Late pleistocene evolution of the Venetian–Friulian Plain

In the last decade, large geological, geomorphological and pedological mapping projects have been investigating the Venetian–Friulian Plain, strongly improving the available information about late Pleistocene sedimentary processes. This paper presents an overview of the evolution of the alluvial and costal plain since the end of middle Pleistocene to the Lateglacial. This was mainly possible through detailed field surveys and 20 stratigraphic cores of 50–270 m of depth. A strong relation between alluvial aggrading phases and glacial periods (final part of MIS 6 and Last Glacial Maximum) is evidenced, whereas during the last interglacial the sedimentation mainly occurred in the coastal sectors. During the Tyrrhenian transgression (MIS 5e) the lagoons reached a more landward position than the present. The deposits of middle Würm are represented by thin alluvial sequences and an important depositional hiatus lasted tens of thousand of years ended around 35–30,000 years cal bp. The LGM is characterized by a strong phase of deposition until 20,000 years cal bp, then the sedimentary rate lowered and in the Friulian Plain led to apical incision of alluvial systems. Since Lateglacial an important erosive phase affected the whole plain and brought to the formation of deep and wide incision up to the present coast.