Rendiconti Online della Società Geologica Italiana - Vol. 59/2023

The role of non-skeletal carbonate component in Mediterranean Coralligenous: new insight from the CRESCIBLUREEF project

Mara Cipriani1, Daniela Basso2,3, Pietro Bazzicalupo2, Marco Bertolino4, Valentina Alice Bracchi2,3, Fabio Bruno5, Gabriele Costa2,4, Rocco Dominici1, Alessandro Gallo5, Maurizio Muzzupappa5, Antonietta Rosso3,6, Francesco Perri1, Rossana Sanfilippo3,6, Francesco Sciuto3,6 & Adriano Guido1
1Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Cosenza, Italy. 2Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy. 3CoNISMa-Italian National Inter-University Consortium for Sea Sciences, Roma, Italy. 4Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa Genoa, Italy. 5Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Rende, Cosenza, Italy. 6 Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Corresponding author e-mail: mara.cipriani@unical.it


Volume: 59/2023
Pages: 75-79

Abstract

In the frame of the project FISR_04543 “CRESCIBLUREEF - Grown in the blue: new technologies for knowledge and conservation of Mediterranean reefs”, we present preliminary data on the ecological and depositional implications of micritic sediments in a coralligenous bioconstruction formed along the Mediterranean shelf in front of the Marzamemi village (Sicily, Italy). The framework of the build- up is mainly built by crustose coralline algae, which in turn create the substrate for a high-diversified epi- and infaunal community. Two types of microcrystalline calcite, tentatively interpreted as allochthonous and autochthonous micrite, strictly related to fine skeletal debris, have been detected. The allochthonous micrite derive from abiotic accumulation of fine sediments in the framework cavities. The autochthonous micrite is deposited in situ through organic-mediated processes. The occurrence of this component allows hypothesizing a possible contribution of non-skeletal carbonate in the strengthening of the primary framework due to its syndepositional cementation.

Keywords


Get Full Text