Soil evolution over the Quaternary period in a Mediterranean climate (SE Spain)

Ortíz, I.; Simón, M.; Dorronsoro, Carlos; Martı́n, Francisco; García, Ignacio

doi:10.1016/s0341-8162(01)00194-1

Cited by 33 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Similar mechanisms of formation, transportation and deposition can also be inferred for the second palaeosol strata (Horizon 2AE6), which underwent a short period of in situ weathering during the DO 14 event (ca 50 ka). Evidence of erosion and colluviation of weathered Eemian materials during the Early Wü rm stage (MIS 5a/4) has been observed in some soil sequences of Central Italy (Tuscany), Mallorca Island and South-east Spain (Mirabella et al, 1992;Ortiz et al, 2002;Muhs et al, 2010a), supporting the interpretation presented in this paper.…”

Section: Palaeosol Formation and Evolutionsupporting

confidence: 89%

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Evidence of Saharan dust in upper Pleistocene reworked palaeosols of North‐west Sardinia, Italy: palaeoenvironmental implications

Andreucci¹,

Bateman

Zucca

et al. 2011

Sedimentology

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A multi‐disciplinary approach was followed to investigate two thick palaeosol strata that alternate with wind‐blown dominated deposits developed along the Alghero coast (North‐west Sardinia, Italy). Optically stimulated luminescence ages reveal that both palaeosols were developed during cooler drier periods: the first one at around 70 ka Marine Isotope Stage 4 and the latter around 50 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 3). In contrast, the pedological features indicate that the palaeosols underwent heavy weathering processes under warm humid to sub‐humid conditions, characteristic of the Sardinian climate during the last interglacial stage (Marine Isotope Stage 5e). To reconcile this apparent data discrepancy, a range of sedimentological and pedological analyses were conducted. These analyses reveal that the palaeosols possess a complex history, with accumulation and weathering occurring during Marine Isotope Stage 5e, and erosion, colluviation and final deposition taking place during the following cold stages. Thus, even if these reddish palaeosols were last formed during the glacial period, the sediments building up these strata probably record the climate of the last interglacial stage (Marine Isotope Stage 5e). Trace element and X‐ray diffraction analyses, together with scanning electron microscope images, reveal the presence of Saharan dust in the parent material of the palaeosols. However, no evidence of any far‐travelled African dust has been observed in the Marine Isotope Stage 4–3 aeolian deposits. It is possible to conclude that in the West Mediterranean islands, Saharan dust input, even if of modest magnitude, is preserved preferentially in soils accumulated and weathered during interglacial stages.

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Section: Palaeosol Formation and Evolutionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Evidence of erosion and colluviation of weathered Eemian materials during the Early Würm stage (MIS 5a/4) has been observed in some soil sequences of Central Italy (Tuscany), Mallorca Island and South‐east Spain (Mirabella et al. , 1992; Ortiz et al. , 2002; Muhs et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of Saharan dust in upper Pleistocene reworked palaeosols of North‐west Sardinia, Italy: palaeoenvironmental implications

Andreucci¹,

Bateman

Zucca

et al. 2011

Sedimentology

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“…On average, the kaolinite content is rather high and similar to that found by other authors in soils of at least Middle Pleistocene age (Magaldi, 1979;Ortiz et al, 2002;Terhorst and Ottner, 2003;Costantini and Damiani, 2004), and it is much higher than the amount found in Late Pleistocene soils (Ferraro et al, 2004). The other clay minerals inherited from the limestone are illite and traces of vermiculite.…”

Section: Characteristics and Genesis Of The Three Plssupporting

confidence: 87%

Pedostratigraphy of Terra Rossa and Quaternary geological evolution of a lacustrine limestone plateau in central Italy

Priori

Costantini²,

Capezzuoli

et al. 2008

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk.

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Pedostratigraphic levels (PLs) are typical assemblages of soil-genetic horizons, formed by materials having the same degree of weathering. The pedostratigraphic approach can be very useful to comprehend the formation of the Quaternary soil cover, the environmental evolution of a territory, and to estimate the age of paleosols. A pedostratigraphic study of a Terra Rossa was carried out to understand the soil-parent material origin and to estimate the time of the beginning of pedogenesis. Besides soil and geomorphological survey, the Terra Rossa was analyzed for Fe forms, geochemistry, clay mineralogy, micromorphology, and with scanning electron microscope. Optical dating was applied to obtain age estimates for the deposition of the parent material of soil formation. The insoluble residue of limestone was obtained and analyzed for geochemistry and clay mineralogy. The bedrock is constituted by Quaternary lacustrine limestone, showing pronounced karst landforms. The soil profile is situated in a little dissolution doline and was divided into three PLs: PL1 (0-110 cm) is constituted by cambic and ochric horizons, formed during Holocene in a mixture of colluvial soil sediments and fresh limestone, with aeolian components; PL2 (110-290 cm) includes two argic horizons, which began to form during Late-Middle Pleistocene in colluvial soil sediments, with few aeolian additions; PL3 (290-330 cm) is constituted by a red argic horizon, with nitic properties, which developed from the insoluble residue of the limestone. The age of PL3 was calculated through a mass balance and an estimation of the limestone-dissolution rate during the Quaternary, which led to an approximate age of Middle Pleistocene, between 250 and 500 ky BP. The time of the beginning of pedogenesis on limestone can be used as a reference for the tectonic uplifting of the area and emersion of the plateau.

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“…Despite the above "disturbance" by geomorphic dynamics, the overall moderately high degree of pedogenetic evolution indicated by the main field features and by the pedogenic iron index of the soil chronosequence may give some useful information about timescales of events that led to the formation of the studied flight of river terraces. In fact, although precise and reliable correlation between soils and terrace age were not assessed, the comparison of our data with those obtained in other paleosols of Pleistocene age from different coastal areas of south Italy (Scarciglia et al, 2003(Scarciglia et al, , 2006Wagner et al, 2007), as well as from other Mediterranean sites (e.g., Diaz and Torrent, 1989;Bech et al, 1997;Ortiz et al, 2002;Costantini et al, 2006), suggests time spans of soil formation after final exposure of terrace surfaces of n ⁎ 10 5 y. This data is consistent with the middle to late Pleistocene terrace chronology that we propose.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Alluvial terraces on the Ionian coast of northern Calabria, southern Italy: Implications for tectonic and sea level controls

et al. 2009

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Soil evolution over the Quaternary period in a Mediterranean climate (SE Spain)

Cited by 33 publications

References 22 publications

Evidence of Saharan dust in upper Pleistocene reworked palaeosols of North‐west Sardinia, Italy: palaeoenvironmental implications

Evidence of Saharan dust in upper Pleistocene reworked palaeosols of North‐west Sardinia, Italy: palaeoenvironmental implications

Pedostratigraphy of Terra Rossa and Quaternary geological evolution of a lacustrine limestone plateau in central Italy

Alluvial terraces on the Ionian coast of northern Calabria, southern Italy: Implications for tectonic and sea level controls

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