Evolution of karst in Messinian gypsum (Monferrato, Northern Italy)

Research on the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont (Northern Italy) reveals that karst caves in Messinian gypsum formations likely began forming during a brief intra-Messinian emersion phase, with subsequent slow enlargement during the Quaternary. Cave sediments contain foraminiferal associations dating from Burdigalian to Upper Pliocene, suggesting recent deposition, though Upper Messinian accumulation cannot be entirely ruled out. The study suggests that caves initially developed under epigenic conditions and later expanded within a confined hypogene karst system. This finding provides new insights into the evolutionary history of karst landscapes in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vigna, B., Fioraso, G., Banzato, C., & De Waele, J. (2010). Evolution of karst in Messinian gypsum (Monferrato, Northern Italy). Geodinamica Acta, 23(1-3), 29–40. https://doi.org/10.3166/ga.23.29-40