Gonzalez, S, Metcalfe, S, Leng, M, Huddart, D and Kirby, J (2016) Early- Mid Pleistocene environments in the Valsequillo Basin, Central Mexico: a reassessment. JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, 31 (4). pp. 325-336. ISSN 0267-8179

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Abstract

The Valsequillo Basin in Central Mexico has been of interest due to the presence of megafauna and evidence for early human occupation, but research has been controversial. It has been suggested that extensive and deep lakes characterised the Early Pleistocene environment but sediment exposure is highly fragmentary and reliable dating has been difficult. Here we report,for the first time, Early Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using stable isotopes, diatoms, tephras and pollen. We studied several stratigraphic sections of mainly non-volcanic rocks, containing the 1.3 Ma Xalnene Ash as a stratigraphic marker. The isotope and other proxy data show that topographically low points in the basin were occupied by spring-fed, shallow water lakes during the Early – Mid Pleistocene, with a trend to drier conditions. The basin was a dynamic volcaniclastic environment during this period, with the production of the Toluquilla Volcano sequence and other rhyolitic-dacitic volcanic ashes interbedded with the lake sediments at the sections studied. There is no evidence from the sections for extensive and deep lakes before or after the Xalnene ash deposition. The presence of lakes in the basin during the Early Pleistocene would have made it attractive for megafauna.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Metcalfe, S. E., Leng, M. J., Kirby, J. R., Huddart, D., Vane, C. H. and Gonzalez, S. (2016), Early–Mid Pleistocene environments in the Valsequillo Basin, Central Mexico: a reassessment. J. Quaternary Sci., 31: 325–336. doi: 10.1002/jqs.2851, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2851 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving
Uncontrolled Keywords:	0403 Geology, 0406 Physical Geography And Environmental Geoscience, 2101 Archaeology
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Divisions:	Natural Sciences & Psychology (closed 31 Aug 19) Education
Publisher:	Wiley: 12 months
Date Deposited:	09 Mar 2016 15:42
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 04:20
DOI or ID number:	10.1002/jqs.2851
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/3135

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