Geological History Of Sicily The Geological Evolution Of The Island In The Last 250 Million Years Ediz Illustrata

This book offers as comprehensive an overview as possible of the lithostratigraphy of the Italian region of Sicily, taking into account the multiplicity of formational and terminological variability developed over more than a century of studies and publications. It presents stratigraphic terminology, the geological lexicon and the main stratigraphic subdivisions that are not familiar to Sicilian geologists. The new stratigraphic methods and the use of formations as mapping units have prompted the acquisition of new lithostratigraphic data, and a review of the previous units and their comparison with the new collected data, enabling the definition of a number of new lithostratigraphic units. The book summarizes the results in 77 worksheets containing the most important information regarding the lithological, sedimentological and microfacies characteristics, the measured thicknesses, areal extent and the regional aspects, the paleoenvironmental, paleogeographic and paleo-tectonics setting, compiled according to standard procedures and nomenclature rules provided by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS).

The Mediterranean Sea, nestled between Africa, southern Europe, and the Middle East, may be envisioned as a complex picture-puzzle comprising numerous intricate pieces, many of which are already in place. A general image, in terms of science, has emerged, although at this time large gaps are noted and some areas of the picture remain fuzzy and indistinct. In recent years this fascinating, mind-teasing puzzle image has become clearer with individual pieces more easily recognized and rapidly emplaced, largely by means of multidisciplinary and multinational team efforts. In this respect, the Special Program Panel on Marine Sciences of the NATO Scientific Af fairs Division considered the merits of initiating four conferences bearing on the Mediterranean ecosystem. It was suggested that the first, emphasizing geology, should dovetail with subsequent seminars on physical oceanogra phy, marine biology, and ecology and man's influence on the natural Medi terranean regime. At a conference held in Banyuls-sur-Mer, France, in August 1979, Profes sor Raimondo Selli was urged by some panel members to initiate an Ad vanced Research Institute (ARI) that would focus primarily on the geologi cally recent evolution of the Mediterranean Sea and serve as a logical base for future NATO conferences on the Mediterranean.

This book describes Sicily’s unique and varied karst features, discussing the notable geographical areas, their lithology and genesis and, in a number of cases, their value as geosites to be preserved for scientific or tourism purposes. The rich variety of Meso-Cenozoic outcropping rocks in Sicily make the island highly significant in terms of the geological history of the Mediterranean area. The soluble rocks (limestones and gypsum), widely present on the island, play an important role in shaping and continuously altering the landscape, both in the reliefs with spectacular fluviokarst cayons and suggestive gorges, and below ground where there is a wide range of speleogenically and speleologically important caves.

Summary in English.

The fossil record; The record of the sedimentary rocks; Precambrian eras; Paleozoic era; North America; World outside North America; Paleozoic life; The mesozoic era; Mesozoic life; Gondwana formations; The cenozoic era; Cenozoic life; Pleistocene epoch; Introduction to animals and plants.