Jouraal of South American Earth Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 145-150, 1992 0895-9811/92 $5.00+.
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Stratigraphy and paleontology of upper Pleistocene deposits in the
Interandean Depression, northern Ecuador
O. FICCARELLI 1, A. AZZAROLI 1, V. BORSELLI 1, M. COLTORTI 2, E DRAMIS 2, O. FEJFAR 3,
A. HIRTZ4, and D. TORRE 1
1Departmentof Earth Sciences,Universityof Florence,via La Pira 4, 50121 Florence,Italy
2Departmentof Earth Sciences,Universityof Camerino,via E. Betti 1, 62032 Camerino,Italy
3Departmentof Paleontology,CharlesUniversity,Albertov6, 128 43 Prague2, Czech Republic
4Museo Ecuatorianode CienciasNaturales, Calle Rumipambay Avd. de los Shirys,Parque la Carolina,
PO Box 8976, Sue. 7, Quito, Ecuador
(Received March 1992; Revision Accepted January 1993)
A b s t r a c t - - I n the Interandean Depression of northern Ecuador (Carchi Province), more than 50 m of pyroclastic and windblown
deposits (Cangahua Formation) were deposited during the cold phases of the Quaternary, interrupted many times by the develop-
ment of evolved paleosoils during interstadials. The deposition occurred during downcutting of the plateau and covered existing
morphologic irregularities. The upper part of the Cangahun Formation includes three fossiliferous horizons that contain fauna of
Lujanian Mammal Age. On the basis of geomorphologic, sedimentologic, and paleontologic evidence, the upper part of the Can-
gahua is referred to the latest Pleistocene. After this, a renewed phase of downcutting began, reflecting early Holocene climatic
amelioration.
R e s u m e n - - E n la depresi6n lnterandina en Ecuador septentrional (Provincia del Carchi), m~s de 50 m de depositos pirochfaticos y
rielaborados por el viento (Formaci6n del Cangahua) sc depositaron durante la fase fria del Cuatemario; varias veces se inter-
rumpen con la evoluci6n de paleosuelos durante los interestadios. La deposici6n hubo luego durante la erosi6n del plateau y
cubri6 las irregularidades morfol6gicas preexistentes. La parle superior del Cangahua contiene tres niveles fosilfferos a mamf-
feros con asociaciones atribuibles a la edad de Mamfferos Lujanian. Evidencias geomorfol6gicas, sedimento16gicas y paleon-
tol6gicas atribuyen la parte superior del Cangahua a una edad tardo pleistocenica. A1 terminar esta deposici6n durante el
mejoramiento climJttieo del Holoceno inferior inici6 una neuva fase de erosi6n.
GEOMORPHOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY OF 7e"
THE BOLIVAR AREA
DURING 198%1991, fieldwork was carried out by Ecua- k , "X. OOLUMBIA
dorian and Italian researchers in the northernmost Interan-
dean Depression of Ecuador. The research was focused on ~'~" TULTAN~
the geomorphologic and paleontologic aspects of the Boli-
STUDYN ).
var area (Carchi Province; Fig. 1). The investigations were
carried out east of Rio Ambuqui, where Quaternary depos- -,,.
its have been investigated. The area is located betweeen
the valley of the Rio Chota, which lies at an altitude of /--'-¢._!
about 1650 m, and the ~lmmlt of Boliche Volcano, 3649 m
high at Loma Cerotal (Fig. 2)
The Rio Chota, which is the major waterway of the
Carchi region, begins at the edge of the area. A few kilo-
meters downstream, at the junction with Rio Rumichaca
(also known as Rio Apaqui), which flows from a deep .et:~, ¢ " '" . .~"
gorge tens of kilometers long, the floodplain broadens
abruptly to more than a kilometer across.
The valleys of the Rumichaca and Chota Rivers are cut Jr mo o ,,o
in a plateau that averages 2600 m in altitude and extends
between the Cordillera Occidental to the n o . w e s t and the
Fig. 1. Locationof the study area.
Cordillera Real to the southeast. The plateau is the upper-
Address all correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. G. FiccareUi: fax [39] (55) 218-628.
145
146 G. FICCARELLI,A. AZZAROI,I,V. BORSELLI,et al.
17o55 ~
OJ30
J8
f I17 ~18
~J~9 .2o
Stratigraphy and paleontology of upper Pleistocene deposits in the Interandean Depression, Ecuador 147
most part of the sedimentary fill of the Interandean nary. In fact, elongated escarpments present at the top of
Depression, a structural element of primary importance this unit are produced by normal faults activated after its
that can be followed from Colombia into central Eucador deposition.
north of the Guayaquil Fault. Recognition of remnants of Volcanic activity south of the Guayaquil Fault appears
this depositional unit is helpful in identifying the neotec- to have ceased during the early Pliocene. North of the
tonic movements that affected this area during the Quater- fault, present-day volcanism is produced by subduction of
the Cocos plate and part of the Nazca plate (Neogene
oceanic crust; cf. Baldock, 1982, his Fig. 5) beneath South
America (Hall, 1977; Hall and Wood, 1985; Barberi et al.,
1988).
Fig. 2. Geomorphologicsketch map of the study area: The plateau has been deeply dissected in the vicinity of
1. Alluvial deposits of the Chota River the Chota Valley, but it is well preserved farther to the
2. Volcaniclasricsand conglomeratesof the Chota For- northeast, where only minor streams flow across it.
marion Exposures along the flanks of the Rumichaca Valley
3. Uppersurface of the Interandean Depression fill and the Pan American Highway reveal a depositional
4. Pyroclastics and loess-like sexiimentsof the Cangahua sequence several hundred meters thick, which, a short dis-
Formation tance to the east, overlies the Precambrian and Paleozoic
5. Bolichevolcanic products metamorphic basement.
6. Ridgesof the Boliche Volcano The sedimentary succession consists mostly of breccias
7. Ridgesof the Mangus Volcano and conglomerates. Three lava flows were found, one
8. Cliffsinfluenced by structure toward the base and the others on the middle and upper
9. Triangular and trapezoidal structural slopes parts of the succession. Pyroclastics were deposited spo-
10. Erosional scarps produced by fluvial erosion along the radically. In the upper part of the succession, layers of flu-
slopes of the volcanoes and the Interandean Depres- vial sediments tens of centimeters thick locally alternate
sion with mud flows and with silty-sandy lacustrine sediments
11. Majorscarps produced by fluvial erosion that gave rise to the plateau.
12. Alluvial fans; 13, major waterfalls Within the study area, the plateau is bordered to the
14. Fluvialtunnels within travertine deposits north and south by heavily eroded sl~atovolcanoes (Figs. 2
15. Majorlandslide crowns and 3) whose craters have been destroyed. Radiometric
16. majormass-wasting deposits age determinations suggest that the products of the strato-
17. Majortrenches within the landslide scree tongues volcanoes, which in the upper part interfinger with the
18. Major tectonic lines clastic sediments (Fig. 3), are no older than 1.2-1.3 Ma
(Barberi et al., 1988). However, most of the volcanoes
19. Majorfault scarps
bordering the area are in a phase of residual relief, sug-
20. Sitesof paleontologic findings (Site 1, Quebrada
gesting that after the main phase of volcanic activity, the
Cuesaca; Site 2, Quebrada Pistud)
supply of material was cut off and the plateau stopped
A-A' Schematic cross section shown in Fig. 3.
aggrading. Downc tting that began at the same time led to
the present-day hydrographic network.
N N W SSE
A
m LOMAR O T A L
~ ( BO LI C H E)
F:~I ~ 2 3 m , ,
3500_
MANGUS
3000.
~////////// Ooo ._ . ~ R UM,OHACA / " ~ ./
2500_
o ~°~°°°° " "°"
2000_
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10, km
Fig. 3. Schematic cross section from Boliche Volcanoto the lower part of Mangus Volcano: 1, volcanic products of Mangus and
Boliehe; 2, volcanielasties and conglomerates of the Chota Formation; 3, pyroclasties and loess-like sediments of the Cangahua
Formation; 4, landslide deposits.
SAES~6/3 D
148 G. FICCARELLI, A. AZZAROLI, V. BORSELLI, et al.
More recent volcanic activity from adjacent volcanoes Above this part of the sequence, an erosional surface
has produced a thick series of pyroclastic deposits, both (Fig. 4, "d") marks the transition from a depositional
primary and windblown loess-like sediments deposited regime to a phase of downcutting and represents the end of
under periglacial conditions, known as the Cangahua For- Cangahua deposition. Colluvial sediments were deposited
marion (Saner, 1965; Clapperton and Vera, 1986; Clapper- subsequently (1/9 and 1/6), together with slightly weath-
ton, 1987). These sediments, up to 80 m thick, conform- ered colluvial sediments (1/4 and 1/2) interlayered with
ably overlie the fill of the Interandean Depression on the both "andic" and "colluvial" soils (i/3, 1/5, 1/7, and 1/8)
eroded flanks of the old volcanoes. Thinner Cangahua similar to the present-day soil (1/1). A similar sequence
deposits extend down the valley slopes, reaching almost to characterizes the deposits found at Site 2, located along
the floor of the Chota Valley, thereby indicating that depo- the Quebrada Pistud at altitude 2720 m.
sition continued during downcutting of the valley. The for- Deposition of the upper part of the Cangahua Forma-
marion contains many buried soils and paleosoils, some- tion is rela~l to the cold climatic phases of the late Pleis-
times with rubified argillic horizons that indicate lengthy tocene, according to Clapperton (1987), whereas the
periods when pedogenetic processes were able to incorpo- downcutting is associated with the beginning of the
rate pyroclastic sediments in the profiles. The Cangahua Holocene. The deposition of colluvial sediments and soils
was probably deposited over a long span of time. over is related to recent processes of colluviation following
much of the mid- and late Pleistocene. human impact. In fact. basalt artifacts reworked by stream
The Cangahua deposits, which tend to smooth over the erosion have been discovered at the top of similar sedi-
irregularities of the terrain, are thicker in depressions and ments along the nearby Quebrada Herrierias at an altitude
at the foot of the hills, especially those situated high above of 2690 m.
the valley floor. These deposits are thinner on hillsides,
although they can be found even on sheer slopes of more
than 50 °. FOSSIL MAMMALS FROM THE BOLIVAR AREA
Huge screes and slides are characteristic of the region.
During excavations in the Bolivar area. two fossilifer-
They vary in type from very superficial flows to deep-
ous horizons, one above the other and a third about 1.5 m
seated gravitational movements, usually translational,
higher, were found in the upper part of the Cangahua For-
with rotational sliding and lateral spreading. They can
mation in the Quebrada Cuesaca (Fig. 4:1/11, 1/14/and 1/
extend laterally from a few teas of meters to several kilo-
15). Various skeletal elements of Haplomastodon were
meters, and they can exceed several hundred meters in
collected from the lower horizon. A maxillary fragment
thickness.
and other remains attributable to Glossotherium, and a
A very good example occurs on the Pan American poorly preserved mandibular ramus from a small deer
Highway, at the junction of the Chota Valley and the pla- (probably Mazama rufina) were found in the immediately
teau. Along the cut made for the highway, the bedrock is overhanging level. The upper horizon yielded many
seen to be heavily deformed and affected by numerous micromammal remains and a fragment of an upper canine
faults and fractures. Many trenches can be observed from of Smilodon.
the valley floors up to almost the top of the slopes near Haplomastodon and Glossotherium-Mazama rufina
Loma Las Cabras (altitude 2901 m). This is taken as evi- layers were also found in the Quebrada Pistud (Fig. 4:2/9
dence of an enormous slump, a product of the high relief and 2/10). Haplomastodon and Glossotherium are richly
in the area and the numerous faults and fractures showing represented. The Haplomastodon-rich levels of both
signs of neotectonic activity. Dislocations along the crests ravines rest on paleosoils with similar characteristics. The
can be observed on the northeast tread of these faults, as sediments containing the fossils are colluvial in the Que-
well as allurements with gaps on opposite slopes. Most of brada Cuesaca; they are torrential stream sediments in the
the slides are no longer active, as indicated by layers of Quebrada Pistud. There does not appear to be a significant
Cangahua Formation covering the deposits. Vertebrate difference in the ages of the fossiliferous horizons of the
fossils occur within the fill of the small valleys, which are two ravines. Both Haplomastodon and Glossotherium-
rarely more than 300 m wide and are cut into the plateau Mazama rufina levels can be referred to the late Pleis-
and the lower flanks of the ancient volcanoes. These val- tocene (Late Lujanian Mammal Age).
leys are cut into the Cangahua deposits that almost com- A left astragalus and a tibia fragment attributable to
pletely filled previous morphologic irregularities (parasol Equus were collected from sediments overlying the Can-
ribbing; Oilier, 1987) on the flanks of the ancient volcano. gahua Formation in the Quebrada Herrierias, which is half
A pumice-rich pyroclastic deposit (Fig. 4: sect. 1, layer way between the Quebrada Cuesaca and the Quebrada
16 and sect. 2, layer 11) has been found at the base of fos- Pistud. Further downstream there is a horizon with human
siliferous deposits (Fig. 4:1/14 and 1/15; 2/9 and 2/10). artifacts.
The vertebrate remains of Site 1, which is located along The discovery of micromammal fossils that had not
the Quebrada Cuesaca (altitude 2710 m), come from the previously been found in Ecuador is significant, as is the
upper part of the Cangahua, a few centimeters below a mastodon material, leading us to clarify some important
graded ash layer that is a few centimeters thick (Fig. 4: I/ aspects of the systematics of the genus Haplomastodon
12). Some fossils were also found in the colluvial sedi- and to hypothesize the presence of only one species, Hap-
ments immediately overlying this ash layer (1/11). lomastodon waringi (Holland. 1920) in Ecuador, in most
Stratigraphy and paleontology of upper Pleistocene deposits in the Interandean Depression, Ecuador 149
SEC TION 1 Latler SECTION 2 Laller
0
i ;.; ! ,i°il1
5
"i ° ": o:Ii , 7
• . J 6
;-r~- ,........ 9
.:-~:i:
~':.-~: ........
~"--~':' -:'~ ~-':~i:i=;-'.~i-'~ii'~-.,::'~l
I ,-~=-=" ,. ,
12
Fig. 4. Stratigraphicsections of the deposits of Sites i and 2 (see
Fig. 1 for locations). Section1 (Site 1, Quebrada Cuesaca):
layers 1.3, 5, 8 -- colluvial andosoils; 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 -- fine
colluvial sediments; 10, 14, 15 -- alluvial-colluvial sediments;
12 -- ash layer; 16 -- pumice-rich pyroclastics. Section2 (Site
2, Quebrada Pistud): layers 1, 4, 6 -- colluvial andosoils; 3, 5, 7,
8 -- colluvial sediments; 9, 10 -- alluvial-eolluvial sediments;
11 -- pumice-rich pyhroclasfics. Major erosional disconfor-
mity indicated by d; a, b, c, and e indicate minor erosional
m disconformities; asterisks indicate paleontologic findings.
of tropical South America, and in temperate southwestern At present, the stratigraphic si~rnific,ance of this micro-
Brazil. faunal assemblage is unclear, although the presence of
Sylvilagus suggests it is probably not older than Lujanian.
The micromammal assemblage consists of abundant
cricetids and a few (very few) teeth of the lagomorph
Sylvilagus. The cricetids are highly diversified; they are
represented by the sylvan genera Thomasomys and Oligo- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
ryzomys, the pastoral genera Phyllotis and Sigmodon, the
semi-aquatic genus Nectomys. and the opportunist genus
The northern Interandean Depression has developed
Akodon. Sigmodon and Phyllotis specimens predominate
since the late Miocene. The first phase of formation of the
in the samples.
depression was marked by fluvial and fluvial-lacustrine
Some living cricetids captured in the study area indi- deposition (Tumbath Formation). Renewed tectonic and
cate that the genus Akodon prevails. The present domi- volcanic activity resulted in the deposition of volcaniclas-
nance of this opportunist rodent is likely a result of the tic and volcanic material of considerable thickness (Chota
deterioration of the environment due to human activity. Fcxmation).
150 G. FICCARELLI,A. A7~7.AROLI,V. BORSF.I J J, et al.
Probably at the end of the Miocene, the entire Chota REFERENCES
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del Mapa Geol6gico de la Reptiblica del Ecuador, Escala 1:
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ited under cold climatic conditions and contains three fos- de Geograffa e Historfa, Quito, Ecuador, 120 p.
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The upper portion of the Cangahua Formation was the Northern Andes. Geology 13, 203-207.
affected by an intense erosional phase that produced Holland, W. J., 1920. Fossil mammals collected at Pedra Vermelha,
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Museum 13, 224-232.
period of great humidity, probably marking the transition
Oilier, C., 1987. Volcanoes. Basil Blackwell Publications, Oxford,
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Acknowledgments--This research program was supported by grants
from CNR (Italy). M. Coltorti and E Dramis dealt with geomorphology
and Quaternary stratigraphy. A. Azzaroli, V. Borselli, O. Fejfar, G. Fic-
carelli, A. Hirtz, and D. Torre dealt with paleontology. We appreciate the
work of field assistants C. Bandinelli, F. Landucci, and P. Mazza of the
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, and of C. Cottone
and A. Marchionni of the Department o f Earth Sciences, University of
Camerino. Special thanks are due to lug. Miguel Moreno Espinosa,
Director of the Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales of Quito, to the
Escuela Politecnica Nacional of Quito, and to the Instituto Ecuatoriano
de Mineria of Quito for their substantial contributions in programming
and organizing the research.
