2018 | 71/1 | 41–43 | www.geologia-croatica.hr Journal of the Croatian Geological Survey and the Croatian Geological Society In memoriam Professor Josip Benić (“doktor Jozo”, co-founder of the study of nannofosils in this region) (03.05.1939-26.07.2016) doi: 10.4154/gc.2018.03 A long time teacher of geology, Professor Josip Benić passed away on July 26, 2016. His colleagues, friends, and students will remember a researcher with a profound knowledge of the Meso- zoic and Cenozoic geology of Croatia and its adjacent regions. During his professional career, Josip Benić proved to be a respon- sible and precise teacher who was always open to co-operation and constructive dialogue and who never hesitated to offer help and advice to his younger colleagues. Josip Benić was born in Osijek on May 3rd, 1939. He gradu- ated and received his PhD degree from the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb (title of PhD Thesis was “Calcareous nan- noplankton and its application on biostratigraphy of Cretaceous and Palaeogene sediments of Croatia”). In 1969, Josip Benić joined the Faculty of Science and, in 1976 became a full-time As- sistant Professor at the Department of Geology (Institute of Ge- ology and Palaeontology). He served (1985 – 1989) as head of the Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and in 1996 he accepted the chairmanship in the Department of Mineral Resources at the Croatian Geological Survey, where he remained until he retired in 2004. Josip Benić remained a faculty member and part-time Associate Professor, teaching the geology of Croatia and adjacent regions, and whenever it was necessary he joined a mapping course (both theoretical and field based). His studies of Cretaceous – Eocene calcareous nannofossils and their biostratigraphic and palaeoecological application began following the advice of professors Vanda Kochansky-Devidé and Milan Herak. Calcareous nannofossils are considered to be one of the most powerful biostratigraphic tools for marine carbonate sediments, especially in open ocean settings. The beginning of his research coincided with an intensive investigation into this group all over the world (by researchers including K. Perch- Nielsen, E. Martini, D. Burky, W.W. Hay, B.U. Haq). It was a time when standardized quantitative counting methods were “dis- covered”, and when unambiguous taxonomy and highly resolved data sets provided high-quality biostratigraphic data. The first papers on nannofossil physiology and ecology and the parameters that controlled their distribution appeared, illustrating their ap- plication in facies reconstruction and palaeoclimatology and pa- laeoceanography reconstructions, for which they are still used today. However, the most time-consuming part of his research was gaining knowledge about nannofossil taxonomy. He overcame several major obstacles, the most important of which was that no local specialists were on hand to teach him and help with ambig- uous specimens as well as his limited access to literature. How- ever, it was worth the hard work. Years of field sampling and hours and days studying the nannofossils under a light micro- scope resulted in the broadly accepted nannofossil biozonation for the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene strata in the Dinarides. He recognized and determined the age of two flysch belts in the Di- narides. Quite diverse sedimentation characterizes the northern flysch basin. In some areas sedimentation was continuous from the Upper Campanian to the middle Eocene, while in others emersion took place across the K/Pc boundary and the re-estab- lishment of sedimentary environments suitable for flysch deposi- tion varied from the Middle to Upper Palaeocene. In the southern belt, flysch deposition followed shallow-water platform sedimen- tation, and corresponds to the Middle and Upper Eocene in one zone and to the Upper Eocene in another. Moreover, his conclu- sions about the variable duration of tectonic changes in the stu- died belts contrasted with the traditional view about the origin, age, and distribution of flysch. Not to mention that subsequent studies have proved that he was right. His last work published in 2014 with another nannologist is homage to his work, in which he discussed and concluded about the age of the Bosnian flysch, an enigma which he began to study in his thesis and in this work was finally completed. Nowadays when quantitative studies pre- sent a very important tool in scientific ranking, his thesis is one of the most cited works from this area of study. After Josip Benić obtained his PhD degree, he continued to investigate the calcareous nannofossils from different areas within the Dinarides, and his results were published in several articles and chapters in books (see Appendix). What made him unusual is the fact that he generously shared his knowledge and therefore he is acknowledged in many studies and papers. His palaeoecological interpretations of assemblages have yielded im- proved inter pretation and reconstruction of the evolution of the Dinaric foreland basin, when shallow-water carbonate environ- ments temporarily were suspended and when they again emerged. G eo lo gi a C ro at ic a Geologia Croatica 71/142 His pioneering work is seen through his publications. They are not numerous when counting the number of papers themselves, but they are very important. In his work the Cretaceous and Paleo- gene sediments within the Dinarides are age interpreted by cal- careous nannofossils, in some places in more detail, in others less, forming an excellent base for future studies on the Dinarides. But these facts do not come close to capturing the wonderful essence of Professor Josip Benić who was an individual of great intellectuality, humor, and generosity. He had a modest, honest, earnest, and very human personality as a professor, colleague, and friend. His generosity was, amongst other ways, reflected in sharing his time, advice, and especially helping with analysis necessary for the age attribution of deposits. His students are in- debted to him for his generous guidance, the humor he knew to share with them, and his friendship and help. “Caring mentor” is the best expression for him. If we want to summarize his professional work then we have to stress that he co-founded the study of calcareous nannofossils in Croatia by classifying them and applying them to biostrati- graphy. He was the pioneer in applying academic knowledge in petroleum geology and an expert in the geology of the Dinarides. His work advanced the understanding of these fossils and more importantly, their role in applied geology. He enjoyed photography and was fascinated by the Second World War (especially by the lives of some of the well-known soldiers and leaders, he liked the exposure of “secrets” behind the war scene). He indulged in spending time at and taking care of summerhouses (one on the lowest island in Croatia and an- other one close to Zagreb) and being with his family. He touched the lives of many students and colleagues in and out of the scientific world and has left a great legacy, per- sonal and professional. We are going to miss him greatly! Vlasta Ćosović and Matija Panić BIBLIOGRAPHY CHAPTERS IN BOOKS DRAGIČEVIĆ, I., TIŠLJAR, J., BLAŠKOVIĆ, I. & BENIĆ, J. (1986): Mehanizam taloženja krovinskih naslaga ležišta boksita kao odraz paleoreljefa podine (Primjer boksitonosnog lokaliteta Studena Vrila, zapadna Hercegovina) [Depositional mo­ del for overlaying sediments of bauxite deposits as related to the paleokarst relief (As examplified by the bauxite-bearing area of Studena Vrila in Western Hercego­ vina) – in Croatian].– In: TRUBELJA, F. (ed.): Naučne komunikacije 1.; Odjeljen- je tehničkih nauka 1. Akad. nauka i umjetn. BiH, Sarajevo, 3–38. MARINČIĆ, S., ŠPARICA, M., PAVELIĆ, D. & BENIĆ, J. (1995): Sedimenti gornjeg senona u dolini potoka Vrapčaka [Sediments of the Upper Senonian in the valley of the Vrapčak creek – in Croatian].– In: ŠIKIĆ, K. (ed.): Geološki vodič Medved- nice. Institut za geološka istraživanja; INA-Industrija nafte d.d., Zagreb, 51–52. ORIGINAL SCIENTIFIC PAPERS IN CC AND OTHER JOURNALS BENIĆ, J. (1975): Vapnenački nanoplankton eocenskog fliša otoka Paga [Calcarous nannoplankton from Eocene flysch on the island of Pag, Croatia – in Croatian].– Geol. vjesnik, 28, 19–23. JELASKA, V., BULIĆ, J., VELIMIROVIĆ, Z., BAUER, V. & BENIĆ, J. (1976): Prilog potpunijem poznavanju stratigrafije Vučjaka i Trebovca (sjeverna Bosna) [Some observations on the stratigraphy of the Vučjak and Trebovac area (north Bosnia) – in Croatian].– Geol. vjesnik, 29, 389–395. POLŠAK, A., DEVIDÉ-NEDÊLA, D., TURNŠEK, D., GUŠIĆ, I. & BENIĆ, J. (1978): Biostratigrafski odnosi grebenskih, prigrebenskih i bazenskih naslaga gornje kre- de u području Donjeg Orešja, SI Medvednica [Biostratigraphy of Upper Creta­ ceous reef, forereef and basin deposits at Donje Orešje (Mt. Medvednica, north Croatia) – in Croatian].– Geol. vjesnik, 30/1, 189–197. BENIĆ, J. & BUKOVAC, J. (1983): Paleocensko-donjoeocenski fliš i vapnenački na- noplankton zapadno od Duga Resa (Hrvatska) [Paleocene-Lower Eocene Flysch and Calcareous Nannoplankton from the area west of Duga Resa, Croatia – in Croatian].– Geol. vjesnik, 36, 13–20. BENIĆ, J., BENČEK, Đ. & MAGDALENIĆ, Z. (1983): Paleocenski fliš i vapnenački nanoplankton u području sjeverno od Vrginmosta (Hrvatska) [Palaeocene Flysch and calcareous nannoplankton in the area north of Vrginmost, Croatia – in Croa- tian].– Geol. vjesnik, 36, 21–51. DRAGIČEVIĆ, I., BENIĆ, J. & BLAŠKOVIĆ, I. (1985): Novi stratigrafski podaci o paleogenskim klastitima Studenih Vrila – zapadna Hercegovina [New stratigraph­ ica data on the Paleogene clastics at Studena Vrila, western Hercegovina – in Croatian].– Geol. vjesnik, 38, 31–34. DRAGIČEVIĆ, I., BLAŠKOVIĆ, I., TIŠLJAR, J. & BENIĆ, J. (1992): Stratigraphy of Paleogene Strata within the Mesihovina-Rakitno Area (Western Herzegovina).– Geol. Croat., 45, 25–52. LUČIĆ, D., BENIĆ, J., STANKOVIĆ, D. & MILETIĆ, D. (1993): Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary from the Koraljka-1 off-shore well (SW of Zadar, Adriatic Sea).– Geol. Croat., 46/1, 41–61. SAKAČ, K., BENIĆ, J., BAHUN, S. & PECINGER, V. (1993): Stratigraphic and tec- tonic position of Paleogene Jelar Beds in the Outer Dinarides.– Natura Croatica, 2/1, 55–72. SAKAČ, K., ŠINKOVEC, B., DURN, G. & BENIĆ, J. (1993): Boksiti i Jelar-naslage [The Bauxite and Jelar-Beds – in Croatian].– Rud. geol. naft. zbornik, 5, 59–64. BENIĆ, J., BLAŠKOVIĆ, I. & TOMIĆ, V. (1997): Professor Herak’s Contribution to Regional Geology and Geotectonics.– Geol. Croat., 50/2, 157–160. BENIĆ, J., BLAŠKOVIĆ, I. & TOMIĆ, V. (1997): Regional geology and geotectonic.– Geol. Croat., 50, 101–110. TARI-KOVAČIĆ, V., KALAC, K., LUČIĆ, D. & BENIĆ, J. (1998): Stratigraphic ana- lysis of Paleogene beds in some off-shore wells (Central Adriatic Area, Croatia).– Dela-opera: SAZU, 34/2, 203–242. MARJANAC, T., BABAC, D., BENIĆ, J., ĆOSOVIĆ, V., DROBNE, K., MARJANAC, LJ., PAVLOVEC, R. & VELIMIROVIĆ, Z. (1998): Eocene carbonate sediments and sea-level changes on the NE part of Adriatic Carbonate Platform (Island of Hvar and Pelješac peninsula, Croatia).– Dela-Opera: SAZU, 34/2, 243–254. MORO, A., ĆOSOVIĆ,V., BENIĆ, J. & DOKMANOVIĆ, J. (2010): Taxonomy of rud- ists from the Campanian transgressive sediments of Brašljevica, Donje Orešje and Sv. Martin, Northern Croatia. – Turkish J. Earth Sci., 19/5, 613–633. ĆORIĆ, S. & BENIĆ, J. (2014): First evidence of the Palaeogene age of the Bosnian Flysch Unit (Dinarides, Bosnia and Herzegovina).– RENDICONTI Online della Società Geologica Italiana, 31, 46–47. PROCEEDINGS OF CONFERENCES DROBNE, K., PAVLOVEC, R., ŠIKIĆ, L. & BENIĆ, J. (1979): Excursion F, Pićan, Istria-Cuisian, Lutetian.– In: Guidebook 16th European micropal. colloquium Yu- gosl., Ljubljana, F177–F182. POLŠAK, A., DRAGIČEVIĆ, I., TOMIĆ, V., DEVIDÉ-NEDÊLA, D. & BENIĆ, J. (1982): Tektonska i paleogeografska dinamika u rubnoj zoni jadranske ploče: prim- jer kredno-paleogenskog kompleksa Jajce [Tectonic and paleogeographic dynam­ ics in the marginal zone of the Adriatic plate: an example of Cretaceous-Paleogene bauxite-bearing area of Jajce – in Croatian].– In: 10th jub. kongr. geol. Jugosl., Budva, 1, 605–623. PAVLOVEC, R., DROBNE, K., ĆOSOVIĆ, V., ŠIKIĆ, L. & BENIĆ, J. (1991): The Pićan profile, Middle and Upper Cuisian, Lower and Middle Lutetian.– In: DROBNE, K. & PAVLOVEC, R. (eds.): 2nd Meeting IGCP Project 286, Early Paleogene Benthos. Introduction to the Paleogene SW Slovenia and Istria, Field-trip Guidebook, (Postojna), Ljubljana, 73–79. ABSTRACTS MIHELČIĆ, G., JURAČIĆ, M., KNIEWALD, G. & BENIĆ, J. (1990): Geološki i geo- tektonski preduvjeti stvaranja estuarija rijeke Krke [Geological and geotectonic preconditions for the development of the river Krka estuary – in Croatian].– In: 12th kongr. geol. Jugosl., Ohrid (1990), 4, p. 354. BENIĆ, J. (1991): The age of the Istria flysch deposits based on Calcareous Nannofos- sils.– In: 2nd Meeting IGCP Project 286: Early Paleogene Benthos: Introduction to the Paleogene SW Slovenia and Istria, Field-trip Guidebook, (Postojna), Lju- bljana, p. 25. LUČIĆ, D., BENIĆ, J., STANKOVIĆ, D. & MILETIĆ, D. (1991): Biostratigraphy of carbonate deposits of Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene in off-shore well Koralj- ka-1, southwest of Zadar (Croatia, Adriatic Sea).– In: 2nd intern. symp. on the Adriatic carbonate platform, Zadar (1991), Poster presentation. Zagreb, p. 108 MARJANAC, T., BENIĆ, J., ĆOSOVIĆ, V., DROBNE, K., MARJANAC, LJ. & VELIMIROVIĆ, Z. (1991): Sea-level changes and Eocene sequence in central Dalmatia, Croatia.– In: 2nd intern. symp. on the Adriatic carbonate platform, Za- dar (1991), Abstracts. Zagreb, p. 59. GALOVIĆ, I., KOCH, G. & BENIĆ, J. (2000): Middle Miocene phytoplankton zones in Markuševec area (Mt. Medvednica, Croatia).– In: BURNETT, J.L. (ed.): J. of Nannoplankton Research. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Bremen, p. 98. GALOVIĆ, I., MIKNIĆ, M., VRSALJKO, D. & BENIĆ, J. (2000): Stratigraphy of the Markuševec column (Mt. Medvednica, Croatia). Pancardi 2000: Pannonian Basin, Carpathian and Dinaride Sytem: Geological Meeting on Dynamics of Ongoing Orogeny: abstracts.– In: TOMLJENOVIĆ, B., BALEN, D. & SAFTIĆ, B. (eds.): Vijesti Hrv. geol. društva 37/3, 1–154. Hrv. geol. društvo, Zagreb, 44–45. G eologia C roatica 43Ćosović and Panić: In memoriam Professor Josip Benić HERNITZ KUČENJAK, M., PREMEC FUČEK, V., STANKOVIĆ, D., MESIĆ, I.A. & BENIĆ, J. (2003): Biostratigraphical, lithological and paleoecological aspects of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) and Paleogene sediments in the Jihar-1 well (Palmyra region, Syria).– In: VLAHOVIĆ, I. (ed.): 22nd IAS Meeting of Sedi- mentology – Opatija: Abstracts Book. Institute of Geology, Zagreb, p. 79. MORO, A., ĆOSOVIĆ, V., BENIĆ, J. & DOKMANOVIĆ, J. (2008): Taxonomy of rudists from the Campanian transgressive sediments of Brašljevica, Orešje and Kalnik Mt., Northern Croatia. Eighth International Congress on Rudists: Ab- stracts.– Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, p. 56. MORO, A., HORVAT, A., ĆOSOVIĆ, V., BENIĆ, J., SREMAC, J., BERMANEC, V. (2011): Campanian rudist-bearing shallow-water deposits of northern Croatia and Slovenia.– In: MITCHELL, S.F. (ed.): The Ninth International Congress on Rudist Bivalves : Abstracts, Articles and Field Guides. UWI Geology Museum, Kingston (Jamaica), p. 25. THESIS AND REPORTS BENIĆ, J. (1975): Paleogenski nanofosili Hrvatskog primorja (od Istre do Ravnih Ko- tara) [Paleogene nannofosils of the Croatian Littoral (from Istria to Ravni Kotari) – in Croatian, with an English Abstract].– Unpubl. Master’s Thesis, Faculty of Sci- ence, University of Zagreb, 82 p, 20 pls. BENIĆ, J. (1983): Vapnenački nanoplankton i njegova primjena u biostratigrafiji kred- nih i paleogenskih naslaga Hrvatske [Calcarous Nannoplankton and its Applica­ tion in the Biostratigraphy of Cretaceous and Paleogeneous Deposits of Croatia – in Croatian, with English Abstract].– Unpubl. Doctoral Thesis, Faculty of Sci- ence, University of Zagreb, 159 p. BENIĆ, J. (1992): Biostratigrafija tercijara Jadranskog podmorja na osnovi vapnenačkih nanofosila [Biostratigraphy of Tertiary of the Adriatic Sea based on calcarous nan- nofosils – in Croatian].– Unpubl. report, INA-Naftaplin, Služba za istraživanje; Hrvatski prirodoslovni muzej, Zagreb, 104 p, 14 pls.