1. Relief and paleoenvironmental conditions during the mid-late Miocene in the French Western Alps (Dévoluy Massif) revealed by Obiou cave deposits
- Author
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Marianna Jagercikova, François Lemot, Pierre Valla, Speranta - Maria Popescu, Séverine Fauquette, Jean-Pierre Suc, Amandine Sartégou, Pieter van Der Beek, Ludovic Mocochain, Alexandre Zappelli, Slovenská Speleologická Spoločnost, Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR219-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Gustave Eiffel-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), GeoBioStratData.Consulting, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR ISEM), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris (iSTeP), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement (CEREGE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), University of Potsdam = Universität Potsdam, and Fauquette, Séverine
- Subjects
[SDU] Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,[SDU.STU.CL] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Climatology ,[SDU.STU.GM] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geomorphology ,[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,[SDU.STU.CL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Climatology ,[SDU.STU.GM]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geomorphology ,[SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment ,[SDU.ENVI] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment - Abstract
International audience; Cave levels at high elevations (2250-2370 m), hosting allochthonous sediments with clear provenance from the Pelvoux External Crystalline Massif were identified in the Obiou mountain, Dévoluy Massif (French Western Alps). These deposits result from burial of alluvial sediments of the paleo-Drac River in Miocene times (burial ages of ca. 10-15 Ma). The Drac River is currently situated 1600 m below the caves, indicating significant post-middle Miocene fluvial incision. The pollen analysis on clay cave infill indicates a humid and warm climate, typical for Western Europe in the mid-late Miocene. It also reveals the presence of dinoflagellate cysts from coastal and lagoon environments suggesting deposition of the clays in the caves when they were close to sea level. These findings indicate uplift of the caves of at least 2000 m since the mid-late Miocene. Furthermore, the pollen assemblage originated from different vegetation belts, in agreement with existing data for mid-late Miocene deposits in the western Alps. The pollen flora includes cool-temperate and boreal trees, suggesting high-elevated source areas for the deposits within the Pelvoux catchment. These data confirm the exceptional character of the Obiou cave deposits that provide new geomorphologic constraints for the evolution of the French Western Alps.
- Published
- 2022