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Palaeoenvironmental significance of Late Permian palaeosols in the South‐Eastern Iberian Ranges, Spain
Author(s) -
DE LA HORRA RAÚL,
BENITO Ma ISABEL,
LÓPEZGÓMEZ JOSE,
ARCHE ALFREDO,
BARRENECHEA JOSÉ F.,
LUQUE JAVIER
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
sedimentology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.494
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1365-3091
pISSN - 0037-0746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2008.00969.x
Subject(s) - geology , permian , paleontology , alluvial fan , paleosol , alluvium , red beds , ecological succession , paleoclimatology , structural basin , tectonics , climate change , ecology , oceanography , biology , loess
The Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) Alcotas Formation in the SE Iberian Ranges consists of one red alluvial succession where abundant soil profiles developed. Detailed petrographical and sedimentological studies in seven sections of the Alcotas Formation allow six different types of palaeosols, with distinctive characteristics and different palaeogeographical distribution, to be distinguished throughout the South‐eastern Iberian Basin. These characteristics are, in turn, related to topographic, climatic and tectonic controls. The vertical distribution of the palaeosols is used to differentiate the formation in three parts from bottom to top showing both drastic and gradual vertical upwards palaeoenvironmental changes in the sections. Reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions based on palaeosols provides evidence for understanding the events that occurred during the Late Permian, some few millions of years before the well‐known Permian‐Triassic global crisis.