Late Pleistocene glaciation of Páramo de La Culata,north-central Venezuelan Andes |
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| Authors: | Dr Carlos Schubert Mr Sam Valastro |
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| Institution: | 1. Departamento de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apartado 1827, Caracas 101, Venezuela
2. Radiocarbon Laboratory, Balcones Research Center, University of Texas, 78 757, Austin, Texas, USA
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| Abstract: | Late Pleistocene glacial features in the Páramo de La Culata region, north-central Venezuelan Andes, include: 1. depositional features: morainic till and fluvio-glacial deposits (terrace gravels); 2. sculptured features: glaciated valleys, cirques, horns, and arêtes; and 3. erosional features: striation and grooving, polished rock, roches moutonnées and whaleback forms, and erratic boulders. Two main levels of moraines were found, an older one at 2600 m elevation, and a younger one between 3000 and 3500 m. The difference in age is reflected by the higher degree of weathering, erosion, and vegetation cover of the lower level, as compared with the higher level. Radiocarbon dating, and a comparison and correlation of these glacial features with those of adjacent regions, indicates that the lower morainic level (2600 m) is probably the result of the main glacial advance of the Late Wisconsin Glaciation. The main morainic level (3000 to 3500 m) was probably formed by the latest Wisconsin glacial advance. The Late Pleistocene snow-line depression reached approximately 1200 m below the present snow-line (i. e., down to approximately 3500 m). |
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