SUBMERGED SPELEOTHEMS – Ex PECT THE UNEx PECTED. Ex AMPLES FROM THE EASTERN ADRIATIC COAST (CROATIA) POTOPLJENA SIGA - PRESENETLJIVI REZULTATI ANALIZ VZORCEV IZ VZHODNE OBALE JADRANA (HRVAŠKA) Maša SURIć 1 , Branko JALŽIć 2 , Donat PETRICIOLI 3 Izvleček UDK 551.44(497.5) Maša Surić, Branko Jalžić & Donat Petricioli: Potopljena siga ­ presenetljivi rezultati analiz vzorcev iz vzhodne obale Jadra ­ na (Hrvaška) Z namenom rekonstrukcije sprememb morske gladine v poz- nem Pleistocenu in Holocenu v vz� odnem Jadranu, smo vzorčili sigo v potopljeni� jama � in brezni � na različni � lokacija �. Pri tem smo predvideli, da so obdobja rasti in stagnacije sige povezana s položajem morske gladine. Ker je prirastek stalag- mitov vedno pravokoten na obstoječo podlago, nudijo stalag- miti primernejši zapis dogodkov kot stalaktiti. zato smo vzorčili predvsem stalagmite. Pri dve� izmed sedemnajsti � vzorcev, L-1, nabran na globini 1,5 m v Medveđi jami na otoku Lošinj in vzorec M-25, vzet iz globine 25 m v breznu pri otočku Iški Mrtovnjak, smo opazili precej nenavadno notranjo strukturo. Oba sta bila na jamskem dnu v položaju stalagmita, a sta tako prečni in podolžni rez pokazala, da gre v resnici za stalaktit. To so potrdile tudi U-Th in 14 C datacije. Vzrok in način padca obe� kapnikov je bil različen. M-25 je skupaj z več kapniki obtičal v morskem sedimentu v izvirni legi, medtem ko je bila lega L-1 obrnjena, kapnik pa je še naprej rastel v obdobju nizke gladine morja. Podobne dogodke la� ko pričakujemo tudi v jama� na kopnem. V vsakem primeru pa take kapnike v podmorskem okolju težje opazimo saj sta nji� ova prvotna oblika in položaj velikokrat zamaskirana z različnimi morskimi sedimenti. Ključne besede: potopljeni kapniki, Jadransko morje, Hrva- ška. 1 Department of Geograp� y, University of Zadar, Tuđmanova 24 i, 23000 Zadar, Croatia, Fax.: +385 23 311 282, e-mail: msuric@unizd.�r 2 Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, e-mail: bjalzic@ya� oo.com 3 DIIV , Obala Petra Lorinija bb, 23281 Sali, Croatia, e-mail: dpetricioli@diiv.�r Received/Prejeto: 11.08.2007 COBISS: 1.01 ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3, 389-396, POSTOJNA 2007 Abstract UDC 551.44(497.5) Maša Surić, Branko Jalžić & Donat Petricioli: Submerged spe­ leothemes ­ expect the unexpected. Examples from the eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia) Wit� t � e intention of reconstructing Late Pleistocene – Holo- cene sea-level c� anges along t� e Eastern Adriatic coast, a series of speleot� ems were collected from several submerged caves and pits, in order to constrain periods of t� eir deposition and ceased growt� related to sea-level fluctuations. For t � at pur- pose, stalagmites provide more reliable records t� an stalactites, due to t� eir successive layers deposited perpendicularly to t� e growt� direction. Therefore, stalagmites � ave been collected preferably. But, two of 17 speleot� ems displayed unexpected interior morp� ology – speleot� em L-1 collected at t� e dept� of 1.5 m in Medvjeđa spilja Cave on Lošinj Island, and speleot� em M-25 from Pit near Iški Mrtovnjak Islet collected at t� e dept� of 25 m. Bot� of t � e samples were taken from t� e cave floor, in t� e growt� position of t � e stalagmite. But t� e insig� t into t� e perpendicular cut wit� evident central tube revealed t � eir true (stalactitic) origin and additional confirmations were obtained by longitudinal cut and U-Th and 14 C dating. Just as t� e causes of t� eir breakdowns were probably different, so were t� eir falls; speleot� em M 25 (toget� er wit� several ot � er speleot� ems around it) stuck in t� e marine sediment in its primary posi- tion, w�ile L-1 turned upside-down and even continued crys - tallizing during t� e lower sea level. These events are possible in t� e continental caves, as well. Evidently, it is muc� easier to recognize and avoid t� ese problems in air-filled caves t� an in t� e submarine ones w� ere t� e speleot� ems are almost always covered wit� marine overgrowt �, w �ic � disguises t � eir outer morp� ology. Additionally, t� e bases of t� e stalagmites are also sometimes covered wit� marine sediment, w �ic � makes correct estimation rat� er difficult. Keywords: submerged speleot� ems, Adriatic Sea, Croatia. ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 390 Speleot� ems are typical subaerial features, so t� eir oc- currence in presently submerged (submarine) caves is irrefutable evidence of former low sea levels. Since t� e 1970s (Spalding & Mat� ews, 1972; Harmon et al., 1978; Gascoyne et al., 1979), a series of exploration � ave been based on submerged speleot� ems as indicators of low sea-level stands. e.g. on Ba� amas (Ric� ards et al., 1994; Lundberg & Ford, 1994), on Balearic Islands (Fornós et al., 2002; Onac et al., 2006), on t� e Eastern Adriatic coast (Vr� ovec et al., 2001; Surić et al., 2005a), etc. Hig� sea-level stands, i.e. t� e latest possible time of cave flood- ing caused by sea-level rise can be determined by dating biogenic overgrowt� t � at usually covers t� e speleot� ems in marine environment (Alessio et al., 1992; Antonioli & Oliverio, 1996). Furt� ermore, if submerged speleot� ems contain remnants of marine organisms wit�in t � e spe- leot� em body, episodes of �ig � sea level can be revealed (Fig. 1). Based on t� at fact, 215-ka �istory of sea-level os - cillations was reconstructed on t� e Tyrr� enian Sea coast (Bard et al., 2002; Antonioli et al., 2004). In order to constrain t� e periods of speleot� em deposition and ceased growt� connected wit � sea-level fluctuations, radiometric dating of submerged speleo- t� ems is usually employed. For t� at purpose, stalagmites provide better stratigrap�ic resolution and more reliable records t� an stalactites due to t� eir successive layers de- posited perpendicularly to t� e growt� direction (Hill & Forti, 1997). Besides, to avoid problems wit� ion mobili - sation c� aracteristic for stalactites, in various geoc�rono - logical studies and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, stalagmites are collected preferably (Ric� ards & Dorale, 2003). Hence, we used suc� sampling strategy in recent palaeoenvironmental study on t� e eastern Adriatic coast wit� t � e aim to reconstruct Late Pleistocene – Holocene relative sea-level c� anges (Surić, 2006). yet, in spite of careful sampling, we encoun- tered a problem of mislead- ing collapsed stalactites t� at we � ad not expected. An overview of t� e researc� es on collapsed speleot� ems is given by Forti (1997), but only t� ose related to eart� - quake reconstructions, not as a sampling problem. INTRODUCTION Fig. 1: Deposition of carbonate flowstone in subaerial conditions during low sea-level stand (a and c) and its cessation with biogenic encrustation (red layer) in marine environment in the periods of high sea level (b and d). STUDy AREA AND SAMPLING Eastern Adriatic coast is locus typicus of Dalmatian coast – a flooded concordant coast c� aracterized by c� ains of islands formed by Late Pleistocene – Holocene sea-level inundation of coast-parallel ridges and valleys (Kearey, 1996). Its genesis started in Mesozoic in form of carbon- ate platform w�ic � was subsequently disintegrated and uplifted during t� e Alpine orogeny due to subduction of African plate under t� e Eurasian continent (Vla� ović et al., 2002, 2005). Emerged carbonate complex was inten- sively karstified and repeatedly (partially) flooded during t� e Quaternary sea-level fluctuations. Late Pleistocene – Holocene sea-level rise of 121 ± 5 m (Fairbanks, 1989) submerged vast part of karstified area and formed t� e re- cent coast. Along wit� ot � er presently submerged karst forms like karrens, submerged karst springs, river can- yons, etc. (Surić, 2005), more t� an 230 caves were dis- covered along t� e eastern Adriatic coast, and over 140 of t� em contain speleot� ems (Surić, 2006), potential mate- rial for subsequent researc� es. Wit�in a larger study, in order to encompass a wide range of sea-level stands, speleot� ems were collected from t� e dept� s of 1.5 m below mean sea level (b.m.s.l.) to 41.5 m b.m.s.l. from seven submerged karst features: two caves, four pits and one vrulja (submarine spring), MAŠA SURIć, B RANKO JALŽIć & D ONAT PETRICIOLI ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 391 all located along t� e Croatian coast (Surić, 2006). Sampling was provided by SCUBA divers. Among 17 collected speleot� ems, two of t� em s� owed unexpected interior morp� ology. Those were spe- leot� em L-1 from Medvjeđa spilja Cave on Lošinj Island, and speleot� em M-25 from t� e Pit near Iški Mrtovnjak Islet (Fig. 2). Fig. 2: Study area with the investigated locations: medvjeđa spilja Cave on Lošinj Island and pit near Iški mrtovnjak Islet. MEDVJEĐA SPILJA CAVE Medvjeđa spilja Cave, situated on t� e eastern coast of Lošinj Island, was formed along vertical fissure in Upper Cretaceous well bedded limestones (Jalžić, 2005). It is an anc�ialine cave wit � t � e entrance 17.5 m above mean sea level, 55 m from t� e coast (Fig 3a). Presumed primary entrance is 8 m b.m.s.l., buried wit� collapsed material, and t� e circulation wit� t � e open sea, wit� evident tidal oscillations, is establis� ed t�roug � fissures and c � annels in t� e karstified bedrock. Speleothem L-1 (21.5 cm long) was collected from t� e dept� of 1.5 m b.m.s.l. in t � e growt� position of sta - lagmite, c� osen between several similar speleot� ems from t� e same base flow- stone. But already perpen- dicular section wit� central tube (Fig. 3c) s� owed t� at t� e origin of t� at speleot� em was stalactitic, and longitudinal cut confirmed it, as well (Fig 3b). According to t� e differ- ences in morp� ology and t� e colour of t� e carbonate, we can presume two growt� p� ases. The inner part was deposited as a stalactite, w�i- le t� e outermost brig� t part of t� e speleot� em grew in t� e acicular (needle-like) form, apparently in different con- Fig. 3: a) Cross-section of medvje- đa spilja Cave showing the loca- tion of speleothem L-1. SUBMERGED SPELEOTHEMS – Ex PECT THE UNEx PECTED. Ex AMPLES FROM THE EASTERN ADRIATIC COAST (CROATIA) ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 392 According to t� e radiometric data and inner and outer morp� ology of t� e speleot� ems L-1 and M-25, we can assume t� e scenarios of t� eir evolution as follows: - Speleot� em L-1 grew in t� e form of stalactite at least during MIS 5. Afterwards, it appears t� at t� e part of t� e flowstone, toget� er wit� several adjacent stalactites, ditions. Major part of t� e central tube of t�is speleot� em was pre- served unfilled, w�ic � can be traced all along t� e longitudinal sec- tion as a small c� annel. Only at t� e top of t� e speleot� em ca 0.5 cm of t� e central tube was filled wit� t � e youngest carbonate t� at forms needle-like cover. Lack of marine overgrowt� 3c 3d Fig. 3: b) longitudinal section of L-1 with obtained ages in ka (scale bar 10 cm); c) perpendicular section with central tube (scale bar 5 cm); d) penetration of younger carbonate into the central tube. indicates alternating fres� water/brackis� conditions in t�is s � allow part of t� e cave. Obtained U-Th age of 120.4 ka of inner part (Fig. 3b) suggests t� at t� e primary position of t� e speleot� em L-1 in t� e first (stalactitic) growt� p � ase was above t� e sea level associated wit� t � e MIS 5 �ig � stand t � at was �ig � er t� an present location of speleot� em at 1.5 m b.m.s.l. (Surić, 2006). According to 14 C measurement, subsequent needle-like crystallization went on around 3.3 ka BP (Fig. 3b) (Surić, 2006). PIT NEAR IŠKI MRTOVNJAK ISLET Pit near Iški Mrtovnjak Islet was formed in Upper Creta- ceous rudist limestones, and wit� its entrance 5 m b.m.s.l., 12 m offs� ore, it is completely wit�in marine environ - ment (Fig. 4a). It is ric� in speleot � ems t� at are entirely covered wit� marine organisms belonging to t � e bioce- nosis of caves and ducts in complete darkness (Juračić et al., 2002). Ages of t� e analysed speleot� ems from t� e dept� s of 14 m, 19 m and 23 m b.m.s.l. range from 39 ka to 202 ka (Surić, 2006), and it seems t� at t�roug � out t� e Late Pleistocene t�is pit experienced numerous submerg - ings and recommencements of speleot� em deposition. Speleothem M-25 (46 cm long) was collected from t� e cave floor at t� e dept� of 25 m b.m.s.l. (Fig. 4a). It was in t� e growt� position of a stalagmite, nearby several similar, relatively long and t�in speleot � ems (Fig. 4b). The evidence of stalactitic origin of speleot� em M-25 is central tube visible in t� e perpendicular cut (Fig. 4c), as well as its s� ape – somew� at wider upper part (Fig. 4d) t� at is c� aracteristic for carrot-s� aped stalactite, and not for stalagmites. The difference in outer morp � ology be- tween real stalagmites, w�ic � are t �icker and s � orter, and fallen stalactites w�ic � are t �inner and longer is visible on Fig. 4b. This speleot� em was completely covered wit� marine biogenic overgrowt�, including t � e uppermost part w� ere t� e speleot� em � ad broken off. 3b MAŠA SURIć, B RANKO JALŽIć & D ONAT PETRICIOLI DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 393 4c SUBMERGED SPELEOTHEMS – Ex PECT THE UNEx PECTED. Ex AMPLES FROM THE EASTERN ADRIATIC COAST (CROATIA) broke off from t� e roof and fell on t� e bottom in upside- down position (Fig. 5a) w� ere t� e carbonate deposition recommenced in acicular form. Penetration of younger brig� t carbonate into t� e central tube (Fig. 3d) indicates t� at t� e breakdown and immediate recommencement of carbonate deposition probably � appened in subaerial en- vironment. Finally, t� e speleot� em L-1 was submerged by t� e last, Late Pleistocene – Holocene sea-level rise. - Speleot� em M-25, toget� er wit� several ot � ers, after t� e ‘stalactitic’ growt� apparently fell down and di - rectly stuck into t� e cave or marine mud in t� eir original position (Fig. 5b). The cause of t� eir breakdown was ei- t� er of seismic origin or t� e removal of t� e buoyant sup- port in t� e period of sea-level fall. Subaerial carbonate deposition after t� e breakdown was not noticed, more- over, it looks like marine overgrowt� covered t � e fres� cut soon after t� e breakdown. Breakdowns of speleot� ems and recommencements of carbonate deposition in new position are not unusual events in caves. Rarely, speleot� ems keep vertical posi- tion after t� e fall. yet, it is possible, so it could be mislead- ing w�ile sampling, especially in case of a group of fallen stalactites as in aforementioned cases. If t� e stalactites fall toget� er wit� t � e flowstone layer and turn upside-down (Fig. 5a), it looks like it is t� eir primary position, and t� e carrot-like stalactites could even resemble stalagmites in s� ape. In ot� er cases, if t� e falling speleot� ems stuck di- rectly in t� e mud (Fig. 5b), t� e junctures are invisible. In marine environment, speleot� em sampling is additionally complicated due to encrusting organisms. Namely, wit�in submarine caves t � e speleot� ems are very often covered wit� marine overgrowt �, w �ic � �ides t � eir outer morp� ology and possible breakage. In addition, t� e bases of t� e speleot� ems on t� e cave bottom are also sometimes overlaid wit� marine sediment, w �ic � makes t� e estimation w� et� er it is a real stalagmite or a fallen stalactite rat� er difficult. Marine overgrowt� also disables t� e assessment of quality of t� e speleot� em fabric w�ic � is essential for most geoc� emical (and geoc�ronological) analyses, since t� e boring organisms can � eavily damage speleot� em body (Fig. 6) even if t� e outer appearance of t� e sample suggests t� at it could be appropriate for t� e furt� er measurements and analyses. Finally, in palaeoenvironmental studies, especially in palaeotemperature reconstructions, one of t� e most important requirements is t� at t� e speleot� ems are col- Fig. 4: a) Cross-section of pit near Iški mrtovnjak Islet showing the location of speleothem m 25; b) speleothems in p it near Iški mrtovnjak Islet 25 m b.m.s. l. Note the similar shape and dimensions of stalactite hanging from the roof and speleothems stuck in the mud (arrow points to the speleothem m-25). Unlike them, real stalagmites (front and right) are shorter and thicker; c) perpendicular section of speleothem m-25 with central tube (scale bar 5 cm); d) outer surface covered with marine overgrowth (scale bar 10 cm). 4a 4d 4b ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 394 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ministry of Science, Education and Sport of Republic of Croatia supported t�is researc � (Projects: 269-2693084- 1177 Geographical features in the development of Croatian coastal regions, 119-0362975-1226 Research of threatened marine habitats in the coastal submerged karst of Croatia, 119-1191152-1169 Recent sediments and fossil environ- ments of the Adriatic coastal zone). We express our grati- tude to Srećko Trajbar and Vedran Jalžić for t� e � elp during field work and for drawings. We would also like to t� ank t� e reviewers for useful comments and sugges- tions. lected from t� e deep interior of t� e cave, in order to avoid t� e effect of kinetic isotopic fractionation and obtain � o- mogenized δ 18 O signal (Ford, 1999). But, due to t� e ob- jective risks of speleo-diving in distant parts of t� e caves, speleot� ems in t�is study were mostly sampled from ap - proac� able parts, so t� e recorded δ 18 O signal could not � ave been regarded as palaeotemperature record (Surić et al., 2005b). Fig. 5: Stalactites in the growth positions of stalagmites after the breakdown: a) overturned during the fall; b) stuck directly in primary position. Fig. 6: Longitudinal section of stalagmite B-28 from the pit in Lučice Bay on Brač Island (from the depth of 28 m b.m.s.l.) heavily devastated by boring marine organisms (scale bar 5 cm) (from Surić, 2006). In conclusion, all t� e limits and problems present in t� e process of speleot� em sampling in air-filled caves are even more pronounced wit�in t � e submerged ones, and wit� t � e addition of ‘unexpected traps’ , submarine explorations can sometimes be quite uncertain and in- decisive. Of course, by cautious approac� and attentive sampling, aforementioned situations could be recognized and avoided. MAŠA SURIć, B RANKO JALŽIć & D ONAT PETRICIOLI ACTA CARSOLOGICA 36/3 – 2007 395 SUBMERGED SPELEOTHEMS – Ex PECT THE UNEx PECTED. Ex AMPLES FROM THE EASTERN ADRIATIC COAST (CROATIA) REFERENCES Alessio, M., Allegri, L., Antonioli, F ., Belluomini, G., Fer- ranti, L., Improta, S., Manfra, L. & Proposito, A., 1992: Risultati preliminari relativi alla datazione di speleo- temi sommersi nelle fasce costiere del Tirreno cen- trale.- Giornale di Geologia, ser. 3., 54/2, 165-193. 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