Carbon and oxygen isotopes of Maastrichtian–Danian shallow marine carbonates: Yacoraite Formation, northwestern Argentina

The Maastrichtian–Danian limestones of the Yacoraite Formation (northwestern Argentina) show carbon and oxygen isotopic values consistent with shallow marine conditions. The members of the formation respond to different sedimentary environments and are characterised by distinctive stable isotopes and geochemistry. The basal Amblayo Member is composed of high-energy dolomitic limestones and limestones with positive isotopic values (+2‰ δ¹³C, +2‰ δ¹⁸O). The top of the member reveals an isotopic shift of δ¹³C (−5‰) and δ¹⁸O (−10‰), probably related to a descent in the sea level. The sandy Güemes Member has isotopically negative (−2‰ δ¹³C, −1‰ δ¹⁸O) limestones, principally controlled by water mixing, decreased organic productivity, and compositional changes in the carbonates. The isotopically lighter limestones are calcitic, with a greater terrigenous contribution and different geochemical composition (high Si–Mn–Fe–Na, low Ca–Mg–Sr). These isotopic and lithological changes relate to the Cretaceous–Palaeogene transition. The Alemanía Member, composed of dolomitic limestones and pelites, represents a return to marine conditions and shows a gradual increase in isotopic values, reaching values similar to those of the Amblayo Member. The Juramento Member, composed of stromatolite limestones, shows isotopic variations that can be correlated with the two well-defined, shallowing-upward sequences of the member.     

Elemental and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic geochemistry of Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks beneath the Junggar basin, NW China: Implications for the formation and evolution of the basin basement

The basement beneath the Junggar basin has been interpreted either as a micro-continent of Precambrian age or as a fragment of Paleozoic oceanic crust. Elemental and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions and zircon Pb–Pb ages of volcanic rocks from drill cores through the paleo-weathered crust show that the basement is composed mainly of late Paleozoic volcanic rock with minor shale and tuff. The volcanic rocks are mostly subalkaline with some minor low-K rocks in the western Kexia area. Some alkaline lavas occur in the central Luliang uplift and northeastern Wulungu depression. The lavas range in composition from basalts to rhyolites and fractional crystallization played an important role in magma evolution. Except for a few samples from Kexia, the basalts have low La/Nb (<1.4), typical for oceanic crust derived from asthenospheric melts. Zircon Pb–Pb ages indicate that the Kexia andesite, with a volcanic arc affinity, formed in the early Carboniferous (345 Ma), whereas the Luliang rhyolite and the Wucaiwan dacite, with syn-collisional to within-plate affinities, formed in the early Devonian (395 and 405 Ma, respectively). Positive ε_Nd(t) values (up to +7.4) and low initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios of the intermediate-silicic rocks suggest that the entire Junggar terrain may be underlain by oceanic crust, an interpretation consistent with the juvenile isotopic signatures of many granitoid plutons in other parts of the Central Asia Orogenic Belt. Variation in zircon ages for the silicic rocks, different Ba, P, Ti, Nb or Th anomalies in the mafic rocks, and variable Nb/Y and La/Nb ratios across the basin, suggest that the basement is compositionally heterogeneous. The heterogeneity is believed to reflect amalgamation of different oceanic blocks representing either different evolution stages within a single terrane or possibly derivation from different terranes.     

Palynological biozones and radiometric data at the Carboniferous–Permian boundary in western Gondwana

Absolute radiometric data obtained recently in Upper Paleozoic basins of South America and Southern Africa are available to constrain the age of some palynological biozones defined in the Western Gondwana. Some dates obtained from Argentina coincide with southern Africa's and are useful to constrain the palynological associations. In this way, the Permian Argentinian Lueckisporites–Weylandites (LW) Biozone is compared with the Lueckisporites virkkiae Biozone of Brazil and Zone 3 of South Africa. On the other hand, the palynofloras from Dwyka (South Africa) are comparable with Argentinian and Brazilian associations recovered near the Carboniferous–Permian boundary. Tuffaceous intervals of the Dwyka Group in South Africa suggest the beginning of that sequence at 307 Ma reaching the 290 Ma at the top. The available palynological, paleoenvironmental and radiometric data from these three western Gondwanan areas are analyzed and compared.     

Sub-Recent Ostracoda from Qilian Mountains (NW China) and their ecological significance

23 ostracod species have been recorded from surface and short core samples from the Qilian Mountains, NW China. Brooks and rivers, small shallow meadow and oxbow pools and a lake were sampled at an altitude ranging from 2900 m to 3570 m asl. Brooks were dominated by Candona rawsoni, Ilyocypris cf. bradyi and/or Ilyocypris lacustris and Limnocythere inopinata. In river habitats Candona candida and Eucypris sp. were most abundant. Meadow pools with peaty, dystrophic waters mainly contained valves of Ilyocypris cf. bradyi and/or Ilyocypris lacustris and Eucypris sp. whereas the latter was replaced by Heterocypris incongruens in a shallow oxbow pool. Candona rawsoni, Cyclocypris ovum and Ilyocypris echinata were the most frequent species in the freshwater Lake Luanhaizi.

The recorded taxa are mainly distributed in the holarctic realm but Fabaeformiscandona danielopoli and Ilyocypris echinata appear to be restricted to the cold mountainous region in China.     

Processes of tidal channel development in salt and freshwater marshes

Mechanisms for the formation of creeks in tidal ?ats are rarely discussed in literature. There are some general theories about their formation but there are no data to support the evidence. It is generally believed that marshes inherit creeks from previous tidal ?ats that their plants colonize and further modify them. The aim of this paper is to present three mutually exclusive cases from marshes in Argentina where creeks are formed by either purely physical or biological–physical interactions. Except for Loyola Bay, this is the ?rst discussion of these mechanisms. They may represent special cases, but the fact that all three of them occur along the coast of Argentina, could indicate that similar cases may be found somewhere else. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landslide susceptibility zonation in the Rio Mendoza Valley, Argentina

A qualitative landslide susceptibility zonation map (scale 1:100,000) of a sector of the Río Mendoza Valley was prepared by overlapping thematic maps of conditioning factors. The main parameters affecting the distribution of landslides in the area were ranked according to slope instability. Geomorphological surveys and field observations enabled identification of 300 historical or prehistoric landslides. A landslide inventory was developed classifying the processes involved in slope instability, and analysing the degree of activity. The two most influential factors in decreasing slope stability were lithology and slope angle.     

Provenance and Evolution of the Guarguariiz Complex, Cordillera Frontal, Argentina

The Guarguardz Complex, basement of the Cordillera Frontal, included in the proposed Chilenia Terrane, consists of metasedimentary rocks deposited in clastic and carbonatic platforms. Turbiditic sequences point out to slope or external platform environments. According to geochemical data, the sedimentary protoliths derived through erosion of a mature cratonic continental basement. Volcanic and subvolcanic rocks with N and E-MORB signature were interbeded in the metasedimentary rocks during basin development. A compressional stage, starting with progressive deformation and metamorphism, followed this extensional stage. Continuing deformation led to the emplacement of slices of oceanic crust, conforming an accretionary prism during Late Devonian. The Guarguardz Complex and equivalent units in western Precordillera and also in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera share common evolutional stages, widely represented along the western Gondwana margin. These evidences imply that Chilenia is not an allochthonous terrane to Gondwana, but a portion of its Early Paleozoic margin. Regional configuration indicates that the Guarguardz Complex and equivalent units represent the accretionary prism of the Famatinian arc (Middle Ordovician-Late Devonian).     

Alluvial fan–lacustrine association in the fault tip end of a half-graben, northern Triassic Cuyo basin, western Argentina

The Triassic deposits of Cerro Puntudo in the San Juan province of western Argentina constitute the northernmost exposures of the northern portion of the nonmarine Cuyo rift basin, also known as the Las Peñas-Tamberías half-graben. The local column, with an exposed thickness of approximately 400 m, consists of abundant basal and topmost coarse alluvial fan conglomerates and breccias (facies associations I and II) and a relatively thin (approximately 50 m) intervening sequence of marginal, shallow lacustrine deposits characterized by stromatolitic (domal) limestones, tuffaceous mudstones, and fine-grained sandstones (facies association III). Subaerial exposure in the lacustrine deposits is evidenced by desiccation cracks and brecciation. A very thin (0–6 m), laterally, discontinuous succession of lacustrine deposits with similar characteristics is interbedded with the basal conglomerates. Laterally, this lacustrine interval was eroded by overlying conglomerates. The basal conglomerates commonly show crude normal grading, faint cross-bedding, and b-axis clast imbrication. The predominance of coarse deposits and paleocurrents from NW to SE, indicative of an axial flow pattern, suggest that these exposures correspond to the northern end of the Cuyo basin, which is characterized by a shallow, alluvial fan-encased, carbonate-rich lake margin. This lacustrine interval can be correlated with the thicker lacustrine section exposed to the south at Quebrada del Tigre and Ciénaga Larga along the border fault margin of a nonmarine half-graben. The correlation with these sections suggests that the Cerro Puntudo lacustrine deposits are the shallowest equivalent of more profundal, organic-rich lacustrine sediments exposed in the deepest segment of the border fault margin. These thickness and facies variations are the result of differential subsidence along the border fault margin between the low accommodation, fault tip end represented by the Cerro Puntudo section and the high accommodation, central segment located to the south.     

Environmental history since 11,000 C yr B.P. of the northeastern Pampas, Argentina, from alluvial sequences of the Luján River

Sedimentological, malacological, and pollen analyses from ¹⁴C-dated alluvial sections from the Luján River provide a detailed record of environmental changes during the Holocene in the northeastern Pampas of Argentina. From 11,200 to 9000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., both sedimentary and biological components suggest that the depositional environment was eutrophic, alkaline, and freshwater to brackish shallow water bodies without significant water circulation. During this time, bioclastic sedimentation was dominant and the shallow water bodies reached maximum development as the climate became more humid, suggesting an increase in precipitation. Short-term fluctuations in climate during the last stage of this interval may have been sufficient to initiate changes in the water bodies, as reduction of the volume alternated with periods of flooding. The beginning of the evolution of shallow swamps in the wide floodplain or huge wetlands was contemporaneous with a sea level lower than the present one. From 9000 and 7000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., mesotrophic, alkaline, brackish, probably anoxic swamps existed. Between 7000 and 3000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., anoxic calcareous swamps were formed, with subaerial exposure and development of the Puesto Berrondo Soil (3500-2900 ¹⁴C yr B.P.). A trend to a reduction of water bodies is recorded from 9000 to ca. 3000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., with a significant reduction after ca. 7000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. A shift to subhumid-dry climate after 7000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. appears to be the main cause. During this time, an additional external forcing toward higher groundwater levels was caused by Holocene marine transgression causing changes in the water bodies levels. The climate became drier during the late Holocene (ca. 3000 yr B.P.), when clastic sedimentation increased, under subhumid-dry conditions. Flood events increased in frequency during this time. From ca. A.D. 1790 to present, the pollen record reflects widespread disturbance of the vegetation during the European settlement.     

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Holocene coastal depositsfrom the Southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

An estuarine sequence outcropping at La Ballenera Creek (BuenosAires Province), dated between 6,800 and 4,100 ¹⁴C years BP, wasinvestigated for diatoms and molluscs. The sea level history along the BuenosAires coastline has been reconstructed from discrete beach ridge sequencesalong low-lying plains. The La Ballenera profile is located on a cliffcoast where a sequence recorded environmental changes. Fifty-eightdiatom species were grouped based on their salinity and life formcharacteristics. Cluster analysis allowed the division of the sequence intothree diatom zones. Mollusc tolerances were also used to discern theenvironmental changes induced by sea-level fluctuations. The base of thesequence recorded the initiation of the marine influence about6,790–6,200 years ago. Diatom assemblages consist ofbrackish-freshwater tychoplankton accompanied by brackish benthicdiatoms. Among the molluscs, the freshwater-brackish species Heleobiaparchappii dominates. Between 6,200 and ca. 4,800 ¹⁴C years BP, anestuarine lagoon environment is indicated by benthic and epiphyticmarine-brackish diatoms, as well as by the estuarine snail Heleobiaaustralis. After 4,800 ¹⁴C years BP, the diatom assemblages and therelative abundance of freshwater molluscs indicate a marshy environment withlower salinity content. The La Ballenera records the salinity changes thataffect an estuary that infilled during the 2,700 years after the maximum sealevel reached in mid-latitudes of South America.