The rise and fall of a volcanic plateau: Landscape evolution at the fringes of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet, Meseta Chile Chico, central Patagonian Andes

Understanding Earth‐surface processes along the fringes of large ice sheets is integral to deciphering cold‐region environmental variability and anticipating slope instability under climate change. We investigate the Meseta Chile Chico, a volcanic plateau in the central Patagonian Andes, located at the eastern margin of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet. Here, glacier retreat patterns are well‐constrained, while the influence of periglacial, paraglacial, and postglacial processes is not. We employ geomorphological mapping integrated with geological and palaeoclimate reconstructions to provide a spatio‐temporal model of landscape evolution. Enhanced erosion since the late Pliocene, caused by differential tectonic uplift and glacial isostatic rebound, produced the rugged morphology that characterizes the Meseta Chile Chico. During the Last Glacial Maximum, glaciers occupied surrounding valleys, while the surface of the plateau was reshaped by long‐lasting periglacial freeze‐thaw cycles and nivation. Postglacial landscape adjustment included intensified landslide activity along the edges of the plateau (linked to paraglacial de‐buttressing at its bordering valleys) and regional base‐level changes. During the Holocene, flow‐type landslides became increasingly controlled by climatic variability. The geomorphology of the Meseta Chile Chico reflects an interplay between inherited geology, (de)glaciation, and climate, highlighting the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for understanding recent landscape dynamics in deglaciating mountain regions.