Post-Congress field trip
E3. Oligocene reefs and coral assemblages of the eastern Lessini and Berici (venetian southern Alps, N Italy) (1 day field trip)
Leaders: Francesca Bosellini (Univ. Modena), Alessandro Vescogni (Univ. Modena), Cesare Papazzoni (Univ. Modena), Viviana Frisone (Museum “G. Zannato” Montecchio Maggiore), Wolfgang Kiessling (Univ. Erlangen).
Presentation. The Vicentin area of Lessini and Berici is famous for the extensive collections of 19th century describing its rich coral fauna and has long been a landmark for Oligocene reef studies worldwide. The region belongs to the Lessini Shelf, a major Cenozoic paleogeographic element of the Southern Alps, and the coral outcrops are represented by the Castelgomberto Limestone (Rupelian). This unit, characterized by a peculiar cyclicity, is traditionally well known to represent one of the largest and best-exposed barrier-reef/lagoon Cenozoic reef complexes, with a barrier rim located in the southeast face of the Colli Berici (Lumignano) and a wide “lagoon” extending for about 30 km northwestward (Castelgomberto). In contrast to this model, a ramp depositional setting has been proposed and a transect across the coral facies from Castelgomberto to Lumignano will allow participants to explore these alternative reconstructions. The fieldtrip will also provide the possibility to observe the Actinacis-dominated coral assemblage, a peculiar feature of the lower Oligocene.
Programme:
September 7 (Saturday): Departure from Modena in the early morning by minivans or bus; Facies and cycles of the Castelgomberto Limestone (Castelgomberto);
Coral facies at Bastia Bassa (Montecchio Maggiore);
Lunch and visit to the paleontological collections of the Museum “G. Zannato” in Montecchio Maggiore;
Lumignano (Berici): walk up to “Eremo di San Cassiano” , where an amazing and suggestive monastery is nestled under the coral-rich Oligocene rocky wall of the southeast face of the Colli Berici.
Excursion fee includes: guidebook, travel and lunch. Cost is 50 euro.
Number of participants: min 10/max 50.
Contact: francesca.bosellini@unimore.it