Reply to the comment by Shah on “Isotopic and micromorphological studies of Late Quaternary loess-paleosol sequences of the Karewa Group: inferences for palaeoclimate of Kashmir Valley”

Abstract

We thank the commentator for his comments on our paper (Dar et al., 2014) in press, hereinafter referred to as Dar et al. (2015). Standard procedures were followed for correlation of lithostratigraphic units and interpreting each of the profile in terms of depositional system using key macro and micro-morphological features (Bullock et al., 1985; Retallack, 1988; Agrawal et al., 1989; Kukla and An, 1989; Pant, 1993; Stoops, 2003). Several significant papers (Xiaomin et al., 1994; Scarciglia et al., 2003; Johnson et al., 2007; Sangode et al., 2007; Srivastava et al., 2010; Pierce et al., 2011) have presented field observations in the form of tables and/ or stratigraphic columns, describing the characteristics of each profile without providing field photographs. However, field photographs are provided here for further clarification of the field observations (Fig. 1). We reiterate that the study is conducted in part of the Kashmir Valley, not the entire valley. The geographic distribution, physical characteristics, depositional features (Table-1 Dar et al., 2015) and regional variation of the loessepaleosols across the three study sites is indicated in the text. We have presented the characteristics of each paleosol profile in which the presence of calcium carbonate in the form of coatings, infillings, nodules and other macro- and micro-features is mentioned. We have nowhere pointed out the absence of calcium carbonate in the A horizon, but the preferred sampling of pedogenic carbonates for isotopic study from the Bk horizons is mentioned. The major focus of our paper is devoted to describing and interpreting the isotopic signatures of pedogenic carbonates. The micromorphic observations of the paleosols were carried out to establish the pedogenic nature of the nodules sampled. Detailed micromorphic study of specific pedofeatures of individual paleosol profiles will help in better interpretation of the climatic and geomorphic conditions. A detailed paper on the micromorphological features of the paleosols is under review elsewhere, and the additional data presented in that paper would further our scientific understanding to elucidate climate and geomorphic evolution of the whole Kashmir Valley. The geological cross-sections are made by using the dip and strike data of the strata, a common practice among structural geologists. However, for making sketch maps, and showing the sequence of loose sediments, it is not compulsory to have the structural data (e.g., Farooqi and Desai, 1974; Gardner, 1989; Singh et al., 2001; Muhs et al., 2003; Scarciglia et al., 2003; Starnberger et al., 2009). We have used the satellite image draped over digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area to show the location of cross section for making sketch map. Kapp et al. (2011) noted the presence of wind erosional landforms (Yardangs, Ventifacts etc) in Qaidam Basin (QB). The two basins (QB and KB) fall under different geographic, geomorphic and climatic conditions. We did not find any such features in and around our sites and have no knowledge of anybody having reported the same. It is well established that uplift of the Tibetan plateau at broader scale and the Pir Panjal at local scale has played an important role in changing the climatic conditions during the Late Pleistocene in the Kashmir Valley. This is well substantiated by the recent studies which suggest that during the Late Quaternary, the Himalayas experienced significant tectonic uplift and glacial fluctuations (Burbank and Johnson, 1983; Agrawal, 1987; Basavaiah et al., 2010; Kotlia et al., 2010; Kotlia and Joshi, 2013; Joshi and Kotlia, 2015). Quaternary tectonic activity and the climate change is also well documented in the adjacent Himalayan basins (Burbank et al., 1996; Singh et al., 2001; Pant et al., 2006; Ganjoo and Shaker, 2007; Sundriyal et al., 2007; Juyal et al., 2009). Sedimentological indicators documenting climatic changes are also available from other intermontane basins (Strecker et al., 2007). The detailed process explaining the onset of arid climatic conditions due to the blocking of the south western monsoons by the uplifted Pir Panjal range and resultant shrinking of the impounded primeval lake is given in Dar et al. (2014) and the references therein. The thick loess deposits are present on the Pir Panjal side of the DOI of original article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.03.028. * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: reyazsopore@gmail.com, jqi@elsevier.com (R.A. Dar). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/quaint http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.03.029 1040-6182/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved. Quaternary International 374 (2015) 200e202 valley, while on the Himalayan side, lake was still there. Subsequently, when the lake drained out, the loess deposition could take place on the Himalayan side of the valley also. The SW side of the valley is characterized by low relief and dips gently towards the axial part of the valley (see Fig. 6 Dar et al., 2015 and Dar et al., 2014) and is not characterized only by steep slopes. The steep slopes >35� occur at elevations >2500 m in the upper reaches of the Pir Panjal range which are devoid of loess (Fig. 6 Dar et al., 2015). The sections that we studied were not found eroded. However, erosional landforms are present elsewhere in KB. We have chosen sections from plateau settings which provide a complete stratigraphic sequence and can be laterally correlated, and not from river sections. The studied loessepaleosol sections are located well above the maximum height of the historical Kashmir floods (see Fig. 1 Dar et al., 2014, and Fig. 6 Bilham and Bali, 2013). Thus, the question of the influence of flood waters on the studied sections does not arise. Tectonic activity during Pleistocene, in particular, the uplift of the Pir Panjal range by at least 1400e5000 m during the last 400,000 y (Burbank and Johnson, 1983; Agrawal, 1987) places a severe temporal constraint on the deposition of loess because the loess can accumulate on surfaces that are not subjected to tectonic activity and erosion. On the southern flank of the valley, loess is underlain by a thick fanglomerate which developed in response to the recent rapid upliftment of the Pir Panjal range (Bhatt and Chatterji, 1976; Bhatt, 1982; Burbank and Johnson, 1982, 1983; Basavaiah et al., 2010). However, the loess deposition has occurred only after the fanglomerate deposition and related tectonic activity has ceased (Rendell et al., 1989). Since the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, the area entered a period of substantial tectonic stability, as substantiated by the presence of nearly horizontal loessepaleosol profiles on the Pir Panjal flank and Himalayan flank of the Karewa Basin. Besides this, loessepaleosols are characterized by the presence of carbonate nodules which reflect the periods of land surface stability (Feng and Wang, 2005). We have described the scientific basis for the methodology adopted in our paper (Dar et al., 2015) and also the influence of Pir Panjal uplift on climate change and loess deposition in the Karewa Basin. The inferences are made on the basis of detailed analysis of the observed data and have also taken into account the previous sedimentological studies of the basin and other basins. As mentioned in the conclusion of our paper (Dar et al., 2015), more detailed high resolution isotopic studies of pedogenic carbonates supported with absolute chronology is required to refine the Late Quaternary climatic changes in the Kashmir Valley. We appreciate that discussion, based on facts and observations, is an indispensable component of any scientific endeavour. To this end, we hope that the explanations given herein will clarify the doubts that the original paper may have created. References Agrawal, D.P., 1987. Environmental changes in India during last 4 million years. Journal of Paleontological Society of India 32, 1e4. Agrawal, D.P., Dodia, R., Kotlia, B.S., Razdan, H., Sahni, A., 1989. The Plio-Pleistocene geologic and climatic record of the Kashmir Valley: a review and new data. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 73, 267e286. Basavaiah, N., Appel, E., Lakshmi, B.V., Deenadayalan, K., Satyanarayana, K.V.V., Misra, S., Juyal, N., Malik, M.A., 2010. Revised magnetostratigraphy and characteristics of the fluviolacustrine sedimentation of the Kashmir Basin, India, during Pliocene- Pleistocene. Journal of Geophysical Research 115, B08105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2009JB006858. Bhatt, D.K., Chatterji, A.K., 1976. An appraisal of field observations on the geology of the Plio-Pleistocene Karewa Group and more recent Quaternary deposits of Kashmir Valley. In: Proc. VI Indian Colloq. Micropaleontol. Stratigr., pp. 11e21. Bhatt, D.K., 1982. A review of the stratigraphy of the Karewa Group (Pliocene/ Quaternary), Kashmir. Man and Environment 6, 46e55. Bilham, R., Bali, B.S., 2013. A ninth century earthquake-induced landslide and flood in the Kashmir Valley, and earthquake damage to Kashmir's Medieval temples. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10518-013- 9504-x. Bullock, P., Fedoroff, N., Jongerious, A., Stoops, G., Tursina, T., 1985. Handbook for Soil Thin Section Description. Waine Research Publications, Wolverhampton (U.K.), p. 152. Burbank, D.W., Johnson, G.D., 1982. Intermontane Basin development in the past 4 Myr in the northeast Himalaya. Nature 298, 432e436. Burbank, D.W., Johnson, G.D., 1983. The Late Cenozoic chronologic and stratigraphic development of the Kashmir intermontnae basin, northwestern Himalaya. Paleogeography Paleoclimatology Paleoecology 43, 205e235. Burbank, D.W., Leland, J., Fielding, E., Anderson, R.S., Brozovic, N., Reid, M.R., Duncan, C., 1996. Bedrock incision, rock uplift and threshold hillslopes in the northwestern Himalayas. Nature 379, 505e510. Dar, R.A., Romshoo, S.A., Chandra, R., Ahmad, I., 2014. Tectono-geomorphic study of the Karewa Basin of Kashmir Valley. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 92, 143e156. Dar, R.A., Chandra, R., Romshoo, S.A., Lone, M.A., Ahmad, S.M., 2015. Isotopic and micromorphological studies of Late Quaternary loessepaleosol sequences of the Fig. 1. Field photographs showing (a) loess (blue arrow) and paleosol (red arrows) profiles in the Dilpur Formation, (b) CaCO3 nodules in SP-S5, (c) clay coating (yellow arrow) and platy concretion of CaCO3 in PK-S3, (d) contact between Shopian Member and Dilpur Formation and the presence of CaCO3 nodule (red arrow) in paleosol profile KS-S5, (e) root traces, burrows in paleosol profile KS-S1, (f) calcium carbonate leaching in SP-S11. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.) R.A. Dar et al. / Quaternary International 374 (2015) 200e202 201 Karewa Group: inferences for palaeoclimate of Kashmir Valley. Quaternary International 371, 122e134. Farooqi, I.A., Desai, R.N., 1974. Straigraphy of Karewas, Kashmir India. Journal of the Geological Society of India 15 (3), 299e305. Feng, Z.D., Wang, H.B., 2005. Pedostratigraphy and carbonate accumulation in the S1 pedocomplex across the Chinese loess plateau: implications for climate interpretation. Soil Science Society of American Journal 84, 422e429. Ganjoo, R.K., Shaker, S., 2007. Middle Miocene pedological record of monsoonal climate from NW Himalaya (Jammu and Kashmir State), India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 29, 704e714. Gardner, R., 1989. Late Quaternary loess and paleosols, Kashmir Valley, India. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie Suppliment 6, 225e245. Johnson, W.C., Willey, K.L., Macpherson, G.L., 2007. Carbon isotope variation in modern soils of the tallgrass prairie: analogues for the interpretation of isotopic records derived from paleosols. Quaternary International 162, 3e20. Joshi, L.M., Kotlia, B.S., 2015. Neotectonically triggered instability around the palaeolake regime in Central Kumaun Himalaya, India. Quaternary International 371, 219e231. Juyal, N., Pant, R.K., Basavaiah, N., Bhushan, R., Jain, M., Saini, N.K., Yadava, M.G., Singhvi, A.K., 2009. Reconstruction of late glacial to early Holocene monsoon variability from relict lake sediments of the Higher Central Himalaya, Uttrakhand, India. Journal of Asian Earth Science 34, 437e449. Kapp, P., Pelletier, J.D., Rohrmann, A., Heermance, R., Russell, J., Ding, L., 2011. Wind erosion in the Qaidam basin, central Asia: implications for tectonics, paleoclimate, and the source of the Loess Plateau. GSA Today 21 (4/5), 4e10. Kotlia, B.S., Joshi, L.M., 2013. Neotectonic and climatic impressions in the zone of Trans Himadri Fault (THF), Kumaun Tethys Himalaya, India: a case study from palaeolake deposits. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 57 (3), 289e303. Kotlia, B.S., Sanwal, J., Phartiyal, B., Joshi, L.M., Trivedi, A., Sharma, C., 2010. Late Quaternary climatic changes in the eastern Kumaun Himalaya, India, as deduced from multi-proxy studies. Quaternary International 213, 44e55. Kukla, G., An, Z.S., 1989. Loess stratigraphy in Central China. Palaeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 72, 203e225. Muhs, D.R., Ager, T.A., Bettis III, E.A., McGeehin, J., Been, J.M., Beget, J.E., Pavich, M.J., Stafford Jr., T.W., Stevens, D.A.S.P., 2003. Stratigraphy and paleoclimatic significance of Late Quaternary loessepaleosol sequences of the Last InterglacialeGlacial cycle in Central Alaska. Quaternary Science Reviews 22, 1947e1986. Pant, R.K., 1993. Spread of loess and march of desert in western India. Current Science 64, 841e847. Pant, R.K., Juyal, N., Basavaiah, N., Singhvi, A.K., 2006. Late Quaternary glaciation and seismicity in the Higher Central Himalaya: evidence from Shalang basin (Goriganga), Uttaranchal. Current Science 90, 1500e1505. Pierce, K.L., Muhs, D.R., Fosberg, M.A., Mahan, S.A., Rosenbaum, J.G., Licciardi, J.M., Pavich, M.J., 2011. A loessepaleosol record of climate and glacial history over the past two glacialeinterglacial cycles (~150ka), southern Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Quaternary Research 76, 119e141. Rendell, H.M., Gardner, R.A.M., Agrawal, D.P., Juyal, N., 1989. Chronology and stratigraphy of Kashmir Loess. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie Suppliment 76, 213e223. Retallack, G.J., 1988. Field Recognition of Paleosol. In: Reinhardt, J., Sigleo, W.R. (Eds.), Paleosol and Weathering Through Geological Time: Principles and Applications, Geological Society of America, Special Paper, pp. 1e20. Sangode, S.J., Mishra, S., Naik, S., Deo, S., 2007. Magnetostratigraphy of the Quaternary sediments associated with some Toba tephra and Acheulian artefact bearing localities in the western and central India. Gondwana Magazine, Special volume 10, 111e121. Scarciglia, F., Terribile, F., Colombo, C., 2003. Micromorphological evidence of paleoenvironmental changes in Northern Cilento (South Italy) during the Late Quaternary. Catena 54, 515e536. Singh, A.K., Parkash, B., Mohindra, R., Thomas, J.V., Singhvi, A.V., 2001. Quaternary alluvial fan sedimentation in the Dehradun Valley Piggyback Basin NW Himalaya: tectonic and paleoclimatic implications. Basin Research 13, 449e471. Srivastava, P., Rajak, M.K., Sinha, R., Pal, D.K., Bhattacharyya, T., 2010. A high-resolution micromorphological record of the Late Quaternary paleosols from GangaeYamuna interfluve: stratigraphic and paleoclimatic implications. Quaternary International 227, 127e142. Starnberger, R., Terhorst, B., Rahle, W., Peticzka, R., Haas, J.N., 2009. Palaeoecology of € Quaternary periglacial environments during OIS-2 in the forefields of the Salzach Glacier (Upper Austria). Quaternary International 198, 51e61. Stoops, G., 2003. Guidelines for the Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, p. 184. Strecker, M.R., Alonso, R.N., Bookhagen, B., Carrapa, B., Hilley, G.E., Sobel, E.R., Trauth, M.H., 2007. Tectonics and climate of the southern central Andes. Annual Reviews of Earth and Planetary Sciences 35, 747e787. Sundriyal, Y.P., Tripathi, J.K., Sati, S.P., Rawat, G.S., Srivastava, P., 2007. Landslide dammed lakes in the Alaknanda Basin, Lesser Himalaya: causes and implications. Current Science 93, 568e574. Xiaomin, F., Jijun, L., Derbyshire, E., Fitzpatrick, E.A., Kemp, R.A., 1994. Micromorphology of the Beiyuan loess-paleosol sequence in Gansu Province, China: geomorphological and paleoenvironmental significance. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 111, 289e303.