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Mangalia area harbors in the western Black Sea a distinctive marine environment thriving under specific hydrochemical conditions, largely influenced by a significant number of sulphurous springs occurring in shallow marine waters. These springs led to the designation of the area as part of the Natura 2000 Marine Protected Area (MPA) network at European level (Underwater Sulphurous Springs from Mangalia - ROSAC0094), as unique hydro-geomorphological features in the region. In 2021 and 2023, two research cruises led by GeoEcoMar investigated underwater sulphurous springs primarily located offshore of Mangalia (Constant, a County, Romania). The study area, located between 17-29 meters water depth and 1.8-3 km offshore, encompasses two marine protected areas: the Underwater Sulphurous Springs from Mangalia (ROSAC0094) and Cape Aurora (ROSCI0281). The research combined geophysical and geochemical techniques and sediment sampling. Considering the susceptibility of these natural systems to human activities such as fishing and dredging, as well as the impact of ecological and climate changes, this paper offers significant insights contributing to the development of effective conservation and management strategies for these environments. The surveys were conducted for benthic habitats mapping, with the objective of improving our understanding of these ecosystems' distribution, composition and dynamics. As these sulphurous waters are rich inmethane, a powerful greenhouse gas, our results also contribute to the inventory of greenhouse gas sources. The results presented in this paper provide valuable new insights into this specific environment, contributing to the understanding of its complex functioning and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reyna Bay, an artificial bay on the northern Romanian Black Sea coast near Constanța, underwent significant modifications between 2015 and 2016 to protect against erosion. Reinforced embankments and submerged spur dikes were installed to stabilize the shoreline, while newly added sand with a high shell fragment content can mitigate sediment loss. This study focuses on habitat mapping in Reyna Bay, covering an area of 400 m in width and extending up to a kilometre beyond the bay. Habitat mapping is crucial for understanding the distribution of marine habitats, especially in areas where coastal interventions alter natural processes. This research aims to provide a detailed habitat map of the bay using a combination of modern remote sensing techniques, including acoustic classification methods for seabed sediments. By integrating bathymetric, sedimentological, and biological data, the study not only assesses current seabed conditions but also contributes to European marine biodiversity efforts through data-sharing initiatives, such as the European Marine Data Portals and the EUNIS classification system. The primary objective of this study is to classify and map seabed habitats using advanced technologies such as multibeam and singlebeam echosounders, sidescan sonar, and sediment sampling. The collected data was validated through ground truthing and biological sampling, ensuring an accurate habitat classification. By studying the area both within and outside of the bay, this research reveals how recent coastal modifications have influenced sediment distribution and habitat structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The end‐Triassic mass extinction is considered one of the "Big Five" extinction events in the Phanerozoic. However, whether the terrestrial ecosystem began to deteriorate or even collapse prior to the Triassic–Jurassic (Tr‐J) transition remains controversial. Compared with the documented data from the western Tethyan region, evidence from the eastern Tethyan realm is limited. We undertake a fitting analysis of the sedimentary system, floral community successions and major geological events of the Xujiahe Formation as reflected by the Qilixia Section, Xuanhan area, northeast Sichuan Basin, China. Our results reveal an oscillating fluvial‐lacustrine depositional system during the Late Triassic, with the dominant sedimentary processes mainly controlled by the Indosinian Movement. Beside the sedimentary influence on the Xujiahe Flora, climate changes played a more important role. Fluctuating conditions to cooler and dryer climates at this time promoted diversification of gymnosperms under an overall warm and humid climate setting in the Late Triassic in the Xuanhan area. Superimposed on this oscillating long‐term climate state, ecosystem destabilization occurred over 1 million years prior to the Tr–J interval in the Xuanhan study area, possibly in response to the intensified storm and wildfire activity and the following environmental changes. Although the Xujiahe Flora always recovered from the interruption of the tectonic movement, it ultimately collapsed under extreme climatic events and ecological pressures induced by the Late Triassic Central Atlantic Magmatic Province event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]