| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poster Interpreting Late Pleistocene Paleoenvironments through the geosites of the Estrela Geopark, Central Portugal | 1.69 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The UNESCO Global Geoparks are territories whose geological relevance is the starting
point for a territorial development strategy. As territories of the 21st century, we want them to be places of science, culture and education, through a holistic vision, which intends to establish strong connections between the geological and cultural heritage. In this context, the geodiversity of Estrela, the richness of its geosite’s diversity and the scenic character of its landscapes make this territory a unique geography, whose structured approach allows for a solid interpretation of the paleoenvironmental evolution of the Estrela Mountain. The Estrela Geopark, with 2,216 km2, centered on the highest mountain in mainland Portugal (1993 m), is a reference for glacial geomorphology in the southwest European context. The territory shows the most significant glacial, fluvioglacial and periglacial landforms and deposits in Portugal, some of them of international relevance. The Geopark shows a diversity of granites and metasedimentary formations, with evidences of contact metamorphism. The geological history of the Estrela Geopark dates back to the Neoproterozoic, with ages older than 650 Ma, represented by an extensive sequence of metasediments dominated by schists and greywackes. These were deformed by the Variscan orogeny, during which, intrusions of granite batholiths occurred. At the end of the orogeny, the relief was razed by erosive processes that extended until the Miocene, when Variscan faults were reactivated leading to the uplift of the Estrela as a pop-up structure.
The summit plateau, showing an elevation close to 2000 m, was key for the development of
Estrela’s glaciers during the Pleistocene. These were responsible for a remarkable set of glacial landforms and deposits that drive the geological relevance of the Estrela Geopark. The interaction of the Pleistocene glaciers with the geoheritage reflecting the long geological history of the territory, together with the current geomorphological dynamics, long history of human settlement resulting in rich land use features and traditions, lead to the high international relevance of the territory of Estrela, a UNESCO Global Geopark candidate. The Estrela Geopark inventoried and classified 124 geosites, 40% of them related to glacial and fluvioglacial phenomena and periglacial processes. These include glacial valleys, cirques, glacial overdeepenings, several types of moraines and till outcrops, glacial erratics, glacial polished surfaces, and fluvioglacial deposits. The joint interpretation of landforms and
sediments, including the palinological record has been crucial for a better understanding of the paleoenvironmental evolution and significance of the Estrela and of its high sensitivity to climate variability and change as a consequence of its high plateau-dominated morphology, bounded by steep marginal scarps and deeply carved valleys.
Description
Keywords
Geopark Serra da Estrela Glaciation Geoheritage Paleoenvironments
Citation
Gomes et al (2019). Interpreting Late Pleistocene P aleoenvironments through the geosites of the Estrela Geopark, Central Portugal.