Geological and Paleoenvironmental Evolution of Isla de los Estados

Abstract

Isla de los Estados exhibits an alpine-type glacial landscape characterized by sharp mountain peaks and knife-edged ridges, gently undulating lowlands, broad valleys, bays, and fjords. Its current appearance is the result of a long and complex geological history that began approximately 150 million years ago, including volcanic activity, the formation and closure of an ancient sea, mountain uplift, sea-level fluctuations, and the development of extensive glaciers during glaciations. Several global climatic events affected the island after the Last Glaciation, influencing the development of postglacial vegetation and the environment as a whole. These changes included variations in precipitation and temperature, mainly driven by shifts in the position and intensity of the Southern Westerly Winds (SSW). In the last decade, an increase in both temperature and precipitation has been observed, associated with a strengthening of the SWW.