Salento peninsula is one of the most interesting areas to study coastal karst in the Mediterranean Basin. This paper deals with analysis of geological, morphological and biological factors upon the evolution on the coastal slope and karst... more
Salento peninsula is one of the most interesting areas to study coastal karst in the Mediterranean Basin. This paper deals with analysis of geological, morphological and biological factors upon the evolution on the coastal slope and karst cave system ("Grotte della Poesia") of the Roca Vecchia area. The Roca Vecchia area is set up by highly weathered carbonate deposits which are interested by four joint systems. Several rockfalls have been observed along the coastal slope as well as inside the cave system. We notice that the shoreline has been retrograding.Different morphological processes and active karstic phenomena have been characterized. The mixing of fresh groundwater and rainfall with sea water causes "hyperkarst" conditions, as the brackish water dissolves more calcium carbonate. As well as humidity and salinity changes especially in the intermediate tide "band" cause rock dissolution.Moreover, many living beings are responsible for biological k...
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RIASSUNTO Le Vore di Barbarano sono due delle più ampie cavità carsiche, a prevalente sviluppo vertica-le, del Salento. Esse risultano morfologicamente più complesse di altre cavità analoghe, quali le Vore di Spedicaturo e le Grotte della... more
RIASSUNTO Le Vore di Barbarano sono due delle più ampie cavità carsiche, a prevalente sviluppo vertica-le, del Salento. Esse risultano morfologicamente più complesse di altre cavità analoghe, quali le Vore di Spedicaturo e le Grotte della Poesia. Le osservazioni ...
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KARST FEATURES OF SERRA CICORA (NARDÒ, LECCE PROVINCE) - The Serra Cicora area (Southern Apulia, Italy) consists of Cretaceous limestones covered by Upper Pleistocene calcarenites. Owing to the predominance of Calcareous rocks, surface... more
KARST FEATURES OF SERRA CICORA (NARDÒ, LECCE PROVINCE) - The Serra Cicora area (Southern Apulia, Italy) consists of Cretaceous limestones covered by Upper Pleistocene calcarenites. Owing to the predominance of Calcareous rocks, surface and underground landforms are affected by karstic phenomena. The speleogenesis of sub-aerial and sub-marine caves is related to the local geoogical evolution. An enhanced dissolution of calcareous rocks is recognized at the origin of the sinkholes (known locally as "spunnulate") present in the coastal plain, as well as of the inlets of the shoreline. Some relationships between karst landscapes and habitats for botanic species are also described. The hydrogeological features of the Serra Cicora area appear to justify the presence of prehistoric populations in the area.