View source for RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2012 (3)

__NOTOC__
<font size="4">
'''[[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA|RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2012 (2)|2012 (2)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2012 (1)|2012 (1)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (5)|2011 (5)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (4)|2011 (4)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (3)|2011 (3)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (2)|2011 (2)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (1)|2011 (1)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2010|2010]]'''<font size="2">

==THE CONTRIBUTION OF NATURAL VARIABILITY TO THE MODERN DECREASE IN FORAMINIFERAL δ<sup>18</sup>O==

[[Image:Climate_of_the_Past_front.jpg‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
We evaluate the contribution of natural variability to the modern decrease in foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O by relying on a 2200-yr-long, high-resolution record of oxygen isotopic ratio from a Central Mediterranean sediment core. Pre-industrial values are used to train and test two sets of algorithms that are able to forecast the natural variability in δ<sup>18</sup>O over the last 150 yr. These algorithms are based on autoregressive models and neural networks, respectively; they are applied separately to each of the δ<sup>18</sup>O series' significant variability components, rather than to the complete series. ......
<font size="2">([http://www.clim-past.net/8/831/2012/cp-8-831-2012.html ABSTRACT])

----Alessio, S., Vivaldo, G., Taricco, C., Ghil, M., 2012. [http://www.clim-past.net/8/831/2012/cp-8-831-2012.html Natural variability and anthropogenic effects in a Central Mediterranean core]. Climate of the Past 8, 831-839. 


== A METHOD OF EVALUATING PREHISTORIC GOUNDWATER ON COASTAL CARBONATE TERRAIN ==

[[Image:Marine_Micropaleontology_Front.gif‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
...... Subfossil benthic foraminifera in underwater caves are an overlooked method of evaluating prehistoric groundwater on coastal carbonate terrain because they provide a proxy for groundwater salinity and circulation. Twelve radiocarbon dates and foraminiferal paleoecology from two sediment cores obtained from Green Bay Cave (GBC), Bermuda, provide the first Holocene-scale groundwater reconstruction. First, the cave floor (− 20.7 mbsl) was flooded at ~ 7.7 ka as North Atlantic sea level and groundwater rose in near synchrony. Over the Holocene, groundwater conditions (salinity, circulation and degree of oxygenation) shifted a minimum of five times, primarily in response to sea-level rise. Most importantly, we provide evidence that a prehistoric meteoric lens collapsed at ~ 1.6 ka as sea-level rise breached a local sill and completely altered Bermudian coastal circulation. The complete loss, or retreat, of a groundwater mass associated with a minor sea-level change validates some numerical predictions that small changes in sea level can destabilize coastal groundwater resources, when coastal geometry and circulation are considered.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377839812000321 ABSTRACT])

----van Hengstum, P.J., Scott, D.B., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377839812000321 Sea-level rise and coastal circulation controlled Holocene groundwater development in Bermuda and caused a meteoric lens to collapse 1600 years ago]. Marine Micropaleontology, doi:10.1016/j.marmicro.2012.02.007


== PALEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION FOR THE EARLY PLIOCENE MAGDALENA PALEODELTA, COLOMBIA  ==

<font size="2">
The Magdalena river transports one of the largest load of sediments per basin area in the world. Its delta position has changed several times over the Neogene. The Arroyo Piedras Section (169 m) in northern Colombia, contains part of the record of the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene evolution of the Magdalena paleodelta. ...... Based on lithofacies and benthic foraminifera content, the section was divided in three segments, and the upper segment was dated as Early Pliocene using planktonic foraminifera. The lower segment suggests siliciclastic sedimentation in a proximal prodelta/delta plain transitional environment. The intermediate segment suggests sedimentation in a lagoon and/or coastal swamp environment, whereas the upper segment is interpreted as the result of a transgression and subsequent deposition at the foreshore / upper shoreface environment, with a considerable decrease of terrigenous input. The decrease of sediment delivery to the delta produced by permanent El Niño- like conditions coupled with autocyclic processes could explain the transgressive pattern observed in the Arroyo de Piedras section during the Early Pliocene.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0895981112000442?v=s5 ABSTRACT])

----Molinares, C.E., Martinez, J.I., Fiorini, F., Escobar, J., Jaramillo, C., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0895981112000442?v=s5 Paleoenvironmental reconstruction for the lower Pliocene Arroyo Piedras section (Tubará – Colombia): Implications for the Magdalena River – paleodelta’s dynamic]. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2012.04.007


== MULTI-TECHNIQUE STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGGLUTINATED PARTICLES IN ''Mesorbitolina'' ==

[[Image:Marine_Micropaleontology_Front.gif‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
...... In this study, the test of ''Orbitolina'' d'Orbigny, 1850 (subgenus ''Mesorbitolina'', Schroeder, 1962) from Aptian shallow-water carbonate deposits of southern Italy has been studied in detail. We combine petrographic techniques (optical microscope and SEM) with energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS), Electron Probe Micro Analyser (EPMA), X-ray and Raman spectroscopy analyses. ......<br/>
'''Highlights'''
► High resolution analyses performed on the agglutinated shell of ''Mesorbitolina'' (larger foraminifera) from Lower Cretaceous of south Italy ► Agglutinated particles are made of carbonate and non-carbonate grains ► Distribution of non-carbonatic particles follows a specific patter across the test ► ''Mesorbitolina'' preferentially selected agglutinated grains by their shape ► Observations in a regional scale indicate that the observed features are generic
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037783981200031X?v=s5 ABSTRACT])

----Frijia, G., Di Lucia, M., Vicedo, V., Gunter, C., Ziemann, M.A., Mutti, M., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037783981200031X?v=s5 An extraordinary single-celled architect: A multi-technique study of the agglutinated shell of the larger foraminifer ''Mesorbitolina'' from the Lower Cretaceous of southern Italy]. Marine Micropaleontology, doi:10.1016/j.marmicro.2012.04.002


==NEW ECOSTRATIGRAPHIC TOOL WITH POTENTIAL FOR DETECTING PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE==

[[Image:PPP_front.gif‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
The percent carrying capacity ''K<sub>p</sub>'' is the equilibrium population in percentage terms of a species that an area can support while adequately meeting the needs of every individual. ...... Points of change from one value of ''K<sub>p</sub>'' to another in a stratigraphic section mark regime shifts and have potential for ecostratigraphic correlation. Within the Upper Quaternary of ODP Hole 1006A they apparently reflect an increase in the organic matter flux in the uppermost part of the section. The method described here can be applied to any species in any taxon for which percentage data are available. For those in the hydrocarbon industry it should prove especially useful for detailed studies of intervals of economic interest.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212002039?v=s5 ABSTRACT])

----Wilson, B., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212002039?v=s5 Percentage carrying capacity in fossil successions: A new ecostratigraphic tool with potential for detecting palaeoenvironmental change illustrated using bathyal benthic foraminifera in the Late Quaternary of ODP Hole 1006A, Santaren Channel]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.04.008


==THRESHOLD OF CARBONATE SATURATION STATE DETERMINED BY CO<sub>2</sub> CONTROL EXPERIMENT==

[[Image:Biogeosciences_front.jpg‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
...... Recent reports demonstrate nocturnal carbonate dissolution of reefs, despite a Ω<sub>a</sub> (aragonite saturation state) value of >1. This is probably related to the dissolution of reef carbonate (Mg-calcite), which is more soluble than aragonite. However, the threshold of Ω for the dissolution of natural sediments has not been clearly determined. We designed an experimental dissolution system with conditions mimicking those of a natural coral reef, and measured the dissolution rates of aragonite in corals, and of Mg-calcite excreted by other marine organisms, under conditions of Ω<sub>a</sub> > 1, with controlled seawater pCO<sub>2</sub>. The experimental data show that dissolution of bulk carbonate sediments sampled from a coral reef occurs at Ωa values of 3.7 to 3.8. Mg-calcite derived from foraminifera and coralline algae dissolves at Ω<sub>a</sub> values between 3.0 and 3.2, and coralline aragonite starts to dissolve when Ω<sub>a</sub> = 1.0. We show that nocturnal carbonate dissolution of coral reefs occurs mainly by the dissolution of foraminiferans and coralline algae in reef sediments.

<font size="2">([http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/1441/2012/bg-9-1441-2012.html ABSTRACT])

----Yamamoto, S., Kayanne, H., Terai, M., Watanabe, A., Kato, K., Negishi, A., Nozaki, K., 2012. [http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/1441/2012/bg-9-1441-2012.html Threshold of carbonate saturation state determined by CO2 control experiment]. Biogeosciences 9, 1441-1450.


==STABLE-ISOTOPE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PLIOCENE-PLEISTOCENE CLIMATE TRANSITION IN THE NORTH PACIFIC==

[[Image:PPP_front.gif‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
From Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1208 on Shatsky Rise below the Kuroshio Current Extension, we present the North Pacific's first orbital-scale benthic-foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C time series to span the Pliocene–Pleistocene climate transition. Excellent agreement between the Site 1208 δ<sup>18</sup>O record and the global δ<sup>18</sup>O stack of Lisiecki and Raymo (2005) provides orbital-scale age control and confirms continuous stratigraphy from 3.7 to 1.8 Ma at the single-hole site. Cross-spectral analysis of the δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C time series reveals that these are coherent to 80% confidence at the 41-kyr obliquity band prior to 3.3 Ma (glacial isotope stage M2) and increase to the 95% level thereafter. ...... Firm establishment of orbital-scale age control on the stratigraphically complete Site 1208 section now provides a platform for high-resolution paleoceanographic reconstruction of the relatively understudied North Pacific.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212000740 ABSTRACT])

----Venti, N.L., Billups, K., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212000740 Stable-isotope stratigraphy of the Pliocene–Pleistocene climate transition in the northwestern subtropical Pacific]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.02.001


==EARLY HOLOCENE LARGE-SCALE MELTWATER DISCHARGE FROM GREENLAND==

[[Image:PPP_front.gif‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
Records of foraminiferal assemblages combined with lithological properties (grain size, magnetic parameters and XRF data) of marine sediment cores from West Greenland coastal waters and the adjacent Labrador Sea document widespread early Holocene meltwater discharge. This discharge is concluded to originate from large-scale melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) having started prior to 8,600 cal. yr BP and ended at about 7,700-7,500 cal. yr BP, when the GIS margin had withdrawn from the fjords and become mainly land-based. ...... The oceanic regime off West Greenland prior to ~ 7,800 cal. yr BP was thus characterised by the presence of a permanent and widespread meltwater surface layer, presumably preventing deep convection in this region. Apart from indications of a slight decrease in meltwater discharge by the benthic foraminiferal fauna data, neither of the records shows any clear signal of a regionally important 8.2 ka event.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212002015 ABSTRACT])

----Seidenkrantz, M.-S., Ebbensen, H., Aagaard-Sørensen, S., Moros, M., Lloyd, J.M., Olsen, J., Knudsen, M.F., Kuijpers, A., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212002015 Early Holocene large-scale meltwater discharge from Greenland documented by foraminifera and sediment parameters]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.04.006


== RESPONSE OF SHELF ECOSYSTEMS TO AN EARLY HOLOCENE HUMID PHASE ==

[[Image:Marine_Micropaleontology_Front.gif‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
Benthic foraminiferal data as well as stable oxygen and carbon isotope records of different planktonic and benthic foraminifera from a shelf sediment core off southwest Mallorca document major sedimentological, hydrological and trophic changes during the Holocene. The Holocene relative sea-level rise resulted in the progradation of different sediment facies types characterized by specific benthic foraminiferal assemblages. This succession reflects the evolution from an unstable shelf ecosystem with high-energy conditions at the sea-floor in the earlier Holocene to a more stable shelf ecosystem in the middle and late Holocene. Between approximately 10.3 and 5.5 kyr BP, low δ<sup>13</sup>C values of the surface dweller ''Globigerinoides ruber'' (white) and high difference in δ<sup>13</sup>C values between the epifaunal ''Cibicides lobatulus'' and the infaunal ''Bulimina aculeata'' document enhanced input of nutrients in surface waters and high remineralisation rates at the sea floor. The trophic change is associated with a change in sediment facies and can be attributed to higher precipitation and consequently, higher nutrient supply via riverine runoff from the island, mainly during the late summer/early fall season. This early Holocene humid interval is nearly contemporaneous to the formation of sapropel S1 in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the African Humid Period.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377839812000308 ABSTRACT])

----Milker, Y., Schmiedl, G., Betzler, C., Andersen, N., Theodor, M., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377839812000308 Response of Mallorca Shelf ecosystems to an early Holocene humid phase]. Marine Micropaleontology, doi:10.1016/j.marmicro.2012.04.001


==FAUNAL RESPONSE TO RAPID CHANGES OF THE RIVER INFLUENCE, RHÔNE  PRODELTA==

[[Image:Biogeosciences_front.jpg‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
In the context of the French research project CHACCRA (Climate and Human-induced Alterations in Carbon Cycling at the River-seA connection), living (rose Bengal-stained) benthic foraminifera were investigated at two stations (24 and 67 m depth) in the Rhône prodelta (NW Mediterranean, Gulf of Lions). The aim of this study was to precise the response of benthic foraminiferal faunas to temporal changes of the Rhône River inputs (e.g. organic and terrigeneous material). Each site was sampled in April 2007, September 2007, May 2008 and December 2008, permitting to observe foraminiferal faunas of the 63–150 and >150 μm size fractions under a wide range of environmental conditions. Obvious variations in foraminiferal faunal composition were observed during the four investigated periods at the shallowest Station A located in the close vicinity of the Rhône River mouth. ...... This study put into evidence the extremely rapid response of benthic foraminiferal faunas to strong variations in environmental conditions mostly induced by the Rhône dynamics.
<font size="2">([http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/1367/2012/bg-9-1367-2012.html ABSTRACT])

----Goineau, A., Fontanier, C., Jorissen, F., Buscail, R., Kerhervé, P., Cathalot, C., Pruski, A.M., Lantoine, F., Bourgeois, S., Metzger, E., Legrand, E., Rabouille, C., 2012. [http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/1367/2012/bg-9-1367-2012.html Temporal variability of live (stained) benthic foraminiferal faunas in a river-dominated shelf – Faunal response to rapid changes of the river influence (Rhône prodelta, NW Mediterranean)]. Biogeosciences 9, 1367-1388.


==SEASONAL AND INTERANNUAL CHANGES OF PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERAL FLUXES IN THE GULF OF LIONS==

[[Image:DeepSeaResearch_I_front.gif‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
In order to investigate the seasonal and interannual variability of planktic foraminifer fluxes in the NW Mediterranean, 266 samples from two 12-year-long sediment traps were analyzed. Two mooring lines were deployed at the east (Station Planier) and the west (Station Lacaze Duthiers) of the Gulf of Lions. The moorings were deployed at a water depth of around 1000 m and were equipped with sediment traps at 500 m above bottom (mab). In addition, an array of 13 core-tops recovered from different key areas of the Gulf of Lions is described. ...... <br/>
'''Highlights'''
► Planktic foraminiferal flux was analyzed in the NW Mediterranean over a 12-yr period. ► Most foraminiferal shells are exported during the winter-spring transition. ► The highest fluxes are recorded in the station affected by the Rhone plume. ► The closest analogs are the core tops located nearby the sediment traps.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063712000787 ABSTRACT])

----Rigual-Hernández, A.S., Sierro, F.J., Bárcena, M.A., Flores, J.A., Heussner, S., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063712000787 Seasonal and interannual changes of planktic foraminiferal fluxes in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean) and their implications for paleoceanographic studies: Two 12-year sediment trap records]. Deep Sea Research I, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2012.03.011.


==CRITERIA TO MONITOR ECOLOGICAL QUALITY STATUS (EcoQS) USING BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA==

<font size="2">
This study defines criteria for the use of benthic foraminifera (protists) as a quick and efficient bio-monitoring tool to implement marine legislation. Various sampling and preparation procedures are investigated in an attempt to find the optimal methodology for environmental monitoring using soft-sediment foraminifera with the objective of assessing ecological quality status (EcoQS). Twenty-seven sampling stations in silled basins along the Norwegian Skagerrak coast, NE North Sea, are investigated for environmental parameters and living (stained, including soft-shelled forms) and dead benthic foraminifera. ...... <br/>
'''Highlights'''
► We set criteria to monitor Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) using benthic foraminifera. ► The exponential bias-corrected Shannon diversity index is used. ► Methodological recommendations applicable in environmental monitoring are tested. ► Foraminiferal diversity correlates with bottom-water dissolved oxygen concentration. ► Benthic foraminiferal diversity can efficiently assess EcoQS in marine waters.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X12001197 ABSTRACT])

----Bouchet, V.M.P., Alve, E., Rygg, B., Telford, R.J., 2012. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X12001197 Benthic foraminifera provide a promising tool for ecological quality assessment of marine waters]. Ecological Indicators 23, 66-75. 


==EFFECT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND TEMPERATURE INCREASE ON ''Neogloboquadrina pachyderma''==

<font size="2">
The present study investigated the effects of ocean acidification and temperature increase on ''Neogloboquadrina pachyderma'' (sinistral), the dominant planktonic foraminifer in the Arctic Ocean. Due to the naturally low concentration of CO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> in the Arctic, this foraminifer could be particularly sensitive to the forecast changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. To assess potential responses to ocean acidification and climate change, perturbation experiments were performed on juvenile and adult specimens by manipulating seawater to mimic the present-day carbon dioxide level and a future ocean acidification scenario (end of the century) under controlled (in situ) and elevated temperatures (1 and 4 °C, respectively). ......
<font size="2">([http://www.springerlink.com/content/mr158u5552762v9n/ ABSTRACT])

----Manno, C., Morata, N., Bellerby, R., in press. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/mr158u5552762v9n/ Effect of ocean acidification and temperature increase on the planktonic foraminifer ''Neogloboquadrina pachyderma'' (sinistral)]. Polar Biology, doi:10.1007/s00300-012-1174-7. 


==EARLY PALEOGENE GLOBAL DIVERSITY PATTERNS OF LARGE BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA==

<font size="2">
Large benthic foraminifera (LBF) were major contributors to many Paleogene carbonate platforms around the world. These photosymbiotic foraminifera lived in warm, oligotrophic, shallow waters within the photic zone. Such Paleogene families as the nummulitids, alveolinids, and orthophragminids rose to prominence in the late Paleocene, thrived in the early and middle Eocene, and declined in the late Eocene and Oligocene. Diversity data from these three families were studied to understand better the controls on the rise of Paleogene LBFs. Analyzed data included total diversity (total number of species per biozone), number of first occurrences per biozone, and number of last occurrences per biozone. Results indicate that there were four intervals of increased total diversity, increased first occurrence, and increased last occurrence for all three families studied. ......
<font size="2">([http://palaios.geoscienceworld.org/content/27/4/235.abstract ABSTRACT])

----Whidden, K.J., Jones, R.W., 2012. [http://palaios.geoscienceworld.org/content/27/4/235.abstract Correlation of Early Paleogene global diversity patterns of large benthic foraminifera with Paleocene and Eocene climatic events]. Palaios 27 (4), 235-251.


==ARRIVAL AND EXPANSION OF INVASIVE FORAMINFIERA IN PADILLA BAY, WASHINGTON==

<font size="2">
''Trochammina hadai'' Uchio, a benthic foraminifera native to Japanese estuaries, was first identified as an invasive in 1995 in San Francisco Bay and later in 16 other west coast estuaries. To investigate the timing of the arrival and expansion of this invasive species in Padilla Bay, Washington, we analyzed the distribution of foraminifera in two surface samples collected in 1971, in nine surface samples collected by Scott in 1972–1973, as well as in two cores (Padilla Flats 3 and Padilla V1/V2) obtained in 2004. ...... based on ''T. hadai'''s first appearance occurring stratigraphically well above sedimentological changes in the cores that reflect deposition of sediments in the bay due to previous diversions of the Skagit River, and its dominance in the early 1970s surface samples, we conclude that the species arrived in Padilla Bay somewhere between the late 1800s and 1971. ''Trochammina hadai'' may have been introduced into the bay in the 1930s when oyster culturing began there or, at a minimum, ten years prior to its appearance in San Francisco Bay.
<font size="2">([http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3955/046.086.0102 ABSTRACT])

----McGann, M., Grossman, E.E., Takesue, R.K., Penttila, D., Walsh, J.P., Corbett, R., 2012. [http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3955/046.086.0102 Arrival and Expansion of the Invasive Foraminifera ''Trochammina hadai'' Uchio in Padilla Bay, Washington]. Northwest Science 86 (1), 9-26. 


==RECORDS OF SEDIMENTARY DYNAMICS IN THE CONTINENTAL SHELF AND UPPER SLOPE, PORTUGAL==

<font size="2">
The sedimentary unconsolidated cover of the Aveiro–Espinho continental shelf and upper slope (NW Portugal) records a complex interplay of processes including wave energy and currents, fluvial input, sediment transport alongshore and cross-shelf, geological and oceanographic processes and sediment sources and sinks. In order to study this record, a set of surface sediment samples was studied. Sediment grain size and composition, as well as the mineralogical composition (by XRD) of the fine (< 63 μm) and clay (< 2 μm) fractions and benthic microfaunal (foraminifera) data were analysed. Cluster analysis applied to the sedimentological data (grain size, sediment composition and mineralogy) allowed the establishment of three main zones corresponding to the: inner-, mid- and outer-shelf/upper slope. ......
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924796312000474 ABSTRACT])

----Martins, V., Abrantes, I., Grangeia, C., Martins, P., Nagai, R., Sousa, S.H.M., Laut, L.L.M., Dias, J.M.A., Dias, J.M., da Silva, E.F., Rocha, F., 2012. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924796312000474 Records of sedimentary dynamics in the continental shelf and upper slope between Aveiro–Espinho (N Portugal)]. Journal of Marine Systems 96–97, 48-60. 


==MIDDLE MIOCENE FORAMINIFERA OF THE NOWY SĄCZ BASIN, POLISH OUTER CARPATHIANS==

<font size="2">
Foraminifera from newly exposed outcrop sections located in a Middle Miocene piggyback basin of the Outer Carpathians Nowy Sącz Basin indicate an environment of normal saline waters on the inner shelf and a temperature not lower than 18˚C. The area was ideal for the proliferation of: ''Miliolina'' spp., ''Elphidium crispum'', ''Ammonia beccarii'' and ''Pararotalia''. The habitat below the sediment surface was not colonised by foraminifera. Planktonic foraminifera are absent. The age of the population studied is referred based on the climate-related data, to the ''Orbulina suturalis'' Zone of the Miocene Climate Optimum.
<font size="2">([http://gq.pgi.gov.pl/gq/article/view/7695 ABSTRACT])

----Gonera, M., 2012. [http://gq.pgi.gov.pl/gq/article/view/7695 Palaeoecology of the middle Miocene foraminifera of the Nowy Sącz Basin (Polish Outer Carpathians)]. Geological Quaterly 56 (1), 000-000. 


==PRECESSION FORCING OF PRODUCTIVITY OFF COSTA RICA DURING THE LAST GLACIAL CYCLE==

[[Image:Quaternary_Science_Reviews.gif‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
We present a new multi-proxy reconstruction of sea-surface properties spanning the last 140 ka in the IMAGES Core MD02-2529 located in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean off Costa Rica. Spectral analysis of the records allowed us to examine the ecological imprints of orbital changes on planktic foraminiferal and coccolithophore assemblages and on the pattern of primary production in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, north of the Equatorial upwelling. Independent productivity reconstructions based on phyto- and zooplankton assemblages show a coherent pattern dominated by orbital precession, which appears to have control productivity changes recorded in the studied core over the last glacial–interglacial cycle. ...... <br/>
'''Highlights'''
► Precession control of plankton assemblages and bioproductivity over the last glacial cycle. ► Atmospheric forcing of bioproductivity changes via the enlargement of Costa Rica Dome. ► Conspicuous changes in planktic assemblages over terminations. ► Amplification of precession forcing by the ocean tunnelling at terminations.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379112001072 ABSTRACT])

----Ivanova, E.V., Beaufort, L., Vidal, L., Kucera, M., 2012. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379112001072 Precession forcing of productivity in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific during the last glacial cycle]. Quaternary Science Reviews 40, 64-77. 


== OFFSHORE DEPOSITIONAL SEQUENCE OF 2004 TSUNAMI FROM SE INDIA ==

<font size="2">
Offshore sediment characteristics of the 2004 tsunami were identified from a shallow core collected from the Chennai Coast, India. The depositional sequence clearly distinguishes four different processes: mixed facies (post-tsunami): 0–8 cm; tsunami return flow facies (TRFF): 8–20 cm; tsunami landward flow facies: 20–44 cm; and pre-tsunami facies: 44–64 cm, which all took place during and after the tsunami event. The coarse-grained nature and higher carbonate in the TRFF indicate that considerable sediment load was transported from the beach/land area to the offshore region during the return flow of tsunami waves. The relatively greater abundance of benthic foraminiferal species in the core sample suggests that the taxa were transported from deeper regions of the inner shelf regions of Bay of Bengal region.  ......
<font size="2">([http://www.springerlink.com/content/0667p61372132435/ ABSTRACT])

----Jonathan, M.P., Srinivasalu, S., Thangadurai, N., Rajeshwara-Rao, N., Ram-Mohan, V., Narmatha, T., in press. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/0667p61372132435/ Offshore depositional sequence of 2004 tsunami from Chennai, SE coast of India]. Natural Hazards, doi: 10.1007/s11069-012-0141-5


== CORAL REEF ASSESSMENT USING SEDIMENTARY GEOCHEMISTRY AND FORAMINIFERAL ASSEMBLAGES ==

[[Image:Marine_Micropaleontology_Front.gif‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
The health of the coral ecosystem at Abrolhos was evaluated using foraminifers and geochemistry. A total of 54 bottom sediment samples were collected for foraminifers, and 18 samples were collected for geochemistry by scuba divers at nine stations from different depth domains (A: 1 m < depth ≤ 10 m; B: 10 m < depth ≤ 15 m, and C: 15 < depth ≤ 25 m) in January and July 2005. Transparency, water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen were measured in situ near the sea bed. The sediment was analyzed for total organic carbon and nitrogen, carbonate content, phosphorus, mineralogy, and grain size. Foraminifers were identified to 136 genera and sorted into functional groups for FORAM index (FI). ......<br/>
'''Highlights'''
► Sedimentological and geochemical factors influence foraminifer distribution in a unique reef environment. ► The FORAM Index is validated for Abrolhos, in the Southwestern Atlantic, yet another reef environment, albeit some adjustments are suggested. ► Southwestern Atlantic local hydrodynamics influence foraminifera distribution in Abrolhos.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037783981200028X ABSTRACT])

----Oliveira-Silva, P., Barbosa, C.F., de Almeida, C.M., Seoane, J.C.S., Cordeiro, R.C., Turcq, B.J., Soares-Gomes, A., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037783981200028X Sedimentary geochemistry and foraminiferal assemblages in coral reef assessment of Abrolhos, Southwest Atlantic]. Marine Micropaleontology, doi:10.1016/j.marmicro.2012.03.005


==JURASSIC FORAMINIFERAL DIVERSITY, BATHYMETRY AND PALEOENVIRONMENT OF THE JAISALMER BASIN, WESTERN INDIA==

[[Image:NeuesJahrbuch_front.jpeg‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
This contribution presents an ammonite age constrained benthic foraminiferal dataset based on a study of 77 samples spanning from Bajocian to Early Tithonian from Jaisalmer (Western India). Species distribution and diversity are documented and changes therein are interpreted in terms of inferred bathymetry, shifts in sea level and paleoenvironment. The similarity and dissimilarity of benthic foraminiferal species from the adjoining Kachchh Basin (Western India) is also discussed. Results indicate that at Jaisalmer, sea level influenced facies deposition and both in turn, in a shallow marginal epicontinental setting, governed the distribution of benthic foraminifera. Further, the observed diversity patterns recognized bed-by-bed are governed by local conditions of the basin but at the stage- and family-levels, are influenced by global eustasy. The strong species dissimilarity observed between adjacent Jaisalmer and Kachchh basins and of increasing similarity at the family-level is most likely a reflection of large-scale changes in global eustasy.
<font size="2">([http://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpa/detail/263/76685/Jurassic_benthic_for ABSTRACT])

----Garg, R., Jain, S., 2012. [http://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpa/detail/263/76685/Jurassic_benthic_for Jurassic benthic foraminiferal diversity, bathymetry and paleoenvironment of the Jaisalmer Basin (Western India)]. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen 263 (3), 227-260. 


==POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ON ANTARCTIC BENTHOS==

<font size="2">
Because of the unique conditions that exist around the Antarctic continent, Southern Ocean (SO) ecosystems are very susceptible to the growing impact of global climate change and other anthropogenic influences. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand how SO marine life will cope with expected future changes in the environment. Studies of Antarctic organisms have shown that individual species and higher taxa display different degrees of sensitivity to environmental shifts, making it difficult to predict overall community or ecosystem responses. This emphasizes the need for an improved understanding of the Antarctic benthic ecosystem response to global climate change using a multitaxon approach with consideration of different levels of biological organization. Here, we provide a synthesis of the ability of five important Antarctic benthic taxa (Foraminifera, Nematoda, Amphipoda, Isopoda, and Echinoidea) to cope with changes in the environment (temperature, pH, ice cover, ice scouring, food quantity, and quality) that are linked to climatic changes. ......
<font size="2">([http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.96/abstract ABSTRACT])

----Ingels, J., Vanreusel, A., Brandt, A., Catarino, A.I., David, B., De Ridder, C., Dubois, P., Gooday, A.J., Martin, P., Pasotti, F., Robert, H., 2012. [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.96/abstract Possible effects of global environmental changes on Antarctic benthos: a synthesis across five major taxa]. Ecology and Evolution 2 (2), 453-485. 


==DEGLACIAL TO POSTGLACIAL MARINE ENVIRONMENTS OF CANADIAN ARCTIC ARCHIPELAGO==

<font size="2">
Core 86027-144 (74°15.56′N, 91°14.21′W) represents a rare, continuous record of Late Pleistocene to Holocene sediments from High Arctic Canada extending from the end of the Last Glaciation. Based on microfossils (dinocysts, non-pollen palynomorphs, benthic and planktonic foraminifera), foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C, and sedimentology, seven palaeoenvironmental zones were identified. ...... A transitional period (Zone V; 7.8–6.7 cal. ka BP) of rapid environmental change fluctuating on a scale not observed today is marked by increasing sea-ice and reduced oceanic influence. This probably signals the exclusion of deeper Atlantic water owing to the glacio-isostatic shallowing of inter-island sills, coupled with generally cooling climate. Conditions analogous to those at present, with increased sea-ice and modern microfossil assemblages, commence at c. 6.7 cal. ka BP (zones VI–VII). Although climate ultimately forces long-term environmental trends, core 86027-144 data imply that regional dynamics, especially changes in sea-level, exert a significant control on marine conditions throughout the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
<font size="2">([http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1502-3885.2011.00227.x/abstract ABSTRACT])

----Pieńkowski, A.J., England, J.H., Furze, M.F.A., Marret, F., Eynaud, F., Vilks, G., Maclean, B., Blasco, S., Scourse, J.D., 2012. [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1502-3885.2011.00227.x/abstract The deglacial to postglacial marine environments of SEBarrow Strait, Canadian Arctic Archipelago]. BOREAS 41 (2), 141-179. 


==ASTRONOMICAL CALIBRATION OF THE UPPER CAMPANIAN-MAASTRICHTIAN IN THE INDIAN OCEAN==

[[Image:PPP_front.gif‎‎|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
An integrated framework of magnetostratigraphy, calcareous microfossil bio-events, cyclostratigraphy and δ<sup>13</sup>C stratigraphy is established for the upper Campanian–Maastrichtian of ODP Hole 762C (Exmouth Plateau, Northwestern Australian margin). Bulk-carbonate δ<sup>13</sup>C events and nannofossil bio-events have been recorded and plotted against magnetostratigraphy, and provided absolute ages using the results of the cyclostratigraphic study and the recent astronomical calibration of the Maastrichtian. Thirteen carbon-isotope events and 40 nannofossil bio-events are recognized and calibrated with cyclostratigraphy, as well as 14 previously published foraminifer events, thus constituting a solid basis for large-scale correlations. ......<br/>
'''Highlights'''
► Upper Campanian-Maastrichtian chronostratigraphic framework for the Indian Ocean► Astronomical calibration of plankton biostratigraphy and δ<sup>13</sup>C stratigraphy ► Correlation of this scheme to other reference sections is shown ► Precise age of 72.15 ± 0.05 Ma estimated for the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary (CMB) ► CMB at the GSSP is ~ 800 kyr younger than CMB previously defined in the Boreal realm
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212001769#fx1 ABSTRACT])

----Thibault, N., Hussuon, D., Harlou, R., Gardin, S., Galbrun, B., Huret, E., Minoletti, F., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212001769#fx1 Astronomical calibration of upper Campanian–Maastrichtian carbon isotope events and calcareous plankton biostratigraphy in the Indian Ocean (ODP Hole 762C): Implication for the age of the Campanian–Maastrichtian boundary]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.03.027


==OXYGEN DEPLETION IN THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY, SOUTH CHINA==

<font size="2">
We examined a suite of geochemical and microfaunal indicators in <sup>210</sup>Pb-dated sediment cores from the Pearl River Estuary, South China, to determine the historical course of oxygen conditions. The results revealed a substantial increase in nutrient elements and primary production in the sediment over the last 3 decades, which could be interpreted as a recent increase in the extent of eutrophic condition in the Pearl River Estuary. Furthermore, total foraminifers decreased abruptly in abundance while the species ''Ammonia beccarii'', which is tolerant of low-oxygen conditions and high organic fluxes, showed a marked increase in relative abundance after the 1970s. These faunal changes implied that significant deterioration had occurred in the bottom water oxygen conditions since the late 1970s. This degradation could be caused by the increased nutrient and organic loading to the estuarine system, which is likely related to the rapid urbanization and industrial development in the Pearl River Delta during this period. 
<font size="2">([http://www.springerlink.com/content/p368u786h592428n/ ABSTRACT])

----Ye, F., Huang, X., Zhang, X., Zhang, D., Zeng, Y., Tian, L., in press. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/p368u786h592428n/ Recent oxygen depletion in the Pearl River Estuary, South China: geochemical and microfaunal evidence]. Journal of Oceanology, doi:10.1007/s10872-012-0104-1


==MIDDLE-UPPER MIOCENE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE TAMAN PENINSULA, SW RUSSIA==

<font size="2">
The stratigraphy of the Taman Peninsula is defined using the sections at Zelensky Hill — Panagia, Popov Kamen, Taman and Zheleznyi Rog. The stratigraphy is constructed from distribution of mollusks, foraminifers, nannofossils, diatoms, and organic-walled phytoplankton, as well as incorporating paleomagnetic data. The occurrence of oceanic diatom species in the Middle-Upper Sarmatian, Maeotian and Lower Pontian makes a direct correlation possible between the sections studied, the Mediterranean basin and oceanic zonation. The new data on planktonic and benthic biotic groups suggests a pulsating connection of the Eastern Paratethys with the open marine basins, especially during transitional intervals within constant environments. ......
<font size="2">([http://www.springerlink.com/content/uum6w7j174v66811/ ABSTRACT])

----Tadionova, E.P., Golovina, L.A., Filippova, N.Y., Trubikhin, V.M., Popov, S.V., Goncharova, I.A., Vernigorova, Y.V., Pinchuk, T.N., 2012. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/uum6w7j174v66811/ Middle-Upper Miocene stratigraphy of the Taman Peninsula, Eastern Paratethys]. Central European Journal of Geosciences 4 (1), 188-204.


==LARGER BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA OF THE TYPE MAASTRICHTIAN==

<font size="2">
Brief descriptions are presented of species of larger benthic foraminifera found in the type area of the Maastrichtian, supported by an identification key.

<font size="2">([http://www.scriptageologica.nl/12/nr08/a03 ABSTRACT])

---- Renema, W., Hart, M.B., 2012. [http://www.scriptageologica.nl/12/nr08/a03 Larger benthic Foraminifera of the type Maastrichtian]. In: Jagt, J.W.M., Donovan, S.K., Jagt-Yazykowa, E.A. (Eds), Fossils of the type Maastrichtian (Part 1): Scripta Geologica Special Issue, 8, pp. 33-43. 


==FAULT-CONTROLLED STRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER CRETACEOUS IN NE TUNISIA==

[[Image:CretaceousResearch_front.gif|left|80px| ]]<font size="2">
The palaeogeographic setting of the studied Ain Medheker section represents an Early Campanian to Early Maastrichtian moderately deep carbonate shelf to distal ramp position with high rates of hemipelagic carbonate production, periodically triggered by mass-flow processes. Syndepositional extensional tectonic processes are confirmed to the Early Campanian. Planktonic foraminifera identified in thin sections and calcareous nannofossils allow the identication of the following biozones: ''Globotruncanita elevata'', ''Contusotruncana plummerae'' (replacing former ''Globotruncana ventricosa'' Zone), ''Radotruncana calcarata'', ''Globotruncana falsostuarti'', and ''Gansserina gansseri''. The following stable C-isotope events were identified: the Santonian/Campanian boundary Event, the Mid-Campanian Event, and the Late Campanian Event. Together with further four minor isotopic events, they allow for correlation between the western and eastern realms of Tunisia. Frequently occurring turbidites were studied in detail and discussed in comparison with contourites.

<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667111001303 ABSTRACT])

---- Bey, S., Kuss, J., Premoli Silva, I., Negra, H.M., Gardin, S., 2012. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667111001303 Fault-controlled stratigraphy of the Late Cretaceous Abiod Formation at Ain Medheker(Northeast Tunisia)]. Cretaceous Research 34, 10-25, doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.09.008


==INFLUENCE OF ICE SHEET MELTING ON HIGH NORTHERN LATITUDE CLIMATE DURING THE LIG==

[[Image:Climate_of_the_Past_front.jpg‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
Although the Last Interglacial (LIG) is often considered as a possible analogue for future climate in high latitudes, its precise climate evolution and associated causes remain uncertain. Here we compile high-resolution marine sediment records from the North Atlantic, Labrador Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Southern Ocean. We document a delay in the establishment of peak interglacial conditions in the North Atlantic, Labrador and Norwegian Seas as compared to the Southern Ocean. In particular, we observe a persistent iceberg melting at high northern latitudes at the beginning of the LIG. It is associated with (1) colder and fresher surface-water conditions in the North Atlantic, Labrador and Norwegian Seas, and (2) a weaker ventilation of North Atlantic deep waters during the early LIG (129–125 ka) compared to the late LIG. Results from an ocean-atmosphere coupled model with insolation as a sole forcing for three key periods of the LIG show warmer North Atlantic surface waters and stronger Atlantic overturning during the early LIG (126 ka) than the late LIG (122 ka). Hence, insolation variations alone do not explain the delay in peak interglacial conditions observed at high northern latitudes. ......
<font size="2">([http://www.clim-past.net/8/483/2012/cp-8-483-2012.html ABSTRACT])

----Govin, A., Braconnot, P., Capron, E., Cortijo, E., Duplessy, J.-C., Jansen, E., Labeyrie, L., Landais, A., Marti, O., Michel, E., Mosquet, E., Risebrobakken, B., Swingedouw, D., Waelbroeck, C., 2012. [http://www.clim-past.net/8/483/2012/cp-8-483-2012.html Persistent influence of ice sheet melting on high northern latitude climate during the early Last Interglacial]. Climate of the Past 8, 483-507. 


==25-kyr RECORD OF DEEP WATER IN THE MID-LATITUDE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC==

[[Image:Climate_of_the_Past_front.jpg‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
We reconstructed the ventilation record of deep water at 2100 m depth in the mid-latitude western North Pacific over the past 25 kyr from radiocarbon measurements of coexisting planktic and benthic foraminiferal shells in sediment with a high sedimentation rate. The <sup>14</sup>C data on fragile and robust planktic foraminiferal shells were concordant with each other, ensuring high quality of the reconstructed ventilation record. The radiocarbon activity changes were consistent with the atmospheric record, suggesting that no massive mixing of old carbon from the abyssal reservoir occurred throughout the glacial to deglacial periods.
<font size="2">([http://www.clim-past.net/8/17/2012/cp-8-17-2012.html ABSTRACT])

----Okazaki, Y., Sagawa,  T., Asahi, H., Horikawa, K., Onodera, J., 2012. [http://www.clim-past.net/8/17/2012/cp-8-17-2012.html Ventilation changes in the western North Pacific since the last glacial period]. Climate of the Past 8, 17-24. 


==CARBONATE FACIES CONTROL ON BENTHIC FORAMINIFERAL ASSEMBLAGES==

<font size="2">
Although the field of taphonomy has existed for >70 years, the majority of work has focused on siliciclastic settings at the expense of pure carbonates. The large variety of carbonate sediment types, together with the growing recognition that carbonate platforms are composed of facies mosaics that shift laterally in time and are frequently superimposed in the rock record, raises the question of whether quantitative paleoecological studies focused on the fossil record in carbonate environments are subject to significant biases with successive vertical facies changes. This study combines live-dead and surface-subsurface analyses on communities of benthic foraminifera from four localities around San Salvador Island, Bahamas, that represent a spectrum of energy settings, bioturbation intensity, and local anthropogenic impact, in order to test the fidelity with which community data are translated from life to death assemblage on the surface, and from death assemblage to the subsurface (i.e., subfossil record) in these different facies. ...... Overall, the results of this study represent strong taphonomic vindication for quantitative paleoecological studies spanning facies changes in the carbonate fossil record.
<font size="2">([http://palaios.geoscienceworld.org/content/27/3/137.abstract ABSTRACT])

----Darroch, S.A.F., 2012. [http://palaios.geoscienceworld.org/content/27/3/137.abstract Carbonate facies control on the fidelity of surface-subsurface agreement in benthic foraminiferal assemblages: Implications for index-based paleoecology]. Palaios, 27 (3), 137-150. 


==CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE BOLTAÑA ANTICLINE AND THE AINSA BASIN, SOUTHERN PYRENEES==

[[Image:GAS_Bulletin.jpg‎‎‎‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
The Ainsa Basin (south-central Pyrenees) is an exceptional example of a syntectonic foreland basin where structures oblique to the Pyrenean trend are well preserved. The absence of a complete chronostratigraphic frame motivated us to perform a detailed magnetostratigraphic study in the Ainsa Basin, including the shallow-marine–continental transition. Three sections covering almost the entire Eocene sedimentary fill were sampled (Ara, Coscollar, and Mondot), covering 2450 m of the sedimentary pile, with more than 1000 demagnetized specimens (sample spacing of 2.7 m). ...... Biostratigraphy based on shallow benthic foraminifera (15 localities) and a locality with abundant charophyte gyrogonites help to constrain the local magnetostratigraphic record (20 reversals) between the early Ilerdian and the middle Priabonian. A global correlation based on a magnetostratigraphic composite section derived from this work allows us to propose a complete chronostratigraphic frame for the Ainsa Basin infill between 55 and 45 Ma. ......
<font size="2">([http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/19/B30418.1.abstract ABSTRACT])

----Mochales, T., Barnolas, A., Pueyo, E.L., Serra-Kiel, J., Casas, A.M., Samsó, J.M., Ramajo, J., Sanjuán, J., in press. [http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/19/B30418.1.abstract Chronostratigraphy of the Boltaña anticline and the Ainsa Basin (southern Pyrenees)]. The Geological Society of America Bulletin, doi:10.1130/B30418.1 


==IMPLICATIONS OF PLIOCENE GLOBAL SEA LEVEL FOR ANTARCTIC DEGLACIATION==

[[Image:Geology_cover.gif‎‎‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
We obtained global sea-level (eustatic) estimates with a peak of ∼22 m higher than present for the Pliocene interval 2.7–3.2 Ma from backstripping in Virginia (United States), New Zealand, and Enewetak Atoll (north Pacific Ocean), benthic foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O values, and Mg/Ca-δ<sup>18</sup>O estimates. Statistical analysis indicates that it is likely (68% confidence interval) that peak sea level was 22 ± 5 m higher than modern, and extremely likely (95%) that it was 22 ± 10 m higher than modern. Benthic foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O values appear to require that the peak was <20–21 m. Our estimates imply loss of the equivalent of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, and some volume loss from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, and address the long-standing controversy concerning the Pliocene stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. 
<font size="2">([http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/16/G32869.1.abstract ABSTRACT])

----Miller, K.G., Wright, J.D., Browning, J.V., Kulpecz, A., Kominz, M., Naish, T.R., Cramer, B.S., Rosenthal, Y., Peltier, W.R., Sosdian, S., in press. [http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/16/G32869.1.abstract Expand High tide of the warm Pliocene: Implications of global sea level for Antarctic deglaciation]. Geology, doi:10.1130/G32869.1


==ASSEMBLAGE TURNOVER DURING INTENSIFICATION OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE GLACIATION==

[[Image:PPP_front.gif‎‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
We present the results of a high-resolution analysis of the benthic foraminiferal assemblages at the Punta Piccola section (Stratotype for the Piacenzian Stage), which spans the gradual climate transition of the intensification of the Northern Hemisphere glaciation (3.6-2.6 Ma). This study highlighted a major benthic foraminiferal fauna turnover, which started at about 3.05 Ma with LO of ''Cibicidoides italicus'', registered the gradual decline of ''Stilostomella'' spp. and culminated at about 2.7-2.75 Ma, when the dominant ''Siphonina reticulata'' was replaced by ''Cibicidoides pachyderma'', costate Bulimine, spinose Bulimine, spinose Uvigerine and the ''Bolivina dilatata'' group. ...... <br/>
'''Highlights'''
► New micropaleontological analysis at the Piacenzian Punta Piccola section. ► A benthic faunal turnover during the intensification of the NHG is recorded. ► Palaeoenvironmental changes are identified by compositional data analysis. ► Differences between sapropelite clusters are investigated.
<font size="2">([http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212001496 ABSTRACT])

----Sagrrella, F., Di Donato, V., Sprovieri, R., in press. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018212001496 Benthic foraminiferal assemblage turnover during intensification of the Northern Hemisphere glaciation in the Piacenzian Punta Piccola section (Southern Italy)]. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.03.009


==IMPLICATIONS OF PLIOCENE GLOBAL SEA LEVEL FOR ANTARCTIC DEGLACIATION==

[[Image:Geology_cover.gif‎‎‎|left|80px|]]<font size="2">
We obtained global sea-level (eustatic) estimates with a peak of ∼22 m higher than present for the Pliocene interval 2.7–3.2 Ma from backstripping in Virginia (United States), New Zealand, and Enewetak Atoll (north Pacific Ocean), benthic foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O values, and Mg/Ca-δ<sup>18</sup>O estimates. Statistical analysis indicates that it is likely (68% confidence interval) that peak sea level was 22 ± 5 m higher than modern, and extremely likely (95%) that it was 22 ± 10 m higher than modern. Benthic foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O values appear to require that the peak was <20–21 m. Our estimates imply loss of the equivalent of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, and some volume loss from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, and address the long-standing controversy concerning the Pliocene stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. 
<font size="2">([http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/16/G32869.1.abstract?rss=1 ABSTRACT])

----Miller, K.G., Wright, J.D., Browning, J.V., Kulpecz, A., Kominz, M., Naish, T.R., Cramer, B.S., Rosenthal, Y., Peltier, W.R., Sosdian, S., in press. [http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2012/03/16/G32869.1.abstract?rss=1 Expand High tide of the warm Pliocene: Implications of global sea level for Antarctic deglaciation]. Geology, doi:10.1130/G32869.1


<font size="4">
'''[[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA|RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2012 (2)|2012 (2)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2012 (1)|2012 (1)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (5)|2011 (5)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (4)|2011 (4)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (3)|2011 (3)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (2)|2011 (2)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2011 (1)|2011 (1)]] | [[RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON FORAMINIFERA 2010|2010]]'''

[[category:recent publications]]