Markers of MIS 5 sea level fluctuations in the Bergeggi Marine Cave (NW Mediterranean Sea)

REGIONAL SETTING The onshore territory of the Liguria region (Fig.1) is represented by an arch-shaped mountain ridge, presenting a steep seaward slope and with its watershed very close to the Mediterranean sea. From a geological point of view, the region can be divided into two parts. The western part of the arch (west of Genova), NE–SW oriented, is considered to be the southern continuation of the Western Alps (Ligurian Alps, Vanossi et al., 1994. In this part, Provencal, Flysch, SubBrianconneese, Brianconneese, Piedmonteese, and metaophiolitic units and related metamorphic covers outcrop. West of Genova (Fig.2) an ophiolitic complex (named the Voltri Group) marks the transition between the Alpine and the Apenninic domains (Cortesogno & Haccard, 1984) (the latter stretching NW–SE), where Ligurian, SubLigurian and Tuscan units outcrop (Gianmarino et al., 2002). Fig.1 Geographical position of the Liguria Region in the Italian peninsula