The Italian Mountains: Glacial landforms from the Younger Dryas Stadial (12.9–11.7 ka)

Adriano Ribolini, Matteo Spagnolo, Carlo Giraudi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Many climate proxies indicate that during the Younger Dryas the mountains of the Italian Peninsula were characterised by cold (from 4°C to 7°C less than the present local averages of annual air temperature) and arid (up to 200mm/a less than the local present averages of annual precipitation) climatic conditions. The landscape of the Apennine chain was sparsely covered by arboreal vegetation at least above 1200m a.s.l., where steppe-like species dominated. Lakes in proglacial areas and temporary lakes at various altitudes disappeared, and the level of major permanent lakes recorded a marked lowstand. Freeze/thaw cycles, wind deflation and permafrost creeping became among the dominant geomorphological processes in the mountain slopes. Some sectors of the Apennine chain were affected by the presence of small cirque glaciers which led to the deposition of modest frontal moraines, defining the Aquila Stade in the Apennine glacial chronology. Morphostratigraphic relationships between frontal moraines and a dated volcanic tephra (NYT, ~14.9cal ka BP) indicate that the Aquila Stade corresponds to the Younger Dryas. The cold and arid condition favoured the development of many rock glaciers, especially in the central sector of the Apennines.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEuropean Glacial Landscapes
Subtitle of host publicationThe Last Deglaciation
EditorsDavid Palacios, Philip D. Hughes, José M. García Ruiz, Nuria Andrés
PublisherElsevier
Chapter58
Pages563-570
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9780323918992
ISBN (Print)9780323985116
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Apennines
  • Deglaciation
  • moraines
  • rock glaciers
  • tephra
  • Younger Dryas

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The Italian Mountains: Glacial landforms from the Younger Dryas Stadial (12.9–11.7 ka)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this