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Morphometric analysis and amino acid geochronology of uplifted shorelines in a tectonic region near reggio Calambria, South Italy
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 68 (1988): 273-289 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - - Printed in The Netherlands
273
MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND AMINO ACID GEOCHRONOLOGY OF UPLIFTED SHORELINES IN A TECTONIC REGION NEAR REGGIO CALABRIA, SOUTH ITALY B. D U M A S 1, P. G U E R E M Y 2, P. J. H E A R T Y 3'6, R. L H E N A F F 4 a n d J. R A F F Y 5 1Universitd Paris-Val de Marne, Avenue du Gdndral de Gaulle, Fo94010 Creteil Cedex (France) 2Universitd de Reims, Institut de Gdographie, F-51100 Reims (France) ~INSTAAR, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (U.S.A.) 4Universitd de Lille I, U.E.R. de Gdographie, F-59650 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex (France) 5E.N.S. Fontenay-Saint-Cloud, B.P. 81, F-92260 Fontenay aux Roses (France)
(Received, December 21, 1987; accepted May 9, 1988)
Abstract Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Hearty, P.J., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1988. Morphometric analysis and amino acid geochronology of uplifted shorelines in a tectonic region near Reggio Calabria, south Italy. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 68: 273-289. The tectonic coastline of the Calabrian Peninsula provides an opportunity to study the morphology and history of elevated marine shorelines. Near Capo dell'Armi, eleven shorelines are preserved between sea level and 256 m. With some correlation difficulties posed by the dissection of the area by intermittent streams, we are able to correlate several of the shorelines across the entire study area. With the support of correlations provided by amino acid geochronology, we have identified four shorelines dating from the last interglacial period (isotope stage 5); the oldest two both contain the Strombus bubonius fauna and are of indistinguishable early last interglacial ages (stage 5e, aminozone E, ca. 125 ka). The highest terrace VII is associated with a shoreline at 157 m and the lower with a shoreline around 125-105 m a.s.1. Of the two younger stage 5 terraces without Strombus bubonius, the higher (V) lies at about 90-100 m and produces amino acid ratios slightly younger than, but statistically indistinguishablefrom those of aminozone E. However, the youngest last interglacial shoreline deposits (IV) have produced amino acid ratios correlated to late stage 5 (5a) elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin. Amino acid and geomorphic data have shown that uplift varies across the study area from 0.85 to 1.03 m/ka and suggests that constant uplift along any one traverse is unlikely.
Introduction In s o u t h Italy, a l o n g the C a l a b r i a n side of the S t r a i t of M e s s i n a , s o u t h of Reggio Calabria, we h a v e identified e l e v e n m a r i n e t e r r a c e s between the modern coast and 256m (Fig.l). We have assembled geomorphic, stratigraphic a n d g e o c h r o n o m e t r i c d a t a i n a n effort to d e c i p h e r the e u s t a t i c a n d t e c t o n i c h i s t o r y of 6Present address: Duke University, Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516 (U.S.A.) 0031-0182/88/$03.50
the southwest Calabrian coastline. We have o u t l i n e d s e v e r a l k e y o b j e c t i v e s i n t h e c o u r s e of this investigation. These include the following: (1) m a p a n d m o r p h o m e t r i c a l l y d e s c r i b e t h e n u m e r o u s t e r r a c e s t h a t a r e t e c t o n i c a l l y elev a t e d a l o n g t h e 20 k m of c o a s t l i n e w i t h i n t h e study area; (2) l o c a t e a n d c o l l e c t m o l l u s c a n fossils f r o m t h e t e r r a c e d e p o s i t s for a m i n o a c i d a n a l y s e s ; (3) u s e a m i n o a c i d d a t a t o s u p p o r t geom o r p h i c c o r r e l a t i o n s a n d to date p e r s i s t e n t terraces across the study area;
© 1988 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
274
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(4) correlate marine events with local and regional chronologies: and (5) evaluate the tectonic history that has affected the area through the Pleistocene by a synthesis of age, elevation and distributional relationships among the terraces. The original stratigraphic works are those of Gignoux (1913) who identified Strombus bubonius deposits at 100 m near Ravagnese. Bonfiglio (1972) examined the stratigraphy and faunas at a new quarry near Bovetto in which numerous members of the Strombus bubonius fauna were identified. Included in the so called "Strornbus" or Senegalese fauna are the species Strombus bubonius, Conus testudinarius, Cantharus viverratus, Tritonium ficoides, Natica lactea, Mytilus senegalensis, etc., most of which now are found along the tropical coastline of West Africa (Nickles, 1950). None of these species currently resides in the Mediterranean basin. A geomorphic study of marine terraces and wavecut platforms began in 1978 by Dumas, Gu~r~my, Lh6naff and Raffy (1981-1982), Raffy et al. (1981), and Dumas et al. (1987a). Of notable interest was the discovery of a Tyrrhenian (in the sense of Issel, 1914) deposit at 157 m near Nocella (Dumas et al., 1987b). Beyond the speculation of previous studies that Strornbus was associated with the last interglacial period, the first confirmation of this age was presented in Hearty et al. (1986a) which focused on deposits at Ravagnese, Bovetto and Milazzo (Sicily) and employed amino acid geochronology and uranium-series methods. These local investigations were subsequently integrated into a basin-wide study of shoreline deposits (Hearty et al., 1986b) and an intensive review of the last interglacial period in the Mediterranean sea (Hearty, 1986). We present this information from Calabria in the context of globally extensive amino acid investigations that encompass sites from the Arctic circle to the Equator (Hearty and Miller, 1987). Among these studies are those from Sardinia (Ulzega and Hearty, 1986), Mallorca (Hearty, 1987), Tunisia (Miller et al. 1986), and Bermuda (Harmon et al., 1983; Hearty and Hollin, 1986a; Vacher and Hearty,
275 in press) t h a t p r o v i d e models of e p i m e r i z a t i o n w i t h r e l a t e d t a x a and t e m p e r a t u r e s , of sea level events from these r e l a t i v e l y stable coastlines. O t h e r studies t h a t use a m i n o acid g e o c h r o n o l o g y for c o r r e l a t i o n and d a t i n g of s h o r e l i n e deposits in m a n y c o a s t a l a r e a s of the world are r e v i e w e d in H e a r t y (1987) and W e h m i l l e r (1982).
cliff base gives t h e field e l e v a t i o n of the shoreline. T h e l o c a t i o n of successive sea-cliffs, the m e a s u r e m e n t of s h o r e l i n e s and the correlations b e t w e e n segments of the same s h o r e l i n e are d e m o n s t r a t e d on detailed maps. T e r r a c e s are assigned R o m a n n u m e r a l s w h i c h reflect implied or observed c o r r e l a t i o n t h r o u g h morp h o m e t r i c analysis of this t e r r a c e d landscape. Observed g e o m o r p h i c evidence for a maximum of e l e v e n shorelines varies across the study area: the t e r r a c e flights are i n c o m p l e t e from one a r e a to a n o t h e r (Fig.l). The Capo dell'Armi a r e a (Fig.2) is the most p r o d u c t i v e in the s t u d y area. E l e v e n s t r a n d l i n e s (Fig.3A-C) are r e p r e s e n t e d b e t w e e n 30 and 256m. Of these, some are associated with a b r a s i o n platforms and o t h e r s with c o n s t r u c t i o n a l terraces. W o r t h y of n o t e is a n i m p o r t a n t " g a p " w h i c h s e p a r a t e s t e r r a c e s VI and VII (of 41-50 m), and successive back-to-back t e r r a c e s (VI and V, V and IV . . . . etc.) w h i c h are g e n e r a l l y s e p a r a t e d
A flight of eleven different strandlines e x t e n d a l o n g 20 k m o f c o a s t l i n e
T h e r e is a s p e c t a c u l a r flight of m a r i n e t e r r a c e s (Dumas et al., 1981-1982; Raffy et al., 1981) r e l a t e d to glacio-eustatic sea-level c h a n g e s (Dumas et al., 1987a, 1987b). In spite of dissection by s u b s e q u e n t erosion or b u r i a l by c o n t i n e n t a l deposits, it is possible to t r a c e e a c h P l e i s t o c e n e s h o r e l i n e by m e a n s of geomorphological f e a t u r e s s u c h as w a v e c u t platforms, a n c i e n t sea cliffs, m a r i n e caves, and cliff-foot cross-sections. T h e l o c a t i o n of the o r i g i n a l sea-
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276
by less t h a n 25 m but more t h a n 30 m for the higher ones (terraces VIH and greater). Otherwise terraces V and VI are less uplifted toward the east near Capo dell'Armi. There exists a beautiful flight of terraces (Fig.3D) in the Lazzaro area (Fig.4), but this sequence is incomplete. The lowest are not securely identified, and the sequence terminates at 190m. Terraces IV and VI are somewhat more elevated ( + 2 m) relative to the Capo dell'Armi area. However, the evidence of terrace V is sufficiently continuous to constitute a baseline in the area. The Nocella area contains eight shorelines up to 224 m (Fig.5 and 3E). The correlation with the Lazzaro area is tentative due to the rare occurrence of geomorphic continuity a few kilometers to the north of Lazzaro. The most continuous feature is terrace VI, which is elevated about 8 m more to the south, while the preceding terrace VII lies up to 52 m higher t h a n VI. This exceptional gap, when compared to t h a t of the other sequences, is analogous to t h a t separating terraces VI and VII at the Capo dell'Armi area (Figure 3A, B). It is likely t h a t terrace VI near Nocella is equivalent to t h a t situated at 116m at Serro di Giunta (southernmost in the Nocella area). All of the Nocella area below terrace VI is less uplifted t h a t the Lazzaro and Capo dell'Armi areas, and is lacking the lowest terrace I. The Strornbus fauna occurs in deposits associated with both terraces VI (105 m) and VII (157 m). Throughout the Bovetto-Ravagnese area (Fig.6 and Fig.3F, G, H, J, K and L) one finds a sequence of seven to eight terraces rising to 250m a.s.1. Strombus bubonius are found in great numbers at the well-studied sites of Ravagnese (Gignoux, 1913; Dai Pra et al., 1974) and Bovetto (Bonfiglio, 1972). Near the classic site of Ravagnese at 100 m elevation (Fig.3L,
sites la and lb) Strombus bubonius are also found at 107m at the Gallina cemetery (Fig.3K, site lc). These two deposits belong to the same sedimentary unit which stops at the 125 m shoreline (VI). They determine a sand and gravel built terrace (Fig.7). The Bovetto site has similarly produced Strombus fauna from a 20-25 m thick depositional sequence which reaches an elevation of 125 m where the shoreline VI stands. Two additional deposits have been studied from terrace V at 101 m (Fig.3G, site 4) and terrace IV at 83 m (Fig.3J, site 2a) lying below the Strombus terrace. In spite of their different elevations, the Strombus deposits lying near Ravagnese and Bovetto appear to belong to the same shoreline (Fig.6). But in the Nocella area there are two shorelines with Strornbus at much different elevations (105 and 157 m). We seek to determine the geomorphic correlation between these two areas and across the entire study area. Slightly to the South-West of Bovetto (Fig.8), one can see that elevations of the series of shorelines are almost identical to t h a t of the Ravagnese-Bovetto area: II at 45 m, III at 60 m, IV at 82 m, V at 101 m, VI at 122 m. Between the Fiumara di Valanidi and the Fiumara di Macellara terraces V and VI are lower but terraces III and IV continue at the same elevation. Between Fiumara di Macellara and the Nocella area the series is as follows: shoreline II at 44 m, III at 58 m, IV at 76 m, V at 94 m, VI at 105 m; shoreline VII varies between 148 and 158 m. Two arguments support these correlations: all along shoreline V we can detect traces of the original geomorphological features (the sea-cliff foot), between the Ravagnese-Bovetto area and the Nocella one; the unusual gap (157-105= 52 m) between the two Tyrrhenian shorelines (VII and VI) with the
Fig.3. Topographic profiles o f l l transects within the study area. Elevation of t h e s h o r e l i n e s and location of sample sites are indicated (symbols are t h e same as Fig.1 and 2).
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Strombus fauna in the Nocella area is also present in the Pellaro a r ea as far as the left b an k of the F i u m a r a di Valanidi (150-117 = 43 m). In summary, the Nocella area is the less uplifted area in comparison to the others, and the Bovetto-Ravagnese area is certainly the most uplifted. This is most clearly manifest in the trends of terraces IV, V and VI (Fig.3E, F and H). Two shorelines with Strombus are differentiated from those t h a t precede them (older t h a n
VII) and those t h a t postdate them (younger t h a n VI) which have not produced the Strombus fauna. The highest Strornbus shoreline is located at 157 m at Nocella and corresponds to even a higher elevation of the shoreline at Bovetto-Ravagnese at 166 m, and a lowest one at 145 m between the Bovetto-Ravagnese area and Nocella. A lower shoreline with Strornbus (terrace VI) attains a maximum elevation of 125 m at Bovetto-Ravagnese, 118-116 m near Lazzaro and 105 m east of Capo dell'Armi and in the Nocella area.
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Amino
acid geochronology
Isoleucine epimerization and the determination of ratios The geochronological potential of certain chemical reactions involved in the degradation of proteins in fossils was first recognized by
Abelson (1955) and further developed by Hare and Mitterer (1967, 1969), and has been the subject of an increasing number of investigations over the past decade. The most promising reaction has been shown to be the racemization reaction, or epimerization in the case of isoleucine. The extent of the reaction is expressed as the ratio of D- to L-isomers; D-
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Fig.7. Sand and gravel-built terrace near Ravagnese: schematic cross section, l=colluvium. 2=post-Tyrrhenian silt and gravel. 3= Ravagnese formation sand and conglomerate. 4 = Messinian marl and sandstone. 5= Strornbus bubonius fauna. alloisoleucine to L-isoleucine ratios in this case. Protein in skeletal hard parts of living organisms contains essentially no amino acids in the D-configuration. However, over geologic time, the protein within a CaCO 3 matrix undergoes a slow series of interrelated degradation reactions, including hydrolysis into lower molecular weight peptides and eventual release of free amino acids, racemization (or epimerization), and a variety of decomposition reactions t h a t alter the relative abundance of the various amino acids. The reversible racemization/epimerization reaction proceeds to an equilibrium ratio of D and L isomers; generally 1:1 for racemization, but somewhat higher for isoleucine epimerization (1.3:1.0). Alle/Ile ratios have been determined in the total fraction (free amino acid plus those in the peptide-bound state t h a t have been artificially released by heating the decalcified sample in 6N HC1 for 22 h at ll0°C). The alle/Ile ratios are determined on an automated ion-exchange HPLC amino acid analyzer (Miller and Hare, 1980) with electronic peak integration on a Hewlett-Packard 3390A integrator. Peakheight data is then collected and reduced in a database system by a DEC Pro 380 computer.
of insolation and surface heating. In some cases, samples were collected and analyzed up to the upper contact of the marine unit in order to appraise the extent of surface heating. An intrashell variation of 30% in Glycymeris (Hearty et al., 1986c) is minimized when samples are consistently taken from the same structural area (internal layer at the apex) of the shell. Sample fragments of -~ 100 mg are leached an additional 30-50~/o with 2N HC1 to reduce the chance of contamination. Analytical procedures, factors affecting D/L ratios, inter-and intralaboratory standard data, and precautionary measures relating to the application of similar studies can be found in Hearty et al. (1986c), Hearty (1986) and Miller and Mangerud (1985). Instrumental in our amino acid correlations along the Calabrian coastline is the recognition of the peak last interglacial shoreline and fauna. Studies establishing this important link have previously been published (Hearty et al., 1986c; Hearty, 1986). In these studies, the abundance of Strombus or Senegalese fauna and the amino acid data for aminozone E are strongly correlated and have demonstrated a consistent and reliable biostratigraphic indicator of the last interglacial period.
Sampling procedure
Results
Samples of Glycymeris, Cerastoderma, Arca and Helix were collected from as deep as possible within the marine or terrestrial stratigraphic unit to reduce or eliminate the effects
The results from Glycymeris and Cerastoderma shells, collected from ten localities along the Calabrian coastline are presented in Table I. A majority of the localities have
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produced "aminozone E" ratios and are thus correlated to the peak of the last interglacial period centered around 125 ka. These deposits are characterized by an abundant and diverse molluscan fauna, including several representatives of the Strombus fauna. The occurrence of aminozone E ratios and Strombus fauna are restricted to terraces VI and VII (Fig.l). Terraces IV and V (sites 2a, 4, and 10) do not contain members of the Strombus fauna, and produce slightly lower mean Glycymeris values, in terrace V at Trombaca although the mean values are statistically indistinguishable (Fig.9) at the la confidence level. Older deposits are located at 187 m at Altibano and have produced Cerastoderma ratios averaging 0.51___0.07 (n= 4). In previous studies (Hearty
and Dai Pra, 1986) Glycymeris and Cerastoderma have been shown to epimerize at nearly identical rates. The age assigned to the Cerastoderma deposits is thus >i 180 ka. A comparison between and amino acid ratios
geomorphic
data
The NoceUa Strombus shorelines interpretation Of particular interest in this area is the presence of two distinct terraces (VI and VII) that contain the Strombus fauna, the higher of which produces aminozone E ratios. A possible interpretation is that these two terraces belong to the peak of the last interglacial period (VI at
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285 117 ka; VII at 133 ka for example) and represent a morphologic bipartite isotope stage 5e, recognized stratigraphically elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin (Hearty, 1986; Miller et al., 1986), New Guinea (Aharon and Chappell, 1986; Bloom et al., 1974) and the southeast U.S. Coastal Plain (Hollin and Hearty, in prep). For four of the authors (B. D., P. G., R. L. and J. R.) the difficulty of such an explanation lies in the fact that the 52 m gap between terraces VI and VII is greater than the spacing between the successive back to back lower shorelines which is less than 25 m. This unusual spacing implies an accelerated uplift between 140-115 ka. Alternatively, terrace VII at the Nocella and Lazzaro transects is sufficiently higher to suggest an older age which is supported by a single Glycymeris ratio of 0.55 from a highly degraded and possibly reworked shell. Good correlation between geomorphic data and amino acid ratios in the Bovetto-Ravagnese area
In a global view of Pleistocene sea level changes, the terrace flights in the Reggio Calabria area may ultimately provide valuable information on the timing and amplitude of these events. In this preliminary groundwork investigation we are only certain about the age of one terrace, that of terrace VI in the BovettoRavagnese area at ca. 125 ka and correlated to isotope stage 5e (Hearty et al., 1986a). However, two younger terraces (V at 101 m and IV at 83 m, Fig.9) have produced limited amino acid ratios indicative of younger last interglacial transgressions (i.e. mid to late isotope stage 5 or 5c and 5a). In accordance with basin-wide amino acid studies (Hearty et al., 1986b; Hearty 1986), we propose some correlations of terraces, particularly terraces IV-VII, with globally documented events (Table II). Problem of correlation between the 125 m Tyrrhenian terrace at Bovetto and the 157 m Nocella one
The geomorphic correlations in the field indicate t h a t the 125 m Tyrrhenian terrace at
Bovetto and the 157 m one at Nocella are two different marine terraces. These two distinct terraces both have produced the Strombus fauna and aminozone E ratios, supporting a stage 5e correlation. They are indistinguishable by amino-acid geochronology. This alternative appears in Fig.9. Another possibility is that the regional geomorphic correlation across the valley is incorrect. Terrace VII at Nocella (157m) is perhaps equal to terrace VI at Bovetto (with lower terraces following suit). This interpretation would require t h a t the two areas are separated by a major fault zone of displacement, and t h a t differential displacement of about 30m has occurred on adjacent fault blocks. Our data is currently inadequate to resolve this problem. It is necessary to obtain several new dates from independent methods in order to resolve this question of correlation. A n o n - c o n s t a n t uplift rate Based on our secure terrace VI, 125 ka datum at Bovetto-Ravagnese, we are able to calculate an uplift of circa 1.0 m/ka as an average over most of the study area. But it is also clear that the rate of uplift on equal-aged terraces has changed across the 20 km of shoreline in the study area when we examine the variations in elevations along individual terraces. The younger than last interglacial (< 70 ka) terraces (III, II and I at 58, 47 and 30m, respectively) almost certainly represent Wilrmian terraces from or associated with isotope stages 4 to 2, that have been uplifted to their present position from original elevation far below present sea level (see Aharon and Chappell, 1986). In some cases, this would require uplift rates exceeding 1.0 m/ka. Based on these arguments we are able to conclude t h a t uplift rates are variable spatially across time-constant horizons, and temporally through the mid and upper Pleistocene. In general, it appears t h a t uplift is accelerating from the mid Pleistocene to the present day. Figure 9 is a plot of all amino acid data from Table I versus the elevation of the source
286
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deposits. Deeply buried samples from stratigraphic sections are also included. This plot of amino age versus deposit elevation is a function of several variables including: (1) changes in tectonic uplift rates (1.0 + 0.3 m/ka); (2) sea level maxima ( + 20 m during stages 5a, 5c, 5e and 7); and (3) epimerization kinetic rates (decreasing with time; increasing with temperature). The plot of terraces shows consistent increases of alle/Ile ratios with age, but does so in an irregular manner indicating the effects of the mentioned variables. From this comparison we can conclude, in general, that the uplift rate varies considerably around 1.0 m/ka. It is also clear that the amino ages (aminozones C and E) of terraces IV and VI are distinguishable, and that terraces VI and VII are probably the same age. Terrace V, though geomorphically and paleontologically distinct, is not clearly resolvable by amino acid techniques. Terrace IV, which is resolvable has either endured a greater uplift rate, or began its uplift history from an original elevation higher than that estimated by data from tectonic coastline studies (Broecker et al., 1968; Matthews, 1973; Bloom et al., 1974) or deep sea cores (Shackleton and Opdyke, 1973). This question is of great importance when recent geological and geochronological findings are considered indicating an 85 ka sea level above present in Bermuda (Vacher and Hearty, in press), along the southeast U.S. Coastal Plain (Szabo, 1985; Hearty and Hollin, 1986b) and in the Mediterranean basin (Hearty, 1986; Miller et al., 1986). Conclusions
As many as eleven constructional and erosional terraces are observed between Reggio Calabria and Capo dell'Armi. We are certain that the peak of the last interglacial period, isotope stage 5e at ca. 125 ka, is represented by terrace VI at 125 m near Bovetto-Ravagnese and possibly terrace VII at 157 m near Nocella, but the geomorphic continuity between these two areas is interrupted by broad valleys. Terraces VI and VII both contain Strornbus
bubonius and are indistinguishable by our currently available amino acid data. If the geomorphic correlation is correct, then two terraces of nearly the same age contain the Strombus fauna, which agrees with the findings of Hearty (1986). Two geomorphically younger terraces both lower and adjacent to the Bovetto-Ravagnese terrace VI have produced younger amino acid ratios. At Trombaca, terrace V is associated with a mean Glycymeris value of 0.37___0.04 (n=3) 1 compared to 0.42___0.04 (n=12) from terrace VI, but the two despite different averages remain statistically indistinguishable. And alas, the rich molluscan fauna at Trombaca does not contain members of the Strombus fauna. Terrace IV in the same section has produced distinct amino acid ratios for Glycymeris of 0.29+0.04 (n=3) and is correlated to aminozone C and isotope substage 5a. No Strombus fauna or warmth indicators have been associated with this terrace level. Terraces younger than IV have not generated amino acid data but geomorphically must post-date the last interglacial period. Altibano is the only site of terrace VIII that has produced amino-acid data. This site predates the last interglacial period and, in the opinion of one of us (P.H.), is probably correlated to stage 7. Otherwise, the older terraces VIII-XI are only roughly tied to transgressions between isotope stages 7 and 9, or possibly older. In this case, according to our data, the Reggio Calabria study area has probably experienced accelerating uplift rates since the mid Pleistocene. The other coauthors (B. D., P. G., R. L., J. R.) consider that the terraces VIII-XI are possibly tied to transgressions which belong to isotope stages 6 and maybe 7 because, just as the interstadial uplifted terraces (I, II, III) are in the Wiirm period, so some of the terraces VIII-XI could belong to the isotopic stage 6 and beginning of stage 7. However, in both cases along time-constant 'n= n u m b e r of analyzed shells.
288
horizons (equal-age terraces), there has also been differential displacement. Future investigations are aimed at verification of these preliminary conclusions by the addition of independent dating, and by producing new data on the terraces pre- and post dating the late interglacial period.
Acknowledgments We thank Gifford H. Miller of the INSTAAR Geochronology Center for use of the laboratory and helpful discussions. Some of the samples were prepared by Rick Ernst, Franco Guadiano, and Steve Shilling, and analyzed by Dan Goter. Laboratory expenses were partially defrayed by National Science Foundation Grant AEO-8319032 to Dr. Miller. We thank the Universit6 Paris XII, Val de Marne for field expenses partially defrayed on Research funds (Formation universitaire "Milieux physiques m6diterran6ens et semiarides" and the French Government (Department for Higher Education) for specific funds (Prolongement international de la Recherche). We thank O. Layus for drawing the figures in the Geography Laboratory of the Ecole Normale Sup6rieure de Fontenay-StoCloud.
References Abelson, P.H., 1955. Organic constituents of fossils. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearb., 54: 107-109. Aharon, P., 1983. 140,000-yr isotope climatic record from raised coral reefs in New Guinea. Nature, 304: 720-723. Aharon, P. and Chappell, J., 1986. Oxygen isotopes, sea level changes and the temperature history of a coral reef environment in New Guinea over the last l0 s years. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeocol., 56: 337-379. Bloom, A. L., Broecker, W. S., Chappell, J. M., Matthews, R.K. and Mesolella, K.J., 1974. Quaternary sea level fluctuations on a tectonic coast: new 23°Th-234Ur dates from the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. Quat. Res., 4: 185-205. Bonfiglio, L., 1972. I1 Tirreniano di Bovetto e Ravagnese presso Reggio Calabria. Quaternaria, 16: 137-147. Broecker, W. S., Thurber, K.L., Goddard, J. et al., 1968. Milankovitch hypothesis supported by precise dating of coral reefs and deep sea sediments. Science, 159: 297300. Dai Pra, G., Magri, G. and Spada, A., 1974. Evoluzione
morfologica dello Strombus bubonius Lamarck di Ravagnese (Reggio Calabria). Geol. Applic. Idrogeol., 9: 59-93. Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1982. Le soulAvement quaternaire de la Calabre m6ridionale. Rev. G6ol. Dyn. G6ogr. Phys. 27-40. Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1987a. Rates of uplift as shown by raised Quaternary shorelines in Southern Calabria (Italy). Z. Geomorphol., 63:119-132 (suppl.). Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1987b. D6couverte ~ 157 m d'altitude, pros de Nocella (Italie du Sud), du plus haut rivage tyrrh6nien connu ~ ce jour. C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 305, S6r. II: 139-142. Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Hearty, P., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1987c. Lignes de rivage soulev6es au Sud de Reggio Calabria (Italie). Datations des d6p6ts associ6s et taux de surrectionl INQUA, Progr. R6sum6s, p.160. Gignoux, M., 1913. Les formations marines plioc~nes et quaternaires de l'Italie du Sud et de la Sicile. Ann. Univ. Lyon, 36: 1-693. Hare, P. E. and Mitterer, R. M., 1987. Non-protein amino acids in fossil shells. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearb., 67: 236-364. Hare, P. E. and Mitterer, R. M., 1989. Laboratory simulation of amino acid diagenesis in fossils. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearb., 67: 205. Harmon, R. S., Mitterer, R. M., Kriansakul, N., Land, L. S., Schwarcz, H. P., Garrett, P., Larson, G. J., Vacher, H. L. and Rowe, M., 1983. U series and amino-acid racemization geochronology of Bermuda: implications for eustatic sea level fluctuations over the past 250,000 years. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 44: 41-70. Hearty, P.J., 1986. An inventory of last Interglacial (s.1.) age deposits from the Mediterranean basin: a study of isoleucine epimerization and U-series dating. Z. Geomorphol., 62:51-69 (suppl.). Hearty, P.J., 1987. New data on the Pleistocene of Mallorca. Quat. Sci. Rev., 6: 245-257. Hearty, P. H., Bonfiglio, L., Violanti, D. and Szabo, B.J., 1986a. Age of late Quaternary marine deposits of Southern Italy determined by aminostratigraphy, faunal correlation, and uranium-series dating. Rev. Ital. Paleontol. Stratigr., 92: 149-164. Hearty, P. J. and Dai Pra, G., 1986. Aminostratigraphy of Quaternary marine deposits in the Lazio region of central Italy. Z. Geomorphol., 62:131-140 (suppl.). Hearty, P. J. and Hollin, J. T., 1986a. Aminostratigraphy of Quaternary shorelines in Bermuda. Geol. Soc. Am. Annu. Meet. Abstr., Programs, 18: 6. Hearty, P.J. and Hollin, J.T., 1986b. Isotope stage 5 marine transgressions in the Carolinas. Geol. Soc. Am. Annu. Meet. Abstr., Programs, 18: 6. Hearty, P. H., Miller, G. H., Stearns, C. E. and Szabo, B. J., 1986c. Aminostratigraphy of Quaternary shorelines in the Mediterranean basin. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 97: 850-858. Hearty, P.J. and Miller, G.H., 1987. Global trends in isoleucine epimerization: data from the circum-Atlantic,
289 the Mediterranean and the south Pacific. Geol. Soc. Am., Annu. Meet. Abstr. Programs. Issel, A., 1914. Lembi fossiliferi quaternari e recenti nella Sardegna meridionale. Acad. Naz. Lincei, Ser. 5, 23: 759-770. Matthews, R. K., 1973. Relative elevation of late Pleistocene high sea level stands: Barbados uplift rates and their implications. Quat. Res., 3: 147-153. Miller, G. H. and Hare, P. E., 1980. Amino acid geochronology. Integrity of the carbonate matrix and potential of molluscan fossils. In: Hare, Hoering and King (Editors), Recent Advances in Biochemistry of amino-acids: 415-444. Miller, G. H. and Mangerud, J., 1985. Aminostratigraphy of European marine interglacial deposits. Quat. Sci. Rev., 4(4): 215-278. Miller, G. H., Stearns, C. E. and Paskoff, R., 1986. Amino acid geochronology of Pleistocene littoral deposits in Tunisia. Z. Geomorphol., 62:197-207 (suppl.). Nickl~s, M., 1950. Mollusques testaces marins la cbte occidentale d'Afrique. Lechevalier, Paris. Raffy, J., Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P. and Lh~naff, R., 1981. Uplift and Quaternary marine terraces to the East of
Villa San Giovanni (Calabria, Italy). Z. Geomorphol., 40: 119-125 (suppl.). Shackleton, N. J. and Opdyke, N. D., 1973. Oxygen isotope and paleomagnetic stratigraphy of equatorial Pacific core V28-238. Oxygen isotope temperatures on a 105 and 106 year time scale. Quat. Res., 3: 39-55. Szabo, B.J., 1985. Uranium-series dating of fossil corals from marine sediments of southeastern United States, Atlantic Coastal Plain. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 96: 398-406. Ulzega, A. and Hearty, P. J., 1986. Geomorphology, stratigraphy and geochronology of late Quaternary marine deposits in Sardinia. Z. Geomorphol., 62: 119-129 (suppl.). Vacher, H. L. and Hearty, P. J., in press. History of stage 5 sea level in Bermuda: with new evidence of a rise to present sea level during substage 5a. Wehmiller, J. F., 1982. A review of amino acid racemization studies in Quaternary molluscs: Stratigraphic and chronologic applications in coastal and interglacial sites, Pacific and Atlantic coasts, United States, United Kingdom, Baflin Island and tropical islands. Quat. Sci. Rev., 1: 83-120.
273
MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND AMINO ACID GEOCHRONOLOGY OF UPLIFTED SHORELINES IN A TECTONIC REGION NEAR REGGIO CALABRIA, SOUTH ITALY B. D U M A S 1, P. G U E R E M Y 2, P. J. H E A R T Y 3'6, R. L H E N A F F 4 a n d J. R A F F Y 5 1Universitd Paris-Val de Marne, Avenue du Gdndral de Gaulle, Fo94010 Creteil Cedex (France) 2Universitd de Reims, Institut de Gdographie, F-51100 Reims (France) ~INSTAAR, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (U.S.A.) 4Universitd de Lille I, U.E.R. de Gdographie, F-59650 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex (France) 5E.N.S. Fontenay-Saint-Cloud, B.P. 81, F-92260 Fontenay aux Roses (France)
(Received, December 21, 1987; accepted May 9, 1988)
Abstract Dumas, B., Gu6r6my, P., Hearty, P.J., Lh6naff, R. and Raffy, J., 1988. Morphometric analysis and amino acid geochronology of uplifted shorelines in a tectonic region near Reggio Calabria, south Italy. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 68: 273-289. The tectonic coastline of the Calabrian Peninsula provides an opportunity to study the morphology and history of elevated marine shorelines. Near Capo dell'Armi, eleven shorelines are preserved between sea level and 256 m. With some correlation difficulties posed by the dissection of the area by intermittent streams, we are able to correlate several of the shorelines across the entire study area. With the support of correlations provided by amino acid geochronology, we have identified four shorelines dating from the last interglacial period (isotope stage 5); the oldest two both contain the Strombus bubonius fauna and are of indistinguishable early last interglacial ages (stage 5e, aminozone E, ca. 125 ka). The highest terrace VII is associated with a shoreline at 157 m and the lower with a shoreline around 125-105 m a.s.1. Of the two younger stage 5 terraces without Strombus bubonius, the higher (V) lies at about 90-100 m and produces amino acid ratios slightly younger than, but statistically indistinguishablefrom those of aminozone E. However, the youngest last interglacial shoreline deposits (IV) have produced amino acid ratios correlated to late stage 5 (5a) elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin. Amino acid and geomorphic data have shown that uplift varies across the study area from 0.85 to 1.03 m/ka and suggests that constant uplift along any one traverse is unlikely.
Introduction In s o u t h Italy, a l o n g the C a l a b r i a n side of the S t r a i t of M e s s i n a , s o u t h of Reggio Calabria, we h a v e identified e l e v e n m a r i n e t e r r a c e s between the modern coast and 256m (Fig.l). We have assembled geomorphic, stratigraphic a n d g e o c h r o n o m e t r i c d a t a i n a n effort to d e c i p h e r the e u s t a t i c a n d t e c t o n i c h i s t o r y of 6Present address: Duke University, Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516 (U.S.A.) 0031-0182/88/$03.50
the southwest Calabrian coastline. We have o u t l i n e d s e v e r a l k e y o b j e c t i v e s i n t h e c o u r s e of this investigation. These include the following: (1) m a p a n d m o r p h o m e t r i c a l l y d e s c r i b e t h e n u m e r o u s t e r r a c e s t h a t a r e t e c t o n i c a l l y elev a t e d a l o n g t h e 20 k m of c o a s t l i n e w i t h i n t h e study area; (2) l o c a t e a n d c o l l e c t m o l l u s c a n fossils f r o m t h e t e r r a c e d e p o s i t s for a m i n o a c i d a n a l y s e s ; (3) u s e a m i n o a c i d d a t a t o s u p p o r t geom o r p h i c c o r r e l a t i o n s a n d to date p e r s i s t e n t terraces across the study area;
© 1988 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
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(4) correlate marine events with local and regional chronologies: and (5) evaluate the tectonic history that has affected the area through the Pleistocene by a synthesis of age, elevation and distributional relationships among the terraces. The original stratigraphic works are those of Gignoux (1913) who identified Strombus bubonius deposits at 100 m near Ravagnese. Bonfiglio (1972) examined the stratigraphy and faunas at a new quarry near Bovetto in which numerous members of the Strombus bubonius fauna were identified. Included in the so called "Strornbus" or Senegalese fauna are the species Strombus bubonius, Conus testudinarius, Cantharus viverratus, Tritonium ficoides, Natica lactea, Mytilus senegalensis, etc., most of which now are found along the tropical coastline of West Africa (Nickles, 1950). None of these species currently resides in the Mediterranean basin. A geomorphic study of marine terraces and wavecut platforms began in 1978 by Dumas, Gu~r~my, Lh6naff and Raffy (1981-1982), Raffy et al. (1981), and Dumas et al. (1987a). Of notable interest was the discovery of a Tyrrhenian (in the sense of Issel, 1914) deposit at 157 m near Nocella (Dumas et al., 1987b). Beyond the speculation of previous studies that Strornbus was associated with the last interglacial period, the first confirmation of this age was presented in Hearty et al. (1986a) which focused on deposits at Ravagnese, Bovetto and Milazzo (Sicily) and employed amino acid geochronology and uranium-series methods. These local investigations were subsequently integrated into a basin-wide study of shoreline deposits (Hearty et al., 1986b) and an intensive review of the last interglacial period in the Mediterranean sea (Hearty, 1986). We present this information from Calabria in the context of globally extensive amino acid investigations that encompass sites from the Arctic circle to the Equator (Hearty and Miller, 1987). Among these studies are those from Sardinia (Ulzega and Hearty, 1986), Mallorca (Hearty, 1987), Tunisia (Miller et al. 1986), and Bermuda (Harmon et al., 1983; Hearty and Hollin, 1986a; Vacher and Hearty,
275 in press) t h a t p r o v i d e models of e p i m e r i z a t i o n w i t h r e l a t e d t a x a and t e m p e r a t u r e s , of sea level events from these r e l a t i v e l y stable coastlines. O t h e r studies t h a t use a m i n o acid g e o c h r o n o l o g y for c o r r e l a t i o n and d a t i n g of s h o r e l i n e deposits in m a n y c o a s t a l a r e a s of the world are r e v i e w e d in H e a r t y (1987) and W e h m i l l e r (1982).
cliff base gives t h e field e l e v a t i o n of the shoreline. T h e l o c a t i o n of successive sea-cliffs, the m e a s u r e m e n t of s h o r e l i n e s and the correlations b e t w e e n segments of the same s h o r e l i n e are d e m o n s t r a t e d on detailed maps. T e r r a c e s are assigned R o m a n n u m e r a l s w h i c h reflect implied or observed c o r r e l a t i o n t h r o u g h morp h o m e t r i c analysis of this t e r r a c e d landscape. Observed g e o m o r p h i c evidence for a maximum of e l e v e n shorelines varies across the study area: the t e r r a c e flights are i n c o m p l e t e from one a r e a to a n o t h e r (Fig.l). The Capo dell'Armi a r e a (Fig.2) is the most p r o d u c t i v e in the s t u d y area. E l e v e n s t r a n d l i n e s (Fig.3A-C) are r e p r e s e n t e d b e t w e e n 30 and 256m. Of these, some are associated with a b r a s i o n platforms and o t h e r s with c o n s t r u c t i o n a l terraces. W o r t h y of n o t e is a n i m p o r t a n t " g a p " w h i c h s e p a r a t e s t e r r a c e s VI and VII (of 41-50 m), and successive back-to-back t e r r a c e s (VI and V, V and IV . . . . etc.) w h i c h are g e n e r a l l y s e p a r a t e d
A flight of eleven different strandlines e x t e n d a l o n g 20 k m o f c o a s t l i n e
T h e r e is a s p e c t a c u l a r flight of m a r i n e t e r r a c e s (Dumas et al., 1981-1982; Raffy et al., 1981) r e l a t e d to glacio-eustatic sea-level c h a n g e s (Dumas et al., 1987a, 1987b). In spite of dissection by s u b s e q u e n t erosion or b u r i a l by c o n t i n e n t a l deposits, it is possible to t r a c e e a c h P l e i s t o c e n e s h o r e l i n e by m e a n s of geomorphological f e a t u r e s s u c h as w a v e c u t platforms, a n c i e n t sea cliffs, m a r i n e caves, and cliff-foot cross-sections. T h e l o c a t i o n of the o r i g i n a l sea-
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Fig.2. Map of the terrace platforms and shorelines in the Capo dell'Armi area• 1 = terrace platform. 2= shoreline• 3 = altitude of shoreline (m). 4 = assigned shoreline number• 5= Strombus bubonius fauna• 6= sample site and associated amino-zone. 7= location of profiles (Fig.3).
276
by less t h a n 25 m but more t h a n 30 m for the higher ones (terraces VIH and greater). Otherwise terraces V and VI are less uplifted toward the east near Capo dell'Armi. There exists a beautiful flight of terraces (Fig.3D) in the Lazzaro area (Fig.4), but this sequence is incomplete. The lowest are not securely identified, and the sequence terminates at 190m. Terraces IV and VI are somewhat more elevated ( + 2 m) relative to the Capo dell'Armi area. However, the evidence of terrace V is sufficiently continuous to constitute a baseline in the area. The Nocella area contains eight shorelines up to 224 m (Fig.5 and 3E). The correlation with the Lazzaro area is tentative due to the rare occurrence of geomorphic continuity a few kilometers to the north of Lazzaro. The most continuous feature is terrace VI, which is elevated about 8 m more to the south, while the preceding terrace VII lies up to 52 m higher t h a n VI. This exceptional gap, when compared to t h a t of the other sequences, is analogous to t h a t separating terraces VI and VII at the Capo dell'Armi area (Figure 3A, B). It is likely t h a t terrace VI near Nocella is equivalent to t h a t situated at 116m at Serro di Giunta (southernmost in the Nocella area). All of the Nocella area below terrace VI is less uplifted t h a t the Lazzaro and Capo dell'Armi areas, and is lacking the lowest terrace I. The Strornbus fauna occurs in deposits associated with both terraces VI (105 m) and VII (157 m). Throughout the Bovetto-Ravagnese area (Fig.6 and Fig.3F, G, H, J, K and L) one finds a sequence of seven to eight terraces rising to 250m a.s.1. Strombus bubonius are found in great numbers at the well-studied sites of Ravagnese (Gignoux, 1913; Dai Pra et al., 1974) and Bovetto (Bonfiglio, 1972). Near the classic site of Ravagnese at 100 m elevation (Fig.3L,
sites la and lb) Strombus bubonius are also found at 107m at the Gallina cemetery (Fig.3K, site lc). These two deposits belong to the same sedimentary unit which stops at the 125 m shoreline (VI). They determine a sand and gravel built terrace (Fig.7). The Bovetto site has similarly produced Strombus fauna from a 20-25 m thick depositional sequence which reaches an elevation of 125 m where the shoreline VI stands. Two additional deposits have been studied from terrace V at 101 m (Fig.3G, site 4) and terrace IV at 83 m (Fig.3J, site 2a) lying below the Strombus terrace. In spite of their different elevations, the Strombus deposits lying near Ravagnese and Bovetto appear to belong to the same shoreline (Fig.6). But in the Nocella area there are two shorelines with Strornbus at much different elevations (105 and 157 m). We seek to determine the geomorphic correlation between these two areas and across the entire study area. Slightly to the South-West of Bovetto (Fig.8), one can see that elevations of the series of shorelines are almost identical to t h a t of the Ravagnese-Bovetto area: II at 45 m, III at 60 m, IV at 82 m, V at 101 m, VI at 122 m. Between the Fiumara di Valanidi and the Fiumara di Macellara terraces V and VI are lower but terraces III and IV continue at the same elevation. Between Fiumara di Macellara and the Nocella area the series is as follows: shoreline II at 44 m, III at 58 m, IV at 76 m, V at 94 m, VI at 105 m; shoreline VII varies between 148 and 158 m. Two arguments support these correlations: all along shoreline V we can detect traces of the original geomorphological features (the sea-cliff foot), between the Ravagnese-Bovetto area and the Nocella one; the unusual gap (157-105= 52 m) between the two Tyrrhenian shorelines (VII and VI) with the
Fig.3. Topographic profiles o f l l transects within the study area. Elevation of t h e s h o r e l i n e s and location of sample sites are indicated (symbols are t h e same as Fig.1 and 2).
277
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Strombus fauna in the Nocella area is also present in the Pellaro a r ea as far as the left b an k of the F i u m a r a di Valanidi (150-117 = 43 m). In summary, the Nocella area is the less uplifted area in comparison to the others, and the Bovetto-Ravagnese area is certainly the most uplifted. This is most clearly manifest in the trends of terraces IV, V and VI (Fig.3E, F and H). Two shorelines with Strombus are differentiated from those t h a t precede them (older t h a n
VII) and those t h a t postdate them (younger t h a n VI) which have not produced the Strombus fauna. The highest Strornbus shoreline is located at 157 m at Nocella and corresponds to even a higher elevation of the shoreline at Bovetto-Ravagnese at 166 m, and a lowest one at 145 m between the Bovetto-Ravagnese area and Nocella. A lower shoreline with Strornbus (terrace VI) attains a maximum elevation of 125 m at Bovetto-Ravagnese, 118-116 m near Lazzaro and 105 m east of Capo dell'Armi and in the Nocella area.
279
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Amino
acid geochronology
Isoleucine epimerization and the determination of ratios The geochronological potential of certain chemical reactions involved in the degradation of proteins in fossils was first recognized by
Abelson (1955) and further developed by Hare and Mitterer (1967, 1969), and has been the subject of an increasing number of investigations over the past decade. The most promising reaction has been shown to be the racemization reaction, or epimerization in the case of isoleucine. The extent of the reaction is expressed as the ratio of D- to L-isomers; D-
280
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281
125-
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Fig.7. Sand and gravel-built terrace near Ravagnese: schematic cross section, l=colluvium. 2=post-Tyrrhenian silt and gravel. 3= Ravagnese formation sand and conglomerate. 4 = Messinian marl and sandstone. 5= Strornbus bubonius fauna. alloisoleucine to L-isoleucine ratios in this case. Protein in skeletal hard parts of living organisms contains essentially no amino acids in the D-configuration. However, over geologic time, the protein within a CaCO 3 matrix undergoes a slow series of interrelated degradation reactions, including hydrolysis into lower molecular weight peptides and eventual release of free amino acids, racemization (or epimerization), and a variety of decomposition reactions t h a t alter the relative abundance of the various amino acids. The reversible racemization/epimerization reaction proceeds to an equilibrium ratio of D and L isomers; generally 1:1 for racemization, but somewhat higher for isoleucine epimerization (1.3:1.0). Alle/Ile ratios have been determined in the total fraction (free amino acid plus those in the peptide-bound state t h a t have been artificially released by heating the decalcified sample in 6N HC1 for 22 h at ll0°C). The alle/Ile ratios are determined on an automated ion-exchange HPLC amino acid analyzer (Miller and Hare, 1980) with electronic peak integration on a Hewlett-Packard 3390A integrator. Peakheight data is then collected and reduced in a database system by a DEC Pro 380 computer.
of insolation and surface heating. In some cases, samples were collected and analyzed up to the upper contact of the marine unit in order to appraise the extent of surface heating. An intrashell variation of 30% in Glycymeris (Hearty et al., 1986c) is minimized when samples are consistently taken from the same structural area (internal layer at the apex) of the shell. Sample fragments of -~ 100 mg are leached an additional 30-50~/o with 2N HC1 to reduce the chance of contamination. Analytical procedures, factors affecting D/L ratios, inter-and intralaboratory standard data, and precautionary measures relating to the application of similar studies can be found in Hearty et al. (1986c), Hearty (1986) and Miller and Mangerud (1985). Instrumental in our amino acid correlations along the Calabrian coastline is the recognition of the peak last interglacial shoreline and fauna. Studies establishing this important link have previously been published (Hearty et al., 1986c; Hearty, 1986). In these studies, the abundance of Strombus or Senegalese fauna and the amino acid data for aminozone E are strongly correlated and have demonstrated a consistent and reliable biostratigraphic indicator of the last interglacial period.
Sampling procedure
Results
Samples of Glycymeris, Cerastoderma, Arca and Helix were collected from as deep as possible within the marine or terrestrial stratigraphic unit to reduce or eliminate the effects
The results from Glycymeris and Cerastoderma shells, collected from ten localities along the Calabrian coastline are presented in Table I. A majority of the localities have
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Fig.8. Map of the terrace platforms and shorelines between Nocella area and Bovetto-Ravagnese one. Legend is the same as in Fig.2.
283
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284
produced "aminozone E" ratios and are thus correlated to the peak of the last interglacial period centered around 125 ka. These deposits are characterized by an abundant and diverse molluscan fauna, including several representatives of the Strombus fauna. The occurrence of aminozone E ratios and Strombus fauna are restricted to terraces VI and VII (Fig.l). Terraces IV and V (sites 2a, 4, and 10) do not contain members of the Strombus fauna, and produce slightly lower mean Glycymeris values, in terrace V at Trombaca although the mean values are statistically indistinguishable (Fig.9) at the la confidence level. Older deposits are located at 187 m at Altibano and have produced Cerastoderma ratios averaging 0.51___0.07 (n= 4). In previous studies (Hearty
and Dai Pra, 1986) Glycymeris and Cerastoderma have been shown to epimerize at nearly identical rates. The age assigned to the Cerastoderma deposits is thus >i 180 ka. A comparison between and amino acid ratios
geomorphic
data
The NoceUa Strombus shorelines interpretation Of particular interest in this area is the presence of two distinct terraces (VI and VII) that contain the Strombus fauna, the higher of which produces aminozone E ratios. A possible interpretation is that these two terraces belong to the peak of the last interglacial period (VI at
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Fig.9. P l o t of t e r r a c e e l e v a t i o n s v e r s u s AIle/Ile r a t i o s w i t h l a e r r o r (Table I) a n d e s t i m a t e d a g e s of t e r r a c e IV-VIII. A n uplift r a t e of 1 m / k a is i n d i c a t e d for reference.
285 117 ka; VII at 133 ka for example) and represent a morphologic bipartite isotope stage 5e, recognized stratigraphically elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin (Hearty, 1986; Miller et al., 1986), New Guinea (Aharon and Chappell, 1986; Bloom et al., 1974) and the southeast U.S. Coastal Plain (Hollin and Hearty, in prep). For four of the authors (B. D., P. G., R. L. and J. R.) the difficulty of such an explanation lies in the fact that the 52 m gap between terraces VI and VII is greater than the spacing between the successive back to back lower shorelines which is less than 25 m. This unusual spacing implies an accelerated uplift between 140-115 ka. Alternatively, terrace VII at the Nocella and Lazzaro transects is sufficiently higher to suggest an older age which is supported by a single Glycymeris ratio of 0.55 from a highly degraded and possibly reworked shell. Good correlation between geomorphic data and amino acid ratios in the Bovetto-Ravagnese area
In a global view of Pleistocene sea level changes, the terrace flights in the Reggio Calabria area may ultimately provide valuable information on the timing and amplitude of these events. In this preliminary groundwork investigation we are only certain about the age of one terrace, that of terrace VI in the BovettoRavagnese area at ca. 125 ka and correlated to isotope stage 5e (Hearty et al., 1986a). However, two younger terraces (V at 101 m and IV at 83 m, Fig.9) have produced limited amino acid ratios indicative of younger last interglacial transgressions (i.e. mid to late isotope stage 5 or 5c and 5a). In accordance with basin-wide amino acid studies (Hearty et al., 1986b; Hearty 1986), we propose some correlations of terraces, particularly terraces IV-VII, with globally documented events (Table II). Problem of correlation between the 125 m Tyrrhenian terrace at Bovetto and the 157 m Nocella one
The geomorphic correlations in the field indicate t h a t the 125 m Tyrrhenian terrace at
Bovetto and the 157 m one at Nocella are two different marine terraces. These two distinct terraces both have produced the Strombus fauna and aminozone E ratios, supporting a stage 5e correlation. They are indistinguishable by amino-acid geochronology. This alternative appears in Fig.9. Another possibility is that the regional geomorphic correlation across the valley is incorrect. Terrace VII at Nocella (157m) is perhaps equal to terrace VI at Bovetto (with lower terraces following suit). This interpretation would require t h a t the two areas are separated by a major fault zone of displacement, and t h a t differential displacement of about 30m has occurred on adjacent fault blocks. Our data is currently inadequate to resolve this problem. It is necessary to obtain several new dates from independent methods in order to resolve this question of correlation. A n o n - c o n s t a n t uplift rate Based on our secure terrace VI, 125 ka datum at Bovetto-Ravagnese, we are able to calculate an uplift of circa 1.0 m/ka as an average over most of the study area. But it is also clear that the rate of uplift on equal-aged terraces has changed across the 20 km of shoreline in the study area when we examine the variations in elevations along individual terraces. The younger than last interglacial (< 70 ka) terraces (III, II and I at 58, 47 and 30m, respectively) almost certainly represent Wilrmian terraces from or associated with isotope stages 4 to 2, that have been uplifted to their present position from original elevation far below present sea level (see Aharon and Chappell, 1986). In some cases, this would require uplift rates exceeding 1.0 m/ka. Based on these arguments we are able to conclude t h a t uplift rates are variable spatially across time-constant horizons, and temporally through the mid and upper Pleistocene. In general, it appears t h a t uplift is accelerating from the mid Pleistocene to the present day. Figure 9 is a plot of all amino acid data from Table I versus the elevation of the source
286
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287
deposits. Deeply buried samples from stratigraphic sections are also included. This plot of amino age versus deposit elevation is a function of several variables including: (1) changes in tectonic uplift rates (1.0 + 0.3 m/ka); (2) sea level maxima ( + 20 m during stages 5a, 5c, 5e and 7); and (3) epimerization kinetic rates (decreasing with time; increasing with temperature). The plot of terraces shows consistent increases of alle/Ile ratios with age, but does so in an irregular manner indicating the effects of the mentioned variables. From this comparison we can conclude, in general, that the uplift rate varies considerably around 1.0 m/ka. It is also clear that the amino ages (aminozones C and E) of terraces IV and VI are distinguishable, and that terraces VI and VII are probably the same age. Terrace V, though geomorphically and paleontologically distinct, is not clearly resolvable by amino acid techniques. Terrace IV, which is resolvable has either endured a greater uplift rate, or began its uplift history from an original elevation higher than that estimated by data from tectonic coastline studies (Broecker et al., 1968; Matthews, 1973; Bloom et al., 1974) or deep sea cores (Shackleton and Opdyke, 1973). This question is of great importance when recent geological and geochronological findings are considered indicating an 85 ka sea level above present in Bermuda (Vacher and Hearty, in press), along the southeast U.S. Coastal Plain (Szabo, 1985; Hearty and Hollin, 1986b) and in the Mediterranean basin (Hearty, 1986; Miller et al., 1986). Conclusions
As many as eleven constructional and erosional terraces are observed between Reggio Calabria and Capo dell'Armi. We are certain that the peak of the last interglacial period, isotope stage 5e at ca. 125 ka, is represented by terrace VI at 125 m near Bovetto-Ravagnese and possibly terrace VII at 157 m near Nocella, but the geomorphic continuity between these two areas is interrupted by broad valleys. Terraces VI and VII both contain Strornbus
bubonius and are indistinguishable by our currently available amino acid data. If the geomorphic correlation is correct, then two terraces of nearly the same age contain the Strombus fauna, which agrees with the findings of Hearty (1986). Two geomorphically younger terraces both lower and adjacent to the Bovetto-Ravagnese terrace VI have produced younger amino acid ratios. At Trombaca, terrace V is associated with a mean Glycymeris value of 0.37___0.04 (n=3) 1 compared to 0.42___0.04 (n=12) from terrace VI, but the two despite different averages remain statistically indistinguishable. And alas, the rich molluscan fauna at Trombaca does not contain members of the Strombus fauna. Terrace IV in the same section has produced distinct amino acid ratios for Glycymeris of 0.29+0.04 (n=3) and is correlated to aminozone C and isotope substage 5a. No Strombus fauna or warmth indicators have been associated with this terrace level. Terraces younger than IV have not generated amino acid data but geomorphically must post-date the last interglacial period. Altibano is the only site of terrace VIII that has produced amino-acid data. This site predates the last interglacial period and, in the opinion of one of us (P.H.), is probably correlated to stage 7. Otherwise, the older terraces VIII-XI are only roughly tied to transgressions between isotope stages 7 and 9, or possibly older. In this case, according to our data, the Reggio Calabria study area has probably experienced accelerating uplift rates since the mid Pleistocene. The other coauthors (B. D., P. G., R. L., J. R.) consider that the terraces VIII-XI are possibly tied to transgressions which belong to isotope stages 6 and maybe 7 because, just as the interstadial uplifted terraces (I, II, III) are in the Wiirm period, so some of the terraces VIII-XI could belong to the isotopic stage 6 and beginning of stage 7. However, in both cases along time-constant 'n= n u m b e r of analyzed shells.
288
horizons (equal-age terraces), there has also been differential displacement. Future investigations are aimed at verification of these preliminary conclusions by the addition of independent dating, and by producing new data on the terraces pre- and post dating the late interglacial period.
Acknowledgments We thank Gifford H. Miller of the INSTAAR Geochronology Center for use of the laboratory and helpful discussions. Some of the samples were prepared by Rick Ernst, Franco Guadiano, and Steve Shilling, and analyzed by Dan Goter. Laboratory expenses were partially defrayed by National Science Foundation Grant AEO-8319032 to Dr. Miller. We thank the Universit6 Paris XII, Val de Marne for field expenses partially defrayed on Research funds (Formation universitaire "Milieux physiques m6diterran6ens et semiarides" and the French Government (Department for Higher Education) for specific funds (Prolongement international de la Recherche). We thank O. Layus for drawing the figures in the Geography Laboratory of the Ecole Normale Sup6rieure de Fontenay-StoCloud.
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