Imp. Esposito LLAATTEE QQUUAATTEERRNNAARRYY SSHHOORREELLIINNEESS IINN SSOOUUTTHHEERRNN CCIILLEENNTTOO ((MMTT.. BBUULLGGHHEERRIIAA)):: MMOORRPPHHOOSSTTRRAATTIIGGRRAAPPHHYY AANNDD CCHHRROONNOOLLOOGGYY CCaarrmmeellaa EEssppoossiittoo11,, FFrraanncceessccaa FFiillooccaammoo11,, RRoobbeerrttaa MMaarrcciiaannoo11,, PPaaoollaa RRoommaannoo11,, NNiiccoolleettttaa SSaannttaannggeelloo11,, FFaabbiioo SSccaarrcciigglliiaa22 && PPaaoollaa TTuucccciimmeeii33 1Dipartimento Scienze della Terra Università di Napoli Federico II 2Dipartimento Scienze della Terra - Università della Calabria 3Dipartimento di Geologia - Università di Roma Tre - ABSTRACT A detailed geological and geomorphological survey of shorelines and continental deposits, cropping out along the carbonate coast between the Mingardo river mouth and Cala degli Infreschi bay, was carried out. Several erosional indicators of paleo-sea level stands were collected such as notches, wave-cut terraces and upper limits of Lithophaga burrows. Littoral sediments are often present on with these erosional features and are made up of sands and conglomerates which locally contain mollusc shells, red algae and corals. These evidence have been preserved along paleo-sea cliffs or inside coastal caves of prevalent karstic origin. The continental deposits, often associated with marine successions, are represented by eolian and colluvial deposits, paleosols and, inside the coastal caves, by speleothems and graviclastic breccias. In many localities these continental deposits contain lithic industries of palaeolithic age which can be considered as lower or upper chronological limits for the associated shorelines. Geomorphological cut-cross relations, stratigraphic position and altimetrical correlation among continental and marine deposits were analysed in order to recognise both their relative chronology and the phases of coastal morphogenesis, linked to the interaction between sea level fluctuations and tectonic uplift. Mineralogic analysis on paleosols was also carried out for paleoenvironmental recon- structions. Moreover, Th/U datings of speleothems, which directly cover or are buried by marine deposits, were carried out in order to give chronological constrains for the reconstruction. At least six orders of Middle Pleistocene marine terraces are present between 75 and 15 m a.s.l.; the complete flight of these terraces is only well preserved along the western part of the Mt. Bulgheria coast. Between 10 e 3.5 m a.s.l. we recognised three other paleo-sea level stands, the youngest of which is represented by fossiliferous conglomerates and sands. The Th/U age of the speleothem (90 ka BP) which is buried by these marine deposits and the Th/U age of the speleothem which cover the marine sands (50 ka BP) allowed us to ascribe this shoreline to the OIsS 5a. This correlation is supported by the mousterian age of the graviclastic breccia lying on them. RIASSUNTO E’ stato eseguito un rilevamento geologico e geomorfologico di dettaglio delle linee di riva e dei depositi continentali affioranti lungo il settore di costa carbonatica compreso tra la foce del fiume Mingardo e Cala degli Infreschi. Sono stati individuati diversi indicatori ero- sionali di paleostazionamenti del livello marino, rappresentati da solchi bioerosivi, piattaforme d’abrasione e dal limite superiore orizzon- tale dei fori di litodomi. Spesso a queste forme erosionali si associano depositi marini, costituiti da sabbie e puddinghe che localmente contengono resti di molluschi, alghe rosse e coralli. Queste evidenze sono preservate lungo le paleofalesie o all’interno di grotte costie- re, in molti casi di origine carsica. Depositi continentali sono a volte associati alle successioni marine; si tratta soprattutto di depositi eolici, colluvioni, paleosuoli e, all’interno delle grotte, di speleotemi e brecce graviclastiche. In molte località questi depositi contengono industrie paleolitiche che possono essere considerate come limite cronologico inferiore o superiore per le linee di riva ad esse associate. L’analisi dei rapporti geomorfologici, le posizioni stratigrafiche e la correlazione altimetrica tra i depositi continentali e marini hanno per- messo di ricostruire la loro cronologia relativa e le fasi di morfogenesi costiera legate all’interazione tra le variazioni del livello marino e i movimenti di sollevamento. Analisi mineralogiche sono state condotte sui paleosuoli allo scopo di ottenere delle ricostruzioni paleoam- bientali. Inoltre, sono state eseguite datazioni Th/U di alcuni speleotemi che poggiano su/ o sono coperti da depositi marini, al fine di ottenere dei vincoli cronologici per la ricostruzione degli eventi. Tra 75 e 15 m s.l.m. sono stati riconosciuti almeno sei ordini di terrazzi marini medioplestocenici; questa gradinata di terrazzi si è pre- servata completamente solo lungo il settore costiero occidentale del Monte Bulgheria. Tra 10 e 3.5 m s.l.m. sono presenti altri tre paleo- stazionamenti marini, il più recente dei quali è rappresentato da una puddinga fossilifera che passa verso l’alto a sabbie. L’età Th/U dello speleotema (90 ka BP) su cui si rinvengono i suddetti depositi marini e quella dello speleotema che copre le sabbie (50 ka BP) permettono di ascrivere questa linea di riva al substage 5a della stratigrafia isotopica. Tale attribuzione è confermata dall’età mousteria- na delle brecce graviclastiche poggianti sul deposito marino. Keywords: Paleo-sea level stands, Late Quaternary, speleothem, paleosol, U-series dating, Cilento promontory, Southern Italy. Parole chiave: Paleostazionamenti del livello marino, tardo Quaternario, speleotema, paleosuolo, datazioni con la serie dell’Uranio, Cilento, Italia meridionale. Il Quaternario Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences 1166(1), 2003, 3-14 11 IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN The Cilento promontory is a large structural high located between the Gulf of Salerno to the north and the Policastro gulf to the south (Fig.1). Its southern coasts are carved in high resistant rocks such as limestones and cherty limestones (flintstones) of the Mt. Bulgheria Mesozoic– Caenozoic units. Due to the Pliocene- Quaternary tectonic history of the Mt Bulgheria massif, which was characterised by several phases of normal faulting mainly EW and NE SW trending (Ascione et al., 1997), the coast of southern Cilento is constituted by 4 C. Esposito et al. same structure-controlled bays, filled in some cases with sandy and gravelly beaches (Capo Grosso, Cala D’Arconte, La Calanca and Lentiscelle beaches), which alternate with active vertical sea cliffs from some metres to hundreds of metres high. Karstic caves, more or less reworked and enlarged by marine abrasion (Esposito et al., 2001), are present all along the carbonate active and inactive sea cliffs. The slope developing over the sea cliff is charac- terised by a flight of marine terraces, from 400 to10 m above the present sea level, cut by subsequent and consequent stream valleys. According to the last researches carried out on the marine terraces of southern Cilento (Ascione & Romano, 1999; Russo, 1994), the Eutyrrhenian shoreli- ne (i.e. the one correlated with the Oxygen Isotope sub- Stage 5e) can be found at almost the same elevation along the coast of Mt. Bulgheria; i.e. it was recognised at Cala Bianca bay at 6 m a.s.l. by means of racemiza- tion on Astralium shells (Russo, 1994). These findings testifie a late Quaternary tectonic stability for the area. Moving southward of the Mt. Bulgheria coasts, a mode- rate Upper Pleistocene-Holocene tectonic uplift was highlighted near Sapri, where Brancaccio et al. (1990) recognised, at 15 m a.s.l., fossiliferous marine conglo- merates dated to the eutyrrhenian transgression. Finally, evidence of post-eutyrrhenian subsidence was pointed out at Capo Palinuro, the carbonate promontory that bounds Mt. Bulgheria to the north, where a + 2 m high marine notch was correlated to the OIsS 5e sea level highstand (Antonioli et al., 1994). In this paper the results of a detailed survey carried out on the late Quaternary shorelines along the coast of Mt. Bulgheria are presented. The collected data refer to all the erosional and depo- sitional indicators of fossil shorelines which are pre- served along the active and inactive sea cliffs as well as inside the coastal caves. As erosional indica- tors we considered the point of maximum conca- vity of bioerosive notches (sensu Pirazzoli, 1996), the inner rim of wave-cut terraces and the upper limit of burrows (the latter only when straight, hori- zontal and laterally conti- nuous for some metres). Along the fossil sho- relines, a detailed survey was also carried out on the continental deposits asso- ciated with the erosional and depositional marks of strandlines, such as allu- vial and colluvial deposits, paleosols, tephra layers and speleothems. 22 GGEEOOLLOOGGIICCAALL AANNDD GGEEOOMMOORRPPHHOOLLOOGGIICCAALL SSEETTTTIINNGG OOFF TTHHEE SSOOUUTTHHEERRNN CCIILLEENNTTOO Starting from the sixties, several geological, struc- tural and geomorphological studies have been carried out in order to reconstruct the Mt. Bulgheria long and short term geological history (Scandone et al., 1964; Ciampo, 1976; Lippmann-Provansal, 1987; Borrelli et al., 1988; Tozzi et al., 1996; Ascione A., 1997; Ascione et al., 1997; Ascione & Romano, 1999). The massif is a topographic high made up of a carbonate succession Upper Triassic to Lower Miocene in age which is unconformably covered by Pliocene- Quaternary continental, transitional and marine depo- sits. The Pliocene-Quaternary geomorphological and tectonic evolution of Mt. Bulgheria is testified by fluvial and lacustrine terraces, wave-cut and wave-built marine terraces, structure controlled forms (such as fault scar- ps, subsequent fluvial valleys, etc.), as well as by the above quoted successions of different sedimentary envi- ronments. In particular, the early Pleistocene depositional events were recorded by marine successions: the S. Vito Formation, Santernian in age (Ascione, 1997), the Lentiscosa Formation (Sgrosso & Ciampo, 1966; Lippmann Provensal, 1987; Borrelli et al., 1988), the Cala Bianca Frms Emilian in age (Sgrosso & Ciampo, 1966; Ciampo, 1976) and Torre dell’Isola Frms, Emilian in age (Ascione, 1997). All these Formations are unconformably lying on the Caenozoic and Mesozoic Fig. 1 - Location of the studied area. Ubicazione dell’area studiata. units. Nowadays these successions outcrop between 400 and 0 m a.s.l. (Fig.2). In same cases these forma- tions are associated with depositional terraces displaced between 450 m and 300 m a.s.l. by subsequent phases of normal faulting. The wave cut terraces located between 450 and 300 m a.s.l. are correlated with the Lower Pleistocene depositional marine terraces. The fli- ght of erosional and depositional marine terraces loca- ted between 150 and 12÷10 m a.s.l., which formed during Middle Pleistocene, testifies the effect of the final uplift that affected the Mt. Bulgheria and the last phase of relief growth. Moreover, the fact that the terraces develop with continuity along the coastal belt indicate at the same time the cessation of block faulting. According with Ascione & Romano 1999 during Upper Pleistocene- Holocene, due to the substantial tectonic stability of the area, the coastal morphogenesis mainly proceeds in response to climate oscillations and the consequent gla- cio-eustatic sea level fluctuations. 5Late Quaternary shorelines ... 33 SSTTRRAATTIIGGRRAAPPHHIICCAALL AANNDD GGEEOOMMOORRPPHHOOLLOOGGIICCAALL DDAATTAA A detailed geological and geomorphological sur- vey of the coast between T. Fenosa and Cala degli Infreschi, along the southern slope of Mt. Bulgheria, was carried out. The recognised erosional and depositional evidence of ancient paleo-sea levels were grouped into five main ranges of altitude: 12÷10, 8.5÷8; 7.5÷5, 4.5÷4, 3.5÷3 (Fig.2). In the eastern sector of the studied area, in a little circular bay named Cala degli Infreschi, a well preserved stratigraphical record is present made by both marine and continental deposits. A particular atten- tion was thus focused on this bay. EEvviiddeennccee aatt 1122÷÷1100 m a.s.l.– This shoreline is mainly represented by wave-cut terraces (Fig.3), conti- nuously present along the coastal sector, cut in both the Monte Bulgheria Mesozoic limestones and the Torre Fig. 2 - Geomorphological map of southern sector of Mt.Bulgheria (Salerno-Italy) and synthetic table of morphological indicators of paleo-sea levels between 12-10 m and 0 m a.s.l. Carta geomorfologica del settore meridionale del Mt. Bulgheria (Salerno, Italia) e tabella riassuntiva degli indicatori morfologici di paleo- linee di riva tra 12-10 m e 0 m s.l.m. 6 dell’Isola conglomerates (Emilian stage). The stratigraphical con- straints for this order of terraces are well exposed at Cala d’Arconte and Capo Grosso bays where two different generations of paleosols, developed on colluvial deposits, cover the wave-cut ter- races. The oldest one (2.5÷3 m thick) is reddish, contains manga- nese nodules and some stone- lines; several artifacts of Acheulean age were reported by Palma di Cesnola (1982). The youngest paleosol (6 m thick), discordant on the other, is browni- sh-red and does not contain gra- vels; Mousterian artifacts were found in it (Palma di Cesnola, 1982). A lens of grey, weathering pyroclastic sand is present at the top of the youngest paleosol. In the Cilento area the mou- sterian lithic industries are dated between 130 and 40 ka B.P. (Gambassini & Ronchitelli, 1998). This means that the oldest colluvium, which only contains Acheulean artifatcs, was settled before 130 ka B.P.; consequently the age of the 12÷10 m terrace, over which the paleosol is located, is pre-Tyrrhenian. Another evidence of this shoreline is represented by the inner edge of the wave-cut terrace located at 10 m a.s.l. and covered by marine grey sandstones along the Cala d’Arconte promontory, and by a bioerosive notch, clearly visible on the right side of Grotta della Serratura cave, in the Cala Lentiscelle bay. EEvviiddeennccee aatt 88..55÷÷ 88 mm aa..ss..ll.– This shoreline is represented by a wave-cut terrace in the west side of Calanca bay, by horizontal upper limits of Lithophagous burrows, between Monte di Luna and Cala Bianca and in Riparo Infreschi cave, and by two bioerosive notches in Cala Bianca bay and in the Infreschi cave. EEvviiddeennccee bbeettwweeeenn 77..55 aanndd 55 mm aa..ss..ll..- Between Torre Fenosa and Marina di Camerota wave-cut terra- ces and bioerosive notches, located at 6÷5 m a.s.l., represent the evidence of an ancient shoreline. Remains of grey marine sandstones are associated with some of these terraces. On the Torre dell’Isola promontory a bioerosive notch located at 7.5 m a.s.l. may be the evidence of another paleo-sea level, but no similar evidence was found along the coastal sector. In particular, on this promontory between 7.5 and 5 m a.s.l.. at least three relative paleo-sea levels can be recognised, respectively at + 7.5 , + 5 m. and + 7 m (Fig.4). At 5 m a.s.l., in fact, a wave-cut terrace with polygenic well rounded beach conglomerates is present. The conglomerates are unconformably covered by a fossiliferous marine deposit (1.5 m thick), which laterally passes to a clinostratified grey sandstone (2 m thick). The latter is cut at 7 m a.s.l. by a sub--horizontal surface that looks like another wave-cut terrace. A reddish conti- nental deposit covers this terrace and fills the bioerosive C. Esposito et al. Fig. 3 - The10 m a.s.l. wave-cut terrace of Cala d’Arconte promontory. Terrazzo d’abrasione dei 10 m s.l.m. sul promontorio di Cala d’Arconte. Fig. 4 - Schematic profile of Torre dell’Isola sector. Ca-mesozoic limestone; Co1- marine monogenic conglomerates and breccias of Torre dell’Isola succession; Co2- marine polygenic conglome- rates; Sn- marine sands; Cn-continental deposits with breccias and flowstone; N-bioerosive notch Lithophaga burrows. Profilo schematico del settore di Torre dell’Isola. Ca- calcari mesozoici; Co1-puddinghe monogeniche e brecce della suc- cessione di Torre dell’Isola; Co2- puddinghe poligeniche; Sn- sabbie marine; Cn- depositi continentali con brecce e concre- zioni; N- solco bioerosivo; fori di Litodomi. 7 notch at 7.5 m a.s.l., too. Stratigraphic relations between erosional features and deposits suggest the following relative chronology of events: the + 7.5 m notch represents a first paleo- sea level stand, the + 5 m wave-cut terrace and the grey marine sandstones indicate a subsequent sea level stand and a relative trasgression, finally the sea level stand rises again, as the + 7 m wave-cut terrace testi- fies. After this marine phase, the deposition of continen- tal deposit occurs. EEvviiddeennccee aatt 44..55--44 mm aa..ss..ll..- Between Torre Zancale and Cala degli Infreschi, bioerosive notches and wave- cut terraces are clearly visible at 4.5÷4 m a.s.l.. These erosional morphologies are rather continuous and sometimes remains of grey marine sandstones (similar to the sandstone cropping out on the + 5 m terrace loca- ted W of Marina di Camerota, see precedent paragraph) are visible on the terrace. In the Cala Bianca and Cala degli Infreschi bays a Cladocora-bearing biocalcarenite is present on the 4.5 m wave-cut terrace. EEvviiddeennccee aatt 33..55--33 mm aa..ss..ll.– Evidence of this shore- line was mainly observed in the eastern coastal sector and along the western promontory of the Calanca bay (Fig.5) where a continuous (ca. 200 m) and well-marked wave-cut terrace with marine sandstones (max 2 m thick) is present. 33..11 TThhee ccaassee ooff CCaallaa ddeeggllii IInnffrreesscchhii.. In the sub-circular bay of Cala degli Infreschi a lot of different erosional indicators of paleo-sea level stands together with marine and continental deposits were col- lected; the stratigraphical record is well preserved in two little caves located in the western sector of the bay: the Infreschi cave and the Riparo Infreschi cave (Fig. 2). TThhee IInnffrreesscchhii ccaavvee This cave represents a remnant of an ancient kar- stic phreatic level (Esposito et al., 2001) connected with the basal water table of Mt. Bulgheria, that nowadays flows into the sea through karstic channels located along the western rim of the bay. The oldest evidence of a paleo-sea level stand is represented by a well-marked bioerosive notch located at 8 m a.s.l. on the right side of the cave (Fig 6, 7A); this notch is cut by a wide strip of Lithophaga burrows, whose upper limit is horizontal and located at 8.5 m Late Quaternary shorelines ... Fig. 5 - The 3.5 m a.s.l. wave-cut terrace of Calanca bay. La piattaforma d’abrasione di 3,5 m s.l.m. della baia della Calanca. Fig. 6 - Schematic profile of Infreschi cave. Ca-mesozoic limestone; Co1-marine conglomerates; Bc- bioli- mestonenite with Cladocora; Co2-marine conglomerates; Sn- marine sands; Br- graviclastic breccias; Ps-paleosol; Pr-pyro- clastic layer; N-bioerosive notch; Lithophaga burrows. Profilo schematico di Grotta degli Infreschi. Ca- calcari mesozoici; Co1- puddinghe; Bc- biolimestonenite a Cladocora; Co2- puddinghe; Sn- sabbie marine; Br- brecce graviclastiche; Ps-paleosuolo; Pr- piroclastite; N- solco bioero- sivo; fori di Litodomi. 8 a.s.l.. At the entrance of the cave a wave-cut terrace is present at 4.5 m a.s.l. (Fig.6, 7B) cut in the carbonate succession of Mt. Bulgheria as well as in a monogenic carbonate beach conglomerate. The external rim of this terrace is covered by a Cladocora-bearing biocalcareni- te which is also visible in remains on the wall of the cave up to 6 m a.s.l.. This biocalcarenite is covered by a polygenic beach conglomerate (ca.1 m thick) passing upward to plano-parallel stratified sands, clearly trasgressive and unconformable on the Cladocora-bearing biocalcarenite; the top of these sands reaches the altitude of 6 m. Along the scarp of the + 4.5 m wave-cut terrace a bioerosive notch, located at about 3.5 m a.s.l., is pre- sent and continuously well preserved also in the area surrounding the cave. At the back of the cave a continental succession covering the sands is preserved; it is made up of gravi- clastic carbonate breccias almost without matrix, pas- sing upward to a brownish paleosol with manganese nodules (see p.5). Two strongly altered yellowish pyro- clastic levels are included in the paleosol. TThhee RRiippaarroo IInnffrreesscchhii ccaavvee This site represents the remains of an ancient coa- stal cave, like that of Infreschi, now destroyed by roof C. Esposito et al. Fig.7 - Infreschi bay. A- the 8 m a.s.l. bioerosive notch; B-the 4 m a.s.l. wave-cut terrace. Cala degli Infreschi. A- solco bioerosivo a quota 8 m s.l.m.; B- piattaforma d’abrasione dei 4 m s.l.m. Fig. 8 - Schematic profile of Riparo degli Infreschi cave. Ca-mesozoic limestone; Co1-marine conglomerates; Sp1- spe- leothem; Lithophaga burrows; Br- graviclastic breccias; N-bioe- rosive notch; Co2-marine conglomerates; Sn-marine sands; Brm- mousterian graviclastic breccias; Sp2- speleothem; Ps- paleosol; Pr-pyroclastic layer. Profilo schematico del Riparo degli Infreschi. Ca- calcari mesozoici; Co1- puddinghe; Sp1- speleotema; fori di Litodomi; Br- brecce graviclastiche; N- solco bioerosivo; Co2- puddinghe; Sn- sabbie marine; Brm- breccia graviclastica di età musteriana; Sp2- speleotema; Ps-paleosuolo; Pr- piro- clastite. falls. Also in this case a well preserved record of marine and continental deposits is present (Fig.8, 9). Mousterian lithic industries were found in the continental part of the succession (Guide Archeologiche, 1996). All deposits are preserved on the left side and in the central part of the paleo-cave together with erosional evidence of paleo-sea level stands. In particular, the highest evidence is represented by a wide strip of bur- rows whose horizontal upper limit rests at 8.5 m a.s.l.. At about 8 m a.s.l., a flowstone drapping the wall of the cave was found, which was cut by the burrows and then sampled for U-series dating (SSpp11--RRII 77). At about 6 m a.s.l. carbonate marine conglomera- tes are covered by a speleothem; as the carbonate sub- stratum, both of them are cut by burrows (Fig.10). This speleothem was sampled for U-series dating. (SSpp11--RRII 55). Over the carbonate marine conglomerates and over the speleothem, marine sands are present, which AA BB 9Late Quaternary shorelines ... Fig. 9 - Riparo degli Infreschi cave. Co1- marine conglomerates; Sp1- speleothem; Br- graviclastic breccias; Co2-marine conglomerates; Sn- marine sands; Sp2- spe- leothem; Ps- paleosol; Pr- pyroclastic layer; RI 7- sample of Sp1 at 8 m a.s.l.; RI 5- sample of Sp1 at 6 m a.s.l.; RI1- sample of Sp2. Riparo degli Infreschi. Co1- puddinghe; Sp1- speleotema; Br- brecce graviclastiche; Co2- puddinghe; Sn- sabbie marine; Sp2- speleotema; Ps- paleosuolo; Pr- piroclastite; RI 7- campione di Sp1 a 8 m s.l.m.; RI 5- campione di Sp1 a 6 m s.l.m.; RI 1- campione di Sp2. Fig. 10 - Riparo degli Infreschi cave. A- speleothem cut by Lithophaga burrows; B- speleothems and marine conglomerates cut by Litophaga burrows. Riparo degli Infreschi. A- speleotema tagliato da fori di Litodomi; B- speleotemi e pud- dinghe tagliati dai fori di Litodomi. AA BB Fig. 11 - Infreschi cave paleosol. XRD patterns for fine clay (< 0.2 mm) fractions after different treatments in horizon B3. Il = illite; K = kaolinite; Sm = smectite; d is expressed in nm. Palesuolo di Grotta degli Infreschi. Diffrattogrammi ai raggi X delle argille fini (< 0.2 mm) con differenti trattamenti nell’orizzon- te B3. Il = illite; K = caolinite; Sm = smectite; d è espressa in nm. reach 6 m a.s.l. and clearly cover the burrows. These marine sands also cover a bioerosive notch located at 3.5 m a.s.l., which cuts the flank of the cave. The sands pass downward to carbonate marine conglomerates with abundant matrix and gasteropod shells with spines. In the central part of the paleo-cave at 4 m a.s.l., this conglomerate clearly covers a flowsto- ne which is cut by several burrows. This speleothem was also dated using U-series (SSpp11--RRII 44) . A graviclastic breccia containing remains of Mousterian age is present over the above mentioned conglomerate, testifying human frequenting of the cave at the end of Upper Pleistocene. Over the breccia deposit a pyroclastic level , which passes upward to a brownish paleosol, is preserved in a corner of the paleo cave. This pyroclastic level is stron- gly weathered and for this reason its petrochemical analysis didn’t give any significant result. Further flowstones, laying on the sands and on the breccia deposits and never cut by burrows Lithophaga, were sampled (SSpp22--RRII 11) in order to give upper chrono- logical constraints to the reconstruction. 44 UU--SSEERRIIEESS DDAATTAA Four speleothems interbedded with marine depo- sits were sampled in Riparo Infreschi cave and analysed by U-series disequilibria. Samples were accurately field- selected in order to exclude all materials with macrosco- pic signs of weathering and further examined under a binocular microscope to refine the selection. Fragments with no trace of secondary alteration were analysed according to standard procedures (Bischoff et al., 1988). Three to six gram samples were spiked with a 228Th + 232U tracer (in secular equilibrium) and activity ratios were counted in an EG&G ORTEC 920-8 alpha spectrometer system. The ages and the initial 234U/238U activity ratios were calculated by means of ISOPLOT, a plotting and regression program designed by Ludwig (1994) for radiogenic-isotope data. The uranium con- tents, the activity ratios and the calculated 230Th ages are listed in Tab.1; all errors are reported as 1 sigma. Coral samples from Infreschi cave in Cala degli Infreschi were not analysed because of recrystallization problems, testified by high proportion of calcite. Also red algae samples contained in the calcarenite from the same cave were not suitable for the dating because of the high content of secondary carbonate cement, making the obtained age too young and not consistent with the overall evolution of the area. 55 PPEEDDOOLLOOGGIICCAALL DDAATTAA The soil profile of the Infreschi cave is characteri- sed by morphological description and bulk sampling for mineralogical analyses (XRD of the fine clay and the sand fractions). The main morphological features are reported in Tab. 2. On the basis of the reddish to brownish colours determined with the Munsell Soil Color Charts (Munsell, 1994), also the Redness rate (Torrent et al., 1980) was evaluated and applied to estimate hematite content according to Ferrari & Magaldi (1983): the former values range from 3 to about 12 allowing to predict up to 1.4 % Hm (data not shown), approximately accordant with the method proposed by Torrent et al. (1983). The weak to null effervescence reaction given by the HCl test (10% solution) allows to estimate no more than 2 % of carbo- nate in the soil. X-ray diffractometry of the sand fraction indicates the dominance of quartz among the mineral grains, with the presence of feldspars and micas in suborder (data not shown). Also calcite was recognised, presumably related to the secondary calcium carbonate precipita- tions observed. XRD analysis of fine clays shows a mineralogy mainly formed by kaolinite, illite and smectite (Fig 11). Halloysitic components, possibly deriving from the weathering of the pyroclastic material, cannot be excluded, although no specific treatment was performed to discriminate them from kaolinite. The examined paleosol can be regarded as Terrae Rossae-like (Rhodoxeralfs, sensu USDA, 1998), largely widespread in southern Italy and other low- and mid-lati- tudinal areas, and widely studied by several Authors (e.g. Colombo & Terribile, 1994; Bellanca et al., 1996; Bronger & Bruhn-Lobin, 1997; Yaalon et al., 1997; Yassoglou et al., 1997; Durn et al., 1999). CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN Along the southern sector of the Mt. Bulgheria, between 12÷10 e 0 m a.s.l. several paleo-sea level evi- dence was identified and gathered in five range of altitu- de. The oldest one (12÷10 m a.s.l.) is pre-Tyrrhenian in age. The lower evidence develop not continuously along 10 C. Esposito et al. Sample ppb U (234U/238U) (230Th/234U) (230Th/232Th) (234U/238U) init. Age (ka) RI 1 827 ± 17 1.032 ± 0.023 0.373 ± 0.011 40 ± 2 1.037 ± 0.027 50.6 ± 1.9 RI 4 608 ± 42 1.049 ± 0.029 0.565 ± 0.022 38 ± 2 1.063 ± 0.037 89.8 ± 5.4 RI 5 102 ± 4 1.364 ± 0.071 0.588 ± 0.035 infinite 1.472 ± 0.092 91.7 ± 8.2 RI 7 141 ± 5 1.086 ± 0.053 0.650 ± 0.038 infinite 1.118 ± 0.072 111.9 ± 11.0 Tab.1- U-series data of speleothems from Riparo Infreschi, (Italy). Quoted ratios are activity ratios and errors are expressed as 1 sigma. (234U/238U)init. represents the initial uranium activity ratio. Datazioni U-series degli speleotemi del Riparo degli Infreschi, (Italia). I rapporti riportati sono rapporti di attività e gli errori sono espressi come 1 sigma. (234U/238U)init. rappresenta il rapporto di attività iniziale dell’uranio. the coastal belt, so it’s difficult to correlate them. Moreover, continental and marine deposits associated with these erosional features not provide chronological constraints, with the exception of the deposits surveyed in the Infreschi bay. The stratigraphical data collected in the Infreschi and Riparo Infreschi caves were tentatively correlated (Tab. 3). The Th/U ages of the speleothems Sp2-RI1, Sp1- RI4 and Sp1RI5 represent good chronological con- straints for the marine sands and conglomerates of the Riparo Infreschi cave (Sn and Co2 in Figg. 7 and 9) suggesting their attribution to the OIsS 5a (>50 ka BP and <89 ka BP). We correlated them to the marine con- glomerates and sands that partly fill the nearby Infreschi cave and which have the same stratigraphical (are covered by similar graviclastic breccia and paleosol) and altitudinal (in both cases the top of the sands is located at 6 m a.s.l..) position. Therefore, these depo- sits testify a distinct marine ingression in both caves, occurring between two episodes of continental deposi- tion, the last of which is represented by graviclastic breccias and paleosols. In particular, the Infreschi cave paleosol shows an intense degree of weathering, probably partly inherited. In fact, it consists of reworked soil sediments with much allochthonous windblown material, previously weathered under interglacial climatic conditions, clearly warmer 11Late Quaternary shorelines ... Tab. 2- Description of the Infreschi cave’s paleosol. Descrizione del paleosuolo di grotta degli Infreschi. and wetter than today’s. Soil reworking should have occurred after the deposition of the marine sands, fol- lowed by pedogenesis in the cave, which homogenised this parent material and led to the horizon differentiation and soil aggregation observed in the profile. Soil featu- res related to in situ pedogenesis appear compatible with the succession of the Last Glacial and Holocene environments, alternating drier and moister phases at different time scales (103 - 102 years to yearly and sea- sonal cycles) and with very different temperature ranges in a “protected” site such as the Infreschi cave. The Th/U age of the speleothem Sp1-RI 7 gives a lower chronological constraint (younger than 111 ka BP) for the evidence of paleo-sea level stands represented by the upper limit of Lithophaga. Because this limit is located at the same altitude in the Infreschi caves we ascribed both evidence to OIsS 5c. Because of their relative chronological position, other evidence of ancient shorelines collected in the bay can also be ascribed to OIsS 5c or to OIsS 5a, but it is not clear if they represent complex oscillations within a single stage (substages) or pauses of the same tran- sgressive event. Other stages, such as the OIsS 5e, have shown to be composed by com- plex, secondary fluctuations of the paleo-sea level (Hearty & Kindler, 1995; Neumann & Hearty, 1996; Zazo, 1999). Other important considera- tions have to be made about the altitude of the collected eviden- ce. The top of the marine sands reach in fact 6 m a.s.l. and the upper limit of the burrows is located at 8.5 m a.s.l.; both these altitudes are too high, if compared to the paleo-eustatic level quoted for the OIsS 5a and 5c. In fact, even if no agreement has been achieved in the scien- tific literature about the relative altitude of the sea during these stands, the suggested values are always around or below the present day elevation. In particu- lar, Ku eett aall..(1990) and Richards et al.(1994) affirmed that both during the OIsS 5c and 5a the sea level was much lower than the present one. In contrast, other Authors, stated that during the OIsS 5a the sea level was close to the present one both in extramediterranean (Hearty & Kindler, 1995; Ludwig et al., 1996) and Mediterranean areas (Hearty, 1986). For this reason we hypothesise a tectonic uplift of this sector of the coast after the isotopic sub-stage 5a, although we have no elements for estimating the rates and values of this movement. These considerations made us prudent in correlating the other evidence of paleo-sea level stands collected along the coast of Mt. Bulgheria. However, the evidence collected at 4.5÷4 m a.s.l., which, in most cases, is associated with depositio- nal sand bodies, could probably be correlated to the marine sands and conglomerates of the Cala degli Infreschi bay and ascribed to OIsS 5a. The reconstruction could be complicated by the possibility of hydroisostatic rebounds for each high- stand, as proposed in literature for the last highstand (OIS 1) (Fleming et al., 1998; Lambeck & Bard, 2000). This model could probably explain the complex fluctua- tions we found in the Infreschi bay but in other sites along the campanian coast the evidence of OIsS 5c and 5a are located at different altitudes: 4 m a.s.l. and 1.5 m a.s.l. respectively along the Punta Licosa promontory (Iannace et al., 2001); around 13 m a.s.l. in the Sele river plain (Brancaccio et al., 1986) and around 2 m a.s.l. in the Sorrento Peninsula. (Riccio et al., 2001), thus testifying the existence of recent tectonic activity along the campanian coast. 12 C. Esposito et al. Infreschi cave Infreschi Riparo Isotopic stages Graviclastic breccia covered by Graviclastic breccia containing paleosol with pyroclastic layer remains of Mousterian age (130 - 40 ka BP) covered by pyroclastic layer and flowstones (Sp2-RI 1, 50 ka BP) Marine conglomerates and Marine conglomerates and sands OIS 5a sands (sands top at 6 m a.s.l.) that are covered by Sp2-RI 1 (>50 that covered a bioconstruction ka BP) and lay on a flowstone with with Cladocora coespitosa. Lithophaga burrows (Sp1-RI 4, RI 5 89 e 91 ka BP, OIS 5b). The sands reach an altitude of 6m a.s.l. and they also cover a notch at 3,5 m a.s.l. Notch at 3,5 m a.s.l. Notch at + 3,5 m Bioconstruction with Lithophaga burrows between Cladocora coespitosa 4/6 m < 89 e 91 ka BP Flowstone (Sp1-RI 4,RI 5) 89 e 91 ka BP OIS 5b Wave-cut terrace at + 4,5m. Marine conglomerates covered a.s.l.. by Sp1-RI 4,RI 5and cut by Lithophaga burrows Notch at + 8 m Upper limit of Lithophaga Upper limit of Lithophaga burrows at + 8,5 m that cut the burrows at 8,5 m a.s.l. that cut OIS 5c notch Sp1-RI 7 < 111 ka BP Flowstone Sp1-RI 7 OIS 5d 111 ka BP Tab. 3 - Stratigraphic correlation between the Infreschi cave and Riparo degli Infreschi cave Correlazione stratigrafica tra la Grotta degli Infreschi ed il Riparo degli Infreschi. RREEFFEERREENNCCEESS Antonioli F., Cinque A., Ferranti L. & Romano P., 1994 - Emerged and submerged Quaternary marine ter- races of Palinuro Cape (Southern Italy). Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. d’It., LLIIII, 237-260. Ascione A. & Romano P., 1999 -Vertical movements on the eastern margin of the Tyrrhenian extensional basin . New data from Mt. Bulgheria (Southern Apennines, Italy). Tectonophysics, 331155, 337-356. Ascione A., 1997 - Studio morfostrutturale sulla genesi del rilievo in Appennino meridionale. PhD Thesis, Università di Napoli “Federico II”. Ascione A., Caiazzo C., Hippolyte J.C. & Romano P., 1997 - Pliocene-Quaternary extensional tectonics and morphogenesis at the eastern margin of the southern tyrrhenian basin (Mt. Bulgheria, Campania, Italy). Il Quaternario, 1100(2), 571-578. Bellanca A., Hauser S., Neri R., Palumbo B., 1996 - Mineralogy and geochemistry of Terra Rossa soils, western Sicily: insights into heavy metal frac- tionation and mobility. The Science of the Total Environment, 119933, 57-67. Bischoff, J.L., Rosenbauer, R.J., Tavoso, A. & Lumley, H., 1988 - A test of uranium-series dating of fossil tooth enamel: results from Tautavel cave, France. Applied Geochemistry, 33, 145-151. Borrelli A., Ciampo G., De Falco M., Guida D. & Guida M., 1988 - La morfogenesi del Monte Bulgheria (Campania) durante il Pleistocene inferiore e medio. Mem. Soc. Geol. It., 4411, 667-672. Brancaccio L., Cinque A., Belluomini G., Branca M. & Delitala L., 1986 - Isoleucine epimerization dating and tectonic significance of Upper Pleistocene sea-level features of the Sele Plain (Southern Italy). Z. Geomorph. N. F., Suppl.-Bd. 6622, 159-166. Brancaccio L., Cinque A., Russo F., Belluomini G., Branca M. & Delitala L., 1990 - Segnalazione e datazione di depositi marini tirreniani sulla costa campana. Boll. Soc. Geol. It., 110099, 259-265. Bronger A. & Bruhn-Lobin N., 1997 - Paleopedology of Terrae rossae-Rhodoxeralfs from Quaternary cal- carenites in NW Morocco. Catena, 2288(3-4), 279- 295 Ciampo G., 1976 - Ostracodi pleistocenici di Cala Bianca (Marina di Camerota, Salerno). Boll. Soc. Paleont. It., 1155, 3-23. Colombo C. & Terribile F., 1994 - Weathering relation- ships between glauconite, aluminous illite and iron oxides in Terra Rossa of southern Italy. Proc. 15th World Congr. Soil Science, Acapulco, Mexico, 88a, 49-66. Durn G., Ottner F., Slovenec D., 1999 - Mineralogical and geochemical indicators of the polygenetic nature of terra rossa in Istria, Croatia. Geoderma, 9911, 125-150. Esposito C., Filocamo F., Marciano R., Romano P., Santangelo N. & Santo A., 2001 - Genesi, evolu- zione e paleogeografia delle grotte costiere di Marina di Camerota (Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano, Italia Meridionale). In stampa su Thalassia Salentina. Ferrari G.A. & Magaldi D., 1983 - Significato ed applica- zioni della paleopedologia nella stratigrafia del Quaternario. Boll. Mus. Civ. St. Nat. Verona, XX,, 315-340. Fleming K., Johnston P., Zwartz D., Yokoyama Y., Lambeck K. & Chappell J., 1998 - Redifining the eustatic sea-level curve since the Last Glacial Maximum using far-end intermediate- field sites. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 116633,, 327-342. Gambassini P. & Ronchitelli A., 1998 - Linee di sviluppo dei complessi del Paleolitico inferiore-medio nel Cilento. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, 4499, 357- 376. Guide Archeologiche, 1996 - Il Paleolitico dell’Italia cen- tro-meridionale. XIII Congresso UISSP, Forlì, 11, 43-49. Hearty P.J. & Kindler P., 1995 -Sea-level highstand chronology from stable carbonate terraces (Bermuda and The Bahamas). Journal of Coastal Research, 1111(3), 675-689. Hearty P.J., 1986 - An Inventory of Last Interglacial (sensu lato) Age Deposits from the Mediterranean Basin: a study of Isoleucine Epimerization and U- Series Dating. Z. Geomorph. N. F. Suppl.-Bd. 6622, 51-69. Iannace A., Romano P., Santangelo N., Santo A. & Tuccimei P., 2001 - The OIS 5c along Licosa cape promontory (Campania region, Southern Italy): morphostratigraphy and U/Th dating. Z . Geomorph. N. F., 4455(3), 307-319. Ku T.L., Ivanovich M. & Luo S., 1990 - U-series dating of last interglacial high sea stands: Barbados revi- sited. Quat. Res., 3333, 129-147. Lambeck K. & Bard E., 2000 - Sea-level change along the French Mediterranean coast for the past 30.000 years. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 117755, 203- 222. Lippmann-Provansal M., 1987 - L’Apennin Campanien Mèridional (Italie). Etude Geomorphologique. These de Doctorat. Univ. d’Aix- Marseille, Aix en Provence. Ludwig K.R., Muhs D.R., Simmons K.R., Halley R.B. & Shinn E.A., 1996- Sea-level records at ~80 ka from tectonically stable platforms: Florida and Bermuda. Geology, 2244(3), 211-214. Ludwig K.R., 1994 - Isoplot. A Plotting and Regression Program for Radiogenic-Isotope Data. Version 2.75. U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report, 91-445. Munsell, 1994 - Munsell Soil Color Charts. Revised edit., Munsell Color Company Inc., Baltimore (Md.). Neumann A.C. & Hearty P.J., 1996 - Rapid sea-level changes at the close of the last interglacial (sub- stage 5e) recorded in Bahamian island geology. Geology, 2244(9), 775-778. Palma Di Cesnola A., 1982 - Il Paleolitico inferiore in Campania. Atti XXIII Riun. Scient. Ist. It. Preist. e Prot., Firenze, 207-224. Pirazzoli P.A., 1996 - Sea-level changes: the last 20 000 years. John Wiley & Sons, 210 pp. Riccio A., Riggio F. & Romano P., 2001 - Sea level fluc- tuations during Oxygen Isotope Stage 5: new data from fossil shorelines in the Sorrento Peninsula (Southern Italy). Z. Geomorph. N. F., 4455 (1), 121- 137. Richards D.A., Smart P.L. & Edwards R.L:, 1994 - 13Late Quaternary shorelines ... Maximum sea levels for the last glacial period from U-series ages of submerged speleothems. Nature, 336677, 357-360 Russo F., 1994 - Segnalazione di un livello fossilifero riferibile al Tirreniano a Cala Bianca (Marina di Camerota). Mem. Descr. Carta Geol. d’It., 395- 398. Scandone P., Sgrosso I. & Bruno F., 1964 - Appunti di geologia sul Monte Bulgheria (Salerno). Boll. Soc. Natur. in Napoli, 7722, 19-27. Sgrosso I. & Ciampo G., 1966 - Sulla presenza dei ter- reni calabriani nei dintorni di Camerota (Salerno). Boll. Soc. Natur. in Napoli, 7755, 561-587. Torrent J., Schwertmann U., Fechter H., Alfarez F., 1983 - Quantitative relationships between soil color and hematite content. Soil Science, 113366(6), 354-358. Torrent J., Schwertmann U., Schulze D.J., 1980 - Iron oxide mineralogy of some soils of two river terrace sequences in Spain. Geoderma, 2233, 191-208, Amsterdam. Tozzi M., Meniconi A. & Sciamanna S., 1996 - Studio strutturale del Monte Bulgheria (Cilento meridiona- le) e sue implicazioni per la tettogenesi dell’Appennino Campano. Boll. Soc. Geol. It., 111155, 249-278. USDA, 1998 - Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 8th edition, Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington D.C., 325 pp. Yaalon D.H., 1997 - Soils in Mediterranean region: what makes them different?. Catena, 2288, 157-169. Yassoglou N., Kosmas C., Moustakas N., 1997 - The red soils, their origin, properties, use and manage- ment in Greece. Catena, 2288, 261-278. Zazo C., 1999 - Interglacial sea levels. Quaternary International, 5555, 101-113. 14 C. Esposito et al. Ms. ricevuto il 16 ottobre 2002 Testo definitivo ricevuto l’11 febbraio 2003 Ms. received: October 16, 2002 Final text received: February 11, 2003