Le grotte sottomarine di Capo D\'Otranto-Le
Abstract
En
The entity of submarine cave presence has been evaluated along the coast of Cape of Otranto (S-E Italy),from Punta del Malcantone to Porto Badisco .During the survey (lasted 3 years)new submarine caves have been discovered and explored. A comparative study of the Otranto caves suggests that they are the result of a multilevel activity of carstic and marine erosions,the last of which continues,at present,being the main responsible of the cavity enlargment.Submarine caves of the Cape of Otranto show multiple connections (entrances)with the open sea, and a typical cavern-morphology which,in addition,probably hosted prehistoric men when the sea level was 100 m below the present one.As a consequence of the marine erosion,often the cave ceil is open and the sunligth incomes from it.The results obtained with the present investigation are a conspicuous contribute to the valorization of the natural environment of the Cape of Otranto,in the framework of the ongoing request for the institution of a Marine Protected Area in that coast.
It
Il fenomeno “grotte sottomarine ”è stato valutato con uno studio della costa sommersa del comune di Otranto (LE),da Punta del Malcantone a Porto Badisco.Durante l’indagine sono state scoperte,rilevate e censite anche cavità inedite.Dallo studio comparativo emerge che le grotte idruntine hanno avuto uno sviluppo su più livelli riconducibile al fenomeno del carsismo costiero,che,al momento,continua ad essere la causa principale dell ’ampliamento delle cavità.Le grotte di Otranto presentano generalmente più ingressi,una morfologia a caverna,e alcuni dettagli suggeriscono una possibile presenza dell’uomo preistorico.I risultati conseguiti rappresentano un contributo alla valorizzazione delle ricchezze ambientali di Otranto e ne realizzano,pertanto,l’arricchimento del patrimonio ambientale.
The entity of submarine cave presence has been evaluated along the coast of Cape of Otranto (S-E Italy),from Punta del Malcantone to Porto Badisco .During the survey (lasted 3 years)new submarine caves have been discovered and explored. A comparative study of the Otranto caves suggests that they are the result of a multilevel activity of carstic and marine erosions,the last of which continues,at present,being the main responsible of the cavity enlargment.Submarine caves of the Cape of Otranto show multiple connections (entrances)with the open sea, and a typical cavern-morphology which,in addition,probably hosted prehistoric men when the sea level was 100 m below the present one.As a consequence of the marine erosion,often the cave ceil is open and the sunligth incomes from it.The results obtained with the present investigation are a conspicuous contribute to the valorization of the natural environment of the Cape of Otranto,in the framework of the ongoing request for the institution of a Marine Protected Area in that coast.
It
Il fenomeno “grotte sottomarine ”è stato valutato con uno studio della costa sommersa del comune di Otranto (LE),da Punta del Malcantone a Porto Badisco.Durante l’indagine sono state scoperte,rilevate e censite anche cavità inedite.Dallo studio comparativo emerge che le grotte idruntine hanno avuto uno sviluppo su più livelli riconducibile al fenomeno del carsismo costiero,che,al momento,continua ad essere la causa principale dell ’ampliamento delle cavità.Le grotte di Otranto presentano generalmente più ingressi,una morfologia a caverna,e alcuni dettagli suggeriscono una possibile presenza dell’uomo preistorico.I risultati conseguiti rappresentano un contributo alla valorizzazione delle ricchezze ambientali di Otranto e ne realizzano,pertanto,l’arricchimento del patrimonio ambientale.
DOI Code:
10.1285/i15910725v29supp55
Full Text: PDF
