Las terrazas marinas del cuaternario reciente en los litorales de Murcia y Almería (España): el control de la neotectónica en la disposición y número de las mismas

Abstract

We have included the Tyrrhenian seabeaches, i.e. those bearing Strombus bubonius as well as the Holocene beaches in Recent Quaternary period. The first ones, began to develop some 180.000 years ago and the second ones, around 8.000 years ago. From the cartographic and sedimentological studies of the pre-mentioned beaches it can be deduced that: the geometric and spatial distribution, number and height, are clearly conditioned by the tectonic activity of this Eastern Betics area. The highest amount of Tyrrhenian levels can be observed in the Almeria region, four of which are distributed between the height of 18 m. and 1 m. These heights decrease gradually northward up to the southern area of Terreros, where three Tyrrhenian terraces can be observed for the last time. From this point, and uo to the boundary of the Murcia and Alicante provinces, only one isolated level can be observed, and at heights very close to the present sea level. The same phenomenon occurs for the Holocene beaches. All of this, suggests that, at least, during the last Quaternary and up to now, the Almeria region has behaved as a more or less constant lifting area, while the littoral of Murcia has behaves as a sinking one, It seems that the tectonic pushes have been transmitted from South to North and that the more frequent and varied deformations have been produced in Almeria.