PROJECT RESULTS DURING THE 1ST YEAR
During the year 2007 and the beginning of 2008 Project activities were performed according to the initiative Project plan.
Research of the Miocene deposits in Northern Croatia was performed at several localities at the Medvednica Mt., Sava river depression, Papuk Mt. and the vicinity of Našice. The whole research team took part in these investigations. We collected diverse fossil remnants (dominantly molluscs, fish remnants and land flora), and rocks samples for further analyses of foraminifera and ostracod communities and palynomorphs. Miocene marls from NE Croatia were analysed in quest of the crude oil potential (dissertation M. Zečević).
At the region of Northern and Southern Velebit Mt. (Rizvanuša, Kalvarija, Paklenica) field campaigns were performed in carbonate terrains of Late Permian and Early Triassic age. Collected samples were prepared for paleontological, sedimentological, geochemical and isotope analyses (J. Sremac, K. Fio and collaborators).
Special attention was paid to possible pollutions in peritidal marine environments and their influence on the biota (V. Oreščanin, Đ. Pezelj and coauthors from other projects).
Project researchers E. Jungwirth and M. Zečević, active employees of Croatian Ministry of Defence continuously work on interaction of geological and military sciences.
J. Sremac performed contacts with foreign scientists dealing with Palaeozoic, resulting in published papers. J. Sremac also participated in investigations of ichnofossils from the Promina Formation.
J. Sremac and K. Fio prepared and lead the international excursions in order to present the results of their research to wider national and international geological community (OUGSME GEO-TRIP 2007 CROATIA June 3-9 and 9th International Symposium on Fossil Algae - Croatia 2007). E. Jungwirth is publishing a series of articles dealing with history of geology in Croatia in the GPZ Bulletin, in order to present this data to younger Croatian geologists.
All together project researchers were editors of one book, authors of 4 book chapters, 2 scientific papers in magazines cited in CC basis, 3 scientific papers in other publications, 1 paper of other category and 1 congress report in a magazine, 5 abstracts in abstract books, and three other papers. Parts of our results are in course of printing.
We participated at several international meetings, including 2nd International Workshop "Neogene of Central and South-Eastern Europe", Kapfenstein 2007, OUGSME GEO-TRIP 2007 CROATIA June 3-9, 9th International Symposium on Fossil Algae - Croatia 2007, ESIR IX, Cluj-Napoca 2007, 51st Paleontological Association Annual Meeting, Uppsala 2007.
Several qualification tasks were performed within the Project, e.g. N. Fantov diploma paper, while three other diploma students are at work. One M.Sc. thesis is finished (I. Tukac), two dissertations are approaching the final phase (D. Brajković and M. Zečević), and dissertation of K. Fio is in research phase.
Project web page is regularly maintained at the address: http://geol.pmf.hr/~jsremac/projekt%20mzos/index.html
Collaboration with other projects and institutions:
We have successful collaboration with the following projects:
Swiss National Science Foundation SNF IB 7320-11885 "Permian-Triassic mass extinction in an ancestor of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform, Croatia"(Project enables the use of the most sophisticated geochemical and isotope laboratory of the University of Lausanne for carbonate Permian and Triassic rocks of the Velebit Mt., and for oxygen isotopes in order to trace temperature shifts and palaeoclimate during the Miocene in northern Croatia).
"Impacts and associated events in the history of Dinarids", project leader Tihomir Marjanac (Discovering the traces of the possible impact at the Permian/Triassic boundary in the area of the Velebit Mt.).
"Microfossil communities in carbonate deposits in Karst Dinarids", project leader Ivo Velić (analyses of microfossil communities in the Permian and Early Triassic of the Velebit Mt.).
"Stratigraphic and geomathematical investigations of petroleum-geological systems in Croatia" project leader Josipa Velić, who is, at the same time, leader of the common programme "Geological processes in Cainozoic - influence to environment and genesis of fluid reserves" (collaboration is actualised through unite research of Miocene deposits in Northern Croatia, and co-mentorship of doctoral thesis of M. Zečević).
We are grateful to the Velebit Park of Nature, National Park Paklenica and Papuk Park of Nature for significant support, particularly during the field work.
PROJECT RESULTS DURING THE 2ND YEAR
During the period from 2008-05-01 to 2009-04-30 project activities were performed in concordance with the initial plan.
Research:
A new technique was applied in order to extract conodonts from carbonate rocks of Palaeozoic and Triassic age. Analyzed samples were collected from the Velebit Mt. and Medvednica Mt. One graduate thesis will be dedicated to this topic (Ivana Mesić), and there is a possibility of a doctoral thesis with this thematic.
At the area of Central and Southern Velebit Mt. carbonate deposits at the Permian/Triassic boundary were studied and results presented at international geological meetings. A scientific paper will be published soon. This research represents a base of doctoral thesis of scientific novice Karmen Fio. Another doctoral thesis is planned in order to reconstruct stress events through fossil communities.
V. Veseli was a part of research team for crude oil exploration in Syria.
Almost all project staff was involved in research of Miocene deposits in Northern Croatia. Research localities were: Medvednica Mt., Sava depression, Papuk Mt. and the vicinity of Našice. Depositional models, fossil communities and oil-potential were analyzed. Results are partly published, or prepared for publishing. Dealing with these topics, one Ph.D. thesis (M. Zečević), one M.Sc. thesis (I. Tukac) and three graduate theses (A. Gudalović, Š. Aščić and I. Marković) were finished. For the moment two students are finishing their graduate theses (A. Kovre and D. Matić) and Dissertation of D. Brajković was prepared in draft version.
V. Oreščanin, Đ. Pezelj with collaborators from other projects continued their work on the influence of pollution to coastal environments and their biota.
E. Jungwirth with the team of Faculty of Geodesy is working on Croatian Geomagnetic Secular Network, and the possibility of establishment of the Croatian Geomagnetic Observatory at the military polygon. He continued his activities on collecting historical data on famous geologists and palaeontogists. E. Jungwirth and M. Zečević are also active in application of geological data to military science.
Presentation of results:
Project researchers were editors of one Field Guide Book. They were authors and coauthors of three chapters, three scientific papers and one abstract cited by Current Contents; one scientific paper in almanacs with international review, one scientific paper in other journals, two congress abstracts and sixteen papers from other categories. One paper was accepted for publishing in CC journal, two papers are finally prepared for publishing and two papers are in course of preparation.
Project researchers were present at international meetings, including 18th Annual Goldschmidt Conference, Vancouver 2008; ProGEO Rab 2008; OUGSME GEO-TRIP CROATIA 2008.
Project informations are available on Project web-page: http://geol.pmf.hr/~jsremac/projekt%20mzos/index.html
Promotion:
Dr. Đurđica Pezelj, previously scientific novice, was promoted to scientific-teaching rank of assistant professor.
Collaboration:
We successfully collaborated with the following projects:
Swiss National Science Fondation SNF IB 7320-11885 "Permian-Triassic mass extinction in an ancestor of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform, Croatia"
"Impacts and accompanying geological events in development of Dinarids" (main researcher Tihomir Marjanac).
"Microfossil communities in carbonate rocks of Karst Dinarides" (main researchers: Ivo Velić (2008) and I. Vlahović (from 2009)).
"Stratigraphic and geomathematic research of oil-bearing systems in Croatia" (main researcher: Josipa Velić).
"Restoration of geomagnetic information" (coordinator E. Jungwirth).
Project is grateful to the following institutions for their collaboration and support: Velebit Nature Park, National Park Paklenica, Papuk Geopark, and, more recently, National Park Mljet.
PROJECT FINAL REPORT - MAY 2010
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The first group of Project tasks was performed within the Miocene deposits from northern and north-eastern Croatia. Palaeontological research included macrofossils (mollusks, echinoids, land flora), microfossils (foraminifera, ostracods, diatoms) and palynomorphs. Biostatistic methods were applied to fossil communities. Miocene palaeotemperature was estimated from oxygen isotopes, magnesium content within echinoid tests, and pollen diagrams. Some of these research was performed through Ph.D. theses (M. Zečević, 2008; D. Brajković, almost finished), Master thesis (I. Tukac, 2008), diploma theses: N. Fantov (2008), A. Gudalović (2008), Š. Aščić (2009), I. Marković (2009), bachelor theses: P. Šimat and K. Kos (2009). Several new interesting theses are planned. Project collaborators were particularly active in presentation of their work on national and international congresses and workshops.
The second major Project task was Permian/Triassic boundary in Croatia. Paleontological, sedimentological, geochemical and isotope analyses enabled more precise dating of end-Permian event. Ph.D. Thesis of scientific novice K. Fio is dealing with PTB in the Velebit Mt., and several future tasks will be linked to similar topics in other localities. J. Sremac is preparing a basis of micropaleontological slides.
J. Sremac and K. Fio prepared an exhibit of geological phenomena for the Mljet National Park.
V. Veseli was involved in research of oil-potential deposits in Croatia and Syria.
E. Jungwirth participates in geomagnetic research activities - Croatian Secular Net (HGSM) and Croatian Geomagnetic Net for Field Mapping (HGMKP). He is also involved in pollution control at military base Slunj. One of his important activities is collecting data on history of geological research in Croatia, which are regularly published in GPZ Bulletin. He was also active, together with M. Zečević, in bonding geology with military science.
All together, from 2007 till May 2010, we edited two books, published seven chapters in books, ten scientific papers and one extended abstract, most of them in CC referred magazines. Several scientific papers are in course of publishing. We also published preliminary data in ten congress publications, and 21 other papers.
Project realized successful collaboration with several other national and international projects and institutions. |
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