Joan J. Fornós

TL;DR: In this paper, cliff-front anchored and sand-ramp aeolian dune accumulations in Cala Xuclar, Eivissa (Ibiza), Western Mediterranean, during different sea level falling stages from Middle to Late Pleistocene times were investigated.

TL;DR: Radon concentrations differed markedly from one cave to another, as well as within the same cave, ranging from below detection limit up to 3060 Bq·m(-3).

Abstract: catalaLa Cova des Coll (Felanitx) presenta a l’actualitat un recorregut de 7.020 m totals, dels quals 5.529 m son subaquatics. Compta amb dues entrades naturals i dos pous artificials que connecten amb la cova. Una de les entrades comunica amb la mar i l’altra es localitza a l’interior. Un sector de la cavitat esta situat sota el nucli urba de Portocolom. La principal caracteristica que destaca de la morfologia de la cavitat es l’absencia quasi total d’espeleotemes, a causa dels efectes de la corrosio de les aigues i la gran abundancia de morfologies de corrosio, de les quals presentam un cataleg de formes. Sembla que la destruccio de les formacions litoquimiques ha seguit un gradient de transicio de la mar cap a l’interior i de dalt a baix. Els sediments de la cova des Coll presenten dues clares unitats diferenciades tant per la seva coloracio com pel seu contingut mineralogic. Una superior, de composicio principalment carbonatada on la calcita es dominant i amb coloracions clares, i una inferior, on la presencia dels components silicics es la caracteristica principal juntament amb la seva tonalitat vermellosa. Encara que hi ha importants diferencies al llarg de la cavitat, especialment entre els sectors propers a la mar, a on falta la capa superior, i els mes interiors. Estan formats per llims mes o menys arenosos i amb elevades quantitats d’argiles. A part d’aquestes acumulacions que podem considerar subactuals, a molts indrets de la cavitat s’han observat acumulacions argiloses adossades a les parets, amb senyals d’erosio, que representarien etapes anteriors de rebliment en condicions ambientals diferents de les actuals. Els perfils de salinitat i temperatura de les columnes d’aigua mostren 4 franges ben diferenciades. La comunicacio directa amb la mar determina corrents que distorsionen el perfil tipic, exceptuant les cotes de major profunditat, poc afectades per les masses d’aigua superiors en moviment quan penetren o surten del sistema carstic per diferencies barometriques amb la mar. S’ha observat sota les aigues, un important flux d’aigua que ascendeix per la paret d’una sala interior per diferencia de densitats cap a la superficie de la columna hidrica. La distribucio faunistica ha estat estudiada als distints sectors de la cavitat i per preferencies de salinitat. S’han censat 15 especies d’invertebrats no artropodes, amb la distribucio condicionada especialment per la distancia a la mar. S’han classificat 7 esponges, de les quals cal destacar 3 cites noves per al litoral espanyol, que son les seguents especies: Plakina dilopha, Suberites carnosus (Johnston) var. flavus Topsent, 1900 i Amorphinopsis pallescens, si no es tracta d’una especie nova, aquesta es la segona cita de l’especie en el Mediterrani. Les esponges presenten les espicules robustes, el que indica una disponibilitat de silice important. Els estudis efectuats evidencien que la font d’obtencio son els sediments. Dels dos poliquets determinats Bispira viola constitueix la primera cita a la Peninsula Iberica i a les Balears. S’han citat 29 especies de crustacis, 6 d’elles, corresponen a copepodes harpacticoides i a un ostracode, no s’han determinat. La resta pertanyen a grups tan diversos com leptostracis, decapodes, amfipodes, isopodes, misidacis, termosbenacis i copepodes calanoids, misofrioids i ciclopoids. Un 61% de les especies son estigobionts, es a dir, habitants exclusius del medi aquatic subterrani; la resta son especies marines litorals, tipiques d’habitats creviculars o suprabentics, i que per tant es troben preadaptades a la vida en les cavernes, o son propies del plancton mari de badies i ports. Quatre de les especies trobades son noves per a la Ciencia, i es troben en curs de descripcio formal; dues d’elles, no es coneixen fins ara enlloc mes del mon que a la cova des Coll. Nou de les especies son endemiques de les Balears. De l’estudi aprofundit en el coneixement d’aquesta cavitat se’n despren que son necessaries i urgents establir mesures efectives de proteccio que permetin conservar aquest patrimoni natural i cultural vulnerable. EnglishThe Cova des Coll (Felanitx) has a current survey length of 7,020 m, of which 5,529 m are subaquatic. The cave has two natural entrances and two artificial wells also connect with it. One of the natural entrances connects with the bay of Portocolom and the other is inland. Part of the cave lies below an urbanised area of Portocolom. The principal characteristic which highlights the geomorphology of the cave is the almost complete absence of speleothems due to the corrosive effects of the water and the large abundance of corrosion morphologies, which we have catalogued by form. It appears that the level of destruction of speleothems decreases moving inland and moving downward. The sediments of the Cova des Coll have two clearly definable units identifiable both by colour and by mineral content: an upper layer whose composition is mainly carbonate where calcite dominates and its colour is lighter and a lower one where silicic components are its principal characteristic along with its reddish tone. There are important differences moving through the cave, especially between the sections closer to the sea, which lack the upper layer, and those more inland, which are formed by more or less sandy mud with high levels of clays. In addition to these accumulations which can be considered as being earlier, red muddy accumulations have been seen on the walls in many places, which show signs of erosion and which represent earlier stages of in-filling during different environmental conditions to those now. The water-column profiles of salinity and temperature have four well-defined bands. The directness of communication with the bay determines the currents which distort the typical profile, except at greater depths. These depths are less effected by mass movements of water into and out of the cave as the bay level changes with barometric changes. An important flow of water in the interior chambers has been observed, where the water rises up the chamber walls owing to the different densities toward the surface of the water column. The faunal distribution, including salinity preferences, has been studied in the different sections of the cave. 15 species of non-arthropod invertebrates have been catalogued and their distribution is closely related to their distance inland from the sea. 7 sponges have been classified, three of which are not worthy for their first sighting along the Spanish coast. Amorphinopsis pallescens, if not a new species, is the second sighting of this species in the Mediterranean. The sponges have robust spicules, which indicate a high level of available silica. The studies carried out show evidence that the source of this is the sediment. Of the two polychaeta Found Bispira viola constitutes the first sighting of the species for the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Twenty-nine species of crustaceans are reported from the cave, 5 of them corresponing to harpacticoid copepods and 1 to an ostracod. The rest belong to diverse groups such as leptostracans, decapods, amphipods, isopods, mysids, thermosbaenaceans, and calanoid, misophrioid and cyclopoid copepods. 61% of the species are stygobionts (i.e., obligate groundwater dwellers); the rest correspond to littoral marine species characteristic of suprabenthic or crevicular marine habitats, preadapted in some way to live in caves, or are neritic species characteristic of the plankton of bays and harbours. Four of the stygobiont species are new to Science. 9 of the species found in the cave are Balearic endemics. Following the detailed study of this cave it has become apparent the urgent need to establish effective protective measures which will permit the conservation of this natural and culturally valuable patrimony

TL;DR: In this article, Daura et al. presented two research projects, Humans, Carnivors i medi natural al Garraf and El Plistoce Superior i l'Holoce a Catalunya, supported by 2014 SGR-108 and 2009ACOM00090 (Generalitat de Catalunas), HAR2011-26193, CGL2010-18616 and CGL2009-07392 projects (MI-CINN-FEDER).