Relict periglacial soils on Quaternary terraces in the Central Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

Pedofeatures associated with ancient cold climatic conditions have been recognized in soils on terraces in the Monegros area (central Ebro Basin, Spain), at a latitude of 41°49′N and an altitude of 300 m a.s.l. Eleven soil profiles were described on fluvial deposits corresponding to the most extensi...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Rodríguez Ochoa, Rafael, Olarieta, José Ramón, Santana, Asier, Castañeda del Alamo, Carmen, Calle, Mikel, Rhodes, Ed, Bartolomé, Miguel, Peña Monné, José Luis, Sancho, Carlos
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Recursos:Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
Repositorio:Repositori Obert UdL
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.udl.cat:10459.1/70127
Acesso em linha:https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2005
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/70127
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Calcareous soils
Carbonatic accumulations
Cryogenic pedofeatures
Low altitude
Middle latitude
Monegros
Descrição
Resumo:Pedofeatures associated with ancient cold climatic conditions have been recognized in soils on terraces in the Monegros area (central Ebro Basin, Spain), at a latitude of 41°49′N and an altitude of 300 m a.s.l. Eleven soil profiles were described on fluvial deposits corresponding to the most extensive terrace (T5) of the Alcanadre River, Middle Pleistocene in age (MIS8–MIS7). Each soil horizon was sampled for physical, chemical, mineralogical and micromorphological analyses. Macromorphological features related to pedocryogenic processes were described: involutions, jacked stones, shattered stones, detached and vertically oriented carbonatic pendents, fragmented carbonatic crusts, laminar microstructures, succitic fabric, silt cappings on rock fragments and aggregates, and irregular, broken, discontinuous and deformed gravel and sandy pockets. Accumulations of Fe–Mn oxides, dissolution features on the surface of carbonatic stones, and calcitic accumulations were identified related to vadose–phreatic conditions. The observed periglacial features developed under cold environmental conditions in exceptional geomorphic and hydrological conditions. This soil information may have potential implications in studies of paleoclimate in the Ebro Valley as well as in other Mediterranean areas.