Long-term landscape evolution of the Molise sector of the central-southern Apennines, Italy

Abstract

This paper concerns the reconstruction of the main stages of the long-term landscape evolution of the Molise portion of the central-southern Apennines along a transect divided into three sectors (SW, Central and NE). Analysis mainly focused on geomorphological, stratigraphical and structural data supported by chronological constraints, coming from an overall review of past literature and several studies carried out by the authors of the paper during the last 20 years. The results obtained allowed the elaboration of a conceptual model of the long-term evolution of the Molise sector of the central-southern Apennines. Starting from the Pliocene, the emersion of the Molise area occurred gradually from SW to NE, allowing a polycyclic landscape to evolve under the major controls first of compression then transtensional to extensional tectonics as well as climatic variations. Principal markers of the Quaternary geomorphological evolution of the Molise area are represented by the infill successions of the intermontane tectonic depressions located in its internal, SW sector and by four orders of palaeosurfaces that developed between the Early Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene across the region. These markers testify to the alternation of phases of substantial tectonic stability and uplift whose spatial-temporal distribution could be assessed along the investigated transect. Results highlight that the most important stages of landscape evolution occurred during the Early and Middle Pleistocene. At the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, the Molise sector of the Apennine chain had already reached its present setting and further landscape evolution occurred under the major control of climate and land-use.

Geomorphic response to late Quaternary tectonics in the axial portion of the Southern Apennines (Italy): A case study from the Calore River valley

“…The latter provide key morphological evidence that allows investigating regional uplift, fault activity and erosionaldepositional processes (Bull, 1977;Aucelli et al, 2014). The alternation between extensional-transtensional tectonic phases, related to the geodynamic evolution of the Tyrrhenian basin -Central-Southern Apennine chain system (Doglioni et al, 1996;Patacca and Scandone, 2001), and periods of relative tectonic stability and prevailing climatic control, determined the morphotectonic evolution of these areas (Cinque et al, 2000;Caiazzo et al, 2006;Robustelli et al, 2009Robustelli et al, , 2014Villani and Pierdominici, 2010;Aucelli et al, 2011;Giano, 2011;Amato et al, 2017a).…”

A 900 m‐deep borehole from Boiano intermontane basin (southern Apennines, Italy): Age constraints and palaeoenvironmental features of the Quaternary infilling

“…They are characterized by different sizes, sedimentary environments (lacustrine, fluvial, alluvial), drainage conditions (exorheic/endorheic), structural setting, degree of dissection, and age of formation/infilling and extinction, depending on the local tectonic regime, sensitivity to the Quaternary climatic variations and, during the Holocene, by anthropogenic land-use changes as well (Amato et al, 2014;Amato, Aucelli, Bracone, Cesarano, & Rosskopf, 2017;Aucelli et al, 2011;Cavinato, Carusi, Dall'Asta, Miccadei, & Piacentini, 2002;D'Alessandro, Miccadei, & Piacentini, 2003;Galadini & Messina, 2004;Giaccio et al, 2013). Along the Apennine chain, the Molise sector is characterized by the presence of several Quaternary tectonic depressions (Venafro, Isernia, Carpino, Sessano, Boiano and Sepino intermontane basins) that have a NW-SE elongation and are filled by lacustrine-palustrine, fluvial-marshy, slope and alluvial fan deposits (Di Bucci, Naso, Corrado, & Villa, 2005;Aucelli, Cesarano, Di Paola, Filocamo, & Rosskopf, 2013, 2013, 2016Amato, Aucelli, Bracone, et al, 2017) (Figure 1). Among these, the Boiano Basin, the largest intermontane basin of the area, was recently investigated in order to investigate its tectonic and stratigraphic evolution (see Amato et al, 2014, Ferrarini et al, 2017 for recent reviews).…”

“…The Quaternary intermontane basins of the Apennine chain represent key archives of the recent tectonic history and environmental evolution of the central Mediterranean area (Aucelli, D'Argenio, Della Seta, Giano, & Schiattarella, 2014). They are characterized by different sizes, sedimentary environments (lacustrine, fluvial, alluvial), drainage conditions (exorheic/endorheic), structural setting, degree of dissection, and age of formation/infilling and extinction, depending on the local tectonic regime, sensitivity to the Quaternary climatic variations and, during the Holocene, by anthropogenic land‐use changes as well (Amato et al, 2014; Amato, Aucelli, Bracone, Cesarano, & Rosskopf, 2017; Aucelli et al, 2011; Cavinato, Carusi, Dall'Asta, Miccadei, & Piacentini, 2002; D'Alessandro, Miccadei, & Piacentini, 2003; Galadini & Messina, 2004; Giaccio et al, 2013). Along the Apennine chain, the Molise sector is characterized by the presence of several Quaternary tectonic depressions (Venafro, Isernia, Carpino, Sessano, Boiano and Sepino intermontane basins) that have a NW‐SE elongation and are filled by lacustrine–palustrine, fluvial–marshy, slope and alluvial fan deposits (Di Bucci, Naso, Corrado, & Villa, 2005; Aucelli, Cesarano, Di Paola, Filocamo, & Rosskopf, 2013.…”

“…Along the Apennine chain, the Molise sector is characterized by the presence of several Quaternary tectonic depressions (Venafro, Isernia, Carpino, Sessano, Boiano and Sepino intermontane basins) that have a NW‐SE elongation and are filled by lacustrine–palustrine, fluvial–marshy, slope and alluvial fan deposits (Di Bucci, Naso, Corrado, & Villa, 2005; Aucelli, Cesarano, Di Paola, Filocamo, & Rosskopf, 2013. Amato et al, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017; Amato, Aucelli, Bracone, et al, 2017) (Figure 1).…”

Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy

“…Geological sketch map showing the distribution of the main tectonic units and Pliocene -Quaternary deposits in the Campania-Molise portion of the central-southern Apennines (Source:Amato et al, 2017).…”