Field Trip Leaders: Maria Marino1, Salvatore Gallicchio1, Angela Girone1, Rafael la Perna1, Patrizia Maiorano1
1Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro.
Date: 6 September 2024
Cost: € 80,00
Minimum number of participants: 12
Maximum number of participants: 18
Description and itinerary
The field trip starts from Campus Universitario Via E. Orabona 4, Bari at 7:30 am and is mostly dedicated to the spectacular badlands of Montalbano Jonico (MJ), with a special focus on the Ideale Section (IS) as a portion of the 500m-thick MJ marine succession belonging to the argille subappenine unit. Our itinerary takes place in the "Special Natural Reserve of the Montalbano Jonico badlands", at the southwestern margin of the Bradanic Trough, about 16 km inland from the Ionian Coast. The IS is one of the best exposures of marine sedimentary records encompassing the Lower-Middle Pleistocene boundary at 774 ka, a key interval of Earth's climate history. On July 2023 the IS was approved as a Standard Auxiliary Boundary Stratotype (SABS) for the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Middle Pleistocene Subseries/Subepoch. Climbing the IS, the field trip aims to illustrate the continuous sedimentary marine record spanning the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 20–18 interval, including the radiometrically dated volcaniclastic layers and the rich, highly diversified, and well-preserved documentation of Pleistocene macro-invertebrates from circalittoral-upper bathyal setting. The trip will be also an opportunity to discuss on the climate signatures recorded in the section, based on marine and terrestrial paleontological signals and geochemical proxies. After lunch on a ledge of Montalbano town with a wonderful badland panoramic view, the trip continues with the visit to Tempa Petrolla, an extraordinary geological site, where a Tertiary calcareous flysch spire rises from the surrounding clays, representing one of the youngest outcropping tectonic structures of the Apennines front.
Further indications
A minimal trekking attitude and standard field work equipment is required. September in Basilicata is usually warm and dry, consequently, sunglasses, sun-tan lotion and water are strongly recommended. Cost includes insurance policy, bus transfer and lunch.
Field trip contact: maria.marino@uniba.it