Retrieving planktonic foraminifera from lithified rocks, examples from the Eocene limestones and marls (External Dinarides, Croatia).

Paleoecologic (paleoclimatologic) and biostratigraphic studies of pelagic and deep-water deposits rely on the identification of planktonic foraminifera. Here we report and compare the results of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages from the Middle Eocene indurated limestones and marls collected in the External Dinarides extracted with acetic acid of different concentrations (50%, 60%, 70% and 80%) and different reaction (exposure) times. The deposits originated within the Dinaric foreland basin, have been assigned to the so-called Transitional beds and Flysch, and are characterized by different ratio of carbonate content and degree of lithification. The aim of this paper is to compare the efficiency of the laboratory procedures for obtaining isolated specimens and to evaluate the impact of preparation procedure on the quality of tests (complete test vs. secondary dissolution effects). For each acetic concentration we assessed:(1)the effectiveness of the treatment in terms of the time required for successful extraction of planktonic foraminifera, and(2)the degree of dissolution by analyses of dissolution proxies, including the weight percentage of sieved residues after disaggregation and preservation features of the tests. Our results indicate that accurate taxonomic analysis of carbonate rocks requires the use of 60% acetic acid for a shorter reaction time, and hydrogen peroxide methods for marls.

Application of empirical model to predict background metal concentration in mixed carbonate-alumosilicate sediment (Adriatic Sea, Croatia).

A 96m long sediment core (S10-33) from the Mali Ston Channel (Adriatic Sea) showed large natural variation in carbonate share (between 1% and 95%) and concentration of elements. These variations indicate rather significant changes in fine-grained sediment that was deposited in this area during Younger Pleistocene and Holocene. Unaffected by anthropogenic influence, sediment in the core was used to determine background concentration of trace elements in sediment with various carbonate content. Here we propose a method of the normalization of trace elements to carbonate share, in order to assess natural/background concentration of metals in sediments consisting of carbonates and alumosilicates in various proportions. Six characteristic metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) that were normalized to carbonate share showed very good correlation, with much higher background concentrations in alumosilicate than in carbonate end member. Simple formulas were proposed to easily determine background concentration of these elements, in coastal and shelf depositional environments with mixed carbonate-alumosilicate sediments.

Impact evaluation of the industrial activities in the Bay of Bakar (Adriatic Sea, Croatia): recent benthic foraminifera and heavy metals.

The Bay of Bakar is one of the most heavily polluted bays at the Eastern Adriatic. Three major industrial companies potentially endanger the bay. The concentration of major, minor and trace elements in surface sediments from thirteen stations was discussed in relation to the sediment type and foraminiferal assemblages. The distribution of major elements in the bay is influenced by geological nature of surroundings. Heavy metal distribution depends on pollution sources and on amount of mud fraction: fine-grained sediments are enriched by them in comparison with coarse-grained ones. Different sediment quality criteria complicate the pollution assessment in the bay. Heavy metal concentrations generally fall into allowed depositional values for marine environments; only area in front of the coke plant and the City of Bakar harbor is heavily polluted. Stress-tolerant foraminiferal species dominate at stations with higher concentrations of heavy metals and coarse-grained sediments consist of larger number of epifaunal taxa.