Abstract
The Quaternary history of the Amazon lowlands is characterized by deposition of sediments of Andean provenance and by the influences of changing sea levels. Areas well above the present water tables were not reached by Pleistocene high-water stages. These areas have been intensively weathered since the Tertiary, forming hard lateritic weathering horizons. These weathering horizons are best explained by the relatively constant, humid tropical climate throughout the Quaternary. In the western Amazonian Lowland, flood plains corresponding to the different Pleistocene sea-level heights were formed. During low sea level, erosion in the drainage areas increased and the water levels of the central Amazon River system were lowered. Valleys drowned and lakes formed in the lower reaches of rivers and creeks during high sea-level stages. These lakes (ria lakes) remained in the valleys with rivers having a low sediment load. Seismic profiling (3.5 kHz) in some of these lakes clearly showed deposits of the three last periods of Quaternary high sea-level stages.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brown K and Ab'Saber A (1979) Ice-age forest refuges and evolution in the Neotropics. Universidade Sao Paulo, Instituto de Geographie Geograph. 30 pp
Chauvel A, Lucas Y, and Boulet R (1987) On the genesis of the soil mantle of the region of Manaus, Central Amazonia, Brazil. Experientia 43:234–241
Damuth JE and Fairbridge RW (1970) Equatorial Atlantic deep-sea arcosic sands and ice-age aridity in tropical South America. Geological Society of America Bulletin 81:189–206
Damuth JE and Flood RD (1984) Morphology, sedimentation processes, and growth pattern of Amazon deep-sea fan. Geo-Marine Letters 3:109–117
Frailey CD, Lavina EL, Rancy A, and de Souza Filho JP (1988) A proposed Pleistocene/Holocene lake in the Amazon basin and its significance to Amazonian geology and biography. Acta Amazonica 18:119–143
Grabert H (1983) Der Amazonas—Geschichte eines Stromes zwischen Pazifik und Atlantik. Natur und Museum 113:61–71
Haffer J (1969) Speciation in Amazonian forest birds. Science 165:131–137
Irion G (1976a) Quarternary sediments of the upper Amazon lowlands of Brasil. Biogeographica 7:163–167
Irion G (1976b) Mineralogisch-geochemische Untersuchungen von der pelitischen Fraktion amazonischer Oberböden und Sedimente. Biogeographica 7:7–25
Irion G (1976c) Die Entwicklung des zentral- und oberamazonischen Tieflandes im Spätpleistozän und im Holozän. Amazoniana 4:67–69
Irion G (1978) Soil infertility in the Amazonian rain forest. Naturwissenschaften 65:515–519
Irion G (1982) Mineralogical and geochemical contribution to climatic history in central Amazonia during Quaternary time. Tropical Ecology 23:76–85
Irion G (1984a) Clay minerals of Amazon soils. In: Sioli H (Ed.), The Amazon—Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. Hague: Dr. Junk. pp 537–579
Irion G (1984b) Sedimentation and sediments of Amazon Rivers and evolution of the Amazon landscape since Pliocene times. In: Sioli H (Ed.), The Amazon—Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. Hague: Dr. Junk. pp 201–214
Irion G (1987) Die Tonmineralvergesellschaftung in Flusssedimenten der Feuchten Tropen (Amazonas-Becken, West Papua Neuguinea) als Ausdruck der Verwitterung im Einzugsgebiet. Habilitationsschrift, Universität Heidelberg. 251 pp
Irion G (1989) Quaternary geological history of the Amazon lowlands. In: Holm-Nielsen LB, Nielsen IC, and Balslev H. (Eds.), Tropical Forests. London: Academic Press. pp 23–34
Irion G, Adis J, Junk WJ, and Wunderlich F (1983) Sedimentological studies of the “Ilha de Marchantaria” in the Solimoes/Amazon River near Manaus. Amazoniana 8:1–18
Journeaux MA (1975) Geomorphologie des bordures de l'Amazonie Brasilienne: Le modele des Versandts; Essai d'evolution paleoclimatique. Bulletin de l'Association Geographique Française 422–423:5–19
Katzer F (1903) Grundzüge der Geologie des unteren Amazonasgebietes. Max Weg: Leipzig, 296 pp
Klammer G (1971) Über plio-pleistozäne Terrassen und ihre Sedimente im unteren Amazonasgebiet. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 15:62–106
Klammer G (1984) The relief of the extra-Andean Amazon Basin. In: Sioli H (Ed.), The Amazon—Limnology and Landscape Ecology of a Mighty Tropical River and its Basin. Hague: Dr. Junk. pp 47–84
Lucas Y (1989) Systemes pedologiques en Amazonie bresilienne. Equilibres, desequilibres et transformations. Thèse présantée a l'Université de Poitiers. 177 pp
Meade RH, Dunne T, Richey JE, de M Santos U, and Salati E (1985) Storage and remobilization of suspended sediment in the lower Amazon River of Brazil. Science 228:488–490
Müller J, Irion G, Nunes de Mello J, and Junk WJ (1995) Hydrological changes of the Amazon during the last glacial-interglacial cycle in central Amazonia (Brazil). Naturwissenschaften, in press
NEDECO (1973) Rio Magdalena and Canal del Dique Survey Project. The Hague: Netherlands Engineering Consulting
Projeto Radambrasil (1978) Folha SA.20 Manaus, Geologia, Geomorfologie, Pedologia, Vegetacao, uso potencial da terra. V 18. Rio de Janeiro: Ministerio das Minas e Energia Departemento Nacional da Producao Mineral
Räsänen ME, Salo JS and Kalliola RJ (1987) Fluvial perturbance in the western Amazon basin: Regulation by long-term sub-Andean tectonics. Science 238:1398–1401
Salo J, Kalliola R, Häkkinen I, Mäkinen Y, Niemela P, Puhakka M, and Coley PD (1986) River dynamics and diversity of the Amazon lowland forest. Nature 322:254–258
Servant M, Marley J, Turcq B, Absy M-L, Brenac P, Fourier M, and Ledru M-P (1993) Tropical forest changes during the Late Quaternary in African and South American lowlands. Global and Planetary Change 7:25–40
Sioli H (1957) Sedimentation im Amazonasgebiet. Geologische Rundschau 45:608–633
Soares L de Castro (1959) Hydrografia. In: Guerra AT (Ed.), Geografia do Brasil, v 1, Grande Regiao Norte. IBGE. Cons. Nac. de Geografia, Rio de Janeiro: pp 128–194
Sombroek WG (1966) Amazon soils. Wageningen: Center for Agriculture. 292 pp
Suguio K, Martin L, and Flexor J-M (1988) Quaternary sea levels of the Brazilian coast: Recent progress. Episodes 11:203–208
Tuomisto H, Ruokolainen K, and Salo J (1992) Lago Amazonas: Fact or fancy? Acta Amazonica 22:353–361
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Irion, G., Müller, J., Nunes de Mello, J. et al. Quaternary geology of the Amazonian Lowland. Geo-Marine Letters 15, 172–178 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01204460
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01204460