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Keywords = foraminifera

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23 pages, 3989 KB  
Article
Sequence Stratigraphy of the Volhynian (Late Middle Miocene) Deposits from the North Sector of Eastern Carpathian Foredeep
by Crina Miclӑuș, Anca Seserman, Sergiu Loghin and Viorel Ionesi
Geosciences 2025, 15(10), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15100379 - 1 Oct 2025
Abstract
An exposed sedimentary succession, ca 115 m of a total of 1000 m, from the Eastern Carpathian foredeep was, for the first time, analyzed using facies analysis and scale- and time-independent sequence stratigraphy methods to reveal the depositional environment and its cyclic sedimentation. [...] Read more.
An exposed sedimentary succession, ca 115 m of a total of 1000 m, from the Eastern Carpathian foredeep was, for the first time, analyzed using facies analysis and scale- and time-independent sequence stratigraphy methods to reveal the depositional environment and its cyclic sedimentation. The outcropping deposits, belonging to the Șomuz Formation, dated on the basis of molluscs, foraminifera, and ostracods, are uppermost Volhynian (upper Serravalian). The three recurrent facies associations we have distinguished indicate a storm-dominated shoreface–offshore transition environment. Five-decametre-thick high-frequency sequences (HFS1–5), at most of 4th order, bounded by maximum regressive surfaces, were defined in the studied interval. The maximum thickness of the Volhynian deposits in the area, known both from well sites and outcrops, allowed us to estimate the sedimentation rate at ca 1.5 m/kyr. The fossil content shows that the entire sedimentary succession was deposited in very shallow to shallow water during the whole Volhynian (12.65 - ca 12.01 Ma). The time interval we studied was estimated at ca 75 kyr, so the average time of one HFS is ca 15 kyr. At this scale, considering that both high subsidence and Eastern Paratethys sea-level rise added to accommodation, the sediment supply must have been the main control of cyclic sedimentation, which, in turn, must have been controlled by precession climatic changes in the source area. The estimated time of an HFS is shorter than a precession cycle, but better dating might support or refute this hypothesis. This paper may awaken the interest of the owners of better data, especially from subsurface (seismic, well logs), to complete the data from natural exposures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Palaeontology)
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20 pages, 10721 KB  
Article
The Progressive Colonization of the Invasive Species Amphistegina lobifera on Pantelleria Island (Central Mediterranean, Sicily Channel)
by Claudia Cosentino and Antonio Caruso
Biology 2025, 14(9), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14091282 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 347
Abstract
Amphistegina lobifera, a symbiont-bearing benthic foraminifera native to the Indo-Pacific, is expanding its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea due to ysian migration through the Suez Canal. This study investigates the colonization dynamics and ecological impact of A. lobifera on Pantelleria Island, [...] Read more.
Amphistegina lobifera, a symbiont-bearing benthic foraminifera native to the Indo-Pacific, is expanding its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea due to ysian migration through the Suez Canal. This study investigates the colonization dynamics and ecological impact of A. lobifera on Pantelleria Island, which is located in the Central Mediterranean. Nine samples were collected from various substrates at different depths (−4 to −20 m) and analysed for composition, abundance, and ecological diversity. Results reveal a significant dominance of A. lobifera, especially in shallow unvegetated substrates, with relative abundances exceeding 50%. Conversely, more vegetated substrates host more diverse and balanced assemblages. Diversity indices are consistently lower where A. lobifera is dominant, indicating reduced biodiversity. Comparison with similar studies in Malta, Linosa, and Corfu confirms a 20% relative abundance threshold for A. lobifera as indicative of potential ecological imbalance. The results suggest that it represents a growing threat to native microbenthic biodiversity and reinforce its usefulness as a bioindicator species. Pantelleria represents a key transition zone for monitoring the dynamics of invasive species in the Mediterranean, and this study highlights the urgent need for long-term surveillance of benthic biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alien Marine Species in the Mediterranean Sea)
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66 pages, 37513 KB  
Article
Early Priabonian Larger Benthic Foraminifera in the Vicinity of Verona (N Italy)
by Levent Sina Erkızan, György Less and Cesare Andrea Papazzoni
Geosciences 2025, 15(9), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15090334 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 605
Abstract
The rich Eocene larger benthic foraminiferal (LBF) assemblages in the vicinity of Verona have long been well known. However, they are described in detail only from the Ypresian to Bartonian interval. Here, we present the results of our morphometrically based study of Priabonian [...] Read more.
The rich Eocene larger benthic foraminiferal (LBF) assemblages in the vicinity of Verona have long been well known. However, they are described in detail only from the Ypresian to Bartonian interval. Here, we present the results of our morphometrically based study of Priabonian LBF. The lowermost part of the succession, just above the uppermost occurrence of giant Nummulites (N. biedai), outcrops at Monte Cavro and contains Heterostegina reticulata multifida and Nummulites hormoensis as major constituents. These taxa clearly determine the earliest Priabonian Shallow Benthic Zone (SBZ) 18C. Slightly younger strata can be analyzed in the other three studied exposures on the northern side of Castel San Felice. These beds already represent the early Priabonian SBZ 19A Zone based on the first appearing Spiroclypeus sirottii and the presence of Heterostegina reticulata mossanensis and Nummulites fabianii (replacing H. r. multifida and N. hormoensis, respectively). The most abundant LBF in these beds are the very diverse and well-preserved orthophragmines represented the families Discocyclinidae (genera Discocyclina and Nemkovella) and Orbitoclypeidae (genera Orbitoclypeus and Asterocyclina). They determine the Orthophragmine Zone (OZ) 14. The distinction of six species of the genus Discocyclina (especially that of D. euaensis from D. dispansa) is discussed in detail. The exposures around Castel San Felice are considered as key localities for the SBZ 19A and OZ 14 Zones, containing their key LBF assemblages. Consistently, both orthophragmine and LBF range charts for the late Lutetian to Priabonian are updated. Full article
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21 pages, 4204 KB  
Article
Life on Plastics: Deep-Sea Foraminiferal Colonization Patterns and Reproductive Morphology
by Ashley M. Burkett
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(8), 1597; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081597 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 490
Abstract
Plastic debris has become a persistent feature of deep-sea ecosystems, yet its role as a habitat for calcifying organisms remains poorly understood. Foraminifera colonization has been observed in significant numbers on plastic surfaces, suggesting that these materials serve as novel and significant deep-sea [...] Read more.
Plastic debris has become a persistent feature of deep-sea ecosystems, yet its role as a habitat for calcifying organisms remains poorly understood. Foraminifera colonization has been observed in significant numbers on plastic surfaces, suggesting that these materials serve as novel and significant deep-sea colonization sites for these abundant calcifying organisms. This study uses deep-sea experimental plastic substrates to examine the colonization and reproductive morphology of the benthic foraminifera Lobatula wuellerstorfi across three locations: Station M (4000 m), Oregon OOI (575 m), and Southern Hydrate Ridge (774 m). A total of 482 individuals were analyzed for morphometric traits, including proloculus diameter, to investigate reproductive morphotypes. The Oregon samples displayed a clear bimodal proloculus size distribution, consistent with alternating reproductive strategies, while Station M populations exhibited a broader, less defined bimodal distribution skewed toward megalospheric forms. A weak but significant increase in proloculus diameter over deployment duration was observed at Station M, suggesting a possible influence of experiment duration and/or substrate maturity and environmental conditions. These findings demonstrate that plastics can serve as persistent colonization sites for deep-sea foraminifera, offering a unique experimental platform to investigate benthic population dynamics, ecological plasticity, and potential geochemical implications, as well as the broader impacts of foraminifera on deep-sea biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Ocean Plastic Pollution on Aquatic Life)
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19 pages, 5533 KB  
Article
Sedimentary Processes of Gas Hydrate-Bearing Layers in the Dongsha Area, South China Sea: Implications for Hydrate Accumulation
by Yuhan Wang, Chenyang Bai, Zhe Wang, Wenlin Chen, Xiaolei Xu, Hongyuan Xu and Hongbin Wang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(8), 1550; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081550 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 377
Abstract
The methane flux in the Dongsha area in the northern South China Sea is relatively high. The results indicate the presence of both shallow and deep gas hydrate reservoirs at the Site DS-W08. The gas hydrate reservoir in this area is mainly composed [...] Read more.
The methane flux in the Dongsha area in the northern South China Sea is relatively high. The results indicate the presence of both shallow and deep gas hydrate reservoirs at the Site DS-W08. The gas hydrate reservoir in this area is mainly composed of fine-grained sediments, and high-saturation gas hydrates are present. The shallow-GHR (8–24 mbsf) exhibits a maximum hydrate saturation of 14% (pore volume). The deep-GHR (below 65 mbsf) shows a maximum hydrate saturation of 33% The suspended sedimentation process on the banks of turbidity currents and the deep-water traction current sedimentation process play potentially important roles in the enrichment of gas hydrates. To investigate the influence of sedimentary processes on gas hydrate accumulation, this study analyzed gas hydrate saturation, sediment grain size, grain compositions, biological components, and geochemical characteristics of hydrate-bearing and adjacent layers at Site DS-W08. Sediment grain size analysis suggests that the studied layer was formed through the interaction of turbidity current-induced overbank suspended deposition and traction current deposition. By comprehensively analyzing the comparison of sediment Sr/Ba ratios and the data of foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils, it is found that the bank deposits and traction current deposits triggered by turbidity currents correspond to glacial periods and interglacial periods, respectively. Analysis of biological components shows that layers with high foraminifera content and traction current-modified sediments are more favorable for gas hydrate accumulation. Hydrate reservoirs are all composed of traction current deposits, and the cap rock rich in foraminifera fossils at the top promotes hydrate formation; while the fine-grained turbidites formed during the turbidite deposition process inhibit hydrate accumulation. This study aims to deepen the understanding of the enrichment mechanism of natural gas hydrates and support the commercial development of fine-grained sediments in the northern South China Sea. Full article
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25 pages, 5810 KB  
Article
Pliocene Marine Bivalvia from Vale Farpado (Pombal, Portugal): Palaeoenvironmental and Palaecological Significance
by Ricardo J. Pimentel, Pedro M. Callapez, Mahima Pai, Paulo Legoinha and Pedro A. Dinis
Geosciences 2025, 15(8), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15080309 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 899
Abstract
The western Iberian marine Pliocene represents a key transitional zone between tropical and boreal molluscan faunas. Recent studies at the rediscovered fossil locality of Vale Farpado have yielded 34 bivalve species, distributed among 18 families. The most diverse families identified are Veneridae and [...] Read more.
The western Iberian marine Pliocene represents a key transitional zone between tropical and boreal molluscan faunas. Recent studies at the rediscovered fossil locality of Vale Farpado have yielded 34 bivalve species, distributed among 18 families. The most diverse families identified are Veneridae and Pectinidae. The assemblage is predominantly composed of suspension- and deposit-feeding taxa, with no evidence of carnivorous feeding strategies. Most taxa exhibit an infaunal life habitat. Initial colonising bivalve communities inhabited mobile, gravel-dominated substrates, where coarse clasts and disarticulated bioclasts provided stable microhabitats for epifaunal species. Over time, later assemblages became established, primarily on sandy substrates. Palaeoenvironmental indicators, including molluscs and foraminifera, suggest that these benthic communities occupied the infralittoral zone, at depths generally shallower than 30 metres, and the sea surface temperatures were broadly subtropical. However, periodic incursions of cooler, nutrient-rich waters driven by upwelling systems influenced local conditions, enhancing primary productivity and supporting a taxonomically rich and ecologically complex benthic ecosystem. The bivalve assemblages of Vale Farpado thus contribute valuable insights into the palaeoecology and biogeographical dynamics of the Pliocene North Atlantic, particularly in the context of sea surface temperature gradients and bivalve faunal interchange between temperate and tropical marine realms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Palaeontology)
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23 pages, 5814 KB  
Article
Milankovitch- and Millennial-Scale Sequences in the Late Piacenzian to Early Gelasian Shelf Succession of the Crotone Basin, Southern Italy
by Massimo Zecchin, Mauro Caffau and Octavian Catuneanu
Geosciences 2025, 15(6), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15060210 - 4 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 477
Abstract
Integrated facies and micropaleontological analyses of the late Piacenzian to early Gelasian, middle shelf to lower shoreface succession of the Strongoli area, southern Italy, reveal a hierarchy of transgressive–regressive sequences. In particular, higher rank sequences up to ca. 40 m thick, composed of [...] Read more.
Integrated facies and micropaleontological analyses of the late Piacenzian to early Gelasian, middle shelf to lower shoreface succession of the Strongoli area, southern Italy, reveal a hierarchy of transgressive–regressive sequences. In particular, higher rank sequences up to ca. 40 m thick, composed of transgressive systems tract, highstand systems tracts and falling stage plus lowstand systems tracts, are composed of 10–11 lower rank sequences 2.5–4 m thick. Some micropaleontological parameters were defined: distal/proximal (D/P; ratio between distal and proximal benthic foraminifera); fragmentation (Fr; percentage of fragmentation of benthic foraminifera); P/B (ratio between planktonic and benthic foraminifera); abundance (total count of individuals); diversity (sum of the recognized species). Among these parameters, the D/P and Fr are suitable, if used in conjunction, to recognize uncertainty intervals containing the maximum flooding surface (between the D/P maxima and Fr minima) and the maximum regressive surface (between D/P minima and Fr maxima). Moreover, combining these parameters with the sedimentological evidence, it is possible to recognize transgressive and regressive trends of different hierarchical ranks. The present results are an example illustrating how an integration of different types of data allows the recognition of high-frequency sequences in shelf settings associated with minor shoreline shifts, which would otherwise have been unrecognized on the basis of only one kind of data. The present integrated approach, therefore, provides a way to improve the resolution of sequence stratigraphic analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Palaeontology)
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19 pages, 7343 KB  
Article
A Large Cenomanian Carbonate Ramp at the Transition Between Two Domains of the Zagros Sedimentary Basin, SW Iran: Cyclic Evolution and Its Eustatic and Tectonic Controls
by Fatemeh Moradi-Doreh, Tahereh Habibi, Dmitry A. Ruban and Rohollah Hosseinzadeh
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(6), 1084; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061084 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 614
Abstract
Carbonate sedimentation was spread widely on the southern margin of the Neo-Tethys Ocean in the mid-Cretaceous. New information from four exploration wells sheds light on the peculiarities of the Sarvak Formation (late Albian–Cenomanian) at the narrow transition between the Dezful Embayment and Coastal [...] Read more.
Carbonate sedimentation was spread widely on the southern margin of the Neo-Tethys Ocean in the mid-Cretaceous. New information from four exploration wells sheds light on the peculiarities of the Sarvak Formation (late Albian–Cenomanian) at the narrow transition between the Dezful Embayment and Coastal Fars in the southern Zagros. The solution of this task was necessary to understand whether the fragmentation of the Zagros Basin into domains affected the carbonate platform development. The methods included the analyses of carbonate microfacies, paleoecological patterns of foraminifera, and depositional environments. The results of this study show the existence of ten carbonate microfacies. Prevailing wackestones and packstones with a muddy matrix and absent carbonate buildups imply the development of a large carbonate ramp. Paleoecological interpretations based chiefly on foraminifers prove this model. For instance, the presence of oligosteginids signifies shallower parts of the platform, and the cooccurrence of planktonic foraminifera and oligosteginids suggests a deeper environment. The stratigraphical distribution of the established microfacies in the wells indicates three cycles in the evolution of this platform. The third of these cycles marked an abrupt deepening episode because it includes microfacies suggesting the relatively deeper environments. Three maximum flooding surfaces established in the study area are common to the Arabian plate. The discussion of the results suggests that the influence of the Kazerun fault on the carbonate ramp in the Cenomanian is uncertain. Neither eustatic nor tectonic factors of the carbonate platform development can be excluded. Conclusively, it appears that the studied Cenomanian carbonate ramp was integral at the transition between the Dezful Embayment and Coastal Fars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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18 pages, 15522 KB  
Article
Eocene Stratigraphic Sequences in the Prebetic of Alicante (SE Spain) and Their Correlation with Global Sea-Level and Climatic Curves
by Crina Miclăuș, José Enrique Tent-Manclús, Josep Tosquella, Manuel Martín-Martín and Francisco Serrano
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(6), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061031 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 547
Abstract
The Onil and Ibi sections (Prebetic Zone, Betic Cordillera: Alicante, SE Spain) record a late Ypresian (Cuisian) to early Lutetian (~51 to ~43 Myr) carbonate platform succession, dated using larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) and planktonic foraminifera. Seven field lithofacies (L1 to L7) and [...] Read more.
The Onil and Ibi sections (Prebetic Zone, Betic Cordillera: Alicante, SE Spain) record a late Ypresian (Cuisian) to early Lutetian (~51 to ~43 Myr) carbonate platform succession, dated using larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) and planktonic foraminifera. Seven field lithofacies (L1 to L7) and five thin-section microfacies (Mf1–Mf5) were identified, indicating inner- to mid-ramp environments (from seagrass meadows to Maërl-LBF-dominated) in warm-water and low-latitude conditions. A distinctive feature of these platforms is their dominance by LBF in association with rhodophyceae, contrasting with typical coral reef factories. We propose a novel carbonate production model, “TC-factory”, to describe these warm-temperate systems. Integrated field logging, drone imagery, and microfacies data allowed us to define a sequence stratigraphic framework comprising five lower-frequency sequences (LFS: ~2 Myr average duration), each of them nesting various numbers of high-frequency sequences (HFS: ~0.25 to ~1 Myr). The LFSs belong to a higher-rank sequence bounded by regional unconformities. The five LFSs only broadly match the upper Ypresian and lower Lutetian cycles in global eustatic curves (~51 to ~43 Myr), indicating that other regional or local controls were important. The number of HFSs being fewer than expected also suggests additional controls, such as local tectonics, erosion during lowstands, or carbonate production feedback. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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19 pages, 3028 KB  
Review
Pore Characteristics of Deep-Sea Benthic Foraminifera
by Bruce H. Corliss and Anthony E. Rathburn
Diversity 2025, 17(5), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17050343 - 13 May 2025
Viewed by 815
Abstract
A review of the pore patterns of deep-sea benthic foraminifera is presented with a discussion of their characteristics, function and relationship with dissolved oxygen levels. Pore characteristics of deep-sea benthic foraminifera are of timely interest due to their potential for reconstructing dissolved oxygen [...] Read more.
A review of the pore patterns of deep-sea benthic foraminifera is presented with a discussion of their characteristics, function and relationship with dissolved oxygen levels. Pore characteristics of deep-sea benthic foraminifera are of timely interest due to their potential for reconstructing dissolved oxygen conditions from the sedimentary record. Scanning electron micrographs of 20 epifaunal and infaunal deep-sea taxa from the Sulu Sea, Monterey Bay, California Bight and northwest Atlantic Ocean are presented to illustrate the wide range of pore patterns found in deep-sea taxa. New SEM observations of three taxa with biconvex test shapes, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Hoeglundina elegans, and Epistominella umbonifera, suggest that these taxa have an infaunal habitat for at least part of their life span. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminiferal Research: Modern Approaches and Emerging Trends)
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19 pages, 5046 KB  
Article
Self-Induced Crystalline Morphology at the Mineral–Fluid Interface: Silica–Carbonate Biomorphs of Alkaline Earth Metals as a Case Study
by Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz, Erick Alfredo Zúñiga-Estrada, Marcelino Antonio Zúñiga-Estrada, Selene R. Islas and Abel Moreno
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(9), 4593; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15094593 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 758
Abstract
Minerals have played a fundamental part in prebiotic chemistry on Earth, catalyzing the synthesis of inorganic and even organic molecules, including macromolecules such as RNA or DNA. Minerals based on silica are some of the first inorganics to be found in very ancient [...] Read more.
Minerals have played a fundamental part in prebiotic chemistry on Earth, catalyzing the synthesis of inorganic and even organic molecules, including macromolecules such as RNA or DNA. Minerals based on silica are some of the first inorganics to be found in very ancient mineral fossils. These minerals or even volcanic glasses rich in silica, such as obsidians (a naturally volcanic glass, which is in fact an igneous rock), play an important role as supporting materials for obtaining the silico-carbonates of alkaline earth metals (usually called biomorphs). This is because, in most radiolarians, diatoms, and foraminifera, their external shells are made up of silica (SiO2). However, it has yet to be evaluated whether the silica contained in the minerals present in the prebiotic era of the Earth interacted with the chemical elements that were also present during that era. To evaluate whether obsidian participated in the formation of the first inorganic structures of pioneering organisms, this study aimed to synthesize calcium and barium biomorphs on igneous rock and to show that dissolved organic and inorganic molecules might have interacted with the molecules of obsidian, producing a plethora of shapes that mimicked the cherts of the Precambrian. Full article
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35 pages, 3639 KB  
Article
Virgulinella fragilis in the North Adriatic Coastal Sediments: A New Non-Indigenous Benthic Foraminiferal Taxon?
by Roberta D’Onofrio, Maria Letizia Vitelletti, Francesco Riminucci, Veronica Rossi and Lucilla Capotondi
Biology 2025, 14(4), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040421 - 14 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1050
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea is considered a hotspot for bioinvaders. Nonetheless, information on non-indigenous benthic foraminifera is still fragmented. This study documents for the first time the presence along the northwestern Adriatic coast of the non-indigenous benthic foraminifera species Virgulinella fragilis, Grindell and [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean Sea is considered a hotspot for bioinvaders. Nonetheless, information on non-indigenous benthic foraminifera is still fragmented. This study documents for the first time the presence along the northwestern Adriatic coast of the non-indigenous benthic foraminifera species Virgulinella fragilis, Grindell and Collen (1976). Due to the low abundance recorded in the study area, the presence of this species may represent an early colonization phase. We discuss the temporal and spatial patterns of V. fragilis arrival in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, and we hypothesize stowaway transport (via ship fouling or ballast water) as the main introduction pathway. Morphological test analyses suggest that V. fragilis prefers a low oxygen content, consistent with the ecological requirements reported for this taxon in the literature. The application of Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling indicates that the key factor influencing the presence of V. fragilis in the Mediterranean basin is the bacterial concentration expressed as NO3. Projections under future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5) point to a decline of habitat suitability conditions, making widespread invasion unlikely in the Mediterranean. We emphasize the importance of continuous biomonitoring for early detection of alien species, improving our understanding of invasion dynamics and enabling prompt conservation actions, especially in regions impacted by anthropogenic activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alien Marine Species in the Mediterranean Sea)
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25 pages, 4204 KB  
Article
Deep Ensembling of Multiband Images for Earth Remote Sensing and Foramnifera Data
by Loris Nanni, Sheryl Brahnam, Matteo Ruta, Daniele Fabris, Martina Boscolo Bacheto and Tommaso Milanello
Sensors 2025, 25(7), 2231; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25072231 - 2 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 989
Abstract
The classification of multiband images captured by advanced sensors, such as satellite-mounted imaging systems, is a critical task in remote sensing and environmental monitoring. These sensors provide high-dimensional data that encapsulate a wealth of spectral and spatial information, enabling detailed analyses of the [...] Read more.
The classification of multiband images captured by advanced sensors, such as satellite-mounted imaging systems, is a critical task in remote sensing and environmental monitoring. These sensors provide high-dimensional data that encapsulate a wealth of spectral and spatial information, enabling detailed analyses of the Earth’s surface features. However, the complexity of these data poses significant challenges for accurate and efficient classification. Our study describes and highlights methods for creating ensembles of neural networks for handling multiband images. Two applications are illustrated in this work: (1) satellite image classification tested on the EuroSAT and LCZ42 datasets and (2) a species-level identification of planktic foraminifera. Multichannel images are fed into an ensemble of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) (ResNet50, MobileNetV2, and DenseNet201), where each network is trained using three channels obtained from the multichannel images, and two custom networks (one based on ResNet50 and the other one based on attention) where the input is a multiband image. The ensemble learning framework harnesses these variations to improve classification accuracy, surpassing other advanced methods. The proposed system, implemented in MATLAB 2024b and PyTorch 2.6, is shown to achieve higher classification accuracy than those of human experts for species-level identification of planktic foraminifera (>92% vs. 83%) and state-of-the-art performance on the tested planktic foraminifera, the EuroSAT and LCZ42 datasets. Full article
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30 pages, 5513 KB  
Article
Quantitative Biofacies Analysis of Upper Oligocene Reef-Coral Neritic Carbonates (Southern Pakistan)
by Luca Mariani, Giovanni Coletti, Mubashir Ali, Mahmood Iqbal, Muhammad Shumail, Hafiz Ahmed Raza Hassan and Francesca R. Bosellini
Geosciences 2025, 15(4), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15040129 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 930
Abstract
This study examines four shallow-water, reef-coral-bearing carbonate successions belonging to the Jhill Limestone Unit of the Gaj Formation, exposed in the area near Karachi (southern Pakistan). Sixty-two samples were collected for the quantitative analysis of the skeletal and foraminiferal assemblages. The analysis of [...] Read more.
This study examines four shallow-water, reef-coral-bearing carbonate successions belonging to the Jhill Limestone Unit of the Gaj Formation, exposed in the area near Karachi (southern Pakistan). Sixty-two samples were collected for the quantitative analysis of the skeletal and foraminiferal assemblages. The analysis of large benthic foraminifera suggests a placement within the late Oligocene, characterized by the setup of the Late Oligocene Warming Event. Thanks to quantitative analyses and multivariate statistics, three biofacies were identified: (1) the reef coral biofacies (BFA), indicative of a sheltered, shallow-water environment above fair-weather wave base; (2) the coralline algal biofacies (BFB), deposited within a mesophotic setting and representing the deepest biofacies among the three recognized ones; and (3) the large benthic foraminiferal and coralline algal biofacies (BFC), subdivided into two sub-biofacies, namely (a) the miogypsinid, thin and flat large benthic foraminiferal and coralline algal sub-biofacies (BFC1), indicative of deeper setting, comprised between BFA and BFB, and (b) the miogypsinid and coralline algal sub-biofacies (BFC2), indicative of shallower settings than BFC1, and bearing evidence of paleo-seagrass meadows. All these biofacies were developed within the photic zone, in a relatively flat seafloor punctuated by patch reefs and seagrass meadows and characterized by a notable nutrient influx. Foraminiferal-based experimental paleobathymetric parameters, including the lepidocyclinids/miogypsinids, the flat nummulitids/lepidocyclinids, and the hyaline/porcelaneous foraminifera ratios, were tested and confirmed as reliable tools for paleodepth and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Full article
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33 pages, 12327 KB  
Article
Paleobiodiversity, Paleobiogeography, and Paleoenvironments of the Middle–Upper Eocene Benthic Foraminifera in the Fayum Area, Western Desert, Egypt
by Mostafa M. Sayed, Petra Heinz, Ibrahim M. Abd El-Gaied, Ramadan M. El-Kahawy, Dina M. Sayed, Yasser F. Salama, Mansour H. Al-Hashim and Michael Wagreich
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 663; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040663 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1301
Abstract
The middle–upper Eocene successions of northwest Fayum, Egypt, provide a crucial archive for reconstructing paleoenvironmental conditions and paleobiogeographical patterns of the southern Tethys realm. Stratigraphically, the investigated section is subdivided into three rock units: the Gehannam Formation (Bartonian-Priabonian), the Birket Qarun Formation, and [...] Read more.
The middle–upper Eocene successions of northwest Fayum, Egypt, provide a crucial archive for reconstructing paleoenvironmental conditions and paleobiogeographical patterns of the southern Tethys realm. Stratigraphically, the investigated section is subdivided into three rock units: the Gehannam Formation (Bartonian-Priabonian), the Birket Qarun Formation, and the Qasr El Sagha Formation (Priabonian). A total of 101 benthic foraminiferal taxa, representing 31 genera, 23 families, 13 superfamilies, and four suborders, were identified. The middle–late Eocene age is primarily determined by the co-occurrence of index spinose planktonic foraminifera (Acarinina spp., Morozovelloides spp., and Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta) and benthic foraminiferal assemblages, further supported by the presence of the nannofossil marker Chiasmolithus oamaruensis. Four local benthic biozones are identified and correlated with coeval zones in nearby areas. Quantitative analyses of benthic foraminiferal individuals, diversity indices, ecological parameters, and the benthic foraminiferal oxygen index (BFOI) reveal distinct environmental shifts. The rock unit occupied by the late middle Eocene assemblages is diversified and dominated by calcareous infaunal taxa (e.g., Bolivina spp., Fursenkoina spp., and Nonionella spp.), indicative of low-oxygen outer neritic conditions associated with elevated organic influx. In contrast, the late Eocene Birket Qarun and Qasr El Sagha showed an increase in epifaunal forms and reduced diversity, suggesting a transition to dysoxic-oxic conditions. Paleobiogeographical analysis indicates a strong affinity with the Tethyan realm, with potential faunal exchange through the Trans-Saharan Seaway. These findings enhance our understanding of Paleogene marine connections between the Tethyan and Indo-Pacific realms, contributing to broader discussions on Eocene paleobiogeography and depositional dynamics in North Africa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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