Stratigraphic Paleobiology and Historical Ecology of Po Basin

该项目的重点是波河三角洲（亚得里亚海）的地质历史。由于过去12.5万年来海平面的变化，亚得里亚海先是收缩，然后扩张。因此，Po三角洲向近海迁移了近300公里，然后又退回到目前的位置。本项目将研究这些长期变化如何影响三角洲。记录沿海地区如何应对过去的气候变化很重要，因为海岸线对当前的环境变化特别敏感。就Po Plain而言，其多样化的海洋生物已经在减少，其农业财富正受到威胁。像威尼斯这样的历史名城也处于危险之中。通过使用Po Delta作为沿海应对环境变化的典范，该项目还将作为K-12活动，公共宣传以及本科生和研究生培训的平台。该项目将在佛罗里达自然历史博物馆举办公开展览，并促进佛罗里达大学和博洛尼亚大学之间的国际合作。在亚得里亚海下钻探的112个沉积物岩心将用于重建波河三角洲的地质和生态历史。岩心沉积物数据将用于描述三角洲的内部结构。这些岩心还应该产生大约1000个海洋化石样本。此外，还将采用地球化学方法对400个软体动物标本进行数字测年。将采用多变量分析和计算机模型来探索所得数据。这些分析将有助于检验关于不同气候状况下河流三角洲的发展以及海洋生态系统对环境变化的长期反应的假设。

The focus of this project is the geologic history of Po River Delta (Adriatic Sea). Due to changes in sea level that took place over the last 125 thousand years, the Adriatic Sea first contracted and then expanded. Consequently, Po Delta migrated offshore by almost 300 km and then retreated back to its current location. This project will examine how these long-term changes impacted the delta. Documenting how coastal zones responded to past climate shifts is important because coastlines are particularly sensitive to current environmental changes. In the case of Po Plain, its diverse marine life is already in decline and its agricultural wealth is under threat. The local historical cities such as Venice are at risk as well. By using Po Delta as a model example for coastal responses to environmental changes, the project will also serve as a platform for K-12 activities, public outreach, and undergraduate and post-graduate training. The project will result in a public exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History and foster international partnership between University of Florida and University of Bologna.A total of 112 sediment cores drilled under the Adriatic Sea will be used to reconstruct the geologic and ecologic history of Po Delta. The core sediment data will be used to describe the internal architecture of the delta. The cores should also produce ~1000 samples of marine fossils. In addition, geochemical methods will be employed to numerically date 400 mollusk specimens. Multivariate analyses and computer models will be applied to explore the resulting data. These analyses will allow for testing hypotheses regarding the development of river deltas under different climate regimes and long-term responses of marine ecosystems to environmental changes.