Late quaternary speleogenesis and landscape evolution in the northern Apennine evaporite areas

Research reveals that gypsum caves in the northern Apennines, including some of the world's longest epigenic cave systems, began forming at least 600,000 years ago, challenging long-held assumptions about their age. The study used uranium-thorium dating of speleothems from 14 caves to determine that speleogenesis peaked during cold climate stages when surface rivers formed terraces and aggradation occurred. It also estimated that it took approximately 200,000 years for the dismantling of impervious sediments covering gypsum beds and the development of a mature surface drainage network. This finding significantly advances understanding of evaporite karst evolution in rapidly uplifting regions.

Columbu, A., Chiarini, V., De Waele, J., Drysdale, R., Woodhead, J., Hellstrom, J., & Forti, P. (2017). Late quaternary speleogenesis and landscape evolution in the northern Apennine evaporite areas. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 42(10), 1447–1459. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4099