Search results for "Cave"

Effects of human disturbance on cave-nesting seabirds: The case of the storm petrel

2015

We tested the effects of human disturbance in two sub-colonies of Mediterranean storm petrel. We conducted three experiments to measure the capacity of the storm petrels to respond to stress. The part of the colony exposed to human disturbance resulted to be habituated and did not show chronic stress related to anthropogenic disturbance.

The Grotta Grande of Scario (Salerno, Italy): Archaeology and environment during the last interglacial (MIS 5) of the Mediterranean region

2011

Abstract Archeological and paleo-environmental researches carried on the Grotta Grande site illustrate the importance of a multidisciplinary approach among archeologists, palynologists and paleontologists. The archaeology, fauna, pollen and micro-charcoal recovered in two short sedimentary successions (trenches A, F) located close to the entrance of the cave are discussed. The cave opens directly on the Tyrrhenian Sea, 2 km from Scario (Salerno, Campania, Southern Italy). The morphology of the cave and sedimentary processes were controlled by eustatic fluctuations during the late Middle Pleistocene and the early Late Pleistocene. The sea repeatedly occupied the cave. The cave was frequented…

The end of the Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula

2012

This paper presents a synthesis of the Magdalenian in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula, with special attention to the lithic and bone/antler assemblages, rock art, economy and radiocarbon dates. The data obtained in Cendres cave, situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula, permit articulation of the discussion about the Lower, Middle and Upper Magdalenian in this region. Furthermore, the paper discusses the end of the Magdalenian sequence with the Epimagdalenian industries.

New data for the characterization of Mediterranean Upper Magdalenian: the Cendres Cave (Teulada-Moraira, Valencian Country)

2012

Can recreational scuba divers alter natural gross sedimentation rate? A case study from a Mediterranean deep cave

2010

Abstract Di Franco, A., Ferruzza, G., Baiata, P., Chemello, R., and Milazzo, M. 2010. Can recreational scuba divers alter natural gross sedimentation rate? A case study from a Mediterranean deep cave. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 871–874. Submarine caves are environments with features distinguishing them from other littoral habitats but, despite their ecological importance, their response to anthropogenic disturbance has been seldom verified. One potential threat affecting natural communities within caves is represented by recreational scuba diving. Divers' disturbance within marine caves is mainly related to physical contacts and increased sediment resuspension potentially affecti…

Cordage, basketry and containers at the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary in southwest Europe. Evidence from Coves de Santa Maira (Valencian region, Spai…

2019

In this study we present evidence of braided plant fibres and basketry imprints on clay recovered from Coves de Santa Maira, a Palaeolithic-Mesolithic cave site located in the Mediterranean region of Spain. The anatomical features of these organic fibre remains were identified in the archaeological material and compared with modern Stipa tenacissima (esparto grass). Based on direct dating, the fragments of esparto cord from our site are the oldest worked plant fibres in Europe. Sixty fragments of fired clay are described. The clay impressions have allowed us to discuss the making of baskets and containers. According to their attributes and their functional interpretation, we have grouped th…

Caged Dexamethasone/Quercetin Nanoparticles, Formed of the Morphogenetic Active Inorganic Polyphosphate, are Strong Inducers of MUC5AC

2021

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is a widely distributed polymer found from bacteria to animals, including marine species. This polymer exhibits morphogenetic as well as antiviral activity and releases metabolic energy after enzymatic hydrolysis also in human cells. In the pathogenesis of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the platelets are at the frontline of this syndrome. Platelets release a set of molecules, among them polyP. In addition, the production of airway mucus, the first line of body defense, is impaired in those patients. Therefore, in this study, amorphous nanoparticles of the magnesium salt of polyP (Mg-polyP-NP), matching the size of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, were pr…

Negative Ce anomalies in Mn oxides: The role of Ce4+ mobility during water–mineral interaction

2012

We present one of the very rare natural examples of extremely negative Ce anomalies (up to 4 orders of magnitude) in manganese oxides, caused by higher mobility of Ce4+ compared to REE3+ in an aquatic environment. The young secondary Mn oxides formed together with fluorites and goethites during water–mineral interaction in a hydrothermal fluorite vein. Our findings are in contrast to the oxidative scavenging of Ce, which is commonly observed in Mn oxides. Comparison of REE patterns from modern mine waters with primary and secondary minerals demonstrates that this cannot be solely explained as a source-related feature or by immobilization of Ce, but must at least partially be the result of p…

Scavenging of sulphur, halogens and trace metals by volcanic ash: The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption

2013

The Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption in 2010 released considerable amounts of ash into the high troposphere-low stratosphere, leading to unprecedented disruption of air traffic over Europe. The role of such fine-grained tephra in adsorbing, and therefore rapidly scavenging, volcanogenic volatile elements such as sulphur and halogens, is explored here. We report on results (major to trace element chemistry) of leaching experiments carried out on 20 volcanic ash samples, taken from the deposits of the main phases of the eruption (March–April 2010), or directly while falling (5–9 May 2010). Ash leachate solutions from Eyjafjallajökull are dominated – among cations – by Ca and Na, and display…

More data on ancient human mitogenome variability in Italy: new mitochondrial genome sequences from three Upper Palaeolithic burials.

2021

BACKGROUND: Recently, the study of mitochondrial variability in ancient humans has allowed the definition of population dynamics that characterised Europe in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. Despite the abundance of sites and skeletal remains few data are available for Italy. - AIM: We reconstructed the mitochondrial genomes of three Upper Palaeolithic individuals for some of the most important Italian archaeological contexts: Paglicci (South-Eastern Italy), San Teodoro (South-Western Italy) and Arene Candide (North-Western Italy) caves. - SUBJECTS AND METHODS We explored the phylogenetic relationships of the three mitogenomes in the context of Western Eurasian ancient and modern va…