Patagonian continental deposits (Cretaceous-Tertiary)

Abstract

We review stratigraphic records from various continental basins throughout Patagonia from the Cretaceous to the Late Tertiary and show that they can be used to reconstruct the history of the region, including the number and extension of marine transgressions as a result of sea level changes, changes in climate, and changes in the composition of the vertebrate fauna. The various independent sedimentary basins are analyzed with respect to internal facies relationships and in relation to global changes in climate and oscillations of sealevel. Volcanic processes associated with active volcanic arcs contributed lavas and substantial volumes of pyroclastics during this time interval. The interplay between different geological processes that took place during this time shaped the landscape of the continent and changed the associated flora and fauna, which were developed in this region, differing from other areas of southern South America and part of West Antarctica.