The Estimation of the relative intensity of different cold periods occurring during the Late Quaternary is a difficult task, particularly in non-glaciated mountain landscapes and where high- to medium-resolution archives for proxy data are lacking. In this paper, we study a Holocene polycyclic soil sequence in the central Alps (Val Cavargna, Northern Italy) to estimate climatic parameters (specifically Temperature) changes in non-glaciated, high altitude environments. We investigate this key site through palaeopedological and micromorphological analyses in order to understand phases of soil development and detect hidden evidence of cold conditions during its formation. Three phases of pedogenesis can be recognized and attributed in time to different periods during the Holocene. Pedogenetic phases were separated by two truncation and deposition episodes related to the reactivation of slope processes under cold conditions at the onset of the Neoglacial and the Iron Age Cold Epoch, respectively. Micromorphological evidence of frost action in the soil can instead relate to pedogenetic processes acting in the Little Ice Age. The different expression of these three cold periods corresponds to changes in climatic conditions, pointing to the Little Ice Age as a cooler/drier period in comparison to the preceding ones.
Rias3unto.-SI espongono i risultatl delle analisi antracologiche di 10 siti dell"ltalia settentrionale e 2 dell'ltalia meridionale, pertinentl al WOrm medio e recente e al Tardiglaciale.Ne deriva una ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale che suggerisce : a) perla zona subalpina la progressiva prevalenza dl specie microtermiche durante il Pleniglaciale, con l'evidenza del ruolo importante dellarice ; b) per l'ltalla meridionale, limitatamente al sitl consideratl, nel pressl della costa tlrrenlca, si riscontra una maggiore varietà dl specie legnose ; mancano tuttavia le essenze mediterranee, evldentemente confinate ln una più ristretta fascia a ridosso della costa.Résumé.-Les analyses anthracologiques de 10 sites de l'Italie du nord et 2 sites de l'Italie du Sud (Campania) ont délivré des nouvelles données sur la flore et le paysage végétal au WOrm moyen et au Tardiglaclaire.En particulier, on souligne : a) dans la région au pied des Alpes, la progressive dominance des taxa microthermiques, surtout de Larix ; b) dans le sud de l'Italie, à cOté de plus nombreux taxons, l'absence des espèces méditerra-néennes qui étaient vraisemblablement limitées à une ceinture cOtlère très réduite.Summary.·ln the present anthracological work, 10 palaeolithic sites in Northern ltaly and 2 in Southern ltaly are considered. They are belonging to middle and upper WOrm and to Lata glacial.We suggest, as reconstruction of anclent vegetation and landscape : a) in the subalpine area, during the pleniglacial phase, sorne microthermic specles are ln prograss, the most Important of which was Larix ; b) ln Southern ltaly (Campania), there was a greater range of species during the WOrm, but mediterranean taxa were not present ; perhaps, they were restricted to a narrow bell near the Tlrrenlan cost.
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