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* Dissertations, master and bachalor theses |
The Cretaceous–Paleogene transition at the Mačinići locality in Istria |
Geological evolution of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform across the Cretaceous–Paleogene transition: depositional system dynamics and palaeogeography (KPgap)
Funding source: European Union (NextGenerationEU)
Duration: 2025./2026. - 2028./2029.
Principal investigator: Full Prof. Goran Durn PhD
Budget: 75.427,58 euro
Project Goal
The main goal of the project is to reconstruct the geological, sedimentological, and paleogeographic evolution of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (AdCP) during the transition from the Late Cretaceous to the Early Paleogene, with a particular focus on emersion processes, development of continental environments, and the transition from terrestrial to marine conditions. This will be achieved through integrated fieldwork and sedimentological, mineralogical, geochemical, and geochronological analyses of carbonate rocks, paleokarst, palaeosols, and bauxites from selected localities in Istria and on the islands of Brač and Krk.
Additional objectives include: (1) determining the duration, spatial variability, and driving mechanisms of ACP emersion, (2) reconstructing continental palaeoenvironments and palaeoclimate during the emersion phase, (3) defining the stratigraphic framework and significance of the underlying and overlying deposits of the regional unconformity and (4) analysing the provenance of source materials of bauxites and palaeosols, as well as their relationship to regional geodynamic processes.
Hypothesis
The project is based on the hypothesis that the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene emersion of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform was a long-lasting and spatially heterogeneous process controlled by the interplay of regional tectonics, eustatic sea-level changes, and palaeoclimatic conditions. It is assumed that bauxites, palaeosols, and paleokarst features represent key archives recording the intensity of weathering, climatic conditions, and the duration of the terrestrial phase, whereas the underlying and overlying carbonate successions document the dynamics of the transition from continental to marine environments during the Early Paleogene transgression. The integration of mineralogical, geochemical, and geochronological data is expected to enable a more precise reconstruction of the palaeogeography and geodynamic evolution of the AdCP during this critical interval of its history.
Team members
Read more| Team members (Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering) | |||
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Full Prof. Goran Durn, PhD – Principal Investigator University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Assist. Prof. Šime Bilić, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Michaela Hruškova Hasan, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Assoc. Prof. Ana Maričić, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Darko Matešić, PhD student University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Full. Prof. Marta Mileusnić, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Ivor Perković, PhD – Deputy Principal Investigator University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Full. Prof. Stanko Ružičić, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Full. Prof. Igor Vlahović, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering |
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Team members (other institutions) |
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Full Prof. Blanka Cvetko Tešović, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Science |
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Assist. Prof. Maja Martinuš, PhD University of Zagreb Faculty of Science |
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Curator Ivan Razum, PhD Croatian Natural History Museum, Croatia |
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Assoc. Prof. Srečo Davor Škapin, PhD Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia |
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Filip Šarc, PhD student ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Slovenia |
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