Monica Bini | Università di Pisa (original) (raw)

Papers by Monica Bini

In this paper we illustrate the stratigraphy, geochronology, and geochemistry (major, minor, trac... more In this paper we illustrate the stratigraphy, geochronology, and geochemistry (major, minor, trace elements and Sr-isotopes) of a Holocene tephra layer found within coastal sedimentary deposits north of Caleta Olivia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). The stratigraphic succession comprises beach deposits with basal erosive surface resting on the local substrate (“Formacion Patagonia”) followed by a poorly developed paleosoil. The paleosoil is covered by a lenticular fine-grained (Mdφ: 5.2, 0.027 mm), well sorted (σφ: 1.2) volcanic ash layer and aeolian sands. The geochemical composition of shard fragments points to an origin from the Hudson volcano, located in the southern Andes, ca. 400 km to the west. The geochemistry, Sr-isotopes and the radiometric constraints (younger than the age of the underlying marine layer dated at ca. 4,100 a cal BP) further allow correlating this tephra with the so-called H2 eruption (ca. 3,900 a cal BP). This finding is of interest owing to the poor pres...

Ground wedge structures of cryogenic origin are common in the Quaternary sediments along the coas... more Ground wedge structures of cryogenic origin are common in the Quaternary sediments along the coast of the Patagonia, and their formation is related to climatic cold events experienced by this area in the Late Quaternary. The infilling sediments of two wedges generations were analyzed in the area of Puerto Deseado. Bulk chemistry (major elements), X-ray diffraction (XRD), morphoscopic observations with Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) and chemical analyses of volcanic glass shards were undertaken to provide indications about infilling sediment provenience, along with chronological constraint for wedge formation. Bulk chemistry and XRD patterns indicate a significant SiO2- enriched composition of the sediment infilling compared to the most of the loess deposits of the North Argentina and the present day dust originated in Patagonia. This was interpreted as due to the nature of the bedrock present over the Deseado Massif. SEM morphoscopic characteristics of glass shards evidence ty...

A detailed geomorphological survey was undertaken in the area of Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz Provi... more A detailed geomorphological survey was undertaken in the area of Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina) to reconstruct the Relative Sea-level (RSL) position during the Last Interglacial highstand. The presence of active and well-preserved abrasive notches and inner margins of terraces related to the MIS5e and to the Holocene, measured with DGPS, allowed to accurately estimate the RSL change from the present to the MIS5e highstand at ca. 21 m. The geomorphological and geochronological analyses support the notion of the presence of a significant regional tectonic uplift in the Atlantic Patagonia, which can be locally estimated at ca. 0.12 mm/yr.Se realizó un estudio geomorfológico detallado en la zona de Puerto Deseado (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina) para reconstruir la posición relativa del nivel (RNM) del mar durante el Último Máximo Interglacial. La presencia de muescas de abrasión activas y bien conservadas, y la posición de los márgenes internos de las terrazas rela...

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information

The Versilia plain (NW Italy) experiences forms of tourism that are mainly limited to the beach a... more The Versilia plain (NW Italy) experiences forms of tourism that are mainly limited to the beach area and concentrated in the summer season. The area is rich in cultural and natural heritage, not yet adequately enhanced. The presence of four local archaeological museums and a natural park offers a great opportunity to favour feasible archaeological and environmental tourism. The aim of this study is to use a holistic methodology to improve a different type of tourism in the study area. We propose a consilient multidisciplinary approach based on geological, biological and archaeological data in order to enhance the cultural and natural heritage of the Versilia plain. We have based our study on the reconstruction of palaeoenvironment maps showing the evolution of the territory and used them as a leitmotiv to link the archaeological museums and the natural park. We define real and virtual itineraries to create a synergy between the most important archaeological and natural sites and mus...

Applied Sciences

In this study we aimed to gain insights into dune formation and evolution from select coastal tra... more In this study we aimed to gain insights into dune formation and evolution from select coastal tracts of Northern Tuscany by inspecting their internal sedimentary architecture with Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) analysis. Erosion, equilibrium and accretion characterize the selected coastal tracts, and this analysis remarks on some GPR features consistently associated with specific coastal evolution states. A standard sequence of data processing made it possible to trace several radar surfaces and reflectors in the GPR profile, eventually interpreted in terms of depositional processes and erosive events. The stable or currently accreting coastal sectors show radar features compatible with a general beach progradation process, punctuated by berm formation in the general context of a positive sedimentary budget. Additionally, the radar facies distribution locally supports a mechanism of dune nucleation on an abandoned berm. Conversely, the GPR profile of the coastal sector today affecte...

Italian Journal of Geosciences

ABSTRACT The stratigraphic reconstruction of the northern sector of the Bahía Camarones (Chubut, ... more ABSTRACT The stratigraphic reconstruction of the northern sector of the Bahía Camarones (Chubut, Argentina) allowed to improve our understanding of the Holocene marine transgression in the area. The first phase of the maximum of the transgression, is interpreted as dominated by the high rate of eustatic rise of sea level until ca. 6-7 ka BP possibly associated to sedimentary starvation as suggested by fossil accumulation. After this first phase, the general trend indi-cates a progressive fall of the relative sea level after the Middle Holocene high stand as documented in other parts of south Amer-ica Atlantic coast. Our data, coupled with the robust radiocarbon data set available for the area from literature, indicate three main local steps of coastal aggradation between ca. 6600 and 5400 yr BP (ca. 7000-5600 yr cal BP), ca. 3300 and 2000 yr BP (ca. 3100-1700 yr cal BP), and ca. 1300-500 yr BP (ca. 1000-300 yr cal BP). A signifi-cant age gap in coastal aggradation is present between ca. 5300 and 4400 yr BP (ca. 5600-4500 yr cal BP), and perhaps between ca 2000 and 1300 yr BP (ca. 1700-1000 yr cal BP). These can be linked to phases of local sea level fall and/or phases of sedimentary starvation and/or changes in drift transport which can have produced local coastal cannibalization. However, no conclusive data can be advanced. Data obtained from careful measurements of sea level markers represented by the top of marsh and fluvial terraces indi-cate lower values for the sea level estimation compared with the data set previously proposed for the area. This stigmatizes the fact that field-oriented works are still the priority in the Patagonia coast along with accurate age measurement, especially for obtaining the fundamental information we need for predicting the environmental impact, in these coastal areas, from accelerate sea level rise as effect of global warming.

Bini M. et al., Geoarchaeological evidences of changes in the coastline progradation rate of the ... more Bini M. et al., Geoarchaeological evidences of changes in the coastline progradation rate of the Versilia coastal plain between Camaiore and Viareggio (Tuscany, Italy): possible relationships with Late Holocene high-frequency transgressive-regressive cycles.

Geografia Fisica E Dinamica Quaternaria, 2015

Renowned since the Roman Period for the extraction of precious marble, the Apuan Alps (northern T... more Renowned since the Roman Period for the extraction of precious marble, the Apuan Alps (northern Tuscany) are an extraordinary region of natural and cultural heritage in the Mediterranean basin and contain a large number of geosites of international and national interest. The great variety of morphologic and topographic contexts, ranging from the coastal plain of Versilia to the rugged, harsh landscape in the interior, makes this region remarkable for its peculiar geologic and geomorphologic setting. Two map sheets are appended to this paper: (1) a geomorphological map of Apuan Alps Regional Park and its immediate surroundings at a scale of 1:50,000 and (2) two thematic maps at a scale of 1:100,000 ('Neotectonic Map' and the 'Map of Selected Sites of Geomorphological Significance') and other four thematic maps at a scale of 1:200,000 that present the relief, slope aspects, drainage networks, and climatic elements of the region. The preparation of the Geomorphological Map followed the principles adopted by the National Group of Physical Geography and Geomorphology and by the National Geological Survey, Working Group for Geomorphological Cartography and was updated using the guidelines for the fieldwork and preparation of the Geomorphological Map of Italy at a scale of 1:50,000. The geomorphologic data were stored in a spatial database and managed using a GIS application (ArcGis™). The high relief, complex geologic structure, and Pleistocene climate condition have deeply shaped the evolution of the Apuan landscape, which is characterized by great structural control of the landforms, an extensive and complex epigean and hypogean karst landscape, and impressive shaping by glaciers during the Late Pleistocene. In addition, gravity, frost shattering, marine action, and running water have played significant roles as active morphogenetic agents. The coastal belt has been the source of abundant valuable data regarding the Holocene coastal evolution. Finally, the present-day landscape has also been extensively shaped by a long history of anthropic activities, including agriculture, timber production, intense marble quarrying in the interior and widespread urban and productive settlements in the coastal plain.

Climatic Change, 2021

The original article has been corrected. During proof correction of the article, mistakes in the ... more The original article has been corrected. During proof correction of the article, mistakes in the author affiliations of Petra Bajo, John C. Hellstrom, Robert Wiśniewski, Anthony E. Fallick, Stefano Natali, and Marco Luppichini were introduced. Please find the correct affiliations here as well.

Like many other Italian cities, Pisa is a settlement that goes well back into history. Its subsur... more Like many other Italian cities, Pisa is a settlement that goes well back into history. Its subsurface conceals the remains of walls, floors, tombs and roads, as well as the fragments of tiles, vases, lamps and sculptures: briefly, the more or less solid traces of the lives of the people who have inhabited the city over its almost three thousand years of history. By studying the city’s archaeological artefacts and its pollen, coal and human/animal bone remains and by analysing the area’s geological and geomorphological features and its resources, it is possible to reconstruct the landscape, or better the landscapes, that have evolved over time and have influenced the city’s economic and cultural development, and in turn have been influenced by them. The ground on which we walk, build and live today is an extraordinary palimpsest where uncountable traces that have been left by our predecessors evolve, merge and overlap. Yet since these traces lie under the ground, the vitally importan...

Water, 2020

The stable isotope composition of living and of Holocene Mytilidae shells was measured in the are... more The stable isotope composition of living and of Holocene Mytilidae shells was measured in the area of Camarones (Chubut, Argentina). The most striking results were the high δ18O values measured in samples older than ca. 6.1 cal ka BP. In the younger samples, the δ18O values remained substantially stable and similar to those of living specimens. Analysis of the data revealed the possibility for this isotopic shift to be driven mainly by changes in temperature probably accompanied by minor changes in salinity, suggesting cooler seawater before 6.1 cal ka BP, with a maximum possible temperature shift of ca. 5 °C. A possible explanation of this change can be related to a northward position of the confluence zone of the Falkland and Brazilian currents. This is consistent with the data obtained in marine cores, which indicate a northerly position of the confluence in the first half of the Holocene. Our data are also in line with the changes in wind strength and position of the Southern We...

Quaternary International, 2018

Re-examination of central Mediterranean paleoclimate archives on tephra layers indicates that thr... more Re-examination of central Mediterranean paleoclimate archives on tephra layers indicates that three widely dispersed tephra layers occurred during the Bronze Age, namely Agnano Mt Spina from Campi Flegrei (ca. 4.4 cal ka BP), Avellino from Somma-Vesuvius (ca. 3.9 cal ka BP), and FL from Etna (ca. 3.3 cal ka BP). Stratigraphical correlations of selected archives using these tephra layers indicate that some records have severe chronological biases, posing important limitations to the use of these archives for defining the paleoclimate conditions during the Bronze Age. Regardless of the temporal mismatches, the Agnano Mt Spina tephra layer seems to have occurred at the beginning of a centennial scale period of climatic deterioration, while the Avellino tephra layer, taking place during a wetter period, seems to mark the end of this event. The dry event bounded by the two tephra layers seems to be correlated with the so-called "4.2 event". Instead, the FL tephra from Etna seems to herald a new climatic deterioration at ca. 3.3-3.2 cal ka BP. Although the general frame is still incomplete, these three tephra layers appear to play a fundamental role in synchronizing archives, and can lead to the definition of a detailed paleoclimatic framework of the Bronze Age in the central Mediterranean area.

Scientific Reports, 2018

The ancient harbour of Pisa, Portus Pisanus, was one of Italy’s most influential seaports for man... more The ancient harbour of Pisa, Portus Pisanus, was one of Italy’s most influential seaports for many centuries. Nonetheless, very little is known about its oldest harbour and the relationships between environmental evolution and the main stages of harbour history. The port complex that ensured Pisa’s position as an economic and maritime power progressively shifted westwards by coastal progradation, before the maritime port of Livorno was built in the late 16th century AD. The lost port is, however, described in the early 5th century AD as being “a large, naturally sheltered embayment” that hosted merchant vessels, suggesting an important maritime structure with significant artificial infrastructure to reach the city. Despite its importance, the geographical location of the harbour complex remains controversial and its environmental evolution is unclear. To fill this knowledge gap and furnish accurate palaeoenvironmental information on Portus Pisanus, we used bio- and geosciences. Base...

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2017

A paleosol from the Middle Pleistocene lacustrine-fluvial succession of Sulmona Basin, central It... more A paleosol from the Middle Pleistocene lacustrine-fluvial succession of Sulmona Basin, central Italy, was analysed for the land snail shell content, and the stable isotope composition of the shells and associated pedogenic carbonates. The paleosol-known as Fiorata Paleosol-is covered by a thick tephra layer dated to ca. 527 ka allowing the pedogenetic horizons to be correlated to the marine isotope stage (MIS) 14-early MIS 13 interval. The terrestrial mollusc assemblage contained few individuals and was characterized by a low number of species which predominantly indicate open and dry habitats, thus suggesting that Fiorata Paleosol likely developed during glacial conditions of the MIS 14. The δ 13 C values of pedogenic carbonates and terrestrial shells indicate prevailing C 3-type vegetation, probably marked by some degree of water stress. Calculation of the δ 18 O precipitation values, derived from pedogenic carbonates and shell δ 18 O values, indicate that the average temperature was 3-5°C lower than present day. This study highlights how paleosols, despite offering only snapshots of past climate and environments, provide valuable complementary information to paleoclimatic data obtained in the adjacent lacustrine intervals, specifically for the Sulmona successions.

Quaternary International, 2017

This study presents the first cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure data from a moraine in the Former ... more This study presents the first cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure data from a moraine in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Five limestone boulders from a terminal moraine in the Galicica Mountains (40.94°N, 20.83°E, 2050 m a.s.l.) were used for cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure dating. The 36Cl concentrations from the five boulders are identical within their measurement uncertainties ruling out major effects of inheritance, erosion, or snow cover. The calculated ages are very consistent ranging from 11.3 to 12.8 ka (mean 12 ka) after applying a Caspallation production rate of 56 at g-1 a-1 (LSD scaling) and correction for 5 mm ka-1 carbonate weathering and 2 % snow shielding. The applied corrections for weathering and snow shielding cause a shift to older ages in the order of magnitude of ca. 5 % on average, making the production rate the main impact on exposure ages. The ages point to a moraine formation during the Younger Dryas period, consistent with the timing of the last deglaciation in the Galicica Mountains derived from previous geomorphological studies in the area. The formation of a glacier was likely favoured by several topoclimatic factors, accounting for additional snow input. This interpretation is in line with regional studies on glaciation chronologies from Šara Range (FYROM/Republic of Kosovo), Retezat Mountains (Romania), Mount Orjen (Montenegro) and Durmitor (Montenegro). Lake sediment analyses of lakes Prespa (Republic of Albania/ FYROM/Greece), Maliq (Republic of Albania) and Dojran (FYROM/Greece) indicate that cold conditions promoted the formation of a local cirque glacier. However, studies of sediment records of the adjacent lakes Ohrid (Republic of Albania/FYROM) and Prespa do not indicate the presence of a proximal glaciation. An explanation might be a combination of the small size of the cirque glacier, generating only small amounts of debris, and the karstic bedrock, which hampers fluvial transport and acts by its aquifer system as a natural sediment trap, as the fluvial transport of the sediments to the lakes is absorbed by the karst system.