A. Bosellini et al., Long-term event stratigraphy of the Apulia Platform margin (Upper Jurassicto Eocene, Gargano, southern Italy), J SED RES, 69(6), 1999, pp. 1241-1252
The Upper Jurassic to Eocene Apulia platform margin and the eastward transi
tion to the adjacent basinal deposits are well exposed in the Gargano Promo
ntory (southern Italy), a carbonate block that is part of the slightly defo
rmed foreland of the southern Apennine thrust belt. The long-term stratigra
phy of this margin and slope transect is punctuated by five major dynamic p
henomena that subdivide the succession into six second order sequences. The
se events include (1) a Valanginian drowning unconformity, (2) an early Apt
ian-Albian drowning and demise of the platform, (3) late Albian-Cenomanian
platform-margin failures, (4) a Santonian-Campanian retreat of the platform
margin, and (5) Eocene uplift and platform-margin collapse. The first even
t is documented worldwide and is probably eustatic in origin. The second is
concomitant with some oceanic anoxic events (OAE). The last three processe
s are probably related to foreland reaction to subduction and collision in
the Dinarides and Hellenides thrust belts. The ultimate cause of the Albian
-Cenomanian failures is more problematic. A worldwide eustatic regression i
s documented at this time, but regional geology seems to favor tectonic upl
ift.