The Tavoliere di Puglia is the third largest plain in Italy (surface area is about 3.500 Km2) and is located between the southern Appenninic Chain (Subappenino dauno) and the Apulian foreland (Gargano promontory). From a geological point of view, the Tavoliere di Puglia plain represents the northern sector of the southern Appenninic Plio-Pleistocene foredeep known as Bradanic trough. In the lower Pleistocene, the area was subjected to a phase of subsidence (with a rate in the order of 1 mm/y), while, from middle Pleistocene to present-day, a moderate uplift phase occurred. Data field from the survey for the new Geological Map of Italy (C.A.R.G. Project) and analyses carried out on well logs allowed the detailed study of the latest phases of sedimentation during the regional uplift of the northern sector of the Bradanic trough. The geological survey was carried out in an area (408 “San Bartolomeo” and 396 “San Severo” Sheets of the new Geological Map of Italy - 1:50.000 scale) that covers the entire Plio-Pleistocene foredeep extending from the external thrust sheets of the Subappennino dauno to the western Gargano highs. This paper presents only the data collected during the survey of the middle upper Pleistocene deposits: they are marine, transitional and continental deposits and are clearly terraced at different elevations above present sea level. They lie on unconformity surfaces above older units represented mainly by Miocene Apenninic units in the western sectors, Plio-Pleistocene argille subappenine unit in the foredeep area and carbonatic Mesozoic-Cenozoic units in the western Gargano area. The recognition of unconformity surfaces of great lateral extent allowed us to distinguish 7 different synthems grouped in the Tavoliere di Puglia supersynthem. Some synthems contain a lower marine and/or transitional subsynthem and an upper alluvial subsynthem separated by an unconformity surface. Marine and transitional subsynthems crop out in the eastern part of the study area (close to San Severo and Apricena area) and are represented mainly by coarsening-upward successions deposited in deltaic, proximal marine and low-energy protected embayment settings. In the western and higher sectors, alluvial subsynthems occur; they contain coarsening-upward successions of (proximal to distal) alluvial fan environments passing eastward to braided and coastal alluvial plain environments. Lateral facies changes can be followed gradually from areas next to the chain toward the eastern foreland areas. Facies changes can be observed also comparing synthems of different ages: for example, alluvial facies observed at the same distance from the chain are coarser-grained in the older synthems and finer-grained in the younger ones; the basal unconformity of different alluvial synthems show similar features: it is very inclined to the East in older synthems and becomes gradually less steep for the younger ones. Our data show that the Tavoliere di Puglia supersynthem represents a complex assemblage of marine and alluvial terraced deposits that records the interaction between regional uplift and sea-level changes. We propose a new set of detailed paleogeographic evolutionary stages for the northern sector of the Bradanic trough during middle and upper Pleistocene. In addition, these data allow us to compare the Tavoliere di Puglia plain and southern Bradanic trough evolutions.

The Tavoliere di Puglia is a large alluvial plain located in southern Italy (Foggia Province, Apulia Region). From a geological perspective view, it represents the northern part of the Bradanic trough located between the southern Apennine Chain and the Apulian Foreland. A detailed geological survey of the middle-late Pleistocene terraces has been performed in this area and a new geologic map, at 1:150,000 scale, is here described. Criteria to distinguish these units are based on the recognition of basal unconformity surfaces: seven different synthems (UBSU, Unconformity-bounded Stratigraphic Units) have been discriminated. The data are presented in a synthesis map in which the geometrical relationships between the different sedimentary units are shown. New results for this sector of the Bradanic trough are significantly different from previous literature data. Furthermore, the map allows a reliable reconstruction of the Tavoliere di Puglia paleogeography during the Late Quaternary. Moreover, a detailed map of the Pleistocene terraces is fundamental to analyze and solve environmental problems associated with soil loss and desertification processes and river flood events.

This work defines geological stratigraphic and morphological evolution of Late Pleistocene, between Ascoli Satriano and Ordona in the province of Foggia, Southern part of Tavoliere delle Puglie (Fig.1). For this purpose, was performed a photogrammetric analysis with GIS integrated with morphological, geological and stratigraphic studies on the field. The work allowed to propose a new geologic framework in which have been recognized the classical quaternary stratigraphic units of the bradanic cicle as in the Lucanian part of the Plio-Pleistocene Foredeep. In particular was recognized a regressive sandy-conglomeratic unit which lies continuously on the Argille subappennine; it represents the uppermost unit of the bradanic cycle. Furthermore, at lower topographic heights were recognized eight marine sandy-conglomeratic unconformity bounded units correlated to the marine terraces of the Murge.

The Calanche area extends on the border between the villages of Campomaggiore and Albano di Lucania (PZ) and is characterized by the occurrence of unique stratigraphic and morphological elements that can be considered as geological heritage. In this resort, a stratigraphic unit noted as “argille varicolori” (auctt.) crops out in a suggestive setting represented by badlands varying in colour from grey, to red, to green. The “argille varicolori” sedimentary succession cropping out in this site has taken in the recent years a role of fundamental importance for understanding the regional geology of the southern Apennines and the major Cretaceous climatic changes which affected the history of our Planet and the paleoceanography of the Tethys. In fact, along this sedimentary succession five guide-horizons of particular scientific importance have been recognized. These horizons, some decimeters thick, are characterized by the presence of radiolarites and black shales whose facies and ages allow us to attribute them to an ocean environment deeper than CCD surface, and which experienced relevant conditions of anoxia in certain intervals of time between Aptian and Turonian. Among these horizons, the most representative were correlated to the Selli and Bonarelli horizons, expression of the major Cretaceous Anoxic Oceanic Events occurred on the Earth respectively about 120 and 93 million years ago (OAE1a and OAE2). The recognition of these horizons, as well as the extraordinary landscape of the badlands in which they are found, make unique and valuable the geodiversity of this area and allow us to ask the institutions for the establishment of a protected area. The aim is to preserve the geological heritage, which when equipped with didactic/educational panels, could be transformed into an important page in the evolutionary history of the Earth decipherable not only by a few specialists, but also by a wide and diversifi ed audience. The proximity of this geological site to other places of geological, natural and cultural interests, occurring in the mid valley of the Basento River, enriches the offer of an already existing geoturistic tour and could represent an important opportunity for development of the nearby villages of Campomaggiore and Albano di Lucania, now at the edge of this tour.

We present new data about the morphological and stratigraphic evolution and the rates of fluvial denudation of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain, a low-relief landscape representing the northernmost sector of the Pliocene-Pleistocene foredeep of the southern Apennines. The study area is located between the easternmost part of the southern Apennine chain and the Gargano promontory and it is characterized by several orders of terraced fluvial deposits, disconformably overlying lower Pleistocene marine clay and organized in a staircase geometry, which recorded the emersion and the long-term incision history of this sector since mid- Pleistocene times.We used the spatial and altimetric distribution of several orders of middle to late Pleistocene fluvial terraces in order to performpaleotopographic reconstruction and GIS-aided eroded volumes estimates. Then, we estimated denudation rates on the basis of the terraces chronostratigraphy, supported by published OSL and AAR dating. Middle to upper Pleistocene denudation rates estimated by means of such an approach are slightly lower than 0.1mmyr-1, in good agreement with short-term data from direct and indirect evaluation of suspended sediment yield. The analysis of longitudinal river profiles using the streampower erosionmodel provided additional information on the incision rates of the studied area. Middle to late Quaternary uplift rates (about 0.15mmyr-1), calculated on the basis of the elevation above sea level of marine deposits outcropping in the easternmost sector of the study area, are quite similar to the erosion rates average value, thus suggesting a steady-state fluvial incision. The approach adopted in thiswork has demonstrated that erosion rates traditionally obtained by quantitative geomorphic analysis and ksn estimations can be successfully integrated to quantify rates of tectonic or geomorphological processes of a landscape approaching steady-state equilibrium.

We have produced a morphostructural map to explore the tectonic geomorphology of the Lucania part of the southern Apennines mountain front to assess the relative role that tectonic and erosion processes played in shaping the topography of this part of the orogen. Data were collected mainly through field work and airphoto interpretation. The main morpho-tectonic elements seem to be affected by out-of-sequence thrusting and wide regional uplift which played an important role in the latest stage of orogenic wedge evolution. The geomorphic expression of the local tectonics of individual structures reflects the structural and stratigraphic heritage and were overprinted in the Middle Pleistocene when regional rock uplift lifted the entire mountain front and its foredeep above sea level, imparting a new tectonic slope that dictates erosion and landscape evolution to the present day. Distinct geomorphological features such as asymmetrical ridges, relict valleys and paleosurfaces, have developed on rocks of variable durability and are exposed by regional uplift and erosion along non-cylindrical structures, fault transfer zones, and lateral ramps. This map also identifies for the first time a relict strike valley at the mountain front and a set of geomorphic markers that highlight the particular relationship between drainage evolution and thrusting.

Middle-upper Pliocene wedge-top deposits cropping out near San Mauro Forte village (Basilicata region), along the Southern Apennnines chain-front, unconformably overlie deformed, lower Pliocene deposits and the pre-Pliocene substratum, represented by Cretaceous to Miocene allochtonous units. The middle-upper Pliocene sedimentary succession is markedly transgressive, with deltaic sands and gravels, overlain by shallow-marine to shelfal hybrid arenites (panchine Auctt.) and open-shelf hemipelagic deposits. This sedimentary succession was syndepositionally deformed, as shown by growth strata and progressive unconformities. Different ranks of unconformity surfaces separate hierarchically ordered, informal stratigraphic units. Two main units have been recognised: the lower unit (desi - gnated as Sequence 1) is mainly represented by siliciclastic deposits; the upper one (Sequence 2), is made of hybrid arenites and the overlying hemipelagites. Growth strata in the hybrid arenites indicate a strong synsedimentary control of a N-S trending anticline-thrust. Siliciclastic deposits of Sequence 1 can be ascribed to coarsegrained delta environments, fed by hyperpychnal flows arising from the chain-front and spreading out towards the foreland areas. Hybrid arenites of Sequence 2 has a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic to pure silicilastic composition and was deposited in storm-driven, shoreface to open-shelf environments. Skeletal grains of Sequence 2 belong to the foramol-type association, in good agreement with other Neogene and Quaternary mixed carbonate-siliciclastic systems of the Mediterranean area. Stratigraphic-sedimentological data suggest that the aforementioned uplift of the anticline-thrust played a leading role in the establishment of favourable conditions for carbonate production. Regional-scale subsidence has brought to the final drowning of these carbonate factories, overwhelmed by hemipelagic sedimentation.

The stratigraphical analysis of several boreholes drilled in the Metaponto coastal plain (Basilicata region, southern Italy) highlighted the occurrence of two irregular erosional surfaces bounding three main overlapping sedimentary units. The upper unit, which base has been detected by using a geophysical method for the H/V spectral ratio (HVSR) of microtremors, fi lls and covers some paleovalleys that were incised during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). A 3D view of a main geophysical unconformity shows a surface with the occurrence of some deeper, narrow, and sinuous zones running roughly perpendicular to the present-day coastline and at depths of up to 90 m below the present-day sea level. These narrows likely correspond to the paleovalleys that developed in the region during the LGM and are buried below the Metaponto coastal plain. Some discrepancies between the geophysical and the geological data may be explained either as induced by a not well constrained projections of boreholes (from which derive the lithostratigraphic interpretations) or considering that the sedimentary models of incised-valley fi lls suggest the presence of different coeval deposits along dip through paleovalleys, inducing a contrast of seismic impedance readable as paleotopography rises.

The Metaponto Coastal Plain (MCP), in southern Italy, stretches 60 km-long and 5 km-wide along the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea, and is presently subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. A multidisciplinary study reviewed the geomorphology, lithostratigraphy and sedimentology of the MCP and its subsurface. Incorporating both borehole and radiocarbon-dating information in the review, this paper focuses on comparisons and differences between present-day and buried Late Pleistocene landscapes (LGM and MIS 3). The modern coastal plain is the top of a late Holocene coastal wedge prograding on a very narrow-shelf, that is connected to a deep basin (the Ionian Sea) by a steep slope. This scenery likely resembles those produced during earlier late Quaternary relative highstands and is in marked contrastwith that produced during the last sea-level fall and lowstand, and buried in the MCP subsurface. The last scenery corresponds to the LGM landscape, where river-valleys deeply dissected a previous highstand coastal wedge (MIS 3) whose remnants represented interfluve areas. Thanks to resonance properties of the subsurface, this buried landscape was obtained in a 3D visualization, highlighting location and shape of incised valleys and interfluve areas during the LGM.