Springer Theses Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research Rosario Ruggieri Speleological and Speleogenetic Aspects of the Monti di Capo San Vito (Sicily) Influence of Morphotectonic Evolution Springer Theses Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research Aims and Scope The series “Springer Theses” brings together a selection of the very best Ph.D. theses from around the world and across the physical sciences. Nominated and endorsed by two recognized specialists, each published volume has been selected for its scientific excellence and the high impact of its contents for the pertinent fieldofresearch.Forgreateraccessibilitytonon-specialists,thepublishedversions includeanextendedintroduction,aswellasaforewordbythestudent’ssupervisor explaining the special relevance of the work for the field. As a whole, the series will provide a valuable resource both for newcomers to the research fields described, and for other scientists seeking detailed background information on special questions. 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More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8790 Rosario Ruggieri Speleological and Speleogenetic Aspects of the Monti di Capo San Vito (Sicily) fl In uence of Morphotectonic Evolution Doctoral Thesis accepted by the University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia 123 Author Supervisor Dr. RosarioRuggieri Prof. MartinKnez Alumni Club KarstResearch lnstitute ZRCSAZU University of Nova Gorica University of Nova Gorica Nova Gorica Postojna Slovenia Slovenia ISSN 2190-5053 ISSN 2190-5061 (electronic) SpringerTheses ISBN978-3-319-21719-2 ISBN978-3-319-21720-8 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21720-8 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2015946587 SpringerChamHeidelbergNewYorkDordrechtLondon ©SpringerInternationalPublishingSwitzerland2016 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt fromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained hereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade. Printedonacid-freepaper SpringerInternationalPublishingAGSwitzerlandispartofSpringerScience+BusinessMedia (www.springer.com) Parts of this thesis have been published in the following journal articles: Ruggieri R. Messina Panfalone D., Antonioli F., Rosso A., Sanfilippo R., ManiscalcoR.2012.TheRumenaflankmargincaveanditsimplicationinsupport of the evolution of the Monti di Capo San Vito (North-western Sicily). Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It., Vol. 21 (2012), pp. 632–633, 3 figs. Rosario Ruggieri, Giuseppe Napoli, Pietro Renda, 2013. Influence of the Plio-Pleistocene Tectonics on the evolution of the Purgatorio Polje (North-western Sicily). 2013 ICS Proceedings, Vol. 3, pp. 402–407. Ilaria Maria D’Angeli, Joe De Waele, Rosario Ruggieri, Laura Sanna, 2013. Pleistocene sea level changes as revealed by flank margin caves in telogenetic limestones in Sicily and Sardinia (Italy). 2013 ICS Proceedings Vol. 3, pp. 29–33. Rosso A., Sanfilippo R., Ruggieri R., Maniscalco R. and Vertino A., 2014. Exceptional record of submarine cave communities from the Pleistocene of Sicily (Italy). DOI 10.1111/let.12094 © 2014 Lethaia Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Ruggieri R. & De Waele J., 2014. Lower to Middle Pleistocene Flank Margin Caves at Custonaci (Trapani, NW Sicily) and their relation with past sea levels. Acta Carsologica 43/1, 11–22, Postojna 2014. I dedicate this work to my wife Iolanda who has been walking with me the inscrutable paths of this life, sharing the passion for the magic world of the caves, and also for encouraging me to carry out the karst story here presented. I also want to dedicate it to my small always smiling grandchild Rosario hoping that one day he might like to go across the exciting underground world. ’ Supervisor s Foreword Initially this study started with the aims of seeking the relationship between the tectonicevolutionandthekarstprocessesintheTrapanimountains,intheextreme north-westofSicily,anexceptionalkarstcontextfortheuniquevarietyandrichness offorms, bothsurfaceandunderground. Thenthis studyunderwent anunexpected surge, well ahead of expected expectations, with the results of two important discoveries that have allowed it to extend the framework of knowledge on the speleogenesis of the study area and its interaction with the paleoclimatic factors. The discovery of caves considered of marine origin, present along the relict paleo-cliffsofthestudyarea,whichoriginatedwithflankmargincavemechanisms, was the first element that has expanded the geographical presence of this speleo- genetic phenomenology, found and studied in tropical environments, but so far detected in the Mediterranean only in some conglomeratic formations in Croatia. These morphologies, certainly interesting, for the “hypogenic connotations”, as described by the author, are more directly related to ancient marine levels, than to theepigeniccaves.Butthiselement,althoughimportant,alonewoulddefinitelynot haveaddedmoreinsightsintotheevolutionofthekarstprocessesalongthecoastal belt,unlessinthisresearchthesecondandmostimportantdiscoveryconcerningthe extraordinary fossil content of marine organisms and of speleothems had not happened with evidence of different stages of ingression and regression of the sea, in the flank margin caves Grotta Rumena. With this further element the scientific findings of this study have embraced a broaderMediterraneancontextthanthestudyareaoftheCapoSanVitoMountains, for different aspects of research related to the elements encountered, and the paleoclimate implications and of change of sea level during the Pleistocene age. Therefore, this research and its discoveries will surely activate, as indeed in some respects has already happened, a whole series of paleontological and paleoecologycal investigations on the communities of submerged caves, for the widespread deposits of marine fossils, and on the paleogeography linked to thepaleoclimaticandsealevelschanges,aswellasthetectonicimplications,during ix x Supervisor’sForeword the Pleistocene in the central Mediterranean. Remarkable changes etched on the walls and speleothems in the Grotta Rumena, thanks to this study, have been protected and established as a geosite of worldwide importance. Postojna, Slovenia Associate Professor Martin Knez July 2015 univ. grad. eng. geology Acknowledgments I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Andrej Kranjc, Prof. Dr. Martin Knez and Prof. Dr. Tadej Slabe, head of the Karst Research Institute of the Scientific ResearchCentreattheSloveneAcademyofSciencesandArts,whohavegivenme the opportunity to write this thesis. MymentorswereProf.Dr.StankaŠebelaandProf.Dr.UgoSauro.Ithankboth ofthemfortheirconstructivesuggestionsduringthefieldexcursionscarriedoutin the study area, their support and supervision of the thesis. I thank Prof. Jo De Waele, for his suggestions during some field excursions in the area of study and in some caves, and for his supervision of the work. Finaly, I thank geom. Davide Messina Panfalone member of CIRS, my caving association, for his help on the topographic survey of several caves considered in this study. This doctoral study is partly co-financed by the European Union and by the European Social Fund respectively. The co-financing is carried out within the Human resources development operational programme for the years 2007–2013, 1. developmental priorities: Encouraging entrepreneurship and adaptation; prefer- ential directives 1.3: scholarship schemes. Photos of the present study were made by the author with the exception of photos Fig. 6.47 taken by Prof. Ugo Sauro, Figs. 6.68, 6.237, 6.239, 6.253, 6.328, 8.6 and 8.7 taken by Davide Messina Panfalone. xi