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34th International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) Meeting of Sedimentology, Sedimentology to face societal challenges on risk, resources and record of the past, 10-13 September 2019, Rome.-- 1 page, The interplay between the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) and irregular seafloor morphology in the Alentejo Margin promotes the formation of downslope and alongslope morphosedimentary features, essentially materialized by both sedimentary gravitational instabilities and deposition of the Sines contourite drift (SCD). In order to better understand the interaction between both processes, a gravity core was retrieved in the most unstable area of the Sines Drift located at 1425 mwd, in the transition between middle and lower continental slope. Its multi-analysis provides valuable information about the evolution of the sedimentary conditions through the most recent time. The 350-cm long core CO14-GC-07 was studied, through a 5-cm sampling step, using different analyses to assess both their grain size and carbonate content. Physical properties - magnetic susceptibility, P-wave velocity, gamma-ray density, and resistivity - have been determined through multi-sensor core logger (MSCL). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine geochemical properties as the Fe, Si, Ti, Ca, K contents, through an ITRAX XRF-core scanner. For magnetic fabric and environ-magnetic fabric analyses were collected cubic samples (8 cm3) each three centimetres. Preliminary results of sedimentological analysis point to granulometric variations, mainly occurring between 100 and 200 cm depth with successions of fine- and coarse-grained layers. The sediments consist of alternating layers of muddy-silt, silt and silty-sand. Carbonate-content (calcimetry) analysis indicates predominance of inorganic material over organic, suggesting the presence of terrigenous material. Preliminary results of magnetic susceptibility show an overall increase in depth, whereas density follows the general pattern of grain size, being denser in the coarser layers and lighter in the finer ones. Resistivity is constantly decreasing with major falls between ~150 and 200 cm. P-wave velocity data show variations along the core in fair accordance with grain size variations. Geochemical elements as Fe and Ca have a quasi-symmetric behaviour but have coincident major drops in the coarser material layers. Early reductive diagenesis promotes a decrease of the concentration and granulometric state of the terrigenous ferromagnetic phases at the upper levels and growth of authigenic iron sulphides at deeper levels. The integration of results have allowed to characterize the most recent sediments as gravitically-displaced materials, hemipelagites, and contourites arranged as bi-gradational sequences probably related to variable depositional activity related to the MOW's strength. The presence of contrasting levels with varying grain size and distinct physical, geochemical, calcimetric and magnetic properties significantly contribute for the formation of discontinuity surfaces and/or levels with a differentiated response to shear stress forces that might promote the occurrence of slope instability in the SCD, MT benefits from a Ph.D. scholarship provided by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/110674/2015). This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through the project CONDRIBER (FCT – PTDC/GEO- GE0/4430/2012) and by Ciencia y Tecnologfas Marinas through project MOWER (CTM (2012)-39599-C03-02).This Publication is supported by FCT- project UID/GE0/50019/2019 - lnstituto Dom Luiz

42th CIESM Congress, Cascais, 7-11 October 2019, The interpretation of the carbon isotopic (δ C) signal of planktonic foraminifera in sediment records to reconstruct past nutrient availability is complex and poorly understood, especially in coastal upwelling areas, because the isotopic fractions of carbon incorporated into the shells may be derived from different sources and affected by different processes. To minimize the existing uncertainties, we measured δ C from various species of planktonic foraminifera from core-top sediments and plankton net samples collected off the NW Iberian Margin and compared the results directly with water column nutrient content for the purpose of calibration

18 pages, 8 figures, 1 table.-- Blanca Ausín ... et al.-- This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, A systematic investigation of the spatial and temporal variability in coccolithophore abundance and distribution through the water column of the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system was performed. From July 2011 to June 2012, monthly sampling at various water depths was conducted at two parallel stations located at 42 N. Total coccosphere abundance was higher at the outer-shelf station, where warmer, nutrient-depleted waters favoured coccolithophore rather than phytoplanktonic diatom blooms, which are known to dominate the inner-shelf location. In seasonal terms, higher coccosphere and coccolith abundances were registered at both stations during upwelling seasons, coinciding with high irradiance levels. This was typically in conjunction with stratified, nutrient-poor conditions (i.e. relaxing upwelling conditions). However, it also occurred during some upwelling events of colder, nutrient-rich subsurface waters onto the continental shelf. Minimum abundances were generally found during downwelling periods, with unexpectedly high coccolith abundance registered in subsurface waters at the inner-shelf station. This finding can only be explained if strong storms during these downwelling periods favoured resuspension processes, thus remobilizing deposited coccoliths from surface sediments, and hence hampering the identification of autochthonous coccolithophore community structure., At both locations, the major coccolithophore assemblages were dominated by Emiliania huxleyi, small Gephyrocapsa group, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Florisphaera profunda, Syracosphaera spp., Coronosphaera mediterranea, and Calcidiscus leptoporus. Ecological preferences of the different taxa were assessed by exploring the relationships between environmental conditions and temporal and vertical variability in coccosphere abundance. These findings provide relevant information for the use of fossil coccolith assemblages in marine sediment records, in order to infer past environmental conditions, of particular importance for Paleoceanography. Both E. huxleyi and the small Gephyrocapsa group are proposed as proxies for the upwelling regime with a distinct affinity for different stages of the upwelling event: E. huxleyi was associated with warmer, nutrient-poor and more stable water column (i.e. upwelling relaxation stage) while the small Gephyrocapsa group was linked to colder waters and higher nutrient availability (i.e. early stages of the upwelling event), similarly to G. oceanica. Conversely, F. profunda is suggested as a proxy for the downwelling regime and low-productivity conditions. The assemblage composed by Syracosphaera pulchra, Coronosphaera mediterranea, and Rhabdosphaera clavigera may be a useful indicator of the presence of subtropical waters conveyed northward by the Iberian Poleward Current. Finally, C. leptoporus is proposed as an indicator of warmer, saltier, and oligotrophic waters during the downwelling/winter regime., This work was funded by the EXCAPA project (10MDS402013PR) funded by Xunta de Galicia, and the CALIBERIA project supported the coccolithophore analysis (PTDC/MAR/102045/2008 from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia – Portugal – and COMPETE/FEDERFCOMP- 01-0124-FEDER-010599). Project CGL2015-68459-P from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad also contributed to the funding of this study. B. A. was supported by a FPU grant (AP2010-2559) of the Ministry of Education of Spain and by an ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ). D. Z. was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship (Plan I2C) from Xunta de Galicia (Spain). F. G. was funded by RAIA.co (0520_RAIA.co_1_E). N. V.-R. was funded by Isabel Barreto Program (Xunta de Galicia, Spain). M. F. (BI/PTDC/MAR/102045/2008/2010- 016), C. S. (BI/PTDC/MAR/102045/2008/2010-022) and C. C. (BI/PTDC/MAR/102045/2008/2011-027) were supported by CALIBERIA project. E. S. was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/111433/2015) from FCT and from Plurianual/ Estratégico project (UID/Multi/04326/2013)

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether patients age 65 years and over with a recent stroke or TIA benefit from statin treatment to a similar degree as younger patients. METHODS: The 4,731 patient cohort in the SPARCL study was divided into an elderly group (65 and over) and a younger group. The primary endpoint (fatal or nonfatal stroke) and secondary endpoints were analyzed, with calculation of the hazard ratio (HR) and p values from a Cox regression model. RESULTS: There were 2,249 patients in the elderly group and 2,482 in the younger group. The baseline LDL (133 mg/dL) and total cholesterol were comparable in the two groups. The elderly and younger groups had a 61.4 mg/dL and 58.7 mg/dL decrease in mean LDL during the trial. The primary endpoint was reduced by 26% in younger patients (HR 0.74, 0.57-0.96, p = 0.02) and by 10% in elderly subjects (HR 0.90, 0.73-1.11, p = 0.33). A test of heterogeneity for a treatment-age interaction was not significant (p = 0.52). The risk of stroke or TIA (HR 0.79, p = 0.01), major coronary events (HR 0.68, p = 0.035), any coronary heart disease event (HR 0.61, p = 0.0006), and revascularization procedures (HR 0.55, p = 0.0005) was reduced in the elderly group. CONCLUSIONS: There was no heterogeneity in the stroke reduction seen with atorvastatin in the elderly and younger groups. Cardiac events and revascularization procedures were also lower in both the elderly and younger subgroups treated with atorvastatin. These results support the use of atorvastatin in elderly patients with recent stroke or TIA.

Dissertação de mestrado em Comunicação, Arte e Cultura, A pós-modernidade está a reencontrar o encantamento do mundo através da vivência da Espiritualidade nos indivíduos, num sentido profundo de união com o cosmos e da natureza. Com o desenvolvimento tecnológico, a internet revolucionou o modo de disseminação das culturas e da informação ao facultar livremente o acesso a conteúdos, em particular a filosofia oriental. No Ocidente, os indivíduos reconheceram nestas filosofias, os modos de sentir para os quais, até então, não tinham obtido qualquer esclarecimento. Esta foi a explicação Paralelamente, assiste-se à modificação do paradigma cultural regido pelas religiões tradicionais e para a emergência do paradigma ecológico centrado na ética e na espiritualidade. Atualmente, em Portugal, o fenómeno social tem evidenciado ruturas nas práticas culturais dos indivíduos. A cultura da Nova Era exalta o rompimento com os modelos tradicionais e exalta a luz como signo e símbolo de uma nova era cultural. O clima ideológico criado pelos iluministas e potenciado pela Revolução Francesa parece estar a "re"emergir na cultura ocidental, em plena pós-modernidade, à luz de ideais reconfiguradas na espiritualidade, na noção de unidade, de religação com o cosmos, dos quais falam diversos autores como Boff, Giddens entre outros. A ideia da espiritualidade, da transcendência humana, do domínio interestelar do qual falam os movimentos espirituais da Nova Era estão presentes em diversos domínios da cultura pós-moderna. A ideia de luz surge como signo, sentido e simbologia principal, é a palavra mais amplamente difundida na cultura New Age. É deste modo que, por exemplo, a cocriação preenche o signo da luz repleto de sentidos, como ideia de exaltação da busca por uma espiritualidade simbolicamente individual e que se "re"cocria socialmente sob o signo principal da luz. O significado de luz e de espiritualidade do qual falam os movimentos espiritualistas tem merecido amplo destaque na publicidade, reproduzindo os sentidos de luminosidade que difundem os movimentos da Nova Era. Frequentemente, encontram-se inúmeras destas referências simbólicas em produtos e sub-produtos culturais que nos circundam. Em certa medida, o individualismo reinventa-se através da espiritualidade dos tempos deste novo século. Ou seja, revela-se na espiritualidade voltada para si próprio, na busca do seu “eu” interno, na procura da essência de si mesmo., Postmodernity is recovering the world's enchantment through Spirituality's experience in individuals, in a much more profound sense of union with the Cosmos and Nature. The Internet revolutionized the way that dissemination of culture and information is done, especially oriental philosophy. In the West, people recognized in these philosophies certain ways of feeling. At the same time, we see a modification in the cultural paradigm opposite to the one regulated by the traditional religions and to the occurrence of a much more spiritual and ecological archetype, focused in ethics. Nowadays, in Portugal, social phenomenon has evidenced ruptures in the cultural practices of the individuals. The postmodern culture exudes the breaking with the traditional models and exalts light as a sign and symbol of a new cultural era. The ideological climat created by the Illuminists is boosted by the French Revolution and it seems to be “re”emerging in western civilization, in the postmodernity, according to the ideals reconfigured in spirituality, in the notion of unity, of reconnecting with the Cosmos, of which several authors (e.g. Maffesoli, 2010) speak. The idea of a new spirituality, of human transcendence, and the interstellar domain of which so many postmodernity spiritual groups speak of, it's present in several postmodern cultural domains. Spirituality emerges as a sign, sense and main symbology, and is the most amply widespread word in New Age culture, due to the transculturally process (Welsch, 1999). It's this way, for instance, that cocreation fills the light sign with several senses, as an idea of exaltation of the search for a symbolically individual spirituality, and that one socially "re"cocreates under the main sign of light. However, in postmodernity, the representations and social practices exempt several attributes that characterized those previous movements. To a certain extent, it's evident that a new symbolic thought is evident. Individualism reinvents itself through the spirituality of these new century's times, i.e. it reveals itself in the spirituality turned on itself, in the search of the inner “self”, in the seeking for one's essence, in the relationship with the others and in the relation that we establish with nature and the Cosmos. An emerging paradigm that harmonizes aspects of both the East and the West.

Background and Purpose— In SPARCL, treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg daily reduced stroke risk in patients with recent stroke or TIA and no known coronary heart disease by 16% versus placebo over 4.9 years of follow-up. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to determine whether men and women similarly benefited from randomization to statin treatment. Methods— The effect of sex on treatment-related reductions in stroke and other cardiovascular outcomes were analyzed with Cox regression modeling testing for sex by treatment interactions. Results— Women (n=1908) constituted 40% of the SPARCL study population. At baseline, men (n=2823) were younger (62.0±0.21versus 63.9±0.27 years), had lower systolic BPs (138.1±0.35 versus 139.5±0.47 mm Hg), higher diastolic BPs (82.2±0.20 versus 81.0±0.25 mm Hg), more frequently had a history of smoking (73% versus 38%), and had lower total cholesterol (207.0±0.54 versus 218.9±0.67 mg/dL) and LDL-C levels (132±0.45 versus 134±0.57 mg/dL) than women. Use of antithrombotics and antihypertensives were similar. After prespecified adjustment for region, entry event, time since event, and age, there were no sex by treatment interactions for the combined risk of nonfatal and fatal stroke (treatment Hazard Ratio, HR=0.84, 95% CI 0.68, 1.02 in men versus HR=0.84, 95% CI 0.63, 1.11 in women; treatment×sex interaction P =0.99), major cardiac events (HR=0.61, 95% CI 0.42, 0.87 in men versus HR=0.76, 95% CI 0.48, 1.21 in women; P =0.45), major cardiovascular events (HR=0.78, 95% CI 0.65, 0.93 in men versus HR=0.84, 95% CI 0.65, 1.07 in women; P =0.63), revascularization procedures (HR=0.50, 95% CI 0.37, 0.67 in men versus HR=0.76, 95% CI 0.46, 1.24 in women; P =0.17), or any CHD event (HR=0.54, 95% CI 0.41, 0.72 in men versus 0.67 95% CI 0.46, 0.98 in women; P =0.40). Conclusion— Stroke and other cardiovascular events are similarly reduced with atorvastatin 80 mg/d in men and women with recent stroke or TIA.

This work aims to identify changes in paleoceanographic conditions on the NW Iberian Continental Margin during the last ~40 ka BP. Paleotemperatures expressed as mean annual Sea Surface Temperature (SSTma) and paleoproductivities expressed as Export Productivity (Pexpma) were evaluated using the modern analog technique SIMMAX 28, based on planktonic foraminifera census counts. The study took into account the results of 180 samples collected along the core KC024-19 (sampled at 1-cm interval), recovered from the Galician (NW Spain) continental slope (42°08’98’’N, 10°29´96’’W, and 2765 m). The chronology was based on eight radiocarbon dates (in foraminifera by AMS), in δ18O stratigraphy and in the record of the four last Heinrich Events (HEs). Variations in the supply of phytodetritus to the sea floor were assessed by using the total percentage of phytodetrital-dependent benthic foraminifera species (PhyBF). Results give variations of SSTma between 0.9-20.2 ºC and Pexpma between 12.6-108 gC/m2/y. The lowest values of SSTma were recorded during the HEs, which agree with the southward migration of the glacial polar front. Significant decreases of Pexpma and PhyBF values are recorded during the HEs, but mostly in HE1. During the HEs Globigerina bulloides and Neogloboquadrina (dextral), the most important species related to the upwelling system, are largely replaced by Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral); in benthic foraminifera assemblages the deep endofaunal species were able to consume degraded organic of lower quality and tolerate low oxic condition increase. These results suggest the occurrence of significant changes in the hydrographic conditions on the Iberian Continental Margin during these HEs (but mostly in HE1) both in surface and deep-water masses circulation.

1 poster presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2012, Vienna, Austria, 22 – 27 April 2012, Marine sediments, mainly the ones from coastal upwelling areas, are valuable archives for past reconstructions, including climate changes, global and regional oceanography, and the cycles of biochemical components in the ocean. However, the regional calibrations of the sediment properties (“proxy” data) to the present-day oceanographic and biological conditions are necessary for interpretation of high-resolution sediment-derived information. Many works have contributed directly or indirectly to improving proxy calibrations related to upwelling and nutrient cycling parameters, but there are few studies with a multi-proxy approach for the same region. Along NW Iberian margin, little work has been done regarding with calibration of proxy data. Thus, we lack understanding on (1) how the seasonally variable hydrography affects the various plankton groups and (2) how much of the water column signal is preserved in the sediments and available for paleo-reconstructions. In order to minimize this lack of information from the upper water column temperature point of view, we investigate trace element and stable isotopes from planktonic foraminifera, and alkenone Uk’37 index from a large set of core-top sediment samples from the NW Iberian margin (41.5-42.5ºN; 9-10ºW). Sediment data are compared with present-day water column data (CTD, stable isotopes, satellite measurements) and to “global” calibration data sets of the proxies with sea surface temperature. We explore reconstructing upper water column structure using three species (G. bulloides, N. pachyderma dextral, and G. inflata) with different depth habitats, different seasonal abundances, and linked to specific hydrographic conditions in this region. Preliminary results show that Mg/Ca and 18O temperatures of all species are consistent with seasonal temperatures observed in present-day water column data. In addition G. bulloides and N. pachyderma dextral appears with temperatures related with subtropical and subpolar Eastern North Atlantic Central Waters, respectively.

Comunication abstract.-- 7º Simpósio sobre a Margem Ibérica Atlântica : MIA 2012, Lisboa, Portugal, 16-20 de Dezembro de 2012

Mestrado em Ciências do Mar e das Zonas Costeiras O mercúrio é actualmente considerado um dos metais mais nocivos para o ambiente. O presente trabalho incide sobre os factores que actuam sobre o mercúrio, influenciando a sua distribuição em ambientes estuarinos. Dado o histórico de contaminação no Estuário do Tejo, foram recolhidos cores de sedimentos e separadas as águas intersticiais em dois locais distintos: um fortemente contaminado, Cala do Norte, e outro não contaminado, Ponta da Erva. Os cores foram seccionados em camadas, tendo-se posteriormente analisado os teores de mercúrio total (HgT) e metilmercúrio (MeHg) na fracção sólida dos sedimentos e HgT e HgR, bem como MeHg dissolvidos nas águas intersticiais. As concentrações de HgT e MeHg foram relacionadas com outros parâmetros obtidos na fracção sólida e nas águas intersticiais, nomeadamente pH, Eh, O2 dissolvido, humidade, e as concentrações de LOI, Al, Si, Fe, Mn, Corg, DOC, Cl-, SO4 2- e HS-. Na Cala do Norte, a concentração de mercúrio total nos sedimentos variou entre 1 e 18 μg/g enquanto na Ponta da Erva foram determinados valores mais baixos, entre 0.4 e 0.5 μg/g. Em relação às concentrações de metilmercúrio, os valores variaram entre os não detectáveis (< 0.1 ng/g) e 87 ng/g na Cala do Norte e 0.54 ng/g na Ponta da Erva. Nos dois locais, apesar da diferença de concentrações, o HgT e MeHg mostraram-se encontrar-se em equilíbrio entre a fracção sólida e águas intersticiais. Os fluxos difusivos foram calculados na interface sedimento/água de modo a estimar a mobilidade das espécies de Hg e avaliar se existem trocas entre o sedimento e a coluna de água, considerando a toxicidade do MeHg. O fluxo estimado na Cala do Norte foi de 0.30 ng/m2d para o MeHg e 0.50 ng/m2d para HgR. Na Ponta da Erva, o fluxo de MeHg foi inferior ao calculado para a Cala do Norte, 0.19 ng/m2d, enquanto para o HgR foi maior, 1.13 ng/m2d. Estes fluxos evidenciam o transporte difusivo de Hg das águas intersticiais para a coluna de água em ambos os locais, reflectindo a importância das características do sedimento que potenciam os processos de metilação do Hg. Mercury is currently considered one of the most harmful metals to the environment. This study focuses on factors that influence mercury distribution and its bioavailability in estuarine environments. Given the history of contamination in the Tagus estuary, sediment cores were collected and pore waters were separated from two sites: one heavily contaminated, Cala do Norte, and a non-contaminated, Ponta da Erva. In the laboratory, the levels of total mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in solid sediments and dissolved Hg (HgR and HgT) and MeHg in the pore waters were analyzed. Obtained Hg data were then compared to other parameters, namely the pH, Eh, dissolved O2, water content, as well the concentrations of LOI, Al, Si, Fe, Mn, Corg, DOC, Cl-, SO4 2- and HS-. In Cala do Norte, total mercury concentrations in sediments ranged between 1 and 18 μg/g while in Ponta da Erva, lower values were determined, ranging between 0.4 and 0.5 μg/g. Concentrations of methylmercury ranged between detection limit (< 0.1 ng/g) up to 87 ng/g in Cala do Norte and up to 0.54 ng/g in Ponta da Erva. In both places, despite the differences in concentrations, HgT and MeHg were in equilibrium between the pore waters and the solid fractions. The diffusive fluxes were calculated across the sediment/water interface in order to estimate the mobility of Hg species and assess whether there are exchanges between the sediment and water column, considering the MeHg toxicity. The estimated flux in Cala do Norte was 0.30 ng/m2d for MeHg and 0.50 ng/m2d for HgR. Conversely, in Ponta da Erva MeHg flux was lower than in Cala do Norte, 0.19 ng/m2d, while for HgR was higher, 1.13 ng/m2d. These fluxes evidence the diffusive transport of Hg from the pore waters to the overlying water in both sites reflecting the importance of sediment characteristics that enhance the Hg methylation processes.

Mestrado em Ciências do Mar e das Zonas Costeiras Submitted by Nuno Cruz (nuno@ua.pt) on 2011-11-07T15:43:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação.pdf: 2079476 bytes, checksum: 165f3227b441892d933768dc11296a37 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2011-11-07T15:43:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação.pdf: 2079476 bytes, checksum: 165f3227b441892d933768dc11296a37 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010

The authors report a study of allergic contact dermatitis in 329 Portuguese children of 14 years or younger. 170 children (64 male and 106 female) reacted to 1 or more allergens. Most of these were in the 11-14 years group. The main allergens were nickel, thimerosal, cobalt, mercury, fragrance-mix and potassium dichromate. Nickel reactivity predominated in females over the whole group, but a greater number of males younger than 5 years reacted to nickel. The number of positive reactions increased with age, but this was not accompained by an increase in the % of relevant tests. 12 children, all of them 13 or 14 years-old, had an occupational allergic contact dermatitis.

A high-resolution study (centennial scale) has been performed on the calcareous plankton assemblage of the Holocene portion of the Ocean Drilling Program Site 976 (Alboran Sea) with the aim to identify the main changes in the surface water dynamic. The dataset also provided a seasonal foraminiferal sea surface water temperatures (SSTs), estimated using the modern analog technique SIMMAX 28, and it was compared with available geochemical and pollen data at the site. Three main climate shifts were identified as (1) the increase in abundance of Syracosphaera spp. and Turborotalita quinqueloba marks the early Holocene humid phase, during maximum summer insolation and enhanced river runoff. It is concomitant with the expansion of Quercus, supporting high humidity on land. It ends at 8.2 ka, registering a sudden temperature and humidity reduction; (2) the rise in the abundances of Florisphaera profunda and Globorotalia inflata, at ca. 8 ka, indicates the development of the modern geostrophic front, gyre circulation, and of a deep nutricline following the sea-level rise; and (3) the increase of small Gephyrocapsa and Globigerina bulloides at 5.3 ka suggests enhanced nutrient availability in surface waters, related to more persistent wind-induced upwelling conditions. Relatively higher winter SST in the last 3.5 ka favored the increase of Trilobatus sacculifer, likely connected to more stable surface water conditions. Over the main trends, a short-term cyclicity is registered in coccolithophore productivity during the last 8 ka. Short periods of increased productivity are in phase with Atlantic waters inflow, and more arid intervals on land. This cyclicity has been related with periods of positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) circulations. Spectral analysis on coccolithophore productivity confirms the occurrence of millennial-scale cyclicity, suggesting an external (i.e. solar) and an internal (i.e. atmospheric/oceanic) forcing. Geoscience PhD scholarship, Universita degli Studi di Bari Potenziamento Strutturale dell'Universita degli Studi di Bari, Laboratorio per lo Sviluppo Integrato delle Scienze e delle Tecnologie dei Materiali Avanzati e per dispositivi innovativi (SISTEMA) [PONa3_00369] Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT)Portuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission [SFRH/BPD/111433/2015] info:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersion