Montiferru

Montiferru is a historical region of central-western Sardinia, Italy. It takes its name from the eponymous extinct volcano massif, whose main peak is the Monte Urtigu (1,050 m). Extending for some 700 km², the massif had originally a maximum elevation of c. 1,600/1,700 m, later reduced due to erosion.

The Montiferru at Cuglieri.
Location of Montiferru in Sardinia.

The volcanic origin of the area is testified by the basaltic rocks of the seaside. Water sources are frequent, rivers from the area including the Rio Mannu.

The economy is essentially rural, based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Flora goes from the Mediterranean shrubland of the coast to olive and fruit trees in the mainland, up to pine and oaks in the more elevated parts. Wildlife include wild boar, fox, Sardinian hare, European hedgehog, least weasel, marten, the rare Sardinian wildcat, vulture, carrion crow, peregrine falcon, hoopoe, little owl, Eurasian scops owl and others.

Geology

The rocks of Montiferru are the remains of an extinct volcanic complex, covering an area of about 400 square kilometres (154 sq mi), that was active 3.9 to 1.6 million years ago during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs of the Earth's geological history. The volcanic activity was at its most intense 3.6 million years ago. The volcano erupted a wide variety of lavas including basanite, hawaiite, phonolite, mugearite, benmoreite and trachyte, as well as small amounts of basaltic andesite and basaltic trachyandesite.[1]

Communes
gollark: All part of his evil plan, I'm sure. Or he's just being very madlad.
gollark: You mean aren't, right?
gollark: It's not an apocalypse, just... a few percent of one?
gollark: And the computer science conspiracies, the mathematics conspiracies, the astronomy conspiracies, the entomology conspiracies, the etymology conspiracies, the rock climbing conspiracies, the nutritionist conspiracies... are we just going to ignore those?
gollark: #karens-corner-of-coronavirus-tales maybe?

References
  1. Fedele, L., Lustrino, M,, Melluso, L., Morra, V., and d'Amelio, F. (2007). "The Pliocene Montiferro volcanic complex (central-western Sardinia, Italy): geochemical observations and petrological implications" (PDF). Periodico di Minerlogia. 76: 101–136. doi:10.2451/2007PM0011.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.