Mario Pino

Monte Verde: seaweed, food, medicine, and the peopling of South America

The identification of human artifacts at the early archaeological site of Monte Verde in southern Chile has raised questions of when and how people reached the tip of South America without leaving much other evidence in the New World. Remains of nine species of marine algae were recovered from hearths and other features at Monte Verde II, an upper occupational layer, and were directly dated between 14,220 and 13,980 calendar years before the present (∼12,310 and 12,290 carbon-14 years ago). These findings support the archaeological interpretation of the site and indicate that the sites inhabitants used seaweed from distant beaches and estuarine environments for food and medicine. These data are consistent with the ideas that an early settlement of South America was along the Pacific coast and that seaweeds were important to the diet and health of early humans in the Americas.

Lacustrine turbidites as a tool for quantitative earthquake reconstruction: new evidence for a variable rupture mode in south central Chile

Understanding the long-term earthquake recurrence pattern at subduction zones requires continuous paleoseismic records with excellent temporal and spatial resolution and stable threshold conditions. South central Chilean lakes are typically characterized by laminated sediments providing a quasi-annual resolution. Our sedimentary data show that lacustrine turbidite sequences accurately reflect the historical record of large interplate earthquakes (among others the 2010 and 1960 events). Furthermore, we found that a turbidites spatial extent and thickness are a function of the local seismic intensity and can be used for reconstructing paleo-intensities. Consequently, our multilake turbidite record aids in pinpointing magnitudes, rupture locations, and extent of past subduction earthquakes in south central Chile. Comparison of the lacustrine turbidite records with historical reports, a paleotsunami/subsidence record, and a marine megaturbidite record demonstrates that the Valdivia Segment is characterized by a variable rupture mode over the last 900 years including (i) full ruptures (Mw ~9.5: 1960, 1575, 1319 ± 9, 1127 ± 44), (ii) ruptures covering half of the Valdivia Segment (Mw ~9: 1837), and (iii) partial ruptures of much smaller coseismic slip and extent (Mw ~7.5–8: 1737, 1466 ± 4). Also, distant or smaller local earthquakes can leave a specific sedimentary imprint which may resolve subtle differences in seismic intensity values. For instance, the 2010 event at the Maule Segment produced higher seismic intensities toward southeastern localities compared to previous megathrust ruptures of similar size and extent near Concepciόn.

New Archaeological Evidence for an Early Human Presence at Monte Verde, Chile

Questions surrounding the chronology, place, and character of the initial human colonization of the Americas are a long-standing focus of debate. Interdisciplinary debate continues over the timing of entry, the rapidity and direction of dispersion, the variety of human responses to diverse habitats, the criteria for evaluating the validity of early sites, and the differences and similarities between colonization in North and South America. Despite recent advances in our understanding of these issues, archaeology still faces challenges in defining interdisciplinary research problems, assessing the reliability of the data, and applying new interpretative models. As the debates and challenges continue, new studies take place and previous research reexamined. Here we discuss recent exploratory excavation at and interdisciplinary data from the Monte Verde area in Chile to further our understanding of the first peopling of the Americas. New evidence of stone artifacts, faunal remains, and burned areas suggests discrete horizons of ephemeral human activity in a sandur plain setting radiocarbon and luminescence dated between at least ~18,500 and 14,500 cal BP. Based on multiple lines of evidence, including sedimentary proxies and artifact analysis, we present the probable anthropogenic origins and wider implications of this evidence. In a non-glacial cold climate environment of the south-central Andes, which is challenging for human occupation and for the preservation of hunter-gatherer sites, these horizons provide insight into an earlier context of late Pleistocene human behavior in northern Patagonia.

A new late Pleistocene archaeological sequence in South America: the Vale da Pedra Furada (Piauí, Brazil)

The date of the first settlement of the Americas remains a contentious subject. Previous claims for very early occupation at Pedra Furada in Brazil were not universally accepted (see Meltzer et al. 1994). New work at the rockshelter of Boqueirão da Pedra Furada and at the nearby open-air site of Vale da Pedra Furada have however produced new evidence for human occupation extending back more than 20 000 years. The argument is supported by a series of 14C and OSL dates, and by technical analysis of the stone tool assemblage. The authors conclude that the currently accepted narrative of human settlement in South America will have to be re-thought. The article is followed by a series of comments, rounded off by a reply from the authors.

The 600 yr eruptive history of Villarrica Volcano (Chile) revealed by annually laminated lake sediments

Lake sediments contain valuable information about past volcanic and seismic events that have affected the lake catchment, and they provide unique records of the recurrence interval and magnitude of such events. This study uses a multilake and multiproxy analytical approach to obtain reliable and high-resolution records of past natural catastrophes from ~600-yr-old annually laminated (varved) lake sediment sequences extracted from two lakes, Villarrica and Calafquen, in the volcanically and seismically active Chilean Lake District. Using a combination of micro–X-ray fl uorescence (µXRF) scanning, microfacies analysis, grain-size analysis, color analysis, and magnetic-susceptibility measurements, we detect and characterize four different types of event deposits (lacustrine turbidites, tephra-fall layers , runoff cryptotephras, and lahar deposits) and produce a revised eruption record for Villarrica Volcano, which is unprecedented in its continuity and temporal resolution. Glass geochemistry and mineralogy also reveal deposits of eruptions from the more remote Carran–Los Venados volcanic complex, Quetrupillan Volcano, and the Huanquihue Group in the studied lake sediments. Time-series analysis shows 112 eruptions with a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) ≥2 from Villarrica Volcano in the last ~600 yr, of which at least 22 also produced lahars. This signifi cantly expands our knowledge of the eruptive frequency of the volcano in this time window, compared to the previously known eruptive history from historical records. The last VEI ≥2 eruption of Villarrica Volcano occurred in 1991. Based on the last ~500 yr, for which we have a complete record from both lakes, we estimate the probability of the occurrence of future eruptions from Villarrica Volcano and statistically demonstrate that the probability of a 22 yr repose period (anno 2013) without VEI ≥2 eruptions is ≤1.7%. This new perspective on the recurrence interval of eruptions and historical lahar activity will help improve volcanic hazard assessments for this rapidly expanding tourist region, and it highlights how lake records can be used to signifi cantly improve historical eruption records in areas that were previously uninhabited.

Huellas de dinosaurios en la Formación Baños del Flaco (Titoniano-Jurásico Superior), VI Región, Chile: paleoetología y paleoambiente

Dinosaur footprints in the Banos del Flaco Formation (Tithonian-Upper Jurassic), VI Region, Chile: paleoethology and paleoenvironment. The characteristics of dinosaur footprints (Banos del Flaco Formation) and also the microfacies of the associated beds were analyzed. Through the footprints it was possible to interpret aspects of the dinosaur’s behavior, which were very similar to the extant faunas from the African savannah, with preferred progression parallel to the margin of the water body (northwest-southeast). The ichnocoenosis corresponds to ornithopod -theropod-sauropod (OTS) and it is related, in general aspects, to the Brontopodus ichnofacies. It is inferred that the depositional environment corresponded to a lagoon shore of a shallow carbonate platform from tropical to subtropical climate. Bioherms indicate the local position of the sea. The ichnites are located on the continental shore of the lagoon and their preservation was due to the deposition of a layer of pyroclastic material that quickly buried them.

Annual fluctuations of the subtidal macroinfauna in an Estuary of South of Chile

Abstract Monthly samples taken at two separate stations in the Queule River Estuary, between May 1980 and April 1981, were used to study annual fluctuations of the subtidal macroinfauna. In both stations, the macroinfauna showed a seasonal trend towards maximum densities and biomass in summer or autumn, with minimum densities during winter sampling, when salinities of bottom waters were the lowest. Annual variations of sedimentological characteristics did not show a direct relation with the seasonal trends presented by density and biomass. In station A (muddy sand substrate), the overall mean density of macroinfauna was 294.7 individuals per 0.025 m2, while in station B (sandy bottom) it was 33.4 animals per 0.025 m2. In the first station the overall mean biomass was 103.27 mg per 0.025 m2, while in the second it was 7.71 mg per 0.025 m2. Two polychaetes, Minuspio chilensis Foster (Spionidae) and Perinereis gualpensis Jeldes (Nereidae) and two amphipods, Paracorophium chilensis Varela (Corophidae) and Che...

Macroinfaunal assemblages associated with mussel and clam beds in an estuary of Southern Chile

Samples were collected from September 1990 to February 1992, at three subtidal sites of the middle reaches of the Queule River estuary, southern Chile, to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of the macroinfauna inhabiting substrata with different abundances of bivalves. In addition, water and sediment samples were obtained to study the relationships between the temporal variability in macroinfaunal abundances, physical factors and chlorophylla content. Temperature, salinity, and chlorophylla showed a rather strong seasonal variability but slight between-site differences. Sediment characteristics and bivalve abundances, by contrast, exhibited little temporal variability but large differences between sites. The macroinfauna was primarily represented by polychaetesPrionospio (Minuspio) patagonica being dominant in the three areas. Most dominant species showed similar trends of temporal variability, with maximum abundances recorded during spring and fall. The appearance of recruits was restricted to the summer with little difference among sites. Multiple regression analyses showed that the temporal variability of macroinfaunal adults and recruits, was primarily associated with variability in salinity and water temperature, respectively. Spatial variability of these organisms was also explained by variations in these factors, together with those of sediment texture and organic matter content. No evidence of interactions (significant relationships) was found between the abundances of bivalves and those of the macroinfauna, nor among macroinfaunal organisms.

The role of sediment composition and behavior under dynamic loading conditions on slope failure initiation: a study of a subaqueous landslide in earthquake-prone South-Central Chile

Subaqueous slope failure mechanisms are still poorly understood partly because they are difficult to study due to the remote location of submarine landslides. Landslides in lakes are smaller in size and more readily accessible and therefore represent a good alternative to their marine counterparts. Lake Villarrica, located in South-Central Chile, experienced significant slope failure and serves here as an exemplary study area for subaqueous landslide initiation mechanisms in tectonically active settings. Coring and CPTU testing were undertaken with the MARUM free-fall CPTU deployed adjacent to the coring sites where all lithological units involved in the slope failure were sampled. Using geotechnical methods such as pseudo-static factor of safety analysis and cyclic triaxial testing, three types of soils (i.e., diatomaceous ooze, volcanic ash, and quick clay) were analyzed for their role in slope failure, and earthquake shaking was identified as the primary trigger mechanism. The investigated landslide consisted of two distinct phases. During the first phase, slope failure was initiated above a tephra layer. In the second phase, retrogression led to the shoreward extension of the slide scarp along a second failure plane located in a stratigraphically deeper, extremely sensitive lithology (i.e., quick clay). Results show that liquefaction of buried tephra layers was unlikely, but such layers might still have contributed to a reduction in shear strength along the contact area with the neighboring sediment. Furthermore, cyclic shaking-induced pore pressure in diatomaceous ooze may be similar to that in granular soils. We generally infer that failure mechanisms observed in this study are equally important for landslide initiation in submarine settings as diatomaceous ooze intercalated with volcanic ash may be abundantly present along active continental margins.

Are diurnal fluctuations in streamflow real

Are diurnal fluctuations in streamflow real? Diurnal variations in streamflow (DVS) have been studied in detail by underwater pressure loggers. Some of this equipment requires barometric compensation with a logger or sensor located outside the water. Studies related to this topic have not offered a critical report of the validity of patterns inferred with these instruments. While studying a forested watershed in Southern Chile (40° S), we detected a DVS when the external logger was placed 1.5 m above ground, under a marked diurnal fluctuation in air temperature (amplitude 12.4 °C) and a dampened fluctuation in stream temperature (amplitude 1.4 °C). Synchronization was apparent between air and stream temperature in a direct relationship, but the synchronization between air/stream temperature and streamflow was negative, with some hours of lag time. In laboratory experiments, when the external logger is considerably warmer than the water-level logger, depth measurements can be underestimated by up to 1.5 cm. When the opposite occurs, water depths can be overestimated by up to 0.9 cm and are large instrumental/methodological artifacts compared to the field water diurnal variation of 1.3 cm. Finally, we relocated the external logger in front of the water-level logger and inside a weir, but exposed to the air. Results confirmed the pattern previously detected in the field, but streamflow fluctuations were 19% less accentuated. We conclude that the incorrect placement of the external logger, along with an instrumental artifact, can intensify a DVS pattern. Sú denné fluktuácie prietokov v tokoch reálne? Počas dňa sme podrobne sledovali zmeny prietokov v tokoch tlakovými snímačmi, umiestnenými pod vodou. Niektoré z týchto zariadení vyžadujú barometrickú kompenzáciu snímačov, ktoré nie sú umiestnené vo vode. Štúdie z tejto oblasti obyčajne nehodnotia kriticky správnosť výsledkov meraní týmito zariadeniami. Počas meraní v zalesnenom povodí na juhu Chile (40° S), sme zistili zmeny prietokov v tokoch počas dňa, ak bol externý tlakový snímač (logger) uložený 1,5 m nad zemou, počas výrazných denných zmien teploty vzduchu (amplitúda 12.4 °C) a stlmené fluktuácie teploty vody v toku (amplitúda 1.4 °C). Synchronizácia medzi teplotami vody a vzduchu bola zrejmá, ale synchronizácia medzi teplotami vody v toku a prietokmi bola negatívna, s hodinovými posunmi voči sebe. V experimentoch v laboratóriu, keď bol externý snímač podstatne teplejší ako snímač vo vode, meranie hlbok bolo podhodnotené až o 1,5 cm. V opačnom prípade, hĺbka hladiny vody bola nadhodnotená až o 0,9 cm a boli zistené významné inštrumentálne/metodologické artefakty v porovnaní s poľnými meraniami až o 1,3 cm. Nakoniec, externý snímač bol umiestnený pred snímač s údajmi o vodnej hladine a dovnútra prepadu, ale bol vo vzduchu. Výsledky meraní potvrdili chody prietokov namerané v teréne, ale fluktuácie prietokov boli nižšie o 19 %. Z toho vyplýva, že nesprávne umiestnenie externého snímača, spolu s prístrojovými artefaktmi, môžu intenzifikovať zmeny prietokov v tokoch počas dňa.