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Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data

Publication ,  Journal Article
D'Agostino, K; Seltzer, G; Baker, P; Fritz, S; Dunbar, R
Published in: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
April 15, 2002

Approximately 600 km of high-resolution seismic reflection data were collected to investigate the late-Quaternary stratigraphic development of Lake Titicaca. The focus of this report is on two seismic sequence boundaries, which are interpreted as erosional surfaces formed at times of low lake level. The younger erosional surface occurs as much as 90 m below the present lake level and up to 8 m below the present sediment-water interface. This erosional surface is interpreted to be coeval with a well-documented early- to mid-Holocene lowstand, dated between ∼ 8000 and 3600 cal yr BP. An earlier and previously unknown erosional surface occurs at a sub-bottom depth of approximately 30 m, and as much as 240 m below the present lake level, which implies a major late-Pleistocene lowstand of Lake Titicaca. By extrapolation of sedimentation rates from the upper ∼ 14 m of sediment, we estimate the age of this older lowstand at > 90000 cal yr BP. Both lowstands of Lake Titicaca indicated by the seismic data are likely to have been a response to climatic change in the region. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

DOI

ISSN

0031-0182

Publication Date

April 15, 2002

Volume

179

Issue

1-2

Start / End Page

97 / 111

Related Subject Headings

  • Paleontology
  • 4301 Archaeology
  • 3709 Physical geography and environmental geoscience
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0403 Geology
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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D’Agostino, K., Seltzer, G., Baker, P., Fritz, S., & Dunbar, R. (2002). Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 179(1–2), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00411-4
D’Agostino, K., G. Seltzer, P. Baker, S. Fritz, and R. Dunbar. “Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data.” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 179, no. 1–2 (April 15, 2002): 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00411-4.
D’Agostino K, Seltzer G, Baker P, Fritz S, Dunbar R. Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 2002 Apr 15;179(1–2):97–111.
D’Agostino, K., et al. “Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data.” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 179, no. 1–2, Apr. 2002, pp. 97–111. Scopus, doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00411-4.
D’Agostino K, Seltzer G, Baker P, Fritz S, Dunbar R. Late-Quaternary lowstands of Lake Titicaca: Evidence from high-resolution seismic data. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 2002 Apr 15;179(1–2):97–111.
Journal cover image

Published In

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

DOI

ISSN

0031-0182

Publication Date

April 15, 2002

Volume

179

Issue

1-2

Start / End Page

97 / 111

Related Subject Headings

  • Paleontology
  • 4301 Archaeology
  • 3709 Physical geography and environmental geoscience
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0403 Geology