Description: We present the distribution pattern of living and surface sediment coccolithophores, the main phytoplankton calcifying group, from 22 stations set in a neritic environment (from 10 to 50 m water depth), adjacent to the shelf area of the Volturno River mouth (Gulf of Gaeta - central part of the Tyrrhenian Sea). The survey conducted in June 2012 included five transects perpendicular to the coast, which enabled us to provide indications on the structure of calcareous phytoplankton associations in relation to coastal dynamics and the Volturno River runoff. The total number of coccospheres ranged from 15 to 64 * 10**3/l coccolithophores. Emiliania huxleyi dominates the assemblages, followed by Rhabdosphaera xiphos, holococcolithophores and Syracosphaera pulchra. The coccolithophore community shows a typical vertical zonation, with K-strategist taxa in the upper 15 m and the deep community developed down to 40 m. The local water circulation significantly affects the spatial and vertical distribution of coccolithophores. The river discharge influences the distribution of coccolithophore taxa, resulting in a north-south gradient. In the northern sector, outside the influence of the Volturno River, the high values of R. xiphos suggest a negative correlation with river runoff. The surface sediment assemblages reflect the overall composition of the living coccolithophore communities. The distribution of abundant reworked species, both in water and sediment, provides useful information about coastal dynamics and sediment transport in the study area.

Description: Planktonic foraminiferal assemblages were studied at high-resolution in core KC01B from the Ionian Sea. Quantitative analysis allowed us to distinguish the main climatic features and associated paleoceanographic changes, that occurred between Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS) 13 and 9 (~500-300 ka). MIS 12 and MIS 10 are characterized by relatively temperate conditions and an oligotrophic oceanographic regime in the early part and by colder conditions and nutrient supply in the sub-surface water masses in the upper part. During these intervals, small but distinct peaks of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sinistral (sin) are detected at times of extremely negative values of the planktonic foraminifera paleoclimatic curve. Their co-occurrence with similar episodes in the Atlantic suggests that the climate in the Central Mediterranean was associated with north-Atlantic millennial-scale climate instability. MIS 11 and MIS 9 are dominated by surficial warm-water taxa. The climate optimum is reached in the middle part of each of these stages, as denoted by the presence of Globigerinoides sacculifer, and persists for approximately 20 and 6 ka during MIS 11 and MIS 9 respectively. This warming is not constant but is characterized by three distinct intervals with elevated winter temperatures and/or weak winter mixing. Distribution of Globigerina bulloides, Turborotalita quinqueloba and N. pachyderma dextral (dex) indicates that significant environmental changes occur across the transitions from glacial to interglacial MIS 12/MIS 11 (Termination V) and MIS 10/MIS 9 (Termination IV). The studied record documents a close linkage between Mediterranean climate evolution and higher- and lower-latitude climate change throughout MIS 13-9.