Cesi,an early Middle Pleistocene site in the Colfiorito Basin (Umbro-Marchean Apennine), central Italy

Near the village of Cesi, at the head of the Chienti River, in the Colfiorito Basin (Umbro-Marchean Apennines, central Italy), fluvio-lacustrine deposits have yielded mammal fossil remains. The results of a multidisciplinary investigation indicate that the vertebrate-bearing sediments date about 700 ka and accordingly provide a fossil assemblage for the Middle–Late Galerian. Palynological investigations carried out from sediments underlying the fossiliferous level suggest predominantly cold and dry conditions, whereas the fauna suggests a slight climatic amelioration towards cool and moist conditions in the uppermost part of the sequence. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upper Pleistocene tectonics in western Sardinia (Italy): Insights from the Sinis peninsula structural high

The Corsica‐Sardinia block is a lithospheric fragment whose recent role in the geodynamics of the central‐Western Mediterranean basin is still enigmatic. The most recent regional structure in Sardinia is the Plio‐Pleistocene Campidano Basin, which is considered in a ‘post‐rift’ stage since the Middle Pleistocene. New structural and stratigraphic geological surveys along with luminescence ages provide evidence to support an ongoing tectonic activity since the Marine Isotopic Stage 7 (MIS7; ca. 220 ka) on the Sinis peninsula, the structural high that bounds the north‐western side of the Campidano Basin. In particular, this paper reveals for the first time the presence of N–S striking normal faults system offsetting late Pleistocene aeolianites (130 ± 12 ka; 82 ± 9 ka).     

The Upper Pleistocene to Holocene sediments on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa (Italy)

The island of Lampedusa lies on the northern edge of the African continental shelf, but during some Quaternary marine lowstands it was joined to the African continent. The study and dating of the aeolian, alluvial, detrital sediments, calcareous crusts and speleothems have established that the climatic–environmental variations recorded on the island can be related chronologically to those known for northern Libya, Tunisia and the Italian peninsula. During the Last Glacial Maximum, phases of Saharan dust accumulation on Lampedusa occurred, and were coeval with dust accumulation in crater lakes and on high mountains in central‐southern Italy, and with phases of glacial advance in the Apennines and in the Alps. During the late Holocene, accumulation of Saharan dust on Lampedusa occurred but there was little accumulation of dust on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. With the new data from Lampedusa, it is possible to envisage two different scenarios of atmospheric circulation relating to the Last Glacial Maximum and to the late Holocene. During the Last Glacial Maximum, southerly atmospheric circulation brought rainfall to the southern slopes of the Alps and to the Apennines. During the late Holocene, a prevalent westerly atmospheric circulation became established in the northern Mediterranean. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Middle and late Pleistocene glaciations in the Campo Felice Basin (central Apennines, Italy)

The present paper refers to research conducted in the tectonic-karst depression of Campo Felice in the central Apennines (Italy), in which glacial, alluvial and lacustrine sediments have been preserved. Stratigraphic interpretations of sediments underlying the Campo Felice Plain are based on evidence obtained from nine continuous-core boreholes. The boreholes reach a depth of 120 m and provide evidence of five sedimentation cycles separated by erosion surfaces. Each cycle is interpreted as an initial response to a mainly warm stage, characterized by low-energy alluvial and colluvial deposition, pedogenesis, and limited episodes of marsh formation. In turn, a mainly cold stage follows during which a lake formed, and glaciers developed and expanded, leading to deposition of glacial and fluvioglacial deposits. The chronological framework is established by eleven accelerator mass spectrometer ¹⁴C ages and three ³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar ages on leucites from interbedded tephra layers. These age determinations indicate five glacial advances that respectively occurred during marine oxygen isotope stages 2, 3-4, 6, 10 and 14.     

Preliminary results of a macroseismic survey of the Colfiorito sequence (Central Italy)

Umbria-Marche region (Central Italy) has been interested by a seismic sequence, which caused a large amount of damage within an extensive area (around 5000 km²). The sequence produced eight shocks with magnitude higher than 5.0, the largest of them occurring on September 26, UTC 09:40, M₁ = 5.8. The incidence of many shocks with a magnitude higher than 4.0 contributed to the creation of a damage pattern that was in evolution for more than one month. Such seismic behavior motivated field operators to perform a real-time macroseismic survey to update the data set. One of the major objectives was to differentiate the effects pertaining to each of the largest shocks. In this paper we present the macroseismic survey performed during the sequence, along with some preliminary results inferred. Intensity points of seven of the main shocks are shown, together with the filtered macroseismic fields produced following the application of specific statistical methods. Finally, consideration is given to the comparison of these study results with corresponding tectonic and geological data.     

Malacological records from the Upper Pleistocene at Portelet (Jersey, Channel Islands): comparisons with western and central Europe

New sampling of Mollusca from Portelet, Jersey, Channel Islands, has allowed characterization of local conditions during deposition of the pre-Kesselt Weichselian loess. The Portelet fauna also allows a reassessment of the distribution of the Columella fauna in western Europe. Comparison of the Portelet fauna with those of eastern France and central Europe shows a decrease of the number of species present in this far-western locality which appears to be either a result of the operation of a typical 'peninsula' effect comparable to that seen in other zoological groups or a consequence of their occurrence in a marginal part of the European loess belt.     

Formation of the Upper Pleistocene terraces of Lake Van (Turkey)

Sedimentological and geomorphological studies of terraces around Lake Van (1647 m) provided a preliminary framework for lake‐level variations. The elevations of terraces and past lake level were measured with a differential global positioning system. A chronology is developed using ²³⁴U/²³⁰Th dating of travertines, ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar dating of pyroclastites and ¹⁴C dating of organic matter. Facies and stratigraphic correlations identify four transgressions (C1′, C1″, C2′ and C2″), each followed by a regression which ended with low lake levels that caused river incision and terrace formation. Evidence of the oldest transgression (C1′) is found in the uppermost reaches of valleys up to 1755 m, an altitude higher than the present lake threshold (1736 m). This C1′ transgression may be related to pyroclastic flows which dammed an outlet located in the western part of the lake basin and which is dated to before 105 ka. After 100 ka, a second transgression (C1″) reached 1730/1735 m, possibly related to a younger ignimbrite flow, in association with high water inflow (warm and/or wetter conditions). The two younger transgressions reached 1700–1705 m. The first one (C2′) is dated to 26–24.5 cal. ka BP and the second one (C2″) to 21–20 cal. ka BP. Available data suggest that the long‐term lake‐level changes responded mainly to climate oscillations. Additional events such as river captures caused by volcanic falls filling valleys, tectonism, erosion and karstic diversion may have impacted these long‐term lake‐level changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tectonics,sea-level changes and palaeoenvironments in the early Pleistocene of Rome (Italy)

The historical site of the Monte Mario lower Pleistocene succession (Rome, Italy) is an important marker of the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary. Recently, the Monte Mario site was excavated and restudied. A spectacular angular unconformity characterizes the contact between the Monte Vaticano and the Monte Mario formations, which marks the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary. Biostratigraphical analyses carried out on ostracod, foraminifer, and calcareous nannofossil assemblages indicate an Early Pliocene age (topmost Zanclean, 3.81–3.70 Ma) for the underlying Monte Vaticano Formation, whereas the Monte Mario Formation has been dated as early Pleistocene (Santernian, 1.66–1.59 Ma). Palaeomagnetic analyses point to C2Ar and C1r2r polarity chrons for the Monte Vaticano and the Monte Mario formations, respectively. The Monte Mario Formation consists of two obliquity-forced depositional sequences (MM1 and MM2) characterized by transgressive systems tracts of littoral marine environments at depths, respectively, of 40–80 m and 15–20 m. The data obtained from foraminifer and ostracod assemblages allow us to reconstruct early Pleistocene relative sea-level changes near Rome. At the Plio/Pleistocene transition, a relative sea-level drop of at least 260 m occurred, as a result of both tectonic uplift of the central Tyrrhenian margin and glacio-eustatic changes linked to early Pleistocene glaciation (Marine Isotope Stage 58).     

Holocene history of fire,vegetation and land use from the central Pyrenees (France)

Located on a mountain pass in the west-central Pyrenees, the Col d'Ech peat bog provides a Holocene fire and vegetation record based upon nine ¹⁴C (AMS) dates. We aim to compare climate-driven versus human-driven fire regimes in terms of frequency, fire episodes distribution, and impact on vegetation. Our results show the mid-Holocene (8500–5500 cal yr BP) to be characterized by high fire frequency linked with drier and warmer conditions. However, fire occurrences appear to have been rather stochastic as underlined by a scattered chronological distribution. Wetter and colder conditions at the mid-to-late Holocene transition (4000–3000 cal yr BP) led to a decrease in fire frequency, probably driven by both climate and a subsequent reduction in human land use. On the contrary, from 3000 cal yr BP, fire frequency seems to be driven by agro-pastoral activities with a very regular distribution of events. During this period fire was used as a prominent agent of landscape management.     

Pollen record from Colle Curti and Cesi: Early and Middle Pleistocene mammal sites in the Umbro–Marchean Apennine Mountains (central Italy)

The palynological record from the Colle Curti and Cesi continental deposits has been examined in order to identify the main palaeofloristic and vegetational changes between 0.99 and 0.6–0.7 Ma. These data show a progressive increase in aridity, as well as a progressive decrease in temperature, which are associated with the transition in dominance from the 41 to 100 ka cyclicity in the Milankovitch orbital record during the Middle Pleistocene. The disappearance of Tsuga, recorded during the lower part of the Brunhes Chron, also has been related to a shift in global aridity. During the successive open vegetational phases (glacials), Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia progressively increase, whereas Cyperaceae decrease. Forest phases (interglacials) are successively dominated by Tsuga, Abies with Picea and, finally, Pinus; but all lack significant expansion of broad‐leaved deciduous taxa. Palynological and sedimentological data, in addition to taphonomic interpretations, demonstrate the occurrence of several hiatuses in the lower parts of the interglacials. These hiatuses are considered to represent the palaeoenvironmental response to climatic changes affecting local sedimentological and geomorphological conditions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Bashilsky swell: an Upper Pleistocene extrusion in the Verkhnechegemskaya caldera (Northern Caucasus)

This work describes a young extrusive massif in the uppermost reaches of the Chegem River (Bashilauzu-su River), which had been considered as a feeder of the great sequence of Upper Pliocene rhyolite ignimbrites of the Verkhnechegemskaya caldera. The Upper Pleistocene age of the stratum, extrusive origin of automagmatic breccias and fluidolites, as well as its difference from rhyolites of the caldera are proven. The Bashilsky swell, located in the Late Pleistocene glacial trough, is evidence of young volcanism in this area, which has not been previously proposed.     

Calpionellid biostratigraphy of the Upper Tithonian–Upper Valanginian interval in Western Sicily (Italy)

A revision of the calpionellid bio-chronostratigraphy in Western Sicily (Italy) was carried out, in order to update the taxonomy of this group, through the identification of some genera (Borziella, Longicollaria, Chitinoidella, Dobeniella, Sturiella, Borzaiella and Praecalpionellites) and species (Remaniella catalanoi Pop, Remaniella duranddelgai Pop, Remaniella colomi Pop, Remaniella borzai Pop, Remaniella filipescui Pop) recorded for the first time in the area. The studied sections, belonging to the Trapanese and Saccense Domains (Western Sicily), include at the base the upper portion of the Rosso Ammonitico Unit (Upper Tithonian), followed by the Lattimusa Formation (Lower Cretaceous). The quantitative and biostratigraphic analysis of the calpionellid assemblages allowed us to identify 13 assemblages and to define some important bioevents for the Upper Tithonian–Valangianian interval. The recorded calpionellid bioevents allowed us to recognize Zone/Subzone schema, which have been correlated with the bio-chronostratigraphy previously proposed for the Western Tethys. Editorial handling: M. Chiari (Guest) & J.-P. Billon-Bruyat     

Depth and modes of Pliocene–Pleistocene crustal extension of the Apennines (Italy)

Since early Pliocene times the Apenninic chain has been dissected by normal faults propagating towards the Adriatic foreland. In the Tyrrhenian Sea extension involved deep crustal sections, whereas in the 'Central Apennines Downfaulted Area' it affected the shallow crust. The Tyrrhenian back-arc domain is connected to the overall flexural retreat of the Adriatic–Apulia plate in front of the Apenninic collisional wedge. In the outer Apenninic belt thin-skinned delamination and gravitational collapse occurred in the hanging wall of a thickened wedge, overthrusting the uplifted, buoyant crust of the Apulia foreland. Differential sinking velocity of the foreland plate results from the inherited competence contrast between the rigid Gargano–Apulia carbonate platform to the south, and the low-competence lithology of the pelagic sequence of the Adriatic basin to the north. During late Messinian–early Pliocene times this palaeogeographical boundary acted as a lithospheric tear, separating segments of the Apulia plate subjected to different subduction modes.     

国土空间规划编制视角下的国土空间用途管制体系研究

为明确国土空间用途管制体系,解决国土空间用途管制对象错位、行政部门间管控范围越位、规划落地实施缺位等问题,本研究构建了由指标、分区、地类和控制线等管控方式组成的国土空间用途管制体系。结合浙江省国土空间规划编制经验,系统梳理了适合当下国土空间规划编制的土地用途管控理论体系,深化了浙江省国土空间用途管制传导细则,并图示化各管制措施之间的编制逻辑关系,演绎了管控体系的实践操作逻辑,以期为国土空间规划编制提供技术依据。     

Climate control on stacked paleosols in the Pleistocene of the Po Basin (northern Italy)

Paleosols are recurrent features in alluvial successions and provide information about past sedimentary dynamics and climate change. Through sedimentological analysis on six sediment cores, the mud-dominated succession beneath the medieval ‘Two Towers’ of Bologna was investigated down to 100 m depth. A succession of weakly developed paleosols (Inceptisols) was identified. Four paleosols (P1, P2, P3 and PH) were radiocarbon-dated to 40–10 cal ka bp . Organic matter and CaCO₃ determinations indicate low groundwater levels during soil development, which spanned periods < 5 ka. The development and burial of soils, which occurred synchronously in the Bologna region and in other sectors of the Po Plain, are interpreted to reflect climatic and eustatic variations. Climatic oscillations, at the scale of the Bond cycles, controlled soil development and burial during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (P1 and P2). Rapid sea-level oscillations probably induced soil development at the MIS 3/2 transition (P3) and favored burial of PH after 10 ka bp . Weakly developed paleosols in alluvial successions can provide clues to millennial-scale climatic and environmental variations. In particular, the paleosol-bearing succession of the Po Plain represents an unprecedent record of environmental changes across the Late Pleistocene (MIS 3 and 2) in the Mediterranean region.     

Palaeoecological background of the Upper Palaeolithic site of Ságvár,Hungary: radiocarbon-dated malacological and sedimentological studies on the Late Pleistocene environment

In this paper, the authors present new palaeoecological and sedimentological results from the Upper Palaeolithic site of Ságvár, Hungary. Simple (abundance and dominance) and advanced (cluster analysis, principal component analysis, correspondence) statistical analyses of malacological results were carried out, determining eight malacological zones (MZs) and the key species of the fauna evolution in the sequence. Furthermore, an age–depth model was calculated via Bayesian modelling using new radiocarbon age data. The accumulation rate (AR) was calculated by deriving data from the age–depth model. The palaeoecological reconstruction indicated a cool/cold climate and chiefly steppe environment, with low loess ARs. Not only the vegetation cover but also the geographical setting of the sequence could have led to the low AR values. However, in the uppermost part of the sequence, during the GS 3 and GS 2.1c stadials, the reconstructed palaeoclimate indicated a warming period. Nevertheless, this contradiction is not unique in the Carpathian Basin. The settled Upper Palaeolithic hunters around 22 300 cal a bp lived in a progressively warming wooded steppe environment, hunting mainly for reindeer. Climate change might have forced them to migrate away, following the reindeer.     

Pyroclastic surges of the Pleistocene Monte Guardia sequence (Lipari Island, Italy): depositional processes

The 20–16 ka Monte Guardia sequence of Lipari island, southern Italy, is a complex succession of silicic pyroclastic surge deposits produced, in part, by hydromagmatic explosions near sea level. Most surges were directed to the east, north-east and north of the vent, and climbed the 12° southern slopes of Monte Sant’Angelo in the central part of the island. A series of thin, distinctive key bed-sets containing oxidized ash and accretionary lapilli allow a detailed correlation of sections and the lateral tracing of deposits of single pyroclastic surges across the island. Facies analysis reveals that the proximal-to-distal facies changes are different from those suggested by a previous study based on a statistical approach to lateral facies distribution. Single dry surge deposits evolve downcurrent from (1) beds of disorganized medium- to coarse-grained lapilli containing scattered blocks, to (2) bipartite disorganized/stratified beds of fine- to coarse-grained lapilli with ash matrix, to (3) dunes formed of coarse-grained ash to medium-grained lapilli, to (4) planar beds of fine-grained lapilli. This facies sequence is similar to published models for some Korean surge deposits, and records decelerating surges which experienced a downflow decrease in turbulence, particle concentration and suspended-load fall-out rate, and an increase in traction processes. As the Monte Guardia surges climbed the opposing slopes of Monte Sant'Angelo, they bifurcated into eastern and western tongues, which experienced rapid deceleration leading to a rapid downcurrent thinning and fining of the surge deposits. Two fluid-dynamical approaches suggest that Monte Guardia surges travelled at speeds of more than 75–85 m s -¹ before climbing Monte Sant’Angelo. Flows with this vigour and distribution are capable of destroying animal and plant populations on Lipari.     

Carbonatites in a subduction system: The Pleistocene alvikites from Mt. Vulture (southern Italy)

We report here, for the first time, on the new finding of extrusive calciocarbonatite (alvikite) rocks from the Pleistocene Mt. Vulture volcano (southern Italy). These volcanic rocks, which represent an outstanding occurrence in the wider scenario of the Italian potassic magmatism, form lavas, pyroclastic deposits, and feeder dikes exposed on the northern slope of the volcano. The petrography, mineralogy and whole-rock chemistry attest the genuine carbonatitic nature of these rocks, that are characterized by high to very high contents of Sr, Ba, U, LREE, Nb, P, F, Th, high Nb/Ta and LREE/HREE ratios, and low contents of Ti, Zr, K, Rb, Na and Cs. The O–C isotope compositions are close to the “primary igneous carbonatite” field and, thus, are compatible with an ultimate mantle origin for these rocks. The Sr–Nd–Pb–B isotope compositions, measured both in the alvikites and in the silicate volcanic rocks, indicate a close genetic relationship between the alvikites and the associated melilitite/nephelinite rocks. Furthermore, these latter products are geochemically distinct from the main foiditic-phonolitic association of Mt. Vulture. We propose a petrogenetic/geodynamic interpretation which has important implications for understanding the relationships between carbonatites and orogenic activity. In particular, we propose that the studied alvikites are generated through liquid unmixing at crustal levels, starting from nephelinitic or melilititic parent liquids. These latter were produced in a hybrid mantle resulting from the interaction through a vertical slab window, between a metasomatized mantle wedge, moving eastward from the Tyrrhenian/Campanian region, and the local Adriatic mantle. The occurrence of carbonatite rocks at Mt. Vulture, that lies on the leading edge of the Southern Apennines accretionary prism, is taken as an evidence for the carbonatation of the mantle sources of this volcano. We speculate that mantle carbonatation is related to the introduction of sedimentary carbon from the Adriatic lithosphere during Tertiary subduction.