Stable isotope constraints on the elevation history of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Research Article| May 01, 2008 Stable isotope constraints on the elevation history of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California Brooke E. Crowley; Brooke E. Crowley † 1Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA †E-mail: bcrowley@ucsc.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul L. Koch; Paul L. Koch 2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Edward B. Davis Edward B. Davis 3Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (2008) 120 (5-6): 588–598. https://doi.org/10.1130/B26254.1 Article history received: 25 Apr 2007 rev-recd: 25 Sep 2007 accepted: 04 Oct 2007 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Brooke E. Crowley, Paul L. Koch, Edward B. Davis; Stable isotope constraints on the elevation history of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. GSA Bulletin 2008;; 120 (5-6): 588–598. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B26254.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Research on the uplift history of the Sierra Nevada mountain range has yielded seemingly conflicting results. Some studies argue for substantial uplift within the past 3–5 m.y.; others suggest that high elevations may have existed since the Cretaceous. The rain shadow across the Sierra Nevada is associated with a strong isotopic gradient, with lower δ18O values in precipitation on the leeward side of the range. Reconstruction of the δ18O value of meteoric water as a monitor of paleoelevation has focused mainly on the leeward side of the Sierras, but interpretation of the results of these studies may be complicated by shifts in global climate and regional moisture sources. We address these concerns by analyzing the δ18O value of tooth enamel bioapatite from contemporaneous mammalian fossils on either side of the present Sierra range. By sampling across the range, δ18O differences induced by a rain shadow can be isolated from other complicating factors. Our results indicate that the Sierra rain shadow has existed since at least 16 Ma, which is an important constraint on models for the tectonic evolution of the western United States. Unfortunately, temporal resolution for localities is too coarse to differentiate between glacial and interglacial localities during the past 2 m.y., so we cannot evaluate if there was a latest Cenozoic pulse of uplift or elevation loss. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.