Eocene and Oligocene Paleosols of Central Oregon

Abstract

Scenic red color-banded claystones of the Clarno and Painted Hills areas of central Oregon are successions of fossil soils that preserve a record of Eocene-Oligocene paleoclimatic change. Conglomerates of the middle Eocene Clarno Formation near Clarno contain largely weakly developed paleosols compatible with an environment of volcanic lahars around a large stratovolcano. Deeply weathered paleosols (Ultisols) around a volcanic dome and overlying these conglomerates indicate a climate that was subtropical (mean annual temperature or MAT 23-25°C) and humid (mean annual precipitation or MAP of 900-2,000 mm). Comparable paleoclimates are indicated by fossil floras from the conglomerates, which show diversity and adaptive features similar to modern vegetation of Volcan San Martin, Mexico. An erosional disconformity in the Clarno area separates these older beds from less deeply weathered red paleosols (Alfisols) in the middle Eocene upper Clarno Formation. The change in paleosols may represent a decline in both temperature (MAT 19-23°C) and rainfall (MAP 900-1,350 mm), with dry seasons. Strongly developed lateritic paleosols (Oxisols and Ultisols) in the uppermost Clarno and lowermost John Day Formations in the Painted Hills record return to more humid conditions during the late Eocene. These paleosols are similar to soils of southern Mexico and Central America in climates that are subtropical (MAT 23-25° C) and humid (MAP 900-2,000 mm). Kaolinitic and iron-rich, red paleosols (Ultisols) of the lower Big Basin Member of the John Day Formation near Clarno and the Painted Hills are erosionally truncated and abruptly overlain by smectitic and tuffaceous paleosols (Inceptisols and Alfisols) of the middle Big Basin Member. This truncation surface can be correlated with the local Eocene-Oligocene boundary. Paleosols of the middle Big Basin Member are most like those of the Central Transmexican Volcanic Belt and indicate an early Oligocene paleoclimate appreciably cooler (MAT 16-18° C) and drier (MAP 600-1,200 mm) than during the late Eocene. Root traces and clay accumulations in the paleosols indicate forest vegetation, also evident from fossil leaves of the lake-margin Bridge Creek flora.The mid-Oligocene upper Big Basin Member of the John Day Formation includes distinctive brown as well as red paleosols (Alfisols). Its paleosols indicate a paleoclimate drier (MAP 500-700 mm) than before, and more grasses in the forest understory.Another erosional truncation marks the base of the late Oligocene (early Arikareean), olive-brown lower Turtle Cove Member of the John Day Formation. Calcareous paleosols with near-granular soil structure (Inceptisols and Aridisols) indicate an even

Inicio del enfriamiento global del eoceno medio y expansión de ambientes con vegetación abierta en la patagonia central.

“…Time for soil formation is in the range of 20 to 200 ky (Fig. 7b), which is compatible to similar Andisols from Oregon (Retallack et al, 2000). Argillic texture of subsurface horizons and deep rhizoliths suggest well drainage and high moisture retention, although hypocoatings and Mn nodules indicate, at least, temporal waterlogging or gleying.…”

“…Considering the evidence of wet subtropical forested landscapes preserved in the underlying Early Eocene Koluel-Kaike Formation, the Middle Eocene Sarmiento Formation constitutes a record of cooler and dryer environments linked to the beginning of the greenhouse-icehouse transition. Similar modifications in ecosystems were recognized in the Late Eocene (35 Ma) of Nebraska and the Early Oligocene (30 Ma) of Oregon (USA), according to the abundant grass phytoliths, cursorial and lophodont mixed browser-grazer mammals and granular calcic paleosols (Retallack et al, 2000;Janis et al, 2002;Strömberg, 2002Strömberg, , 2004Retallack, 2009). Divergences in age between these regions must be explained.…”

“…They probably formed short after falls of volcanic dust and ash, or subsequent to fluvial channel deactivation or abandonment. According to described characteristics and by comparison to similar andic Entisols from Oregon (Retallack et al, 2000) a short time of formation is inferred, probably a few thousand of years (Fig. 7b).…”

“…similar Oligocene andic Entisols of North America (Retallack et al, 2000). For weakly (pedotype 2) or moderately developed paleosols (pedotype 3), time is assessed according to thickness of eluvial (Bt) horizons (Markewich et al, 1990;Sheldon, 2003).…”

Depositional systems of the late Eocene Yolomécatl Formation, northwestern Oaxaca, southeastern Mexico: a first approach

“…This fine-grained, friable sequence formed badlands, thus showing resemblance to those cropping out in the Dakota Badlands (Retallack, 1983). Fungal and plant palynomorphs recovered from these zones, bolster this interpretation, as does the finding of terrestrial mammals, which also disclose the availability there of lands not covered by water.…”