Where humid and arid meet: Sedimentology of coastal siliciclastic successions deposited in apparently contrasting climates

A detailed sedimentological analysis of Late Jurassic coastal successions in eastern Spain reveals that deposits indicative of both arid and humid climates coexisted under a seasonal, monsoonal-type precipitation regime. The study identified sediments from flood plains, fluvial channels (both ephemeral and perennial), aeolian dunes, deltas, and shallow water bodies, alongside abundant plant and dinosaur remains, suggesting permanent water sources and vegetation. This complex palaeoenvironmental reconstruction is analogous to modern conditions in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil, where a subhumid tropical climate with seasonal precipitation prevails. The findings highlight the importance of integrating facies analysis and depositional process interpretation to accurately reconstruct palaeoclimatic settings.

Campos‐Soto, S., Benito, M. I., Mountney, N. P., Plink‐Björklund, P., Quijada, I. E., Suarez‐Gonzalez, P., & Cobos, A. (2022). Where humid and arid meet: Sedimentology of coastal siliciclastic successions deposited in apparently contrasting climates. Sedimentology, 69(3), 975–1027. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12958