Demersal assemblages and depth distribution of elasmobrachs from the continental shelf and slope off the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean)

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Organic matter composition of the continental shelf and bathyal sediments of the Cretan Sea (NE Mediterranean)

The seasonal, spatial and bathymetric changes in the distribution of chloroplastic pigments (Chl a, phaeopigments and CPE), TOC, TON, ATP, bottom water nutrient content and the main biochemical classes of organic compounds (lipids, proteins and carbohydrates) were recorded from May 1994 to September 1995 over the continental margin of northern Crete. The concentration of chloroplastic pigment equivalents (CPE) was always low, dropping dramatically along the shelf-slope gradient. Microbial activity (ATP) also dropped sharply beyond the continental shelf following a distribution pattern similar to TOC and TON. Lipid, protein and carbohydrate concentrations, as well as biopolymeric carbon were comparable to those reported for other more productive areas, however, the quality of the organic matter itself was rather poor. Thus, carbohydrates, the dominant biochemical class, were characterised by being highly (80–99%) refractory, as soluble carbohydrates represented (on annual average) only 6% of the total carbohydrate pool. Protein and lipid concentrations strongly decreased with depth, indicating depletion of trophic resources in the bathyal zone. Proteins appeared to be the more degradable compounds and indeed the protein to carbohydrate ratios were found to decrease strongly in the deeper stations. Organic matter content and quality decreased both with increasing distance from the coast and within the sediment. All sedimentary organic compounds were found to vary between sampling periods, with the changes being more pronounced over the continental shelf. The different temporal patterns of the various components suggest a different composition and/or origin of the OM inputs during the different sampling periods. The amount of material reaching the sediments below 540 m is extremely low, suggesting that most of the organic material is decomposed and/or utilised before reaching the sea floor. In conclusion, the continental shelf and bathyal sediments of the Cretan Sea can be considered, from a trophic point of view, as two different subsystems.     

Heterotrophic bacterial production in the Cretan Sea (NE Mediterranean)

In March and September 1995, bacterial production was measured by the ³H-leucine method in the oligotrophic Cretan Sea (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean) in the framework of the CINCS/MTP program. Samples were obtained from four stations (a coastal, a continental shelf and 2 open-sea stations) for the construction of vertical profiles of bacterial abundance and production. Bacterial production ranged from 0.1 μg C m⁻³ h⁻¹ at 1500 m depth, to 82 μg C m⁻³ h⁻¹ in March at 50 m at the coastal station. Higher bacterial integrated production was observed in March at the coastal station (131 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ for the 0–100 m layer). Bacterial production, integrated through the water-column, was similar in March and September for the open-sea stations (60–70 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹). Relative to production, bacterial concentrations varied little between stations and seasons ranging from 9×10⁵ ml⁻¹ to 3×10⁵ ml⁻¹. Relationships between bacterial biomass and bacterial production indicated seasonal differences, likely reflecting resource limitation of bacterial biomass in March (bloom situation), and predator limitation of bacterial biomass in September (post-bloom situation).     

Sedimentological processes in the southern margin of the Cretan Sea (NE Mediterranean)

The Cretan Basin can be characterized as a back-arc basin of the Hellenic Trench System, that is related to the subduction zone of the African Plate under the Eurasia Plate. The study area includes the narrow and relatively steep (gradient 1.5°) continental shelf of the island of Crete followed by the steep slope (2°–4°) and the rather flat deeper part of the Cretan basin (water depths >1700 m).Surficial sediments of the coastal zone are coarser and of terrigenous origin, while in deeper waters finer sediments, of biogenic origin, are more abundant. Sand-sized calcareous sediment accumulations, identified in middle-lower slope, may be attributed to the aggregation of seabed biogenic material related to the near bed current activity.High resolution profiles (3.5 kHz) taken from the inner shelf shows a typical sigmoid-oblique progradational configuration, implying prodelta sediment accumulation during the Holocene. In the upper-middle slope, sub-bottom reflectors indicate continuous sedimentation of alternating fine and/or coarse grained material. Small-scale gravity induced synsedimentary faults appeared, locally. In contrast, a series of gravity induced faults, identified in the lower slope, are associated with sediment instabilities due to seismotectonic activity. Sediment cores taken from the shelf-break consists of calcareous muddy sand with small amounts of terrigenous silt and fine sand, while the cores recovered from the middle slope has revealed a more homogeneous fine sediment texture of hemipelagic deposition.The prevailing accumulation processes in the southern margin of the Cretan basin are: (i) prodelta deposition in the inner-middle shelf; (ii) settling from bottom nepheloid layers in the shelf and upper slope; (iii) calcareous sediment formation due to settling from suspension and post accumulation aggregation (middle-lower slope); (iv) long-term episodic sediment gravity processes in the lower slope; and (v) to a lesser extent, redeposition from resuspension due to gravity processes and bottom currents.     

Demersal fish assemblages off the Seine and Sedlo seamounts (northeast Atlantic)

Seamounts are thought to support special biological communities, and often maintain high standing stocks of demersal and benthopelagic fishes. Seamount fish fauna have been described in several studies but few works have included species taken below 600 m. The demersal fish assemblages of the Seine and Sedlo seamounts (northeast Atlantic) from the summits to 2000 m depth were investigated based on longline survey catch data, conducted as part of the OASIS project. A total of 41 fish species from 24 families were caught at Seine near Madeira, and 30 species from 19 families were caught at Sedlo north of the Azores. Both fish faunas have high affinities with the neighbouring areas of the Azores, Madeira and with the eastern North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Overall abundances and mean body weights were slightly higher at Sedlo seamount, appearing in conformity with the latitudinal effect of increasing species abundance and productivity from south to north. The differential influence of the Mediterranean Water at each seamount may contribute to explain (a) the differences found in vertical distribution of common species, which tend to distribute deeper at Seine, and (b) the observed changes in the species composition and dominance in deeper waters. Multivariate analysis revealed a vertical structure that is approximately coincident with the expected zonation of water masses at each seamount. Physiological tolerance to the prevailing vertical hydrological conditions may explain the species distribution and the large-scale vertical assemblage structure found. However, further ecological factors like productivity patterns affecting the amount and quality of the available food appear to shape the abundance, diversity or dominance patterns of functional groups within those main assemblages. At Seine, the species Trachurus picturatus dominated the catches, mainly at the shallower edge of the plateau, appearing consistent with the sound-scattering layer interception hypothesis [Isaacs, J.D., Schwartzlose, R.A., 1965. Migrant sound scatterers: interaction with the sea floor. Science 150, 1810–1813]. At both seamounts mesopelagic feeders (e.g., Beryx splendens) dominate the upper-slope assemblages (<800 m), while the mid-slope assemblages (800–1200/1300 m) and the lower-slope assemblages (>1300 m) were dominated by squaliform species (e.g., Centrophorus squamosus, Centroscymnus coelolepis, Etmopterus princeps) along with Mora moro or the Antimora rostrata. The lower abundance of C. squamosus observed at Seine may be a result of the fishing activities in the area, since the species is an important by-catch of the black-scabbard fish fishery in the Madeira archipelago. The slightly higher predominance of scavenger species at Seine in deeper assemblages may be the result of an ecological response favouring this functional group in lower productivity regimes. Especially relevant was the record of large reproductive aggregations of B. splendens and Epigonus telescopus found at the edge of the Sedlo plateau.     

Downward fluxes of settling particles in the deep Cretan Sea (NE Mediterranean)

During the CINCS project (Pelagic–benthic Coupling IN the oligotrophic Cretan Sea—NE Mediterranean), a single mooring with two sediment traps (at 200 and 1515m water depth) and two current meters was deployed in the southern Cretan Sea margin at a depth of 1550 m. A second mooring deployed at the 500 m station was lost, as a result of fishing activities. The duration of the study was 12 months (November 1994 to November 1995) with sampling intervals of 15 or 16 days. The traps were retrieved, serviced and the sedimented material was collected every 6 months. In total, 48 samples were collected (24 from each trap) throughout the study period and fluxes of total particulate mass, opal, organic matter, carbonates, and lithogenic component were measured. Natural radionuclides (²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb) were determined for all trap samples. Total mass flux and the fluxes of four major constituents increased with depth, the total mass flux reaching values of nearly 550 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ at 1515 m and 187 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ at 200 m depth, following the same patterns observed in other experiments (ECOMARGE, SEEP-I, SEEP-II). The mean annual mass fluxes were 209 and 49.8 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ at the near bottom and near surface trap respectively. This suggests that lateral transport of particulate matter is of importance in the area. Total mass fluxes at the two depths were characterized by different seasonal fluctuations, although a general decreasing trend was observed from the I (winter) to the II (summer) deployment at both depths. This was mainly a result of reductions in aluminosilicate inputs during the summer dry period. At 200 m depth carbonates were more important during winter, because of a large carbonate input consisting mainly of coccoliths of Emiliania huxleyi, while during the summer decreased fluxes of carbonates and aluminosilicates resulted in a reduction of the mass flux. In contrast, at 1515 m depth the lithogenic component was the dominant component during the winter deployment, indicating a terrigenous input. During the summer period the decrease in mass flux was strongly effected by the decrease in aluminosilicates. There was a diminution in the organic carbon content with a concomitant increase in total mass flux, which, together with the almost negligible increase in the annual ²¹⁰Pb activity with depth and the increase of ²¹⁰Po activity with depth could be interpreted as indicating a contribution of resuspended material to the input at 1515 m. The complex mesoscale circulation of the Cretan Sea, consisting of a cyclone (east)–anticyclone (west) system, controls particle transfer in the area. This hydrodynamic system seems to move water masses towards the southern Cretan Sea margin, and consequently carry materials from the open sea to the upper slope and shelf.     

Benthic megafaunal and demersal fish assemblages on the Chilean continental margin: The influence of the oxygen minimum zone on bathymetric distribution

Benthic megafaunal and demersal fish assemblages were sampled in three areas off Chile during the German–Chilean Expedition PUCK (SO-156) onboard the R/V Sonne from March to May 2001, at depths ranging from 120 to 2201 m. These samples, taken with an Agassiz trawl, are among the deepest ever taken in Chilean waters. A total of 147 species were recorded, mainly decapod crustaceans (Galatheidae, Pandalidae, Crangonidae), gastropods (Trochidae, Muricidae, Volutidae), ophiuroids (Asteronychidae, Gorgonocephalidae, Ophiolepididae, Ophiurinae), asteroids (Pterasteridae, Solasteridae, Goniopectinidae), polychaetes (Onuphidae, Aphroditidae, Maldanidae), and demersal fish (Macrouridae, Ipnopidae, Squalidae). Species richness and rarefaction analyses suggest that the fauna was undersampled. From the 147 species identified in this study, 36 species (24.5%) occurred only once and another 24 species occurred only twice (16.3%). Depth and dissolved oxygen levels were found to be the main factors influencing megafaunal changes along the continental shelf and in bathyal areas, as indicated by principal component and Pearson's correlation analyses. Some species appear to be limited to distinct areas in the upper and lower bathyal zones, whereas other species have a wider range, extending from the continental shelf to lower bathyal zones. Biogeographic relations exist with the Pacific, South Atlantic, and Southern Oceans, but the latter seem to be weaker than would be expected considering the connection by Antarctic intermediate water.     

Bacterial response to seasonal changes in labile organic matter composition on the continental shelf and bathyal sediments of the Cretan Sea

Bacterial abundance, biomass and cell size were studied in the oligotrophic sediments of the Cretan Sea (Eastern Mediterranean), in order to investigate their response to the seasonal varying organic matter (OM) inputs. Sediment samples were collected on a seasonal basis along a transect of seven stations (ranging from 40 to 1570 m depth) using a multiple-corer. Bacterial parameters were related to changes in chloroplastic pigment equivalents (CPE), the biochemical composition (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) of the sedimentary organic matter and the OM flux measured at a fixed station over the deep basin (1570 m depth). The sediments of the Cretan Sea represent a nutrient depleted ecosystem characterised by a poor quality organic matter. All sedimentary organic compounds were found to vary seasonally, and changes were more evident on the continental shelf than in deeper sediments. Bacterial abundance and biomass in the sediments of the Cretan Sea (ranging from 1.02 to 4.59 × 10⁸ cells g⁻¹ equivalent to 8.7 and 38.7 μgC g⁻¹) were quite high and their distribution appeared to be closely related to the input of fresh organic material. Bacterial abundance and biomass were sensitive to changes in nutrient availability, which also controls the average cell size and the frequency of dividing cells. Bacterial abundance increased up to 3-fold between August '94 and February '95 in response to the increased amount of sedimentary proteins and CPE, indicating that benthic bacteria were constrained more by changes in quality rather than the quantity of the sedimentary organic material. Bacterial responses to the food inputs were clearly detectable down to 10 cm depth. The distribution of labile organic compounds in the sediments appeared to influence the vertical patterns of bacterial abundance and biomass. Cell size decreased significantly with water depth. Bacterial abundance and biomass were characterised by clear seasonal changes in response to seasonal OM pulses. The strong coupling between protein flux and bacterial biomass together with the strong bacterial dominance over the total biomass suggest that the major part of the carbon flow was channelled through the bacteria and the benthic microbial loop.     

Movement of sediment on the Gulf of Mexico,continental slope and upper continental shelf

Abstract

Grain size, coarse fraction analyses, and depositional environment as interpreted from microfauna are related to the character of sparker reflections at the location of core holes drilled by Exxon, Chevron, Gulf, and Mobil on the continental slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Continuous sparker reflections are correlated with slowly deposited, evenly bedded sediments containing bathyal faunas. The coarse fraction is dominated by the tests of foraminifera. Discontinuous, discordant reflections and diffractions are correlated with sediments more rapidly emplaced in the bathyal environment of the continental slope by slumping and sliding from the continental shelf. Their coarse fraction is dominated by terrigenous sand grains. A large portion of the volume of continental slope sediments appears to consist of these “displaced”; sediments, including an area 3–24 km wide and 80 km long, southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. Comparable processes of movement of sediments are interpreted on the continental shelf south of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River. Bathymetry in this area is characterized by a series of subaqueous “gullies”; radiating from the river mouth and leading to terraces at their southern extremities. Side‐scan sonar and PDR surveys show a rough bottom in these “gullies”; and terraces, as contrasted with a relatively smooth bottom elsewhere. The rough bottom is interpreted as indicative of slump and creep of the sediments from shallower water. Some foundation soil borings in this area south of Southwest Pass find a low‐strength material gradually increasing in strength with depth. Other borings find a “crust”; of anomalously strong material 8–15 m below the mudline. The microfauna recovered from the “crust”; has moved to its present position by slump or creep from shallower water along a pattern comparable to the gullies shown in the present‐day bathymetry.     

Abundance,biomass and species composition of nearshore fish assemblages in Ghana,West Africa

Many of the world's fish populations are overexploited, including Ghana's fish resources. This study examines spatio-temporal trends in fish species composition in relation to biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors, towards achieving better-informed management of the beach-seine fisheries. Fishery-dependent data were collected between November 1999 and October 2001 from 94 beach-seine hauls fished at two stations along the Ghanaian coast. The catch consisted of fish, crustaceans, other invertebrates, and macroalgae. Generally, juveniles of species that are exploited by offshore fisheries were found in the catches. Species abundance and their occurrence generally peaked between November and January. Duration of solar radiation and tide level appeared to be important predictors of fish biomass. It is important to exploit the nearshore fish assemblage sustainably because of its nursery role. A co-managed (fishers and government) three-month ban on beach-seining (between May and July) is recommended as the most appropriate control measure towards the sustainability of Ghanaian fish stocks.     

Macrobenthic polychaete assemblages of the continental shelf and upper slope off the west coast of the South Island,New Zealand

Polychaete assemblages are described from replicate box‐core samples collected in summer 1983 at 18 stations on the continental shelf and upper slope (28–943 m) off the west coast of the South Island, New Zealand, south‐eastern Tasman Sea (c. 41–43°S, 169–172°E). Three main station groupings were identified by multivariate analysis: (1) inner shelf sandy stations characterised by Prionospio australiensis, Aricidea (Acesta) sp., Magelona cf. dakini, Paraprionospio aff. pinnata, Aglaophamus sp., Heteromastus filiformis, and Magelona sp.; (2) middle to outer shelf muddy stations characterised by Levinsenia cf. gracilis, Prionospio australiensis, Paraprionospio coora, Aglaophamus verrilli, and Auchenoplax mesos; and (3) upper slope sandy mud or mud stations characterised by Prionospio ehlersi. A combination of water depth and sediment clay content provided the best correlation with the biotic pattern. Spionidae was the most abundant family (49% of polychaete individuals), which may reflect the scope for opportunistic species in a shelf environment characterised by a high input of terrigenous sediment and episodic upwelling.     

Macrobenthic community structure over the continental margin of Crete (South Aegean Sea, NE Mediterranean)

Macrobenthic faunal composition, abundance, biomass and diversity together with a suite of sedimentary environmental parameters were investigated on a seasonal basis in order to determine factors regulating faunal distribution over the oligotrophic continental margin of the island of Crete (South Aegean Sea, North Eastern Mediterranean). Macrofaunal species composition was similar to that of the western Mediterranean and the neighboring Atlantic having several common dominant species. Mean benthic biomass, abundance and diversity decreased with depth, with a major transition zone occurring at 540 m, beyond which values declined sharply. At comparable depths biomass and abundance values were considerably lower to those found in the Atlantic, high-lighting the extreme oligotrophy of the area. The continental margin of Crete was characterised by a high diversity upper continental shelf environment (dominated by surface deposit feeding polychaetes) and a very low diversity slope and deep-basin environment (dominated by carnivorous and filter feeding polychaetes). Classification and ordination analyses revealed the existence of four principle clusters divided by a faunal boundary between 200 and 540 m, as well as beyond 940 m depth. Significant correlations between macrofauna and sediment parameters led to the conclusion that besides depth, food availability (as manifested by the concentration of chloroplastic pigments) is the principle regulating factor in the system. Such being the case, the prevailing hydrographic features that structure the pelagic food web and are directly responsible for the propagation of organic matter to the benthos also affect its community structure.     

Sediments on the continental shelf and slope between Napier and castlepoint,New Zealand

Sediments from the seabed off the eastern side of the North Island, New Zealand, are divided into 12 facies on the basis of grain size and mineralogy of the sand fraction. The facies are grouped into three types; modern detrital sediments, relict detrital sediments, and non‐detrital sediments. The sediments are described in terms of a modified Wentworth grain‐size scale and a modified Folk sediment classification.

The modern detrital sediments range from fine sand near the shore to clayey fine silt on the lower slope. At most places they are bimodal, probably because floes and single grains are deposited together. The relict detrital sediments, which include sands and gravels, occur where deposition is slow on the inner continental shelf and near the shelf edge. Those near the shelf edge include Last Glacial sandy muds that have been winnowed and mixed with Holocene volcanic ash and glauconite. The non‐detrital sediments, which contain forarninifera, volcanic ash, and glauconite, but no detrital sand, occur on anticlinal ridges on the continental slope. In places they overlie muddier sediment deposited during the last glaciation when the sources of river‐borne detritus were nearer than at present and when mud was deposited more rapidly on the ridges than at present.     

Summer larval fish assemblages in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea)

The purpose of this paper was to study the community structure, in terms of species composition, abundance and spatial distribution, of fish larvae in a wide coastal area of Sicily facing the Southeastern Tyrrhenian Sea, extending for 2300 km² from Cape Cefalù to the west, to Cape Rasocolmo in the east. This study analyses how species are assembled in relation to an inshore–offshore gradient and also how environmental conditions, determined by surface circulation patterns occurring in the Central Mediterranean at the local scale, determine the distribution patterns. Samples from 39 stations were collected using a 60‐cm Bongo net during an ichthyoplanktonic survey carried out in June 2006. In all, 62 taxa, representing 32 families, were identified. Cyclothone braueri (59.6%), Engraulis encrasicolus (9.2%) Lampanyctus crocodilus (4.3%) and Lampanyctus pusillus (4.1%) were the most abundant species. The results showed that the highest abundance value (14830.6 fish larvae per 10 m² sea surface) was observed in the western part of the study area. MDS, SIMPER and CCA analyses revealed well defined groups of stations and assemblages of larvae in accordance with an inshore–offshore gradient. The results of this study could have implications for the management of marine resources because the investigated area has already been identified as a nursery area for many pelagic and coastal fishes and a natural habitat for many species of high commercial interest.     

Deep-sea suprabenthos assemblages (Crustacea) off the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean): Mesoscale variability in diversity and production

The composition of suprabenthic crustacean assemblages, their diversity, production (P) and production/biomass (P/B) ratios, were analyzed at species level along two transects situated to the north (N) and south (S) of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean) at depths between 134 m and 760 m, based on a ca. bi-monthly sampling performed between August 2003 and June 2004. Differences with depth and season in assemblage composition and diversity were analyzed as a function of the contrasting environmental features (e.g. water mass dynamics) of the two areas. We identified 187 species (18 decapods, 5 euphausiids, 16 mysids, 76 gammaridean amphipods, 13 hyperiids, 1 caprellid, 21 isopods and 37 cumaceans). Substantial mesoscale variability in the deep-sea suprabenthic assemblages coupled with diversity trends between the N and S transects were found. Seasonality was the most important gradient influencing the dynamics of suprabenthos over the upper (350 m) and middle (650–750 m) slope in the N area. Conversely, the S area appeared to be more stable temporally with depth as the main gradient inducing assemblage differences. Different depth-related patterns were observed both for diversity and P/B. To the north diversity was very low at the shelf-break, increasing on the upper-slope (H′ > 3.00) and then decreasing again on the middle-slope. To the south diversity increased smoothly downward, reaching the highest values on the middle-slope. Regarding productivity, P/B was highest at intermediate depths to the north (over ca. 450–500 m), while to the south highest P/Bs were found deeper (over ca. 600–650 m). The higher P/B at intermediate depths found along N are likely due to higher % of organic matter (OM) in sediments, a product of oceanographic frontal systems. In particular, P/B was higher along N among omnivores and detritus feeders (e.g. Andaniexis mimonectes, Lepechinella manco and combined cumaceans), coupled to enriched OM in sediments, while along S mesoplanktonic carnivores (Rhachotropis spp.) had higher P/Bs. We conclude that on the north slope the influence of frontal systems and more active flow dynamics of different water masses (WIW and LIW) increases natural disturbance in the area, increasing productivity and diversity of suprabenthic peracarids in the Benthic Boundary Layer. Also, species showed a displacement of their average distributions (their Centres of Gravity, CoG) to shallower depths along N, which is another indicator of more favorable habitat conditions for suprabenthos in the 400–500 m range at N.     

Seismostratigraphy and sedimentation environment on the shelf and continental slope of Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan)

The results of a single channel seismic reflection survey and of a micropaleontological examination of diatom remains in bottom sediment samples on the shelf and continental slope of the Peter the Great Bay area are presented. The composition and age of the sedimentary layer were studied using integrated seismic, micropaleontological and geological data. The continental slope was formed not later than at the beginning of the Early Miocene. The slope is covered with Middle Miocene-Pliocene sediments. The sedimentary thickness on most of the slope is 0.2–0.4 s. The maximum thickness (0.8–1.0 s) is observed within the areas of submarine canyons and valleys. The thickness of the Early Miocene-Pliocene sediments on the shelf is 0.2–0.4 s. On the shelf break and in a southwest-trending trough of the acoustic basement, it increases up to 1.0 s. Two uncomformities were identified in the sediments of the shelf area. The proposed age of the upper uncomformity is 10.0–8.5 My B.P.; it represents the result of a global sea level fall. The age of the lower uncomformity is unknown.     

Quaternary sea-level change and sedimentation on the continental shelf and slope of Antibes,French Riviera

Thin Quaternary sediments overlie Neogene bedrock on the shelf off Antibes, southeastern France. Sparker seismic profiles show shelf break progradation at 110 m water depth, immediately below the most recent postglacial transgression. An older progradational event at the same depth correlates with the top of an acoustically, well-stratified sequence on the slope dated at 29.6 ka. Cores show the post-glacial transgressive surface overlain by shelly sands (dated at 12.7 ka at 85m) and several meters of mud. At the present, the seabed consists of an ephemeral cover of fine sand. The data set on sea-level rise complements data recently obtained on land on the Holocene transgression.