Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal
A review of 917 relative sea-level (RSL) data-points has resulted in the first quality-controlled database constraining the Holocene sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta and Tunisia). We reviewed and standardized the geological RSL data...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11568/965491 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216300241 |
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ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/965491 2024-04-14T08:03:50+00:00 Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio 2016 http://hdl.handle.net/11568/965491 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216300241 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000374624800010 volume:155 firstpage:172 lastpage:197 numberofpages:26 journal:EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS http://hdl.handle.net/11568/965491 doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84960942489 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216300241 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Holocene Isostatic adjustment Mediterranean Sea Sea-level database Sea-level proxy Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2016 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 2024-03-21T19:09:34Z A review of 917 relative sea-level (RSL) data-points has resulted in the first quality-controlled database constraining the Holocene sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta and Tunisia). We reviewed and standardized the geological RSL data-points using a new multi-proxy methodology based on: (1) modern taxa assemblages in Mediterranean lagoons and marshes; (2) beachrock characteristics (cement fabric and chemistry, sedimentary structures); and (3) the modern distribution of Mediterranean fixed biological indicators. These RSL data-points were coupled with the large number of archaeological RSL indicators available for the western Mediterranean. We assessed the spatial variability of RSL histories for 22 regions and compared these with the ICE-5G (VM2) GIA model. In the western Mediterranean, RSL rose continuously for the whole Holocene with a sudden slowdown at ~. 7.5 ka BP and a further deceleration during the last ~. 4.0 ka BP, after which time observed RSL changes are mainly related to variability in isostatic adjustment. The sole exception is southern Tunisia, where data show evidence of a mid-Holocene high-stand compatible with the isostatic impacts of the melting history of the remote Antarctic ice sheet.Our results indicate that late-Holocene sea-level rise was significantly slower than the current one. First estimates of GIA contribution indicate that, at least in the northwestern sector, it accounts at least for the 25-30% of the ongoing sea-level rise recorded by Mediterranean tidal gauges. Such contribution is less constrained at lower latitudes due to the lower quality of the late Holocene index points. Future applications of spatio-temporal statistical techniques are required to better quantify the gradient of the isostatic contribution and to provide improved context for the assessment of 20th century acceleration of Mediterranean sea-level rise. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa Antarctic Earth-Science Reviews 155 172 197 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Holocene Isostatic adjustment Mediterranean Sea Sea-level database Sea-level proxy Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) |
spellingShingle |
Holocene Isostatic adjustment Mediterranean Sea Sea-level database Sea-level proxy Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
topic_facet |
Holocene Isostatic adjustment Mediterranean Sea Sea-level database Sea-level proxy Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) |
description |
A review of 917 relative sea-level (RSL) data-points has resulted in the first quality-controlled database constraining the Holocene sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta and Tunisia). We reviewed and standardized the geological RSL data-points using a new multi-proxy methodology based on: (1) modern taxa assemblages in Mediterranean lagoons and marshes; (2) beachrock characteristics (cement fabric and chemistry, sedimentary structures); and (3) the modern distribution of Mediterranean fixed biological indicators. These RSL data-points were coupled with the large number of archaeological RSL indicators available for the western Mediterranean. We assessed the spatial variability of RSL histories for 22 regions and compared these with the ICE-5G (VM2) GIA model. In the western Mediterranean, RSL rose continuously for the whole Holocene with a sudden slowdown at ~. 7.5 ka BP and a further deceleration during the last ~. 4.0 ka BP, after which time observed RSL changes are mainly related to variability in isostatic adjustment. The sole exception is southern Tunisia, where data show evidence of a mid-Holocene high-stand compatible with the isostatic impacts of the melting history of the remote Antarctic ice sheet.Our results indicate that late-Holocene sea-level rise was significantly slower than the current one. First estimates of GIA contribution indicate that, at least in the northwestern sector, it accounts at least for the 25-30% of the ongoing sea-level rise recorded by Mediterranean tidal gauges. Such contribution is less constrained at lower latitudes due to the lower quality of the late Holocene index points. Future applications of spatio-temporal statistical techniques are required to better quantify the gradient of the isostatic contribution and to provide improved context for the assessment of 20th century acceleration of Mediterranean sea-level rise. |
author2 |
Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio |
author_facet |
Vacchi, Matteo Marriner, Nick Morhange, Christophe Spada, Giorgio Fontana, Alessandro Rovere, Alessio |
author_sort |
Vacchi, Matteo |
title |
Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
title_short |
Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
title_full |
Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
title_fullStr |
Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multiproxy assessment of Holocene relative sea-level changes in the western Mediterranean: Sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
title_sort |
multiproxy assessment of holocene relative sea-level changes in the western mediterranean: sea-level variability and improvements in the definition of the isostatic signal |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11568/965491 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216300241 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000374624800010 volume:155 firstpage:172 lastpage:197 numberofpages:26 journal:EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS http://hdl.handle.net/11568/965491 doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84960942489 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216300241 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.02.002 |
container_title |
Earth-Science Reviews |
container_volume |
155 |
container_start_page |
172 |
op_container_end_page |
197 |
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1796300137892413440 |