PLIO-QUATERNARY PALEOENVIRONMENTAL EVOLUTION ACROSS WESTERN UMBRIA AND TUSCANY

Abstract

Bizzarri R., Baldanza A. & Argenti P., Plio-Quaternary paleoenvironmental evolution across Western Umbria and Tuscany. (IT ISSN 0394-3356, 2011) The area across western Umbria and Tuscany records a complex evolution, from Early Pliocene to Late Pleistocene, due to the interaction among coastal marine and continental environments, and among tectonics and sedimentation. Throughout Pliocene, the extensional Valdichiana Basin underwent marine conditions, but marine deposits encompass different ages across the area. From Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene, a continental, river-dominated environment developed; the Gelasian-Santernian Città della Pieve deltaic deposits belong to the “Chiani-Tevere” cycle and are related to this continental evolution. The Trasimeno Basin development and the NE tilt of both Città della Pieve deltaic deposits and Valdichiana continental deposits are due to Early - Middle Pleistocene regional tectonics.