1. Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal
- Author
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Nick Marriner, Alessandro Fontana, Alessio Rovere, Christophe Morhange, Matteo Vacchi, Giorgio Spada, Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement (CEREGE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Collège de France (CdF)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Laboratoire Chrono-environnement - UFC (UMR 6249) (LCE), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Center for Marine Environmental Sciences [Bremen] (MARUM), Universität Bremen, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Chrono-environnement (UMR 6249) (LCE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Laboratoire Chrono-environnement - CNRS - UBFC (UMR 6249) (LCE), Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement de géosciences de l'environnement ( CEREGE ), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement ( IRD ) -Aix Marseille Université ( AMU ) -Collège de France ( CdF ) -Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ) -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers ( INSU - CNRS ), Laboratoire Chrono-environnement ( LCE ), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté ( UBFC ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Université de Franche-Comté ( UFC ), MARUM, Universität Bremen Postfach, Vacchi, Matteo, Marriner, Nick, Morhange, Christophe, SPADA, GIORGIO, Fontana, Alessandro, and Rovere, Alessio
- Subjects
Mediterranean climate ,Isostasy ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Antarctic ice sheet ,Context (language use) ,Sea-level database ,Sea level, Isostasy, Mediterranean Sea, Holocene ,010502 geochemistry & geophysics ,01 natural sciences ,Mediterranean sea ,Isostatic adjustment ,Settore GEO/04 - Geografia Fisica e Geomorfologia ,Mediterranean Sea ,Sea level ,Holocene ,Sea-level proxy ,[SDU.STU.GM]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geomorphology ,14. Life underwater ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Beachrock ,[ SDU.STU.GM ] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geomorphology ,Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) ,Oceanography ,13. Climate action ,General Earth and Planetary Sciences ,Spatial variability ,Geology - Abstract
A review of 917 relative sea-level (RSL) data-points has resulted in the first quality-controlled database constraining the Holocene sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta and Tunisia). We reviewed and standardized the geological RSL data-points using a new multi-proxy methodology based on: (1) modern taxa assemblages in Mediterranean lagoons and marshes; (2) beachrock characteristics (cement fabric and chemistry, sedimentary structures); and (3) the modern distribution of Mediterranean fixed biological indicators. These RSL data-points were coupled with the large number of archaeological RSL indicators available for the western Mediterranean. We assessed the spatial variability of RSL histories for 22 regions and compared these with the ICE-5G (VM2) GIA model. In the western Mediterranean, RSL rose continuously for the whole Holocene with a sudden slowdown at ~ 7.5 ka BP and a further deceleration during the last ~ 4.0 ka BP, after which time observed RSL changes are mainly related to variability in isostatic adjustment. The sole exception is southern Tunisia, where data show evidence of a mid-Holocene high-stand compatible with the isostatic impacts of the melting history of the remote Antarctic ice sheet. Our results indicate that late-Holocene sea-level rise was significantly slower than the current one. First estimates of GIA contribution indicate that, at least in the northwestern sector, it accounts at least for the 25–30% of the ongoing sea-level rise recorded by Mediterranean tidal gauges. Such contribution is less constrained at lower latitudes due to the lower quality of the late Holocene index points. Future applications of spatio-temporal statistical techniques are required to better quantify the gradient of the isostatic contribution and to provide improved context for the assessment of 20th century acceleration of Mediterranean sea-level rise.
- Published
- 2016
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