboreal sea-level rise recorded by the Rhône deltaic system (NW Mediterranean)

International audienceA unique late Glacial–Preboreal record of changes in sea-level and sediment fluxes originating from the Alps is recorded in the Rhône subaqueous delta in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The compilation of detailed bathymetric charts, together with high-resolution seismic profiles and long cores, reveals the detailed architecture of several sediment lobes, related to periods of decreased sea-level rise and/or increased sediment flux. They are situated along the retreat path of the Rhône distributaries, from the shelf edge and canyon heads up to the modern coastline. They form transgressive backstepping parasequences across the shelf, the late Holocene (highstand) deltas being confined to the inner shelf. The most prominent feature is an elongated paleo-shoreface/deltaic system, with an uppermost sandy fraction remolded into subaqueous dunes. A long piston core into the bottomsets of this prograding unit allows precise dating of this ancient deltaic system. In seismic data, it displays aggradation, starting at not, vert, similar 15 cal kyr BP, followed by progradation initiated during the first phase of the Younger Dryas, a period of reduced sea-level rise or stillstand. The delta kept pace with resumed sea-level rise during the Preboreal (which is estimated at about 1 cm/yr), as a result of increased sediment supply from the Alps (melting of glaciers and more humid climate “flushing” the sediment down to the sea). Abandonment of the delta occurred around 10,500 cal yr BP, that is to say about 1000 yr after the end of the Younger Dryas, probably because of decreased sediment flux

Stable isotope values in modern bryozoan carbonate from New Zealand and implications for paleoenvironmental interpretation

Bryozoan carbonate contains useful geochemical evidence of temperate shelf paleoenvironments. Stable isotope values were determined for 103 modern marine bryozoan skeletons representing 30 species from New Zealand. δ18O values range from -1.4 to 2.8 VPDB, while δ13C range from -4.5 to 2.8 VPDB (values uncorrected for mineralogical variation). These values are distinct from those of both tropical marine skeletons and New Zealand Tertiary fossils. Most bryozoans secrete carbonate in or near isotopic equilibrium with sea water, except for Celleporina and Steginoporella. The complex and variable mineralogies of the bryozoans reported here make correction for mineralogical effects problematic. Nevertheless, mainly aragonitic forms display higher isotope values, as anticipated. Both temperature and salinity constrain δ18O and δ13C values, and vary with latitude and water depth. Ten samples from a single branch of Cinctipora elegans from the Otago shelf cover a narrow range, although the striking difference in carbon isotope values between the endozone and exozone probably reflects different mineralisation histories. Our stable isotope results from three different laboratories on a single population from a single location are encouragingly consistent. Monomineralic bryozoans, when carefully chosen to avoid species suspected of vital fractionation, have considerable potential as geochemical paleoenvironmental indicators, particularly in temperate marine environments where bryozoans are dominant sediment producers