Climatic variability and anthropogenic signatures in the Gulf of Salerno (southern-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea) during the last half millennium

Abstract

The high-resolution study of sediment core C90-1 m collected at the continental shelf of the Gulf of Salerno (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) provides an excellent opportunity to show paleoenvironmental changes during the last 500 years induced by natural variability and human impact. Based on 210Pb and 137Cs measurements, the sedimentation rate results 0.20 cm/year for the last 100 years. The high sampling resolution (1 cm sample spacing) of core C90-1 m, 105 cm long, provides a time resolution of approximately 5 years/cm. Quantitative changes in the planktonic and benthonic foraminiferal assemblages combined with δ18O G.ruber variations allow to identify regional climatic and oceanographic signals. A significant turnover between herbivorous and opportunistic species and carnivorous planktonic foraminifera after the Maunder event suggests changes in river runoff and/or an increase in coastal flooding events in the studied area. Variations in the microfauna since 1940 yAD document environmental changes induced by the construction of a dam in the Sele River.