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Keywords: Bathymetric zonation; carbonate factories; ecological accommodation; grain roundness; sediment sorting EN Bathymetric zonation carbonate factories ecological accommodation grain roundness sediment sorting 2952 2963 12 11/24/22 20221201 NES 221201 INTRODUCTION We acknowledge John Reijmer for providing the opportunity to dive deeper into the concept of "carbonate factories" and, particularly, on the insights and substantial contributions of Luis Pomar on this and other important topics in the interdisciplinary field of carbonate sedimentology. In the same paragraph of his comment, Reijmer quotes: "It needs to be mentioned that the water depth in the basin surrounding the Llucmajor carbonate platform, which forms the base of an extensive series of carbonate factory studies by Pomar between 1991 and 2020 (e.g. Pomar, 1991, 1993, 2001a,b, 2020; Pomar & Haq, 2016), was approx. 50 m (Pomar, 1991, fig. 3), and consequently the major part of the biota populating the platform margin to basin transect were situated in the photic zone. The same type of approach allowed documentation of the migration of the scleractinians upward in the water column from the mesophotic into the euphotic zone, when the first modern type of reefs appeared and developed in shallow and highly agitated waters above the chlorocline (Pomar, 2001b, 2020; Pomar & Hallock, 2007, 2008; Pomar I et al i ., 2017). We respectfully disagree with this statement for the following reasons: Pomar uses the carbonate factories as a I dynamic i analytical tool, something that many researchers acknowledge, for understanding the facies architecture of the different types of carbonate platforms (see Pomar & Ward, 1995; Pomar, 2001a, 2020; Pomar & Kendall, 2008; Pomar & Haq, 2016) and not as a I static i concept for the classification and labelling of carbonate platform systems. [Extracted from the article]

The pathogenicity of both I Phytophthora i species was verified using six-month-old wild olive seedlings and the soil infestation method (Perez-Sierra I et al. i , [4]). Keywords: Mediterranean tree; oomycete; root rot EN Mediterranean tree oomycete root rot 1 4 4 12/29/22 20221001 NES 221001 Wild olive ( I Olea europaea i var. I sylvestris i ) is a sclerophyllous drought-tolerant tree native to the Mediterranean basin, which is used as a hardy and disease-resistant rootstock on which scions of cultivated olive varieties are grafted (Breton I et al. i , [2]). [Extracted from the article]

The Eocene represents the last greenhouse interval before Present. The maximum warming during the early Eocene was followed by a long‐term cooling trend culminating in the Antarctica glaciation at the base of the Oligocene. Superimposed on this long‐term cooling trend there is a prominent transient warming event known as the middle Eocene climatic optimum (MECO) occurring during the early Bartonian. The carbonate ramp succession cropping out in the Argentina Valley (Maritime Alps) offers new insights on the evolution of shallow water realms during this time interval. This ramp displays two main facies belts, middle and outer ramp. The middle ramp is recorded by larger benthic foraminifer floatstone to rudstone, passing to Solenomeris branches and nodule floatstone to rudstone evolving to branching coralline algal floatstone. The outer ramp is dominated by bioturbated marly wackestone to packstone alternating with larger benthic foraminifer floatstone with a silty matrix. The investigated ramp was affected by continuous dispersion and reworking of the skeletal components as other Tethyan Eocene ramps. During the Eocene, the Alpine foreland was influenced by fine terrigenous input controlling the trophic conditions and promoting seawater stratification and the development of a strong pycnocline, for which many perturbations could propagate as internal waves. The reworking of skeletal components of the ramp has been ascribed to the action of internal waves. The switch of carbonate production from a carbonate factory dominated by larger benthic foraminifera to a factory in which the encrusting foraminifer Solenomeris was the main carbonate producer biota, is indicative of a radical change in palaeoenvironmental conditions affecting the early Bartonian. The acme of Solenomeris often coincided with the crisis of carbonate producers during intervals of an evident deterioration of environmental conditions. In this case the acme is probably related to the adverse conditions linked to the (MECO) warming event. Finally, the drowning of the nummulitic ramp has been caused by light reduction for the photo‐dependent biota due to progressively increasing depth linked to flexural subsidence of the foreland plate, and minor efficiency of the aphotic carbonate factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbonate factories, their controlling factors and their palaeoecological and sedimentological signals recorded in sedimentary successions are key elements for understanding the evolution of carbonate platform systems. Luis Pomar has dedicated most of his academic life to the study of carbonate rocks and carbonate factories. The idea for this special issue to celebrate Pomar's career arose during a session at the 34th International Association of Sedimentologists meeting held in Rome, entitled 'Understanding carbonate factories through palaeoecological and geochemical signals'. The proposal encountered great response among participants, and additional contributions followed an email invitation to other specialists. This issue contains a variety of papers on carbonate sedimentology and carbonate factories. Here, an introduction that contextualizes the papers and key concepts discussed in this thematic issue is provided. It reviews Luis Pomar's major achievements in carbonate sedimentology and discusses the evolution of the concept of the carbonate factory and the series of palaeoecological and sedimentological signals used to characterize the wide spectrum of carbonate depositional systems found in the natural world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their first occurrence in the late Cretaceous, seagrasses have played a major role in carbonate production and sedimentation across shallow‐water and nearshore environments, sustaining a prolific carbonate factory and contributing to sediment accumulation through the combination of baffling and trapping effects. Most reported Palaeogene seagrass occurrences developed in oligo−mesotrophic shallow warm‐water habitats and are characterized by distinct associations of small and larger benthic foraminifers adapted to low terrigenous influence. This study describes a number of seagrass episodes interbedded in the Bartonian (middle Eocene) of San Fausto–Lazkua area (Navarra region, North Spain), within a nearshore to inner‐ramp succession that, in spite of being deposited under general transgressive conditions, was highly influenced by terrigenous supply from the adjacent land. Up to twelve different seagrass bed intervals occur interbedded in a cyclical manner with high‐energy nearshore siliciclastics and inner ramp bioclastic carbonates rich in mesophotic−oligophotic foraminifers and heterozoan biota (red algae, echinoderms, bryozoans). Seagrass deposits exhibit typical unsorted textures, abundant bioturbation and moderate to high terrigenous content, and comprise a characteristic skeletal association of epiphytic foraminifers, red algae and, most particularly, of abundant encrusting acervulinids, commonly with distinct hooked and tubular growth forms. This abundance of suspension‐feeders relative to autotrophs and mixotrophs may be indicative of temperate waters, although the taxonomic diversity of the foraminiferal assemblages in both seagrass and non‐seagrass embedding deposits supports the interpretation of shallow, warm‐water conditions. The studied seagrass deposits provide evidence that high siliciclastic supply and associated nutrient input may determine the occurrence of temperate‐like seagrass deposits in warm‐water settings, analogous to extensive heterozoan carbonate production in modern shallow‐tropical environments. Thus, the identification and correct interpretation of past seagrass‐vegetated environments are crucial for reconstructing palaeoecological conditions in ancient shallow‐marine environments. Therefore, in comparison with carbonate‐dominated environments, the mixed terrigenous−carbonate seagrass deposits are volumetrically less important, presenting a more irregular, patchy distribution, and a skeletal assemblage dominated by heterotrophs, regardless of the water temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lofer cyclothems of the Alpine Upper Triassic have many features in common with Holocene sediments of Florida Bay. The modal 'complete' Lofer cycle is essentially symmetrical, having a deepening and shoaling phase, as does the cycle‐in‐progress in Florida Bay. Lateral discontinuity and thickness variations within members of the Lofer cyclothems indicate syn‐depositional relief, possibly in the form of mud banks, the signature feature of Florida Bay sedimentation. Spatial and temporal dimensions, although poorly constrained, appear comparable. Analogous depositional textures, biota and sedimentary structures, while not unique to either environment, strengthen the inferences that can be made about the Triassic depositional environment and regarding future evolution of the modern environment. The striking similarities between the Holocene icehouse sediments and the Late Triassic greenhouse deposits suggest that sedimentation patterns at the scale of individual cycles or parasequences may be largely independent of the global climate regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three Holocene tufas from Gran Canaria volcanic island were studied with the aim of deciphering their sedimentary evolution through space and time. Las Temisas tufa (south‐eastern arid part of the island) is dominantly composed of oncoids, intraclasts, phytoclasts, coated stems, minor thin stromatolites, and a high amount of siliciclastics. It was deposited in a fluvial system with variable flow velocities and palustrine conditions areas, which alternated with high energy events. Azuaje tufa (northern humid part of the island) is composed of coated stems, stromatolites, oncoids and phytoclasts, with relatively low amounts of siliciclastics, suggesting slow‐flowing and palustrine conditions and a relatively low incidence of (high energy) floodings. Los Berrazales tufa (north‐west of Gran Ganaria, the most humid one), is mainly composed of coated stems and crystalline crusts, formed in a laminar flow regime. Dominant clastic sedimentation in Las Temisas and high calcite growth rates in Los Berrazales led to a poor development of stromatolites in comparison with Azuaje. Las Temisas and Azuaje deposits have similar upward evolution with decreasing trend in siliciclastics and increasing trend in carbonates. However, Las Temisas has higher siliciclastic and lower phytoclastic contents suggesting a less vegetated area and more arid climate than in the other deposits. Additionally, tufas record local events common in volcanic terrains. Azuaje presents three units bounded by erosive discontinuities, which reveal significant erosion by enhanced runoff that could be caused by loss of vegetation due to wildfires related to volcanic eruptions at headwaters. Las Temisas record a possible interruption in sedimentation represented by aligned boulders due to rockfalls from the hillsides. These deposits formed from waters with similar chemistry providing to the carbonates their similar signals in δ13C–δ18O stable isotopes and 87Sr/86Sr ratios like that of the volcanic rocks. This work shows how, in volcanic areas, tufas are unique archives of the climate, vegetation and volcanic‐related processes, because all imprint the sedimentary regime of tufa deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although carbonate ramps are widely described from the geological record, there is still a debate on the relative influence of water temperature, trophic conditions and type of carbonate factories on their development. The ca 2400 km long Australian North West Shelf is among the largest Cenozoic carbonate provinces worldwide, and records a transition from an early Miocene ramp to a middle Miocene rimmed platform. This change is observable on publicly available seismic data, giving the opportunity to investigate environmental influences on platform evolution. This study combines macroscopic and petrographic descriptions of early Miocene strata cropping out in the Cape Range Anticline (North West Cape, southern end of the North West Shelf) and of time‐equivalent well cuttings from the adjacent, offshore Exmouth Sub‐basin. Particular emphasis is placed on the identification of larger benthic foraminifera at a broad generic level, because differing taxa have a limited range of habitable conditions that serve as environmental proxies. The results show that early Miocene strata are dominantly composed of larger benthic foraminifera with minor coralline algae in the proximal platform, grading to micropackstones in the more distal platform. A ramp margin is inferred from the lithological data on the basis of the lack of framework builders and the presence of open oceanic indicators. Facies shallow upward through individual outcrops, with a proximal to distal trend towards the north‐west. These trends along outcrops are consistent with the seismic interpretations. Identification of taxa with warm, oligotrophic water affinity suggests that the ramp was formed in an oligotrophic and warm ocean, despite the absence of coral reefs. Changes of carbonate facies with depth do not seem to be associated with changes in ramp morphology, and the latter may have been controlled by physical oceanic parameters, such as offshore currents and waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bryozoan–stromatolite associations (bryostromatolites) formed conspicuous reef structures throughout the Sheinwoodian (Wenlock) to Ludfordian (Ludlow) stratigraphy on Gotland but have not been described so far. They are mainly composed of encrusting bryozoans forming a complex intergrowth with porostromate and spongiostromate microbes and are different from the abundant stromatoporoid–coral–algal reefs with respect to their composition. In the bryostromatolite different growth stages can be identified. The observed succession can be taken as evidence for cyclic environmental changes during reef formation. Stenohaline reef‐dwelling organisms, such as echinoderms, sponges, corals and trilobites, indicate fully marine salinities. Ten localities exposing bryostromatolites were discovered. Individual bryostromatolites are small with few decimetres up to one metre in size, and occur solely in shallow marine areas. Common features of these reefs on Gotland are cauliflower‐like growth, a high bryozoan diversity, a high abundance of phosphatic fossils and components such as bryozoan pearls and inarticulate phosphatic brachiopods, enhanced bioerosion, Palaeomicrocodium crusts, vadose silt and gypsum pseudomorphs. The high abundance of Palaeomicrocodium, as well as the alternation with other crust‐forming contributors, suggest that it could have been formed directly at the palaeo‐sea surface, probably in times of minor but high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations. Vadose silt and pseudomorphs after gypsum in reef cavities indicate subaerial exposure shortly after reef growth. The high amount of phosphatic components indicates a high nutrient input, probably by dust. All bryostromatolites were formed in times of strongly elevated δ13C values. The unusual combination of sedimentological and palaeoecological features, as well as their occurrence exclusively during strong positive δ13C excursions, are evidence that the bryostromatolite development responded to climatic/oceanographic changes, which may have played an important role in reef control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild olive represents one of the most iconic woody plants in the Mediterranean Basin. This slow‐growing evergreen tree is characteristic of sclerophyll vegetation, extremely tolerant to drought, salinity and diseases, thus is commonly used as rootstock for grafting cultivated olive varieties. Since 2022, extensive dieback and mortality of wild olive trees have been observed in Sardinia, Italy. Affected plants showed leaf chlorosis, wilting, defoliation, shoot blight and epicormic shoots, often associated with root rot and necroses on the feeder roots, initially associated with Phytophthora bilorbang and P. pseudocryptogea. A 2‐year study was thereafter conducted to clarify the aetiology of this unusual disease. Using a baiting technique, 10 Phytophthora taxa from three phylogenetic clades (2, 6, 8) were isolated from 53 of 87 rhizosphere soil samples collected, including P. asparagi, P. bilorbang, P. crassamura, P. inundata, P. kelmanii, P. oleae, P. pseudocryptogea, P. sansomeana and P. syringae. Additionally, some isolates that showed several polymorphisms in rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences compared with closely related known species are reported here as P. taxon paulensis. Pathogenicity tests on 1‐year‐old wild olive seedlings showed that nine out of 10 Phytophthora taxa significantly reduced root length of inoculated seedlings compared to controls. P. inundata and P. oleae caused the greatest reduction, while root length of seedlings inoculated with P. kelmanii did not differ from the controls. This study provides insights into the role of Phytophthora taxa in the wild olive decline in Sardinia, indicating the urgent need to expand monitoring and implement effective management strategies to mitigate the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appraisal of the volumes of fluid in a carbonate reservoir will typically require a reliable predictive model. This can be achieved by combining studies of well‐exposed carbonate successions with 3D models in order to obtain reliable quantitative data. In this paper, we present a detailed outcrop study and a 3D porosity model of a well‐exposed Oligocene carbonate ramp (Salento Peninsula, southern Italy) to investigate the nature of small‐scale facies and porosity heterogeneities. Porosity and permeability in the ramp carbonates appear to be controlled by the original mineralogy of skeletal components and by depositional textures. The aims of the study were therefore to identify the factors controlling porosity development in an undeformed carbonate ramp; to model the scale‐dependent heterogeneities characteristic of the facies associations; and finally to produce a 3D model of the porosity distribution. The upper Chattian Porto Badisco Calcarenite which crops out along the coast of the Salento Peninsula consists of six lithofacies ranging from inner ramp deposits to fine‐grained outer ramp calcarenites. The lithofacies are: inner ramp small benthic foraminiferal wackestone‐packstones associated with (i) sea grass meadows (SG) and (ii) coral mounds (CM) consisting of coral bioconstructions with a floatstone/packstone matrix; middle ramp (iii) large rotaliid packstones to wackestone‐packstones (LR), (iv) rhodolith floatstone‐rudstones (RF), and (v) large lepidocyclinid packstones (LL); and (vi) outer ramp fine‐grained bioclastic calcarenites (FC). A total of 38 samples collected from six stratigraphic sections (A, B, D, J, E, LO), measured in the Porto Badisco ravine, were investigated to discriminate the types of porosity. Effective and total porosity was measured using a helium pycnometer. The 3D porosity modelling was performed using PETREL™ 2016 software (Schlumberger). Four main types of porosity were recognized in the carbonates: interparticle, intraparticle, vuggy and mouldic. Primary porosity (inter‐ and intraparticle) is limited to middle ramp lithofacies (LL and LR) and outer ramp lithofacies (FC), whereas secondary porosity (vuggy and mouldic) was present in both inner ramp lithofacies (CM and SG) and middle ramp red algal lithofacies (RF). In the Porto Badisco carbonates, stratigraphic complexity and the distribution of primary porosity are controlled by lateral and vertical variations in depositional facies. Significant secondary porosity was produced by the dissolution of aragonitic and high‐magnesium calcite components, which are dominant in the sea‐grass and coral mound facies of the inner ramp and in the rhodolith floatstone‐rudstones of the middle ramp. 3D models were developed for both effective and total porosity distribution. The porosity models show a clear correlation with facies heterogeneities. However of the two models, the effective porosity model shows the best correlation with the 3D facies model, and shows a general increase in effective porosity basinwards in the middle ramp facies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that form extensive submarine meadows in the photic zone where carbonate producing biota dwell as epiphytes on the leaves or as infaunal forms, and act as prolific carbonate sediment factories. Because seagrasses have a low preservation potential and records of exceptionally well‐preserved and plant material from marine settings are rare, these palaeoenvironments are difficult to identify in the rock record. Consequently, sedimentological and palaeontological proxies are the main indicators of the presence of seagrass‐dominated ecosystems. This work investigates the skeletal assemblage of Modern (Maldivian and western Mediterranean) and fossil (Eocene; Apula and Oman carbonate platforms and Oligocene; Malta platform) seagrass examples to characterize the skeletal assemblage of modern and fossil seagrasses. Two main types of grains, calcareous algae and foraminifera, constitute around 50% of the bioclastic sediment in both tropical Maldivian and temperate Mediterranean scenarios. However, in the tropical setting they are represented by green algae (Halimeda), while in the Mediterranean they are represented by corallinacean red algae. In contrast, in the Eocene examples, the foraminifera are the most conspicuous group and the green algae are also abundant. The opposite occurs in the Maltese Chattian, which is dominated by coralline algae (mean 42%), although the foraminifera are still abundant. It is suggested to use the term foralgal to identify the seagrass skeletal assemblage. To discriminate between red algae and green algae dominance, the introduction of the prefixes 'GA' (green algae) and 'RA' (red algae) is proposed. The investigated examples provide evidence that the green algae–foralgal assemblage is typical of tropical, not excessively dense seagrass meadows, characterized by a well‐illuminated substrate to support the development and calcification of the Halimeda thallus. Contrarily, the red algae‐foralgal assemblage is typical of high density tropical to subtropical seagrass meadows which create very dense oligophotic conditions on the sea floor or in temperate settings where Halimeda cannot calcify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of the introduction of the euro on bilateral outflows of tourism among European Monetary Union (EMU) countries in the period 2002–13. Descriptive statistics indicate heterogeneous paths in tourism flows, arising from several potential drivers. In order to analyse this observed heterogeneity, we use the synthetic control method, which does not require a large set of independent variables and allows for the development of separate analyses for each country. Results indicate that the introduction of the euro favoured tourism flows within EMU countries compared to flows between EMU and non‐EMU countries in three (Belgium, Italy, and Spain) out of the 10 considered countries. These findings underline the presence of significant heterogeneity and emphasise the importance of non‐parametric methods in understanding the effect of EMU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drowning of carbonate platforms is a fascinating topic because it may be induced by several concomitant factors. A key setting to investigate carbonate platform drowning is a foreland basin. The Nummulitic Limestone ramp developed in the foreland of the western Alps during the Bartonian, while the Lithothamnion and Bryozoan Limestone ramp deposited in the foreland of the central Apennines between the Burdigalian and Serravallian. The drowning of Nummulitic Limestone is related to the reduction in light for the photo‐dependent biota according to the progressively increasing depth and poor efficiency of aphotic carbonate factory. The drowning of the Lithothamnion and Bryozoan Limestone ramp is attributed to the deterioration of the environmental conditions that predate tectonic subsidence related to the Apennine orogenesis. Eutrophication triggered by upwelling events induced a crisis in the shallow‐water carbonate production, while during the following tectonic subsidence the shallow‐water carbonate factory was definitively inactive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resilience of cooperatives and their positive contribution to employment in times of crisis is well established. However, their overall economic performance relative to conventional firms is still controversial, casting doubt on the ability of this alternative organizational form to govern the fundamental drivers of productivity. To shed new light on the issue, we study the comparative technical efficiency of agricultural cooperatives (ACs) and conventional firms (CFs), drawing on a unique data set comprising all wine‐producing companies in Sardinia (Italy) from 2004 to 2009. Due to the similarity of the habitats in which the firms operate and the careful measurement of several key inputs, the observed units are 'twins' in all non‐organizational respects, providing an ideal setting for comparison. Having generated efficiency scores through Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), we regressed the scores on external covariates and ownership type using a pooled truncated maximum likelihood formulation. Our findings, which survive correction for spatial correlations, indicate that cooperatives are less technically efficient than their capitalist counterparts and struggle more to adapt to extreme weather fluctuations. Both results are particularly worrying in light of the main challenges facing the wine industry in the near future: liberalization of EU planting rights and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper offers an integrated conceptual framework to jointly analyze demand and supply of agritourism firms and aims to identify motivations along with perceptions of externalities that influence the choice of a firm over another. On the supply side, a cluster analysis identifies homogenous groups of agritourism firms. On the demand side, a factor analysis is run on a set of motivations and environmental externalities and a probabilistic model estimates the determinants that influence the likelihood to choose 1 type of firm over the other. The results show that traditional and genuine food, culture, and authenticity are elements that determine the choice of 1 firm over another. A further contribution of this paper is the identification of environmental externalities as determinants of the attractiveness of a firm. From a marketing perspective, linking demand to supply is essential to determine product development strategies capable of satisfying actual and potential customers. Several strategies are proposed to different types of agritourism firms to attract and retain customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, few studies have explored the relationship between tourism inflows and city taxes. This study investigates how the introduction of a city tax impacts on both national and international tourism demand by using the synthetic control method. The case study is based on a panel of Italian municipalities, for the time span 2006-2011. Results from estimations with the synthetic control method show that the introduction of a visitor tax leads to a decline in domestic tourism demand. In contrast, there is no effect on international tourism inflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle Miocene is an important time to understand modern global climate evolution and its consequences on marine systems. The Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (between 17·0 Ma and 13·5 Ma) was the warmest time interval of the past 35 million years during which atmospheric CO2 concentrations were lower than today. In the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum, a significant carbon cycle perturbation occurred, expressed as a last long-term positive carbon isotope shift, known in literature as the Monterey Carbon Isotope Excursion and recorded in open-ocean settings. In this work, the lower to middle Miocene carbon isotope records from three different domains of the Central Mediterranean are analysed with the aim of identifying the local carbonate platform response to the major global carbon cycle perturbation of the Monterey Event. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios have been measured on samples belonging to three different stratigraphic sections, two of them are representative of shallow-water settings (Latium-Abruzzi and Apula platforms), and the latter of a hemipelagic setting (Umbria-Marche Basin). A well-defined Monterey Carbon Isotope Excursion is recorded also in these shallow-water sections. Despite their expected problematic stratigraphic constraints, a reliable age model is provided by calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and strontium isotope stratigraphy. In both of the carbonate platform successions examined, the Monterey Carbon Isotope Excursion coincides with a spread of bryozoans over other carbonate-producing biota. The high productivity of the bryozoan-dominated factory in the aphotic zone had an important control on the platform depositional profile. The high rates of sediment production in the deeper aphotic and oligophotic zones produced a depositional profile of a low-angle ramp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present work is to analyze whether-and to what extent-tourism activity affects urban house price dynamics in Italy. Using a system Generalized Method of Moments ( GMM- SYS) approach and after controlling for socioeconomic characteristics of the local housing markets as well as amenities and disamenities, we test for the effect of tourism by employing a composite index that enables us to capture the complexity of the tourism market. Data consist of yearly observations on the average house prices of 103 Italian cities over the period of 1996-2007. The results confirmed by several robustness checks demonstrate that tourism activity positively affects house prices. In addition, this work provides several first hints that this relationship might not be the same for all types of cities; hence, further developments of the present work should proceed in the direction of searching for different potential regimes through the use of mixture models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work discusses and interprets the factors responsible for the Oligocene-Miocene drowning of the Central Apennine platform deposits, based on facies and stable-isotope analyses of two representative stratigraphic sections. The Mediterranean carbonate platforms were affected during the Oligocene-Miocene boundary by a carbonate production crisis that was induced by global factors and amplified by regional events, such as volcanic activity. The positive δ13C shift observed in the studied sections corresponds to vertical facies changes reflecting the evolution from middle carbonate ramp to outer ramp-hemipelagic depositional environments. This drowning event is recorded not only in the Apennine platforms, but also in other Mediterranean platforms such as in southern Apulia, Sicily and Malta, and outside the Mediterranean Basin. The ~24-23.5 Ma Mi-1 glacial maximum may have had a significant influence on this drowning event because it was associated with high rates of accumulation of continent-derived sediments. The increased continental weathering and runoff sustained high trophic conditions. These probably were a consequence of the Aquitanian-Burdigalian volcanic activity in the Central-Western Mediterranean, that may have led to an increase in nutrient content in seawater and an increase in atmospheric and marine CO2 concentrations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response from Marco Brandano and colleagues to a discussion by Peter A. Gatt of the article "Facies analysis and palaeoenvironmental interpretation of the Late Oligocene Attard Member (Lower Coralline Limestone Formation), Malta" is presented. Gatt says that the Attard Member includes coral biostomes dominated by micrite deposited in shallow marine where rhodoliths are absent. In response, the authors say that no coral biostromes were observed within the measured section outcrops.

Terra Nova, 00, 1–7, 2010 The C-isotope composition of a Miocene carbonate succession from the Latium-Abruzzi sector of the Central Apennines was studied to evaluate the influence of local vs . global factors in changing δ13C. We propose that the Oligo-Miocene igneous activity of the Western Mediterranean and the closure of the Indo-Pacific connection influenced climate change and Mediterranean sea-water circulation. The huge Aquitanian–Burdigalian volcanic activity during the formation of the Ligurian–Provençal Basin, with related increase in atmospheric CO2, may have accelerated weathering and hydrological cycling of nutrient inputs in coastal environments. The closure of the Indo-Pacific connection altered the circulation by changing and reversing the western exchange flow. The existence of warm and seasonally humid climate favoured the development of estuarine circulation, which was to lead to a dramatic increase in productivity in the euphotic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oligocene represents a key interval during which coralline algae became dominant on carbonate ramps and luxuriant coral reefs emerged on a global scale. So far, few studies have considered the impact that these early reefs had on ramp development. Consequently, this study aimed at presenting a high-resolution analysis of the Attard Member of the Lower Coralline Limestone Formation (Late Oligocene, Malta) in order to decipher the internal and external factors controlling the architecture of a typical Late Oligocene platform. Excellent exposures of the Lower Coralline Limestone Formation occurring along continuous outcrops adjacent to the Victoria Lines Fault reveal in detail the three-dimensional distribution of the reef-associated facies. A total of four sedimentary facies have been recognized and are grouped into two depositional environments that correspond to the inner and middle carbonate ramp. The inner ramp was characterized by a very high-energy, shallow-water setting, influenced by tide and wave processes. This setting passed downslope into an inner-ramp depositional environment which was colonized by seagrass and interfingered with adjacent areas containing scattered corals. The middle ramp lithofacies were deposited in the oligophotic zone, the sediments being generated from combined in situ production and sediments swept from the shallower inner ramp by currents. Compositional characteristics and facies distributions of the Attard ramp are more similar to the Miocene ramps than to those of the Eocene. An important factor controlling this similarity may be the expansion of the seagrass colonization within the euphotic zone. This expansion may have commenced in the Late Oligocene and was associated with a concomitant reduction in the aerial extent of the larger benthonic foraminifera facies. Stacking-pattern analysis shows that the depositional units (parasequences) at the study section are arranged into transgressive–regressive facies cycles. This cyclicity is superimposed on the overall regressive phase recorded by the Attard succession. Furthermore, a minor highstand (correlated with the Ru4/Ch1 sequence) and subsequent minor lowstand (Ch2 sequence) have been recognized. The biota assemblages of the Attard Member suggest that carbonate sedimentation took place in subtropical waters and oligotrophic to slightly mesotrophic conditions. The apparent low capacity of corals to form wave-resistant reef structures is considered to have been a significant factor affecting substrate stability at this time. The resulting lack of resistant mid-ramp reef frameworks left this zone exposed to wave and storm activity, thereby encouraging the widespread development of coralline algal associations dominated by rhodoliths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metre-scale siliciclastic–carbonate cycles are the basic depositional motif of the lower Miocene Guadagnolo Formation outcropping in the central Apennines. The mechanisms which formed the mixed-lithology cycles are still a matter of debate. The mixed siliciclastic–carbonate system discussed in this paper provides a new case study to illustrate the role of orbital forcing in controlling the facies evolution and cyclic stacking of small-scale sequences deposited on the outer sector of a ramp. Two sections are discussed that display mixed siliciclastics and carbonates arranged in upward-shallowing cycles. Each cycle shows an upward decrease in the terrigenous input and a parallel increase in benthic fauna. Time-series analyses indicate the cyclic carbonate-terrigenous pattern to be largely controlled by orbital forcing in the Milankovitch frequency band. Coupling of climate change and sea-level fluctuations in tune with orbital cycles are proposed as driving mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of foramol, rhodalgal and bryomol skeletal grain associations in ancient shallow-marine limestones is commonly interpreted as evidence for non-tropical palaeoclimate, despite temperature being only one of several factors influencing skeletal grain associations. Such interpretations neglect the multitude of factors other than temperature that influence carbonate-producing biota. These include nutrients, water energy, water transparency, depth of the sea floor, salinity, oxygen, Ca2+ and CO2 concentrations, Mg/Ca ratio, alkalinity, substrate requirements, competitive displacement as well as biological and evolutionary trends. This uniformitarian approach also disregards the probability that conditions of present-day biological systems may not be representative of past conditions of analogous systems. Here, the importance of considering these other factors is illustrated through two examples of carbonate platforms in the western Mediterranean. These platforms are dominated by foramol, rhodalgal and bryomol associations of Miocene age in spite of having formed in tropical conditions. The platforms discussed are: (1) the Lower Tortonian ramp on Menorca, Balearic Islands; and (2) the Lower–Middle Miocene ramps of the central Apennines, Italy. Evidence for tropical conditions in the Mediterranean during the period of growth of these platforms is provided by species of red algae and larger foraminifera, by data from coeval continental basins and by global oxygen isotope data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In the western part of the central Apennines, Lower–Middle Miocene carbonates were deposited on a tropical–subtropical carbonate ramp. They record two long-term cycles, the first of which is illustrated in this paper. Between 21 and 17.5 Ma, Miocene carbonates, paraconformably overlying the Cretaceous limestones, record a transgressive event during a time of global (2nd order) sea-level lowstand. It is postulated that this deviation is related to an increase in tectonic subsidence. Between 17.5 Ma and 16–15 Ma, with a progressive relative sea-level rise, the inner–middle ramp facies belt stepped back, whereas the bryozoan-dominated outer ramp facies belt stepped back but simultaneously prograded. This bloom of suspension-feeding organisms is interpreted to reflect an increased nutrient availability, hence a change from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions. Strontium-isotope dates constrain correlation of the second phase with a eutrophic event possibly linked to the influence of the neighbouring Apenninic accretionary wedge and foredeep system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]