Carmen Maria Rosskopf

Geomorphologic map of the Biferno River valley floor system (Molise, Southern Italy)

A 1:20,000-scale geomorphologic map of the valley floor system of the Biferno River (Molise Region, Italy) is presented in this paper. Map analysis and aerial photography interpretation, in addition to field surveys, have allowed digital mapping of fluvial landforms and associated coastal, slope and anthropogenic forms which have characterised the valley floor in different periods. Comparative multi-temporal analysis performed in a GIS for the time-period 1869–2010 allowed the reconstruction of spatial-temporal relationships between most of the mapped landforms and acquisition of quantitative data on channel adjustments. The geomorphologic map provides an overall large-scale view of major channel adjustments over the past 150 years as well as the current morphological setting and dynamics of the Biferno valley floor. It provides a basic map for land planning policy with the observed distribution of active geomorphic processes to be used for landslide and erosion susceptibility assessment and the data obtained on channel adjustments essential in investigating land cover change over the same period. As the Biferno valley floor system is characteristic of major river systems in Central-Southern Italy, the reconstructed framework of valley floor transformations turns out to be useful when assessing a representative channel evolution model and potential scenarios concerning near future dynamics of similar river systems.

New morphostratigraphic and chronological constraints for the Quaternary paleosurfaces of the Molise Apennine (southern Italy)

New morphostratigraphic and chronological constraints for the Quaternary paleosurfaces of the Molise Apennine (southern Italy) The Molise Apennines feature numerous relicts of paleosurfaces, mostly of erosional origin, which represent the remnants of gently-rolling ancient landscapes now hanging at different altitudes above the local base-levels of erosion. Their genesis can be related to prolonged periods of relative tectonic stability alternating with periods of uplift, or to the interplay between steady tectonic uplift and climatic fluctuations. Four orders of paleosurfaces were recognized: I (> 1,100 m a.s.l.), II (900-1,000 m a.s.l.), III (750-850 m a.s.l.), IV (600-720 m a.s.l.). The most ancient orders (I and II) are cut into the bedrock and are located at the top of the Matese and Montagnola di Frosolone massifs. The youngest paleosurfaces (III—IV), partially cut into Quaternary deposits, are found along the valley flanks of the main river systems and within the Boiano, Carpino, Isernia and Sessano intramontane basins. The present study deals with the dating of the Sessano Basin Paleosurface (SBP) which is related to the IV order and is cut into the basin infill. The 40Ar/39Ar age of a tephra layer (437 ± 1.9 ka), intercalated at the top of the succession, supported by archaeo-stratigraphic, palynological and paleopedological data, allowed the SBP surface to be constrained to 350-300 ka. The SBP chronological position represents an important morphostratigraphic marker: it is the first ante quem and post quem date that allows the chronological position of the other orders of paleosurfaces to be better constrained.

A New Climatic Map of the Dominican Republic Based on the Thornthwaite Classification

In this paper, we present the results of a climatic analysis based on 30-year (1971-2000) averages of precipitation and air temperature monthly data from 115 air temperature and precipitation stations of the National Meteorological Office and National Hydraulic Resources Institute of the Dominican Republic. The performed analysis provides a synthesis of the climate of the Dominican Republic, consistent with its orography and the atmospheric dynamics typical for the Caribbean region. According to the analysis, 54% of the Dominican territory can be classified as dry or semi-dry, and hence quite vulnerable to extensive or intensive land use practices, especially if inappropriate, with important implications in terms of water supplies, both for human consumption and for crop irrigation. This highlights the need to adopt appropriate policies to reduce vulnerability to climate change which, according to predictions, will lead to an increase in aridity.

Geomorphological map of the central sector of the Matese Mountains (Southern Italy): an example of complex landscape evolution in a Mediterranean mountain environment

A 1:28,000 scale geomorphological map of the central sector of the Matese Mountains (Southern Italy) is presented in this paper. Geomorphological investigation by means of remote sensing, cartographic analysis and field surveys allowed the identification of the main geomorphic processes and to map the related landforms which are both of monogenetic and polygenetic origin. Most of them are erosional landforms generated by the action of periglacial, glacial and karst processes which often occur under the control of the geological structure. Glacial relics and polygenetic landforms of glaciokarst and fluviokarst origin provide good evidence of the strong influence of variable climatic conditions on landform genesis during the Quaternary. They also highlight the influence of extensive tectonics during the Quaternary which caused progressive uplift, fragmentation and disarticulation of the developing mountainous landscape and its consequent polycyclic evolution. The map illustrates the geomorphologic peculiarities of the Mediterranean mountain landscape that typically characterizes the Apennine chain, and contributes to the understanding of its tectonic evolution and the influence of climate and climatic changes on landscape evolution. It further provides a basic map for land planning policy including the exploitation of the geological heritage and the development of sustainable mountain tourism and geo-tourism.

Palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Plio-Pleistocene Molise Periadriatic Basin (Southern Apennines, Italy): insight from Montesecco Clays

Integrated sedimentological and micropalaeontological analyses of Montesecco Clays cropping out along the Molise Apennines foothills allow to reconstruct the depositional setting and major palaeoenvironmental changes within the Molise Periadriatic Basin (Apenninic foredeep) during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. Sedimentological and palaeocological data from four reference stratigraphic sections document an overall shallowing-upward tendency within Montesecco Clays, which is also confirmed by compositional data analysis of microfaunal assemblages. Lower Montesecco Clays (Ururi and Trigno sections) accumulated from the middle epibathyal/bathyal to lower circalittoral zone, while upper Montesecco Clays (Guglionesi and Colle Favaro-Petacciato sections) contain a microfauna indicative of an outer circalittoral to infralittoral environment. As documented by previous subsurface data, the palaeoecological analysis suggests increasing depths in the Molise Periadriatic Basin from NW to SE.

Variations in the susceptibility to landslides, as a consequence of land cover changes: A look to the past, and another towards the future

Land cover is one of the most important conditioning factors in landslide susceptibility analysis. Usually it is considered as a static factor, but it has proven to be dynamic, with changes occurring even in few decades. In this work the influence of land cover changes on landslide susceptibility are analyzed for the past and for future scenarios. For the application, an area representative of the hilly-low mountain sectors of the Italian Southern Apennines was chosen (Rivo basin, in Molise Region). With this purpose landslide inventories and land cover maps were produced for the years 1954, 1981 and 2007. Two alternative future scenarios were created for 2050, one which follows the past trend (2050-trend), and another one more extreme, foreseeing a decrease of forested and cultivated areas (2050-alternative). The landslide susceptibility analysis was performed using the Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation method for different time steps, investigating changes to susceptibility over time. The results show that environmental dynamics, such as land cover change, affect slope stability in time. In fact there is a decrease of susceptibility in the past and in the future 2050-trend scenario. This is due to the increase of forest or cultivated areas, that is probably determined by a better land management, water and soil control respect to other land cover types such as shrubland, pasture or bareland. Conversely the results revealed by the alternative scenario (2050-alternative), show how the decrease in forest and cultivated areas leads to an increase in landslide susceptibility. This can be related to the assumed worst climatic condition leading to a minor agricultural activity and lower extension of forested areas, possibly associated also to the effects of forest fires. The results suggest that conscious landscape management might contribute to determine a significant reduction in landslide susceptibility.

The 2002 Molise, Italy, Earthquake: Geological and Geomorphological Data on the San Giuliano di Puglia Area

The small village of San Giuliano di Puglia sustained the most severe damage from the Molise earthquake sequence of 2002. This study involved detailed geological and geomorphological mapping and is supported by a large set of geotechnical, geophysical and drill-hole data available from existing studies. These data were used to compile a seismic microzonation map of the San Giuliano di Puglia area as part of a study officially commissioned by the Department of Civil Protection. The map provides seismic hazard information that will be useful in the repair and reconstruction of the town.

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.

Geomorphological Map of the area between Frosolone and Trivento (Molise, Italy)

Abstract Please click here to download the map associated with this article. A 1:50,000-scale geomorphological map of the area between the settlements of Frosolone and Trivento (Molise Region, Italy) is presented and discussed in this paper. Field surveys and air photo interpretations allowed the characterization of the main morphological landforms of the study area, drawn from the reduction of an original 1:5,000-scale field map. The landforms have been grouped on the basis of the main controlling factors, as follows: i) tectonic and structural landforms; ii) slope landforms; iii) karst landforms; iv) fluvial landforms. This map shows the distribution of the geomorphic processes presently active, as well as the main relic landforms. Consequently, the collected data aim to provide a useful and easy tool for land planning policy; in addition, since the study area represents a typical geomorphic scenario of the southern Apennines, the data produced could be used in developing more widely-applicable landscape evolution models.

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

The present study focuses on themorphotectonic evolution of the axial portion of the SouthernApennine chain between the lower Calore River valley and the northern Camposauro mountain front (Campania Region). A multidisciplinary approach was used, including geomorphological, field-geology, stratigraphical, morphotectonic, structural, Ar/Ar and tephrostratigraphical data. Results indicate that, from the Lower Pleistocene onwards, this sector of the chain was affected by extensional tectonics responsible for the onset of the sedimentation of Quaternary fluvial, alluvial fan and slope deposits. Fault systems are mainly composed of NW-SE, NE– SWandW-E trending strike-slip and normal faults, associated toNW-SE andNE–SWoriented extensions. Fault scarps, stratigraphical and structural data and morphotectonic indicators suggest that these faults affected the wide piedmont area of the northern Camposauro mountain front in the Lower Pleistocene–Upper Pleistocene time span. Faults affected both the oldest Quaternary slope deposits (Laiano Synthem, Lower Pleistocene) and the overlying alluvial fan system deposits constrained between the lateMiddle Pleistocene and the Holocene. The latter are geomorphologically and chrono-stratigraphically grouped into four generations, I generation: late Middle Pleistocene–early Upper Pleistocene, with tephra layers Ar/Ar dated to 158±6 and 113±7 ka; II generation: Upper Pleistocene, with tephra layers correlated with the Campanian Ignimbrite (39 ka) and with the slightly older Campi Flegrei activity (Ar/Ar age 48±7 ka); III generation: late Upper Pleistocene–Lower Holocene, with tephra layers correlated with the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (~15ka); IV generation: Holocene in age. The evolution of the first three generations was controlled by Middle Pleistocene extensional tectonics, while Holocene fans do not show evidence of tectonic activity. Nevertheless, considering the moderate to highmagnitude historical seismicity of the study area, we cannot rule out that some of the recognized faults may still be active. Copyright