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This study investigates living benthic foraminiferal assemblages as bio-indicators of anthropogenic activities in a coastal area within the Gulf of Palermo (Sicily, Italy), affected by industrial and urban activities, and evaluates the environmental quality through the calibration of a Tolerant Species index (%TSstd). Sediments from 6 stations were sampled along a bathymetric transect from the coast to offshore. Sediment grain size, TOC, major, minor and trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were compared to benthic foraminiferal assemblages and species at each station. Diversity and density of benthic foraminiferal assemblages were not affected by the presence of pollutants, while tolerant species increased with organic (TOC and PAHs) or chemical (As and Pb) concentrations. Moreover, the calibration of the %TSstd formula to >125 mu m foraminiferal assemblage, gives a detailed description of environmental quality along the transect, representing a good and sensitive tool to evaluate marine coastal environment. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatments to reduce the leaching of contaminants (chloride, sulfate, heavy metals) into the environment from bottom ash (BA) are investigated, as a function of the ash&rsquo, s particle size (s). The aim is to make BA suitable for reuse as secondary raw material, in accordance with the legal requirements. Such treatments must be economically feasible and, possibly, have to use by-products of the plant (in this case, steam in excess from the turbine). For the sake of completeness and comparison, carbonation is performed on those BA particle size classes that are not positively responsive to steam washing. BA is partitioned into four different particle size classes (s &ge, 4.75, 4.75 &gt, s &ge, 2, 2 &gt, 1 and s &lt, 1 mm, corresponding to 36, 24, 13 and 27 wt%, respectively). In the case of s &ge, 2 mm (60 wt%), steam washing is effective in reducing to under the legal limits the leaching of chlorides, sulfate and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb). It has been observed that steam washing causes both removal and dissolution of thin dust adherent to the BA&rsquo, s surface. BA with 2 &gt, 1 (~13 wt% of total BA) requires a combination of steam washing and carbonation to achieve a leaching below the legal limits. The finest BA fraction, s &lt, 1 mm (~27 wt% of total BA), is treated by carbonation, which reduces heavy metals leaching by 85%, but it fails to sufficiently curb chlorides and sulfates.

International audience; The NW Mediterranean Sea is subjected to episodically intense events of dense shelf water cascading (DSWC) and open-ocean convection (OOC) that ventilate the seafloor and also have important consequences on organic matter inputs to the seabed and sediment dynamics. The influence of the massive physico-chemical disturbance driven by these events on deep-sea ecosystems is poorly known, and, to date, no information is available on the response of benthic foraminiferal assemblages. To provide insights on these gaps of knowledge, in April 2009 we investigated the foraminiferal faunas along the major axis of the Cap de Creus canyon (at 1000, 1900 and 2400 m depth) and at two additional stations located on the adjacent open slope (at 1000 and 1900 m). The area under scrutiny was hit by intense DSWC and OOC events in winters 2005 and 2006, and during winter 2009 an intense OOC event occurred, with detectable consequences observed at > 1500 m depth.We report here foraminiferal faunas characterized by low densities but relatively high levels of biodiversity at 1000-m depth stations. On the contrary, at the deeper depths, very high densities (associated with low organic matter contents) and strong dominance of the disaster species Usbekistania charoides were observed in the > 63 μm fraction.The comparison of our results - obtained immediately after an OOC event - to those previously described in spring 2004, before DSWC and OOC events, reveals the presence of largely different foraminiferal assemblages in the two periods. Based on a detailed analysis of the ecological traits of the faunas encountered in the two sampling periods, we suggest that either DSWC or OOC can have a role in shaping deep-sea foraminiferal faunas. Moreover, we contend that, at 1000 m depth, the composition of the foraminiferal assemblages in spring 2009 is suggestive of a resilient stage following the major DSWC events in 2005/2006, whereas the low evenness of faunas at ≥ 1900 m depth is, most likely, the result of the OOC event that occurred in winter 2009, a few months before our sampling.

Most environmental bio-monitoring methods using the species composition of marine faunas define the Ecological Quality Status of soft bottom ecosystems based on the relative proportions of species assigned to a limited number of ecological categories. In this study we analyse the distribution patterns of benthic foraminifera in the Mediterranean as a function of organic carbon gradients on the basis of 15 publications and assign the individual species to five ecological categories. Our categories (of sensitive, indifferent and 3rd, 2nd and 1st order opportunists) are very similar to the ecological categories commonly used for macrofauna, but show some minor differences. In the 15 analysed publications, we considered the numerical data of 493 taxa, of which 199 could be assigned. In all 79 taxa were classified as sensitive, 60 as indifferent, 46 as 3rd order, 12 as 2nd order and 2 as 1st order opportunists. The remaining 294 taxa are all accessory, and will only marginally contribute to biotic indices based on relative species proportions. In this paper we wanted also to explain the methodology we used for these species assignments, paying particular attention to all complications and problems encountered. We think that the species list proposed here will constitute a highly useful tool for foraminiferal bio-monitoring of soft bottoms in the Mediterranean Sea, which can be used in different ecological indices (Foram-AMBI and similar methods). With additional information becoming available in the next few years, it will be possible to expand the list, and, if necessary, to apply some minor corrections. As a next step, we intend to test this species list using several biotic indices, in a number of independent data sets, as soon as these will become available.

A comparative study of the distribution and palaeoclimatic interpretation of temperature-related taxa of Middle Miocene planktonic foraminifera from the Paratethys Silesia Basin (southern Poland) and Tethys Monferrato area (northwestern Italy) is presented. The time span considered (Badenian–Langhian/Serravallian) is the last period of significant connection between the Paratethys and Mediterranean Tethys, even though the depositional conditions, water circulation and connection with the oceanic realm were not always favourable to the life and preservation of significant planktonic foraminiferal taxa. The Silesia Basin, located in the western segment of the Karpathian Foredeep, is filled by an autochthonous, non-folded cover of Miocene deposits. Four stratigraphic sections were studied in this area, characterised by Carpathian sandy deposits of the Klodnica Formation, Lower Badenian unbedded marly clays, marls and strongly bedded Lithothamnium marls (Skawina Formation), Middle Badenian anhydrite and laminated clay shales (Krzyźanowice Formation), Upper Badenian unbedded marly clays, followed by fine-grained sands, sandy limestone layers, and bioclastic levels rich in molluscs and calcareous algae (Gliwice Formation). The Monferrato area corresponds to the northwestern termination of the Apennines thrust belt and consists of an Eocene–Miocene mainly terrigenous succession, resting unconformably on Upper Cretaceous and Eocene Ligurian flysch. Three stratigraphic sections are studied in the eastern area, characterised by Late Oligocene to Early Burdigalian deepwater terrigenous sediments (Marne di Antognola Formation), followed unconformably by Early to Middle Miocene carbonate sediments, originating in a foramol platform depositional environment (Pietra da Cantoni Group), and by grey–whitish glauconitic marls of the Marne di Mincengo Formation (Late Langhian–Serravallian). Twenty-three species of Tethys and Paratethys planktonic foraminifera were grouped in cold (Globigerina bulloides, Globigerina quinqueloba, Globigerina praebulloides gr., Globorotaloides spp., Catapsydrax spp.), cold–temperate (Zeaglobigerina woodi, Z. brazieri Globorotalia scitula gr., Globorotalia bykovae), warm (Globigerinoides spp., orbuliniforms, including Praeorbulina spp. and Orbulina spp., Globigerina ciperoensis, Dentoglobigerina altispira gr., Velapertina indigena, Globorotalia praemenardii), and warm–temperate indices (Paragloborotalia siakensis gr., Dentoglobigerina baroemoenensis gr., Globoquadrina praedehiscens and G. dehiscens, Tenuitellinata angustiumbilicata, Globigerinella obesa, Globigerina venezuelana). Their relative abundance was used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic curves. Comparison of the palaeoclimatic curves makes it possible to recognise a climatic change from warmer conditions in the Langhian towards relatively colder conditions in the Serravallian. The fall in warm-related taxa was much more pronounced in the Silesia Basin than in the Monferrato area. This palaeoclimatic evidence may be interpreted as the beginning of a series of oscillations pointing to a period of cooling, corresponding to one of the major global changes in the palaeoclimatic/palaeoceanographic history of the Cenozoic, i.e. the ‘Mid-Miocene event’, Mi3 [Miller et al. (1991) Paleoceanography 6, 33–52].

International audience; In order to assess the possible environmental impact of oily cuttings discharged during oil exploration activities, we studied the benthic foraminiferal faunas in a five-station, 4-km-long sampling transect around a cuttings disposal site at about 670 m depth offshore Angola (W Africa), where drilling activities started 1.5 years before sampling. Living (Rose Bengal stained) and dead foraminiferal faunas were sampled in March 2006. The faunal patterns mirror the spatial distribution of hydrocarbons, which are dispersed into a southeastern direction. Four different areas can be distinguished on the basis of the investigated faunal parameters (density, diversity and species composition of the living fauna, and comparison with subrecent dead faunas). The fauna at station S31, 300 m SE of the oil cuttings disposal site, appears to be clearly impacted: the faunal density and diversity are maximal, but evenness is minimal. Taxa sensitive to organic enrichment, such as Uvigerina peregrina, Cancris auriculus and Cribrostomoides subglobosus, have largely disappeared, whereas the low-oxygen-resistant taxon Chilostomella oolina and opportunistic buliminids and bolivinids attain relatively high densities. At station S32, 500 m SE of the disposal site, environmental impact is still perceptible. The faunal density is slightly increased, and U. peregrina, apparently the most sensitive species, is still almost absent. The faunas found at 1 and 1.8 km SE of the disposal site are apparently no longer impacted by the drill mud disposal. Faunal density and diversity are low, and the faunal composition is typical for a mesotrophic to eutrophic upper slope environment. Finally, Station S35, 2 km NW of the disposal site, contains an intermediate fauna, where both the low-oxygen-resistant C. oolina and the more sensitive taxa (U. peregrina, C. auriculus and C. subglobosus) are present. All taxa live close to the sediment–water interface here, indicating a reduced oxygen penetration into the sediment. Since the hydrocarbon concentration is low at this station, it appears that the faunal characteristics are the consequence of a slightly different environmental setting, and not due to a contamination with drill cuttings. Our data underline the large potential of benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of anthropogenic enrichment in open marine settings, such as caused by the disposal of oily drill cuttings. The foraminiferal faunas react essentially by a density increase of a number of tolerant and/or opportunistic taxa, and a progressive disappearance of more sensitive taxa in the most impacted area. Rather surprisingly, large-sized taxa appear to be more sensitive than small-sized foraminiferal taxa.

A planktonic foraminiferal zonal scheme is proposed for the internal basinal successions of the Monferrato and Northern Apennines (late Bartonian-early Serravallian). This scheme is based on a synthesis of quantitative analyses performed on the foraminiferal assemblages from 30 stratigraphic sections, cropping out over a distance of 300 km, between the Piedmont and the Northern Apennines. The proposed zonal scheme represents the synthesis, with minor changes, of the biozonations proposed by Novaretti et al. (1995) and Mancin and Pirini (2001) with the addition of unpublished data from some new sections, spanning a broader temporal and geographical range. With respect to the previous regional and standard biozonations, this scheme shows a better biostratigraphical resolution resulting from the replacement of missing or unreliable standard bioevents with new “reproducible” and reliable regional biohorizons. These new events are: LO of muricate species, which identifies the top of the Acarinina spp....