Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Bertioga Coastal Plain: An Example of Morphotectonic Evolution

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Landscapes and Landforms of Brazil

Part of the book series: World Geomorphological Landscapes ((WGLC))

Abstract

The Bertioga coastal plain, located in the metropolitan region of Baixada Santista (central coast of São Paulo state), contains nearly all of the types of depositional systems that are found on the rest of the Brazilian coast, in spite of its highly restricted area that is less than 6 km wide. Similar to other coastal plains, Bertioga’s evolution was associated with variations in climate and the relative sea level (SL) during the Quaternary period. However, the evolution was also influenced by tectonic pulses that produced the following features: (a) a seismic signature indicating a normal fault in the central part of the coastal plain, which depressed block faces the Serra do Mar mountain range, suggesting the presence of a hemigraben (“Bertioga Graben”); (b) a sedimentary column thicker than 100 m in the central part of the coastal plain; (c) the presence of morphotectonic features on the coastal plain (anomalous arrangement and spatial distribution of some Quaternary units (QUs), drainage anomalies, and sets of systemic fractures in marine terraces) and on the Serra do Mar (fluvial capture of the Guaratuba River and triangular facets); (d) the preservation of marine terraces and fluvial deposits that are older than the Cananéia Formation (Marine Isotope Stage—MIS 5e, 100–140 ka); (e) differential control of Holocene marine and alluvial sediments throughout the coastal plain; and (f) the presence of guide layers in Pleistocene and Holocene deposits with throws up to 7.5 m. Thus, the evolutionary model of this coastal plain can in some ways be compared with those proposed for most Brazilian coastal plains, but with the peculiarity that it shows rare features of the transgressive–regressive event that is correlated with MIS 7 (240–260 ka) and has been affected by at least two tectonic pulses at the end of the Pleistocene and one pulse during the Middle to Upper Holocene. The recent creation of the Restinga of Bertioga State Park, embracing nearly half of the coastal plain, will enable the conservation of much of the rich plain’s biodiversity and protect its important geological–geomorphological heritage, strengthening proposals for future geosites for geoconservation according to the principles set forth by UNESCO.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Spatially homogenous units include similar geological, geomorphological, pedological, and hydrogeological behaviors (Souza and Luna 2008).

  2. 2.

    Samples with high levels of radioactive material (organic material, heavy minerals, and/or iron oxide) embedded after sediment burial have OSL/TL ages lower than the actual age, or rejuvenated, which is one of the intrinsic constraints of this dating method (Sallun et al. 2007). Likewise, samples subject to many fluctuations in the groundwater level also have rejuvenated ages.

References

  • Almeida FF (1964) Os fundamentos geológicos do relevo paulista. Bol Inst Geogr e Geol, São Paulo 41:169–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Almeida FFM, Carneiro CDR (1998) Origem e evolução da Serra do Mar. Rev Bras de Geoc (28)2:135–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Almeida FFM et al (2000) The origin and evolution of the South American platform. Earth-Sci Rev 50:77–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alves DPV (2012) A evolução sedimentar do Canal de São Sebastião, no Litoral Norte Estado de São Paulo, estudada a partir de uma abordagem sismoestratigráfica. Dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Angulo RJ, Lessa GC (1997) The Brazilian sea level curves: a critical review with emphasis on the curves from Paranaguá and Cananéia regions. Mar Geol 140:141–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angulo RJ, Lessa GC, Souza MC (2006) A critical review of mid- to late-Holocene sea-level fluctuations on the eastern Brazilian coastline. Quatern Sci Rev 25:486–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badel-Mogollón JHJ (2012) Avaliação da sustentabilidade ambiental dos fragmentos de maciços florestais da planície costeira e baixa encosta do município de Bertioga (SP). Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa EM, Prado RL, Sobreira MCA, Samões RD, Souza CRG (2012) Seismic investigation in the Bertioga coastal plain, Brazil. Rev Bras Geof 30:159–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Barreto AMF, Bezerra FHR, Suguio K, Tatumi SH, Yee M, Paiva RP, Munita CS (2002) Late Pleistocene marine terrace deposits in northeastern Brazil: sealevel change and tectonic implications. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclim Palaeoecol 179:57–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernat M, Bittencourt ACSP, Vilas-Boas GS (1983) Datation Io/U du plus haut niveau marin du dernier interglaciaire sur le côte du Brésil. Utilization du 229Th comme traceur. CR Acad Sci Paris 296:197–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, Barreto AMF, Suguio K (2003) Holocene sea level history on the Rio Grande do Norte State coast, Brazil. Mar Geol 196:73–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, Amaro VE, Vita-Vinzi C, Saad A (2001) Pliocene-quaternary fault control of sedimentation and coastal plain morphology in NE Brazil. J South Amer Earth Sci 14:61–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campos TFC, Bezerra FHR, Srivastava NK, Vieira MM, Vita-Finzi C (2010) Holocene tectonic uplift of the St Peter and St Paul Rocks (equatorial Atlantic) consistent with emplacement by extrusion. Mar Geol 271:177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coelho MR, Martins VM, Vidal-Torrado P, Souza CRG, Perez XLO, Vázquez FM (2010) Relação solo-relevo-substrato geológico restingas da planície costeira do Estado de São Paulo. Rev Bras de Ciên Solo 34(3):833–846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conti LA, Furtado VV (2006) Geomorfologia da plataforma continental do Estado de São Paulo. Rev Bras de Geoc 36(2):305–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillenburg SR, Hesp PA (2009) Geology and geomorphology of Holocene coastal barriers of Brazil. In: Bhattacharji S et al (eds) Lecture notes in earth sciences 107. Springer, Berlin, p 380

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein DA (2005) Registros de variações ambientais no Canal de São Sebastião (Estado de São Paulo), durante o Último Ciclo Glacial. Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin L, Dominguez JML, Bittencourt ACSP (2003) Fluctuating Holocene sea levels is eastern and Southeastern Brazil: evidence from a multiple fossil and geometric indicators. J Coastal Res 19:101–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin L, Suguio K, Flexor J-M (1988) Hauts niveaux marins pleistocenes du litoral brésilien. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclim Palaeoecol 68:231–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin L, Suguio K, Flexor J-M (1987) Quaternary evolution of the central part of the Brazilian coast. In: Proceedings of the quaternary coastal geology of West Africa and South America, UNESCO. report in marine science, vol 43. pp 97–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Martins VM (2009) Relação Solo-relevo-substrato geológico na planície costeira de Bertioga (SP). Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Melo MS (1990) A Formação Pariquera-Açu e depósitos relacionados: sedimentação, tectônica e geomorfogênese. Dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Milne GA, Long AJ, Bassett E (2005) Modeling Holocene relative sea-level observations from the Caribbean and South America. Quatern Sci Rev 24(10–11):1183–1202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira MG (2007) Associações entre os solos, os ambientes sedimentares quaternários e as fitofisionomias de planície costeira e baixa encosta nas bacias dos Rios Itaguaré e Guaratuba (Bertioga-SP) Dissertation. Instituto de Botânica-SMA, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Neves FV (2012) Análise morfodinâmica da evolução da captura fluvial do rio Guaratuba (Bertioga—SP) através da técnica de datação por luminescência opticamente estimulada (LOE). Dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira DA (2003) A captura do alto rio Guaratuba: uma proposta metodológica para o estudo da evolução do relevo na Serra do Mar thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, Boracéia—SP, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Peltier WR (1998) Global glacial isostatic adjustment and coastal tectonics. In: Stewart I, Vita-Finzi C (eds) Coastal Tectonics Geol Soc London Spec Publ 146:1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Pereira DS (2012) Análise da dinâmica hídrica nas unidades geológico-geomorfológicas quaternárias (UQ) da bacia do Rio Guaratuba, Bertioga (SP). Dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinto Sobrinho FA (2012) Diversidade florística e estrutura vegetacional das tipologias florestais ocorrentes em diferentes sub-biomas de planície costeira e baixa encosta de bertioga (SP) thesis. Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Riccomini C (1989) O rift continental do sudeste do Brasil. Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Riccomini C, Sant’Anna LG, Ferrari AL (2004) Evolução geológica do rift continental do sudeste do Brasil. In: Mantesso-Neto V et al (eds) Geologia do continente sul-americano: evolução da obra de Fernando Flávio Marques de Almeida. Editora Beca, São Paulo, pp 383–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro AC, Lima FCT, Riccomini C, Menezes NA (2006) Fishes of the Atlantic Rainforest of Boracéia: testimonies of the quaternary fault reactivation within a Neoproterozoic tectonic province in Southeastern Brazil. Ichthyol Explor Freshwaters 17(2):157–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro RR, Souza CRG, Suguio K (2005) Dinâmica dos processos erosivos na Serra do Mar em Cubatão (SP). In: Proceedings of the XI Simpósio Brasileiro de Geografia Física Aplicada, São Paulo, 05–09 Sept 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi M (1999) Fatores formadores da paisagem litorânea: a bacia do Guaratuba, São Paulo, Brasil. Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Sallun AEM, Suguio K, Tatumi SH, Yee M, Santos J, Barreto AMF (2007) Datação absoluta de depósitos quaternários brasileiros por luminescência. Rev Bras de Geoc 37(2):402–413

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddall M, Rohling EJ, Blunier T, Spahni R (2010) Patterns of millennial variability over the last 500 ka. Climate Past 6:295–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, CG (1991) Holocene stratigraphy and evolution of the açu river delta, Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil. Phd thesis, Duke University, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG (1997) As células de deriva litorânea e a erosão nas praias do estado de São Paulo. Thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG (2007) Ambientes sedimentares de planície costeira e baixa-média encosta em Bertioga (SP). In: Proceedings of the 11st Congresso da Associação Brasileira de Estudos do Quaternário, Belém, 4–11 Nov 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG (2012) Praias arenosas oceânicas do Estado de São Paulo (Brasil): síntese dos conhecimentos sobre morfodinâmica, sedimentologia, transporte costeiro e erosão costeira. Rev do Depart de Geogr-USP Vol Spec RDG 30 years. pp 308–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG (2013) The Ubatuba beachrock (state of São Paulo, Brazil): a new evidence of a mid-Holocene negative sea-level. In: Abstracts 8th IAG congress, Paris, 26–30 Aug 2013

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG, Luna GC (2008) Unidades quaternárias e vegetação nativa de planície costeira e baixa encosta no Litoral Norte de São Paulo. Rev do Instit Geol 29(1/2):1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG, Souza AP (2001) Evidências de atividade tectônica quaternária no litoral paulista. In: Abstracts of the 7st Congresso da Associação Brasileira de Estudos do Quaternário, Imbé, 14–20 Oct 2001

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG, Moreira MG, Lopes EA (2009) Coastal plain and low-medium slope sub-biomes: a new approach based on studies developed in Bertioga (SP). Braz J Ecol 8:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza CRG, Hiruma ST, Sallun AEM, Ribeiro RR, Azevedo Sobrinho JM (eds) (2008) “Restinga”: conceitos e empregos do termo no Brasil e implicações na legislação ambiental. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente, Instituto Geológico, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza LAP, Tessler MG, Galli VL (1996) O Gráben de Cananéia. Rev Bras de Geoc 26(3):139–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza-Filho PW M, Lessa GC, Cohen MC L, Costa FR, Lara RJ (2009) The subsiding macrotidal barrier estuarine system of the Eastern Amazon coast, Northern Brazil. In: Dillenburg SR, Hesp PA (eds) Geology and geomorphology of holocene coastal barriers of Brazil. Lecture notes in earth sciences 107, Springer, Berlin, pp 347–375

    Google Scholar 

  • Suguio K, Martin L (1978) Quaternary marine formations of the states of são paulo and southern rio de janeiro. In: International symposium on coastal evolution in the quaternary, vol 1. São Paulo, p 55

    Google Scholar 

  • Suguio K, Martin L (1994) Geologia do Quaternário. In: Falconi FF, Nigro A Jr (eds) Solos do Litoral de São Paulo. ABMS/ASSECOB, São Paulo, pp 69–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Suguio K, Martin L, Bittencourt ACSP, Dominguez JML, Flexor M, Azevedo AEG (1985) Flutuações do nível relativo do mar durante o quaternário superior ao longo do litoral brasileiro e suas implicações na sedimentação costeira. Rev Bras de Geoc 15:273–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Suguio K, Angulo RJ, Carvalho AM, Corrêa ICS, Tomazelli LJ, Willwock JA, Vital H (2005) Paleoníveis do mar e paleolinhas de costa. In: Souza CRG et al (eds) Quaternário do Brasil. Holos Editora, São Paulo, pp 114–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz D (1988) Some podzols on bateke sands and their origins, People’s Republic of Congo. Geoderma 43:229–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomazelli LJ, Villwock JA (2000) O Cenozóico no Rio Grande do Sul: Geologia da planície costeira. In: Holz M, De Ros LF (eds) Geologia do Rio Grande do Sul. CIGO/UFRGS, Porto Alegre, pp 375–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Villwock JA, Lessa GC, Suguio K, Angulo RJ, Dillenburg SR (2005) Geologia e geomorfologia de regiões costeiras. In: Souza CRG et al (eds) Quaternário do Brasil. Holos Editora, São Paulo, pp 94–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Villwock JA, Tomazelli JL, Loss EL, Dehnhard EA, Horn Filho NO, Bachi FA, Dehnhard BA (1986) Geology of the Rio Grande do Sul coastal province. In: Rabassa J (ed) Quaternary of South America and Antarctic peninsula. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 79–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Zalan PV, Oliveira JAB (2005) Origem e evolução estrutural do sistema de riftes cenozóicos do Sudeste do Brasil. Bol de Geoc da Petrobras 13:269–300

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank to the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) for the financial support (Proc. Fapesp nº 2008/58549-0), and to the students and researchers cited before, who have contributed to the knowledge of the Bertioga coastal plain. We are also grateful to the geographers Graciele da C. Luna and Karen C. da Silva for their assistance in preparing some figures, as well to Camila A. de Brito who helped us in formatting references.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Institute of the State of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza

  2. Department of Physical Geography-FFLCH, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil

    Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza

Authors
  1. Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Bianca Carvalho Vieira

  2. Department of Geography, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    André Augusto Rodrigues Salgado

  3. Department of Geography, Federal University of Federal, Curitiba, Brazil

    Leonardo José Cordeiro Santos

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

de Gouveia Souza, C.R. (2015). The Bertioga Coastal Plain: An Example of Morphotectonic Evolution. In: Vieira, B., Salgado, A., Santos, L. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of Brazil. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8023-0_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation