A geo-statistical predictive approach to the Habitat mapping of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems along the northern Sicily inner continental shelf (southern Mediterranean)

The main aim of this work is to statistically predict the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) along the continental shelf regions of the northern Sicilian margin (southern Mediterranean). The considered habitats, already mapped in the area on a qualitative base, are the Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa seagrasses and the Coralligenous biocenosis. Posidonia oceanica and Coralligenous are considered as VMEs owing to their value as environmental indicators and biodiversity hotspots in coastal marine areas. For this reason, several actions were aimed in recent years to their complete characterization and mapping. The study area is located in the continental shelf of the n…

Caratterizzazione e Habitat mapping del Coralligeno di piattaforma lungo il margine continentale della Sicilia nord-occidentale

Il Coralligeno di piattaforma è un indicatore ambientale e hotspot di biodiversità nelle zone marine costiere. Poiché esso viene considerato un ecosistema marino vulnerabile, numerose sono le azioni volte alla sua completa caratterizzazione e mappatura. L'obiettivo del lavoro è di confrontare differenti metodologie utilizzate nell’analisi della distribuzione del Coralligeno di piattaforma, applicate al settore offshore della Sicilia nord-occidentale. Il focus del lavoro consiste nell’evidenziare come l’approccio multidisciplinare sia fondamentale nelle fasi di individuazione, caratterizzazione e predizione statistica della distribuzione delle associazioni biocenotiche, al fine di eseguire u…

Plio-Pleistocene geological evolution of the northern Sicily continental margin (southern Tyrrhenian Sea): new insights from high-resolution, multi-electrode sparker profiles

High-resolution seismic profiles were acquired in the north Sicily offshore region with an innovative, multi-tip sparker array which lacks ringing and has a base frequency around 600 Hz. The new data, combined with published data, suggest that intra-slope and extensional basins formed as a consequence of the late Miocene (?)–early Pliocene shortening and thrusting, and the middle (?)–late Pliocene continental rifting affecting the internal side of the Sicilian-Maghrebian chain. Early (?) Pleistocene to Holocene high-amplitude and high-frequency sea-level changes resulted in repeated sub-aerial exposure and flooding of the shelf, and the deposition of cyclically arranged hemipelagic and shel…

Habitat mapping of VMEs along the inner shelf regions of the south-western Tyrrhenian margin (southern Mediterranean): a geo-statistical predictive approach

The main aim of this work is to statistically predict the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) along the continental shelf regions of the northern Sicilian margin (southern Mediterranean). The considered habitats, already mapped in the area on a qualitative base, are the Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa seagrasses and the Coralligenous biocenosis. Posidonia oceanica and Coralligenous are considered as VMEs owing to their value as environmental indicators and biodiversity hotspots in coastal marine areas. For this reason, several actions were aimed in recent years to their complete characterization and mapping. The study area is located in the continental shelf of the n…

Major adverse cardiovascular events in non-valvular atrial fibrillation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the ARAPACIS study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases the risk of mortality in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Data on the relationship of COPD to major cardiovascular events (MACE) in AF have not been defined. The aim of the study is to assess the predictive value of COPD on incident MACE in NVAF patients over a 3-year follow-up. In the Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle-Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian Study (ARAPACIS) cohort, we evaluate the impact of COPD on the following clinical endpoints: MACE (including vascular death, fatal/non-fatal MI and stroke/TIA), cardiovascular (CV) death and all-cause mortality. Among 2027 NVAF patients, pati…

SEDIMENTARY DYNAMICS OF THE MARETTIMO CONTINENTAL SHELF AND MARETTIMO CHANNEL (EGADI ISLANDS – WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN): ANALYSIS OF DEPOSITIONAL AND EROSIONAL FEATURES.

Sedimentary dynamics of the Marettimo continental shelf and Marettimo Channel (Egadi Island – Western Mediterranean), have been unveiled based on the erosive and depositional features observed at the seafloor. Different morphologic features were recognized through side scan sonar, multibeam and high-resolution seismics, acquired in the framework of national Research Projects (CARG, GebecSud, MaGIC) carried out by the Department of Earth and Marine Science (former Department of Geology and Geodesy) of the University of Palermo. Sediment samples have been also collected and analyzed. The Egadi Islands are part of the NW Sicilian offshore, and belong to the mountain chain that connects the Sic…

Geo-hazards of the San Vito peninsula offshore (southwestern Tyrrhenian Sea)

Geomorphological Tools for Mapping Natural Hazards.-- 12 pages, 7 figures, supplemental material https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2020.1866703.-- Software: The geomorphological main map and the Figures in the text were compiled using GLOBAL MAPPER, Surfer and Quantum-G GIS Software and redesigned to print with Adobe Illustrator

Geoacoustic Inversion with Drifting Buoys: Enverse 1997–98 Experiments (Marettimo Is.)

Acoustic buoys were developed to allow the rapid determination of range-dependent bottom properties in a shallow water environment from the inversion of propagation measurements. The main features of the buoys are the large dynamic range, digital signal conditioning unit, global positioning system receiver and reliable radio data link. The buoys drift away from a broadband source receiving its pings at known positions. Single hydrophone, matched waveform, inversion techniques are applied to the received signals to invert for geoacoustic parameters. Eight prototypes were tested over the southern continental shelf off the island of Marettimo (Sicily) during the EnVerse 97 sea trials. Calibrat…

Decoding the instabilities features along the continental margin of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea)