Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Late Cenozoic Evolution of Landforms: The Influence of Neotectonics and Climatic Changes

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Landforms and Landscape Evolution of the Equatorial Margin of Northeast Brazil

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

  • 321 Accesses

Abstract

Forming a continuous clastic apron near the coast, the mainly Neogene Barreiras Formation records the last peak of erosion in the hinterland, which coincided with the onset of more arid climates at ~13 Myear or earlier. Dissected pediments and sparse debris fans visible at the base of some escarpments suggest recent erosive activity and possible slope retreat during the Late Cenozoic. A study of landforms located near zones of seismotectonic activity indicates a possible, probably weak, contribution of neotectonics to the formation of a few high scarps. Many of them are mainly inherited landforms, initiated during the Early Cretaceous rifting or the later margin uplift , a situation which suggests long-term stability. Later on, except in high inner tablelands (Chapada do Araripe), only slight or local backwearing took place, associated with downwearing on low surfaces and pediments, probably in diachronic ways. The Neogene clastic sedimentation on piedmonts and coastal areas mainly reflects the occurrence of dry periods inducing widespread stripping of deep soil horizons and erosion of bare rock slopes and surfaces. Dissection stages occurred in periods of more humid climate and/or low sea level. Marks of strong recent or present activity are mainly registered in the rims of the Chapada do Araripe, owing to favorable structural, hydrogeological and climatic conditions. The moderate volumes of Neogene clastic sediments imply overall low uplift and erosion rates until the present, favorable to morphological and lithological resistance effects in the landscapes. However, slope instabilities are not uncommon, locally leading to well-characterized processes, landforms, and deposits of gullying and mass wasting. Therefore, hazards related to slope processes should not be neglected in large parts of the study area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Angeli MG, Gasparetto P, Menotti RM, Pasuto A, Silvano S, Soldati M (1996) Rock avalanche. In: Dikau R, Brunsden D, Schrott L, Ibsen M (eds) Landslide recognition: identification, movement and causes. Wiley, Chichester, pp 190–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Arai M (2006) Agrande elevação eustática do Mioceno e sua influência na origem do Grupo Barreiras. Revista do Instituto de Geociências, USP. Geol. USP Sér. Cient., São Paulo 6(2):1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Assumpção M (1992) The regional intraplate stress field in South America. J Geophys Res 97(8):11889–11903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barberini V, Burlini L, Rutter EH, Dapiaggi M (2005) High-strain deformation tests on natural gypsum aggregates in torsion. In: Bruhn D, Burlini L (eds) High-strain zones: structure and physical properties. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 245, pp 277–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Barreto AMF, Bezerra FHR, Suguio K, Tatumi SH, Yee M, Paiva RP, Munita CS (2002) Late Pleistocene marine terrace deposits in northeastern Brazil: sea-level change and tectonic implications. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 179(1):57–69. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00408-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros SDS, Fonseca VP, Saadi A (1997) Estudo morfo-tectônico preliminary nos platôs da Formação Serra do Martins/Bloco Portalegre-Marins (RN). XVII Simp Geol do Nordeste, Fortaleza, Res. Exp., SBG – Núcleo Nordeste 15, pp 365–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Bastos FH (2012) Classificação dos movimentos de massa no Maciço de Baturité (CE) e contribuções para estratégias de planejamento ambiental. Ph.D. thesis, Universidade Federal do Ceará

    Google Scholar 

  • Behling H, Arz HW, Pätzold J, Wefer G (2000) Late Quaternary vegetational and climate dynamics in northeastern Brazil: inferences from marine core GeoB 3104-1. Quatern Sci Rev 19:981–994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertani RT, Costa IG, Matos RMD (1990) Evolução tectono-sedimentar, estilo estrutural e habitat do petróleo na Bacia Potiguar. In: Raja Gabaglia GP, Milani EJ (eds) Origem e evolução de bacias sedimentares. Petrobras, pp 291–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Bétard F (2007) Montagnes humides au cœur du Nordeste brésilien semi-aride: le cas du massif de Baturité (Ceará). Apports d’une approche morphopédologique pour la connaissance et la gestion des milieux. Ph.D. thesis, Univ Paris-Sorbonne

    Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, Vita-Finzi C (2000) How active is a passive margin? Paleoseismicity in northeastern Brazil. Geology 28(7):591–594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, Amaro VE, Vita-Finzi C, Saadi A (2001) Pliocene-quaternary fault control of sedimentation and coastal plain morphology in NE Brazil. J South Am Earth Sci 14:61–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, Fonseca VP, Lima-Filho FP, Saadi A (2005) Liquefaction-induced structures in quaternary alluvial gravels and gravelly sediments, NE Brazil. Eng Geol 76:191–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezerra FHR, do Nascimento AF, Ferreira JM, Nogueira FC, Fuck RA, Brito Neves BB, Sousa MOL (2011) Review of active faults in the Borborema Province, intraplate South America integration of seismological and paleoseismological data. Tectonophysics 510:269–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigarella JJ (1975) The barreiras group in Northeastern Brazil. An Acad Bras Ciên 47:365–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigarella JJ, Ab’Saber A (1964) Palaeogeographische und palaeoklimatische Aspekte des Kanozoikums in Südbrasilien. Z Geomorph NF 8:286–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigarella JJ, Andrade GO (1964) Considerações sobre a estratigrafia dos sedimentos cenozóicos em Pernambuco (grupo Barreiras). Univ Recife Inst CiênTerra Arquivos 2:2–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Braga APG, Passos CAB, Souza EM, França JB, Medeiros MF, Andrade VA (1981) Geologia da região Nordeste do Estado do Ceará. DNPM, MME, Brasilia

    Google Scholar 

  • Carneiro CDR, Hamza VM, Almeida FFM (1989) Ativação tectônica, fluxo geotérmico e sismicidade no Nordeste oriental brasileiro. Rev Bras Geociências 19(3):310–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Claudino Sales V (2002) Evolution géomorphologique de la zone côtière de Ceará (Nord-est du Brésil): du long terme au court terme. Ph.D. thesis, Univ Paris-Sorbonne

    Google Scholar 

  • CPRM-Serviço Geológico do Brasil (2003) Atlas digital de geologia e recursos minerais do Ceará. Mapas na escala 1:500,000. Serviço Geológico do Brasil, CD Rom

    Google Scholar 

  • De Castro DL, Barbosa VCF, Silva JBC, Medeiros WE (1997) Relevo da interface crosta-manto entre os vínculos de isostasia e suavidade. Congr. Int. SBGf 5, São Paulo, Anais, pp 682–685

    Google Scholar 

  • De Castro DL, Bezerra FHR, Sousa MOL, Fuck RA (2012) Influence of Neoproterozoic tectonic fabric on the origin of the Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil and its link with West Africa based on gravity and magnetic data. J Geodyn 54:29–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Destro N, Szatmari P, Ladeira EA (1994) Post-Devonian transpressional reactivation of a Proterozoic ductile shear zone in Ceará NE Brazil. J Struct Geol 16(1):35–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira JM, Assumpção M (1983) Sismicidade do Nordeste do Brasil. Rev Bras Geofis 1:67–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira JM, Oliveira R, Takeya MK, Assumpção MA (1998) Superposition of local and regional stresses in NE Brazil: evidence from mechanisms around the Potiguar marginal basin. Geophys Journ Int 134:341–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca VP, Melo FTL (1997) Análise morfo-tectônica da folha Milagres, extremos SE do Ceará e W da Paraíba. XVII Simp Geol Do Nordeste, Fortaleza, Anais, pp 383–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Fort M, Peulvast JP (1995) Catastrophic mass movements and morphogenesis in the Peri-Tibetan ranges: examples from west Kunlun, East Pamir and Ladakh. In: Slaymaker O (ed) Steepland geomorphology. Wiley, Chichester, pp 171–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Galvão CC, Da Silva FCA (2002) Análise microestrutural de um corpo siliciclástico localizado a Nordeste de Santana do Acaraú – CE. XLI Congr Bras Geol, João Pessoa, Anais, p 624

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunnell Y (1998) Passive margin uplifts and their influence on climatic change and weathering patterns of tropical shield regions. Global Planet Change 18:47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurgel SPP, Bezerra FHR, Corréa ACB, Marques FO, Maia RP (2013) Cenozoic uplift and erosion of structural landforms in NE Brazil. Geomorphology 186:68–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris SE, Mix AC (2002) Climate and tectonic influences on continental erosion of tropical South America, 0–13 Ma. Geology 30(5):447–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jardim de Sá EF, Matos RMD, Morais Neto JM, Saadi A, Pessoa Neto OC (1999) Epirogenia Cenozózoica na Província Borborema : síntese e discussão sobre os modelos de deformação associados. VII Simp. Nac. Estudos Tect., Lençoís – Bahia, Anais, pp 58–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Jardim de Sá EF, Souza ZS, Vasconcelos PM, Saadi A, Galindo AC, Lima MG (2005) Marcos temporais para a evolução Cenozóica do Planalto da Borborema. Proceedings of the X Simposio Nacional de Estudos Tectônicos, Curitiba, Brasil, Boletim de Resumos Expandidos, pp 160–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller EA, Pinter N (1996) Active tectonics. Earthquakes, uplift and landscape. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein C (1993) Du dynamisme des processus à la dynamique des formes en, géomorphologie edn. Ophrys, Gap

    Google Scholar 

  • Leeder MR, Gawthorpe RL (1987) Sedimentary models for extensional tilt-block/half-graben basins. In: Coward MP, Dewey JF, Hancock PL (eds) Continental extensional tectonics, Geological Society Special Publication 28, pp 139–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Lima MG (2008) A História do Intemperismo na Província Borborema Oriental, Nordeste do Brasil. Implicações paleoclimáticas e tectônicas. Ph.D. thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal

    Google Scholar 

  • Maia RP, Bezerra FHR (2014a) Tópicos de geomorfologia estrutural. Nordeste brasileiro, Edições UFC, Fortaleza

    Google Scholar 

  • Maia RP, Bezerra FHR (2014b) Inversão neotectônica do relevo na Bacia Potiguar, Nordeste do Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia 15(1):61–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Matos RMD (1992) The Northeast Brazilian rift system. Tectonics 11(4):766–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menezes MRF, Fonseca VP, Saadi A (1997) Morfo-tectônica na Serra de Santana (RN) e correlações com as estruturas regionais. XVII Simp Geol do Nordeste, Fortaleza, Res Exp, SBG – Núcleo Nordeste, 15:396–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Moeyersons J, Van Den Eeckhaut M, Nyssen J, Tesfamichael G, Van de Wauw J, Hofmeister J, Poesen J, Deckers J, Haile M (2008) Mass movement mapping for geomorphological understanding and sustainable development: Tigray, Ethiopia. Catena 75:45–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morais Neto JM, Green PF, Karner GD, Alkmim FF (2008) Age of the Serra do Martins Formation, Borborema Plateau, northeastern Brazil: constraints from apatite and zircon fission track analysis. Bol Geoci Petrobras 16(1):23–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Nascimento DA, Gava A, Pires JL, Teixeira W, Franfa FAB, Cabral EMA, Stamford WJP, Ribeiro AG, Barros MJG, Fonseca RA (1981) Geologia. In: ProjetoRadambrasil, levantamentos de recursos naturals, MME, vol 21. DNPM, Folha SA 24, Fortaleza, pp 23–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Nóbrega MA., Bezerra FHR, Neto, JH, Iunes PJ, Guedes S, Tello Saenz CA, Hackspacher PC, Lima-Filho FP (2005) The use of apatite fission track thermochronology to constrain fault movements and sedimentary basin evolution in northeastern Brazil. Rad Meas 39:627–633

    Google Scholar 

  • Nogueira FC, Bezerra FHR, Fuck RA (2010) Quaternary fault kinematics in intraplate northeastern Brazil. J Geodyn 49:79–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Passos E, Bigarella JJ (1998) Superfícies de erosão. In: da Cunha SB, Guerra AJT (eds) Geomorfologia do Brasil. Bertrand Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, pp 107–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Pessoa Neto OC (2003) Estratigrafia de seqüências da plataforma mista neogênica na Bacia Potiguar, margem equatorial brasileira. Rev Bras Geociências 33:263–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Bétard F (2013) Late Cenozoic and present-day hillslope erosion dynamics in a passive margin context: stability or instability? Case studies in Northeast Brazil. Geografia Fisica e Dinamica Quaternaria 36(1):139–149. doi:10.4461/GFDQ.2013.36.0

    Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Bétard F (2015) A history of basin inversion, scarp retreat and shallow denudation: the Araripe Basin as a keystone for understanding long-term landscape evolution in NE Brazil. Geomorphology 233:20–40. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.10.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Claudino Sales V (2004) Stepped surfaces and palaeolandforms in the northern Brazilian “Nordeste”: constraints on models of morphotectonic evolution. Geomorphology 62:89–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Claudino Sales V (2005) Surfaces d’aplanissement et géodynamique. Géomorphologie Relief Processus Environ 4:249–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Vanney JR (2001) Géomorphologie structurale, tome 1. Relief et structure. Gordon & Breach, BRGM Editions, Paris, Orléans

    Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Claudino Sales V, Bezerra FHR, Bétard F (2006) Landforms and neotectonics in the equatorial passive margin of Brazil. Geodin Acta 19(1):51–71. doi:10.3166/ga.19.51-71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Claudino Sales V, Bétard F, Gunnell Y (2008) Low post-Cenomanian denudation depths across the Brazilian Northeast: implications for long-term landscape evolution at a transform continental margin. Global Planet Change 62:39–60. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.11.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peulvast JP, Bétard F, Magalhães AO (2011) Scarp morphology and identification of large-scale mass movements in tropical tablelands: the eastern Araripe basin (Ceará, Brazil). Géomorphologie: relief, processus, environnement 1:33–52. doi:10.4000/geomorphologie.8800

  • Rossetti DF (2004) Paleosurfaces from Northeastern Amazonia as a key for reconstructing paleolandscapes and understanding weathering products. Sed Geol 169:51–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossetti DF, Bezerra FHR, Góes AM, Brito Neves BB (2011) Sediment deformation in Miocene and Post-Miocene strata, Northeastern Brazil: Evidence for paleoseismicity in a passive margin. Sed Geol 235:172–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossetti DF, Bezerra FHR, Dominguez JLR (2013) Late Oligocene-Miocene transgressions along the equatorial and eastern margins of Brazil. Earth-Sci Rev 123:87–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saadi A, Torquato JR (1992) Contribuição à neotectônica do Estado do Ceará. Rev Geologia 5:5–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva CG (1991) Holocene stratigraphy and evolution of the Açu River Delta, Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil. Ph.D. thesis, Duke University

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa DC, Jardim de Sá EF, Antunes AF (2008a) Deformação neógena e suas implicações na estruturação dos campos de petróleo na região de Icapuí-Ponta Grossa (CE), Bacia Potiguar emersa. Revista Brasileira de Geologia 38(2-suplemento):97–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa DC, Jardim de Sá EF, Vital H, do Nascimento MAL (2008b) Falésias na praia de Ponta Grossa, Icapuí, CE. Importantes deformações tectônicas cenozóicas em rochas sedimentares da Formação Barreiras. In: Winge M, Schobbenhaus C, Souza CRG, Fernandes ACS, Berbert-Born M, Queiroz ET (eds) Sítios geológicos e paleontológicos do Brasil. Published in Internet 24 Sept 2008. http://www.und.br/ig/sigep/sitio120.pdf

  • Suguio K, Bidegain JC, Mörner NA (1986) Dados preliminares sobre as idades paleomagnéticas do grupo Barreiras e da Formação São Paulo. Revista Brasileira de Geociências 16:171–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeya MK, Ferreira JM, Pearce RG, Assumpção M, Costa JM, Sophia CM (1989) The 1986–87 intraplate earthquake sequence near João Câmara, notheast Brazil—evolution of seismicity. Tectonophysics 167:117–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira AL, Gaucher C, Paim PSG, Fonseca MD, Parente CV, Silva Filho WD, Almeida AD (2004) Bacias do estágio da transição da Plataforma Sul-Americana. In: Bartorelli A, Carneiro CDR, Brito-Neves BB (eds) Mantesso Neto V. Geologia do Continente Sul-Americano, Evolução da Obra de Fernando Flávio Marques de Almeida, Beca, pp 487–537

    Google Scholar 

  • Torquato JR, Torquato AM, Moraes RM (1991) O graben da Fazenda Retiro Grande e outros aspetos neotectônicos na região da Praia de Redonda (Ceará). Geonomos 4(2):17–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang XF, Auler AS, Edwards RL, Cheng H, Cristalli PS, Smart PL, Richards DA, Shen CC (2004) Wet periods in northeastern Brazil over the past 210 kyr linked to distant climate anomalies. Nature 432:40–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France

    Jean-Pierre Peulvast

  2. Université Paris-Diderot, Paris, France

    François Bétard

Authors
  1. Jean-Pierre Peulvast
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. François Bétard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-Pierre Peulvast .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Peulvast, JP., Bétard, F. (2015). Late Cenozoic Evolution of Landforms: The Influence of Neotectonics and Climatic Changes. In: Landforms and Landscape Evolution of the Equatorial Margin of Northeast Brazil. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18203-2_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation