Quaternary marine terraces and aeolianites in coastal south and west Cyprus: implications for regional uplift and sea-level change

Pleistocene marine terraces in coastal Sand W Cyprus are located at 350-360m, 110-100m, 60-50m, 11-8m and 2-3m above present sea-level. The last two terraces are dated at around 116-134 (isotopic stage 5e) and 185-204 Ka (isotopic stage 7), respectively by the uranium series disequilibrium method. All the terraces show a similar depositional history, with initial abrupt marine transgression, maximum flooding, then gradual regression. Transgression was marked by reworking, a basal clastic lag, boring, mollusc death assemblages and red algae. Scleractinian corals (Cladocora caespirosa) flourished during sea-level highstands. Regression was marked by reworking, with locally increased clastic input and a transition from shoreface to backshore settings, including aeolian deposition. During the Pleistocene, littoral deposits were tectonically uplifted, punctuated by eustatic sea-level change. Adjacent terraces at similar altitudes are coeval, indicating that S Cyprus was uplifted as a single unit, except for the Polis graben and Pegia half-graben, W Cyprus. Uplift is attributed to the combined effects of underthrusting of the Eratosthenes Seamount and serpentinite diapirism within the core of the Troodos Massif.