River terrace development in the NE Mediterranean region (Syria and Turkey): patterns in relation to crustal type

Bridgland, D. R., Demir, T., Seyrek, A., Daoud, M., Abou Romieh, M. and Westaway, R. (2017) River terrace development in the NE Mediterranean region (Syria and Turkey): patterns in relation to crustal type. Quaternary Science Reviews, 166, pp. 307-323. (doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.12.015)

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Abstract

It is widely recognized that the optimal development of river terraces globally has been in the temperate latitudes, with NW and Central Europe being areas of particular importance for the preservation of such archives of Quaternary environmental change. There is also a growing consensus that the principal drivers of terrace formation have been climatic fluctuation against a background of progressive (but variable) uplift. Nonetheless river terraces are widely preserved in the Mediterranean region, where they have often been attributed to the effects of neotectonic activity, with a continuing debate about the relative significance of fluctuating temperature (glacials–interglacials) and precipitation (pluvials–interpluvials). Research in Syria and southern–central Turkey (specifically in the valleys of the Tigris and Ceyhan in Turkey, the Kebir in Syria and the trans-border rivers Orontes and Euphrates) has underlined the importance of uplift rates in dictating the preservation pattern of fluvial archives and has revealed different patterns that can be related to crustal type. The NE Mediterranean coastal region has experienced unusually rapid uplift in the Late Quaternary. The relation between the Kebir terraces and the staircase of interglacial raised beaches preserved along the Mediterranean coastline of NW Syria reinforces previous conclusions that the emplacement of the fluvial terrace deposits in the Mediterranean has occurred during colder climatic episodes.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:Work in Syria was funded in part by small grants from the British Council for Research in the Levant and through collaboration with the Syrian National Earthquake Center.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Westaway, Dr Robert
Authors: Bridgland, D. R., Demir, T., Seyrek, A., Daoud, M., Abou Romieh, M., and Westaway, R.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
Journal Name:Quaternary Science Reviews
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0277-3791
ISSN (Online):1873-457X
Published Online:17 January 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd.
First Published:First published in Quaternary Science Reviews 166: 307-323
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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