Search

The map is aimed at illustrating the relationships between landscape evolution and human occupation in the Isernia basin since the Middle Pleistocene. We carried out a detail scale geological–geomorphological investigation integrated with archaeological data. Overall data suggest enhanced landscape modification related to the long-term evolution of the Isernia basin. Moreover, during the Middle Pleistocene an alluvial plain environment was present, as testified also by the famous Lower Palaeolithic site of Isernia La Pineta dated to ca. 600 ky. From 600 ky onwards, extensional tectonics and related valley incision reshaped the Isernia basin, with the formation of terraced surfaces and the deposition of a travertine plateau. Archaeological findings from the Lower Palaeolithic up to the Chalcolithic Age testify to pre- and protohistoric settlements on these surfaces. In historical times, Romans settled on the Isernia terrace ridge taking advantage of the outcropping travertines to support wall foundations and to extract construction material.

The Apennine mountain areas suffer progressive abandonment and marginality, although being characterized by an extraordinary richness in natural and cultural resources, and landscapes of great beauty. Therefore, their natural heritage, and especially their geoheritage, tranformed into geotourism initiatives, can represent an essential resource to support local economy andsustainable development. The present study illustrates the case of Matese Mountains (Southern Apennines), particularly rich in protected areas, including the Matese National Park currently taking off, which is characterized by a rich geoheritage, based on 59 geosites. Among these geosites, examining the specially built geosite GIS database, 16 geosites were selected to construct a geoitinerary crossing the Matese Mountains. The geoitinerary was delineated to optimally represent the major geomorphological and geological (especially geohistorical) features of the Matese area. The selected geosites were associated to a new procedure to assess their Scientific Value (SV) and Potential Tourism Use (PTU), and to confirm their suitability for the purpose. To illustrate the geoitinerary, a geoitinerary map, and illustration material such as descriptive cards were produced. As an overall result, the proposed geoitinerary represents a valuable contribution for the geotourism promotion of the Matese Mountains on which to base future studies and initiatives in this perspective.

The present paper deals with the stratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of the middle-late Miocene thrust-top basin deposits of the San Bartolomeo Flysch, exposed north of Matese mountains and analysed during the geological survey of the sheet N° 405 Campobasso of the new Geological Map of Italy, 1:50.000 scale. The integrated study of calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifera, based on the semi-quantitative distribution range of index species, revealed the presence of age-diagnostic assemblages which are comparable with those of different middle-late Miocene deep-marine sedimentary settings of the Mediterranean Basin. The biostratigraphic dataset suggests an early Serravallian – early middle Tortonian age. In terms of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, the studied succession falls between the Last Occurrences of Sphenolithus heteromorphus and the First Occurrence of Discoaster bellus gr., corresponding to the MNN6 – MNN8 zone interval. In terms of planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy the studied sediments fall between the Last Occurrence of Globorotalia peripheroronda and the First Regular Occurrence of Neogloboquadrina acostaensis, corresponding to the MM6 p.p. - MMi10 p.p. zone interval. This study documents the applicability of the recent Mediterranean middle –late Miocene biozonations for the biostratigraphic study of siliciclastic synorogenic sediments, and challenges the most recent studies that dated the San Bartolomeo Flysch to the late Tortonian- early Messinian.

A biostratigraphic study was carried out on four sections of the Miocene Tufillo and Faeto Formations (Southern Apennines). The sediments analyzed were referred to the late Burdigalian-early Tortonian on the basis of planktonic foraminifers (MMi2b Subzone through the MMi8 Zone) and calcareous nannofossils (MNN3b Zone through the MNN7 Zone). Almost the majority of the bioevents of the recently published Miocene biozonal schemes of Mediterranean area were identified. Particularly, the marked changes in the abundance pattern of Paragloborotalia siakensis resulted very useful to correlate the sediments. A new acme abundance of the letter species has been recorded in the uppermost part of the Burdigalian planktonic foraminiferal MMi2b Subzone. Moreover, the integrated calcareous plankton biostratigraphy revealed that the First Common Occurrence (FCO) of Sphenolitus heteromorphus occurs before the Last Occurrence (LO) of Catapsidrax dissimilis, in the upper part of Burdigalian record. This study indicates that the lower Langhian portion of the Tufillo Formation is characterized by arkose sandstones which pass upwards into calcarenites and/or calcirudites and marly deposits. Field data suggest that these sandstones directly overly the "Numidian Sandstones". The Faeto Formation starts with calcarenites and calcareous marls, in the calcareous nannofossil MNN3b Zone (Burdigalian), and lies on the "Numidian Sandstones" as well. High-resolution sampling and biostratigraphy reveal that the deposition of the "Numidian Sandstones" ends in the late Burdigalian stage, just below the FCO of S. heteromorphus (MNN3b Zone) and the LO of C. dissimilis (MMi2b Subzone).