A Late Early Pliocene Marine Incursion in the Madre de Dios Basin, Peruvian Amazon

PARRA FRANCISCO JAVIER; MARTIN RODDAZ; DI PASQUO, M.; ROSA ESTHER NAVARRETE; MELANIE LOUTERBACH; PATRICE BABY

Salvador de Bahia

Congreso; XIV International Palynological Congress and X International Organisation of Palaeobotany Conference; 2016

IOP-IFPS-ALPP

The Neogene evolution of the Amazonian landscape is highly debated especially the number and existence of marine incursion in Western Amazonia. Combined biostratigraphical and sedimentological analysis carried out in the Pebas-Nauta Formations, Madre de Dios Basin (Sub-Andean zone and foredeep depozone) yield enough evidence to suggest for the first time an episode of marine influence in the late Early Pliocene. This holistic contribution is a collaborative project of the IRD advanced Amazonian research program and doctoral thesis sponsor. The results from 15 surface productive samples of four stratigraphic sections SE-NW oriented in the Madre de Dios basin, and from base to top surface-ordered sand and shale samples, are as follows: Puerto Maldonado (MD-325/MD-51), Santa Rosa (MD-208/MD-13), Inambari (MD-204C), and Pongo de Coñeq (Section 1: MD 244/MD-246). The 13/15 analyzed samples have revealed autigenic pyrite, Miliammina, Bathysiphon, Trochammina and Haplophragmoides facies, which suggest marginal marine sedimentation and oligohaline - lower mesohaline (about 2-16 ppt) environment, common in salt marshes and most mangroves. All samples show the same palynofacies containing abundant cuticles among the phytoclasts and palynomorphs dominated by Poaceae and pteridophytes spores (Cyathidites, Laevigatosporites, Polypodiisporites, Equisetum), fungi spores, and bryophytes. Additionally, some samples revealed specific features such as: MD-325/MD-51 present crabs (ichnofacies), Oedogonium algae, Tetraploa and Potamomyces (fungi) and some proximate dinoflagellate morphotypes related to estuarine tidal type environment. MD-13/MD-208 contains Oedogonium algae, Tetraploa and Potamomyces (fungi) and pyrite in the spore-pollen. MD-244/MD-246 yielded Deltoidospora aff. adriensis and Potamomyces. MD-204C yielded Verrucatotriletes, Deltoidospora, Pteridaceae and algae (Pediastrum, Oedogonium) and angiosperms (Cecropia and Poaceae). Deltoidospora adriensis suggests a mangrove swamp with anoxic bottom. The recovered marker species in these sections (e.g. Cyatheacidites annulatus, Cingulatisporites laevigatus, Nijssenosporites fossulatus, Grimsdalea magnaclavata and Bombacacidites baculatus) indicate (7.15-3.4 Ma) age for studied outcrops, and the first record of chironomidae and species of Potamomyces and Tetraploa in MD-51/MD-325, MD-13/MD-208, MD-244/MD-246 outcrops, support a Neogene age. However, the presence of Alnipollenites-Echitricolporites association (Alnipollenites verus and Echitricolporites mcneillyi in MD13/208 and Alnipollenites forms (Pliocene-Pleistocene), in MD-51/MD-325 and MD-204C, as well as a dating in MD-204C (biotite Ar/Ar 3.45 Ma) indicate a late Early Pliocene. The holistic analysis of the sections allowed us to document a marine incursion into a Neogene cycle. Reworked palynomorphs due to erosion of the Andean range and the influence of its mountainous flora (Clavainaperturites microclavatus, Cecropia, Podocarpus), are also evinced in almost all samples.