Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chal&aacute;n (Licto, Ecuador)

Benito Mendoza; Mauro Jiménez; Pedro Pedro Carretero; Jhonnatan Hernández; Jennifer Loaiza; Daniela Brito; Geonatan Peñafiel

doi:10.12688/f1000research.123579.1

Home Browse Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán...

ALL Metrics

Views

Downloads

Get PDF

Get XML

Export

▬

✚

Brief Report

Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador)

[version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]

Benito Mendoza ¹, Mauro Jiménez¹, Pedro Pedro Carretero¹, [...] Jhonnatan Hernández², Jennifer Loaiza¹, Daniela Brito³, Geonatan Peñafiel¹

Benito Mendoza ¹, Mauro Jiménez¹, [...] Pedro Pedro Carretero¹, Jhonnatan Hernández², Jennifer Loaiza¹, Daniela Brito³, Geonatan Peñafiel¹

PUBLISHED 01 Nov 2022

Author details Author details

¹ Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo, 060150, Ecuador
² Earth Sciences Energy and Environment, YACHAY, Urcuquí, Imbabura, 100650, Ecuador
³ BMTLAB Laboratories and Engineering, Riobamba, Chimborazo, 060150, Ecuador

Benito Mendoza
Roles: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Mauro Jiménez
Roles: Data Curation, Investigation, Methodology

Pedro Pedro Carretero
Roles: Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Jhonnatan Hernández
Roles: Investigation, Methodology

Jennifer Loaiza
Roles: Investigation

Daniela Brito
Roles: Investigation

Geonatan Peñafiel
Roles: Investigation

OPEN PEER REVIEW

REVIEWER STATUS

This article is included in the New Digital Archaeologies collection.

Abstract

The Chalan ravine is a deep bed creek that runs through Licto (Ecuador). It has been known since the 19th century for the abundance of paleontological remains of Pleiostocene fauna and megafauna in its profiles, where entire remains of mastodons were recovered. The abundance of these remains made one of the high areas, where marmites exist in different forms, was traditionally considered as mastodon footprints. Archaeological prospecting, geographic information system (GIS) technology, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), photogrammetry, and the geological study of the place, allowed us to determine that the mythical traces of mastodon were marmites made by the water erosion produced in the same ravine over time.

Keywords

Andean geology, mastodon footprints, water erosion, Chalán

Corresponding author: Benito Mendoza

Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information: The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.

Copyright: © 2022 Mendoza B et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

How to cite: Mendoza B, Jiménez M, Pedro Carretero P et al. Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador) [version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]. F1000Research 2022, 11:1239 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.1) First published: 01 Nov 2022, 11:1239 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.1) Latest published: 25 Jul 2023, 11:1239 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.2)

Introduction

In the late 19th century, foreign researchers began to arrive in the Quebrada de Chalán, attracted by the legend of the existence of bones of giant hominids. It was Juan Félix Proaño who, in 1884, after a great collapse in the Quebrada, proceeded to excavate the remains of a complete mastodon that had been exposed. These remains were sent to the Central University of Ecuador (Quito), where they disappeared after a large fire (Branco, 1938; Román, 2010).

Later, other scholars such as Spillmann (1931) and Hoffstetter (1952) came, attracted by the wealth of remains of Pleistocene animals, with the desire to carry out their research.

Therefore, the region is one of the main Pleistocene sites of Ecuador in terms of fossil remains from that period. From then on, new legends emerged with the arrival of these scholars in the first half of the 20th century, one of them being the object of our study, that the area of the marmites were actually mastodon footprints that had been fossilized as they fled before the eruption of the nearby Tulabug volcano. So much so that this legend has been taken as truth, since it was “endorsed by foreign scientists” and, although it had never been reported into a scientific study, it has been transmitted among the inhabitants of the place up to this day. Thus, even today all the living in the area think that the marmites correspond to the aforementioned fossilized traces of mastodons, so that information panels and a marketing campaign have been created in the area. Newspapers such as “La Prensa de Riobamba”, “Diario de Riobamba” or “El Telégrafo” (national) continue to consider these features as traces of mastodons and, from time to time, they take out in their pages reports on the aforementioned footprints, thus feeding the myth and confusing both locals and visitors (La Prensa, 2021; de Riobamba, 2019; El Telegrafo, 2016).

The objective of this research was to determine whether the existing marks in the study area were the product of (as tradition says) traces of mastodons that lived in the area during the Pleistocene, or were caused by water erosion (marmites) of the rock resulting from the passage of water.

Methods

Visual archaeological surface survey was carried out in the study area, in which it was determined that there are no archaeological or paleontological remains in the marmite area (Fernández, 1989). For this purpose, aerial photogrammetry was used using an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) that includes a camera, obtaining qualitative and quantitative information from the earth’s surface, through a process of recording, measuring, and interpreting photographic images. The UAV used to obtain aerial digital cartography was a DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 multirotor drone with a 20 MP aero-ported camera. The generation of photogrammetric products was carried out in three stages (Casella, Drechsel, Winter, Benninghoff, and Rovere, 2020; Gasparini, Moreno-Escribano, and Monterroso-Checa, 2020; Stott, Williams, & Hoey, 2020):

‐ In the first stage, the flight path or flight plan was defined using Pix4DCapture software; parameters such as flight area in hectares, flight time in minutes, number of images to be captured, flight height in meters was configured, Pixel size in cm/px, horizontal and longitudinal overlap 75% recommended by the software, speed in m/s, a camera angle of 90°and number of batteries to be used.
‐ The second stage consisted of preliminary survey of the terrain, location of control points (GCP) for correct orthophoto georeferencing and desired elevation models.
‐ In the third stage the flight was carried out on 15 July 2021 at an altitude of 150 m, for 18 minutes, using two batteries, and recording 199 aerial images with a spatial resolution of 4.5 cm/px.

The captured photographs were stored in the drone’s internal memory and downloaded to the computer. The images were processed in the Pix4DMapper software, according to the methodology recommended by the manufacturer and described below:

‐ When the software was started, the new project option was selected and the path where the postprocess files were created was defined.
‐ Once the new project was generated, the photographs captured by the drone were added, the software automatically detects the camera used and the coordinate system; in this case they are geographical coordinates. These coordinates are then transformed into the same software to Mercator’s Universal Transversal UTM.
‐ For 3D processing, 3D Maps processing was selected to obtain orthomosaic, point cloud and digital elevation models, in the initial processing the image scale and geometrically verified pairing were determined.
‐ The processing of the dense point cloud was performed with a classification to improve the generation of the digital MDT terrain model, generate the digital surface model, orthomosaic. Additionally, a process of ortho rectification and contours was performed with a range of 5m.

In addition, at each processing stage the software generates a quality report that serves to evaluate whether the relative accuracy of the project is good or not, comparing coincidences between 2D key points, vertices, and lines, which indicate how many points of union two or more images share.

The results obtained were transformed into digital cartography using the measurement tools available in a GIS environment (ArcMap and Globalmapper). From this information, the digital elevation model determined the direction of the water flow of the Chalan Gorge and certain details that are not observed from the surface. In addition, geological areas of interest for the field visit were identified to recognize the Geological Formations, classifying them according to their lithology. Likewise, satellite images from Google Earth Pro were used to identify important flaws, key morphologies for subsequent field verification (Lanis & Razuvaev, 2018). From this preliminary information, the area of the Chalan Gorge and the area near the marmites were covered in 5 days to corroborate the information collected.

Results and discussion

The Quebrada de Chalán (Figure 1) is located in the south-central area of the Ecuadorian Inter-Andean Valley, specifically on the border of the Licto and Punín parishes, in Riobamba, Chimborazo province. It was formed from the slopes of the Tulabug volcano (3336 meters above sea level [masl]). The average altitude of the Chalán gorge is 2953 masl. (coordinates: 17M 763279.11/9802664), it is located 15 km from the city of Riobamba by the Riobamba-Macas road (Román, 2010)

Figure 1. Location map of the Quebrada Chalán.

In the dry seasons (July to December) there are completely arid areas and other moistened spaces that provide a small but constant flow of water, that add up as it descends, thickening the flow of the stream. The land at the top of the ravine has little slope; in the middle part, this changes to a deep bed with slopes between rugged and steep, with steep flanks; in short sections the ravine slope decreases, causing the formation of sinks, holes and the water drainage by fractures in the rocks and the porosity of the soil. At the bottom, the ravine narrows to form a V, and the water current forms rapid and small jumps, until it flows into the Colorada ravine, named for its reddish strata (Reinoso, 1974).

Geological context

As described by Sauer (1965), Wolf (1892), Clapperton and Vera (1986) and Buenaño (2019) (Buenaño, 2019), the Chalán ravine is located in the geological unit called the Cangahua Formation (Cangagua), this unit in the province of Chimborazo has a maximum power or thickness of 22 m. This Cangahua formation is the result of the volcanic activity of the Tulabug, which produced fine pyroclasts, easily transportable by the wind, that were deposited in the depressions of the inter-Andean valley, or in stagnant lakes; in certain areas they were consolidated, but without developing any stratification. Sauer (1965) determined that, according to the mineralogical composition of the andesites and dacites present in the formation, these originated after the second glaciation. In addition, what was described by Román (2010) determines that the Chalán ravine belongs to the Upper Pleistocene, specifically to the Third Interglacial Phase, since this is shown by the ichnofossil content (Coprinisphaera ecuadoriensis) present in the Cangahua geological unit (Sauer, 1965). The topsoil has variable thickness, composed of fine powder of whitish coloration with many cangagua balls; these fossil spheres serve as guide horizons to establish the relative age of the other strata, accumulated in thicknesses of several centimeters, as a result of the frequent volcanic eruptions in this area (Reinoso, 1974).

Paleontological context

The Chalán gorge is recognized for its paleontological and archaeological richness, as it describes fauna from the late Pleistocene and the Prehistory of man in Ecuador (Román, 2010). In this context, as described by settlers, there are “bones of giants” in the surroundings of the ravine, being recorded for the first time by the chroniclers of the Indies in stories and legends, which alluded to ancient races of giants that would have populated these places in times immemorial. Juan de Velasco (1789) in his work “History of the Kingdom of Quito” describes the biological importance of the country and the presence of this type of gigantic bones buried in different strata of the soil and in several localities of the country. From these findings, those Ecuadorian legends of giants and strange beings that populated past times east were born (Reinoso, 1974).

There are several groups of fossil mammals present in the Pleistocene fauna of the Chalán quebrada and its surroundings (Wagner, 1883). Branco (1938) described in detail the ungulates of the area, especially equidae, camelids and cervids. As described by Román (2013) in 1894, the first mastodon discovered in the Pleistocene site of Quebrada Chalán was excavated. The remains of this specimen were preserved in good condition of fossilization at the Central University of Quito.

In this context, there are many notes from the national press that affirm the possibility that the marks on the rocks of the upper part of the ravine are traces of mastodons, the same that can be observed since a flood uncovered this area (Maggi, 2016; Moncayo, 2019; Yurak, 2020; La Prensa, 2021).

Prospecting in the Chalán ravine

On 8, 9 and 10 September 2021, several surveys were carried out through the ravine in order to obtain a detailed geological description of the area. Most of the outcrops were in inaccessible places, however, observations that could be made from a long distance revealed that the strata are sandwiched between white and yellow layers. The white strata are made up of fine grain given to the popcorn structure that covers these strata; on the other hand, the yellow strata are made up of a somewhat coarser grain that does not allow the formation of said structure. According to the works presented by Sauer (1965), these strata correspond to poorly consolidated volcanic tuffs.

The area of greatest interest of the Chalán revine is located at the coordinates 17M 763287,78 East/9803423,94 North at an altitude of 2963 masl, and corresponds to an outcrop formed by three strata arranged in the form of terraces resulting from water erosion. The terraces are the result of the different degrees of resistance to erosion that each stratum presents, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Stratigraphic succession of the study area.

Stratum 1 was the most superficial and of which the thickness was not possible to measure, since its roof of this was eroded. It is reddish (possibly the result of weathering by water), it did not present stratifications, was well consolidated; the clasts inside were sub-regulatory, their sizes varied between 1 to 5 mm, poorly ordered, supported matrix, made up of fine grains; the mineral content corresponded mostly to plagioclase quartz and hornblendas. Stratum 2 bordered 1, by means of a concordant contact, had a thickness of 2 m, was yellowish, had no stratifications, was well consolidated; the clasts inside were angular, its size varied from 2 to 15 mm, without order, supported matrix, made up of fine grains, without mineral content. On the roof of the stratum there were a series of marks ranging from 8 to 30 cm in diameter (Figure 3), due to their characteristics and according to Sauer (1965) this stratum was classified as a volcanic tova of chemical affinity towards an andesitic or dacite composition.

Figure 3. Circular markings located on the roof of stratum 2.

Stratum 3 limits with stratum 2 by a concordant contact; it is not possible to measure its thickness since the base of this is not seen; it was white, although in areas it was purple as a result of weathering by water; it did not present stratifications, was well consolidated, without clast content; it was made up of very fine grains without mineral content.

This type of erosion is known as giant marmites, the formation process of which is induced by defects in the bed producing flow alterations, generating turbulence or whirlpools. At this point the diaclases have an important role in the beginning and progress of the formation of the marmites (Ortega, Gómez, Perez & Wohl, 2014; Pelletier, Sweeney, Roering and Finnegan, 2015). The way in which the marmites are formed is described in Figure 4, in which the evolution of erosion with respect to time is evidenced (Lorenc, Muñoz, & Saavedra, 1995).

Figure 4. Description of the evolution of marmite erosion (Lorenc, Muñoz, & Saavedra, 1995).

Figure 5 shows in a general way the erosion that occurs in the upper part of the Chalán ravine. This is stuated just before a wall of approximately 10 m of altitude.

Figure 5. Water erosion in the upper part of the Chalán ravine.

The geological evidence and the erosion that shows the soil from the geomorphological point of view the formations that are in the upper part of the Chalán ravine correspond to marmites (Figure 6). They had various diameters and depths. As it is necessary to categorise each of them, there were marmites of type A (erosion caused by natural abrasion less than 50 cm in diameter and depth), B, C, D (these three are deeper abrasions, where the particles cannot be lifted by vertical energy), E (in this type lateral erosion predominates, developing angular edges in the upper parts of the holes) and F (these are of the asymmetric type, favoring the tangential flow of the water, observing the formation of other marmites) as described by (Lorenc, Muñoz, & Saavedra, 1995).

Figure 6. Marmites found in the upper part of the Chalán ravine.

Conclusions

Although it is true that the Chalán ravine has a large number of paleontological remains of Pleistocene fauna and megafauna, perhaps one of the most important in Andean territory so that even today the remains are visible with the naked eye in several walls of the lower areas of the Quebrada, the study area has known a significant erosion over time.

Precisely this erosion, produced above all by the water that passed through the ravine, is what has led to the form of the marmites that have been confused first, and mythologized later, as a series of mastodons fleeing before one of the eruptions of the Tulabug volcano.

The photogrammetric study, the arrangement of the marmites, their shape, the study of runoff and the geological interpretation, have allowed to determine that these features were not fossilized mastodon footprints, but erosion of the indicated strata wwhich, with the passage of time and the conditions described above, have caused this type of hole in the form of footprints in the rock.

Data availability

Underlying data

Zenodo: Mastodon footprints or water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador), https://zenodo.org/record/6959979 (Mendoza et al., 2022).

This project contains the following underlying data:

CHALAN 2_dtm.prj (orthophoto obtained with the drone, the digital elevation model of the terrain)

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0).

References

Branco W: About A Fossil Mammal Fauna of Punín. Quito, Ecuador:Annals of the Central University of Ecuador;1938.
Buenaño P: Geological and geophysical analysis applied to hydrogeological prospecting between the towns of Riobamba and Pungalá. Quito:National Polytechnic School;2019.
Clapperton C, Vera R: The Quaternary glacial sequence in Ecuador: a reinterpretation of the work of Walter Sauer. Journal of Quaternary Science. 1986; 1(1): 45–56.
Casella E, Drechsel J, Winter C, et al.: Accuracy of sand beach topography surveying by drones and photogrammetry. Geo-Marine Letters .2020; 40(2):255–268. Publisher Full Text
de Riobamba D : Quebrada de Chalán. In the footsteps of megafauna. Diario de Riobamba. Recalled on 12 of 2021.05 of 12 of 2019.Reference Source
Fernández Díaz M: The Profession of Drone Pilot in the field of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology: science and dissemination from the air.2018.
Fernández V:Archaeological prospecting: approaches, aids and techniques. Theory and Method of Archaeology. Fernández V, editor.Madrid:Synthesis;1989; pp. 54–67.
Gasparini M, Moreno-Escribano JC, Monterroso-Checa A: Photogrammetric Acquisitions in Diverse Archaeological Contexts Using Drones: Background of the Ager Mellariensis Project (North of Córdoba-Spain). Drones 2020 .2020; 4(3):47. Publisher Full Text
Hoffstetter R: Les Mammiféres Pléistocénes de la République de L´Equateur. Memoirs of the Société Géologique de France. Nouvelle Série-Tome XXXI-Fasc. 1952: 1–4.
Lanis T, Razuvaev D: Systematization of features and requirements for geological survey of railroad subgrades functioning in cold regions. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions. 2018; 9(3): 205–212.
La Prensa:La Quebrada de Chalán.La Prensa Chimborazo.11 de 09 de 2021.Recuperado el 12 de 2021, de. https://www.laprensa.com.ec/quebrada-de-chalan
The Press: The Quebrada de Chalán. The Chimborazo Press;11 of 09 of 2021. Retrieved 12, 2021.Reference Source
Lorenc M, Muñoz P, Saavedra J: Giant marmites in the valley of the Jerte River as an example of intensive river erosion by eddies and tectonic influence on its distribution and morphology. Quaternary and Geomorphology. 1995; 9(1/2): 17–26.
Maggi E: The telegraph.26 of 11, 2016. Retrieved 12, 2021, from The Telegraph.Reference Source
Mendoza B, Jiménez M, Carretero P, et al.: Mastodon footprints or water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán. Licto, Ecuador:2022. Publisher Full Text
Moncayo D: Diario de Riobamba. Obtained from Diario de Riobamba.05 of 12 of 2019.Reference Source
Ortega J, Gomez M, Perez R, et al.: Multiscale structural and lithologic controls in the development of stream potholes on granite bedrock rivers. Geomorphology. 2014; 204: 588–598.
Pelletier J, Sweeney K, Roering J, et al.: Controls on the geometry of potholes in bedrock channels. Geophysical Research Letters. 2015; 42(3): 797–803.
Reinoso G: Punín and Chalán. Cuenca:Separata de la Revista N°4 de Antropología;1974.
Román J: Resumption of paleontological research at the Pleistocene site of Punín, Quebrada de Chalán, province of Chimborazo, Ecuador. In X Argentine Congress of Paleontology and Biostratigraphy and VII Latin American Congress of Paleontology (La Plata, 2010).2010.
Román J: Puesta en valor y propuesta de quebrada Chalán, provincia de Chimborazo, como el primer parque paleontológico del Ecuador (Tesis de Maestría) .Madrid:Universidad Complutense de Madrid;2013.
Sauer W: Geología del Ecuador .Quito:Editorial del Ministerio de Educación;1965.
Spillmann F: Die Säugetiere Ecuadors im Wandel der Zeit .Ecuador:Universidad Central del Ecuador;1931.
Stott E, Williams RD, Hoey TB: Ground Control Point Distribution for Accurate Kilometre-Scale Topographic Mapping Using an RTK-GNSS Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and SfM Photogrammetry. Drones 2020 .2020; 4(3):55. Publisher Full Text
El Telégrafo:La Quebrada de Chalán, el lugar donde yacen las huellas de mastodontes. El Telégrafo.28 de 11 de 2016.Recuperado el 12 de 2021 de https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/regional/1/la-quebrada-chalan-el-lugar-donde-yacen-las-huellas-de-mastodontes
The Telegraph: The Quebrada de Chalán, the place where the mastodon footprints lie. The Telegraph;28 of 11 of 2016. Retrieved 12 of 2021.Reference Source
Velasco JD:Historia del reino de Quito en la América meridional.1789.
Wagner A: Ueber fossile Säugetiernochen am Cimborasso. Sitzugsberichte der königlich bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu München. 1883; 3: 330–338.
Wolf T: Geografía y geología del Ecuador; publicada por órden del supremo gobierno de la república por Teodoro Wolf. Tipografía de FA Brockhaus;1892.
Yurak:Yurak.05 de 11 de 2020.Recuperado el 12 de 2021, de. https://yurakproducciones.wordpress.com/2020/11/05/de-que-son-las-huellas-halladas-en-la-quebrada-chalan/

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 2

VERSION 2 PUBLISHED 01 Nov 2022

Author details Author details

Benito Mendoza
Roles: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Mauro Jiménez
Roles: Data Curation, Investigation, Methodology

Pedro Pedro Carretero
Roles: Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Jhonnatan Hernández
Roles: Investigation, Methodology

Jennifer Loaiza
Roles: Investigation

Daniela Brito
Roles: Investigation

Geonatan Peñafiel
Roles: Investigation

Competing interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information

The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.

Article Versions (2)

version 2

Revised

Published: 25 Jul 2023, 11:1239

https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.2

version 1

Published: 01 Nov 2022, 11:1239

https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.1

© 2022 Mendoza B et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Download

Export To

metrics

	Views	Downloads
F1000Research	-	-
PubMed Central Data from PMC are received and updated monthly.	-	-

Citations

SEE MORE DETAILS

CITE

how to cite this article

Mendoza B, Jiménez M, Pedro Carretero P et al. Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador) [version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]. F1000Research 2022, 11:1239 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123579.1)

NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.

track

receive updates on this article

Track an article to receive email alerts on any updates to this article.

Open Peer Review

Version 1

VERSION 1

PUBLISHED 01 Nov 2022

Views

Reviewer Report 14 Mar 2023

Matthew Bennett, Institute for Studies in Landscapes and Human Evolution, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK

Not Approved

https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.135699.r163369

This is an interesting paper which documents erosional scours previously thought to be mastodon footprints. While I agree with their conclusions, they do not describe the traces in sufficient detail to ensure that others can benefit from their work. More detailed description of the traces is really needed, close up scans or photogrammetry models. Some morphometric comparison with known proscibean footprints would strengthen the work. The evolutionary model for the scours does not seem supported by any data I can see. It may well be accurate but it needs to be evidenced. Work in progress is my assessment and the authors should be encouraged to revise the article.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Partly
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Partly
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Not applicable
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

No source data required
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Footprints

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to state that I do not consider it to be of an acceptable scientific standard, for reasons outlined above.

CITE

Report a concern

Author Response 25 Jul 2023

Benito Mendoza, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, 060150, Ecuador

25 Jul 2023

Author Response

Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been ... Continue reading Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been added to reinforce the initial theory presented in the paper, supported by a literature review and macro and microscale analysis. It is important to note that there are limited indications of mastodon footprints in South America, and this topic is just beginning to be studied. Consequently, the conclusions leave open the possibility of furthering this research through geophysical methods and comparative analysis with similar features found in Argentina and Chile. This will be explored in future work to ascertain whether these are indeed mastodon footprints or erosional scours.
Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been added to reinforce the initial theory presented in the paper, supported by a literature review and macro and microscale analysis. It is important to note that there are limited indications of mastodon footprints in South America, and this topic is just beginning to be studied. Consequently, the conclusions leave open the possibility of furthering this research through geophysical methods and comparative analysis with similar features found in Argentina and Chile. This will be explored in future work to ascertain whether these are indeed mastodon footprints or erosional scours.
Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close
Report a concern
Respond or Comment

COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT

Author Response 25 Jul 2023

Benito Mendoza, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, 060150, Ecuador

25 Jul 2023

Author Response

Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been ... Continue reading Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been added to reinforce the initial theory presented in the paper, supported by a literature review and macro and microscale analysis. It is important to note that there are limited indications of mastodon footprints in South America, and this topic is just beginning to be studied. Consequently, the conclusions leave open the possibility of furthering this research through geophysical methods and comparative analysis with similar features found in Argentina and Chile. This will be explored in future work to ascertain whether these are indeed mastodon footprints or erosional scours.
Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been added to reinforce the initial theory presented in the paper, supported by a literature review and macro and microscale analysis. It is important to note that there are limited indications of mastodon footprints in South America, and this topic is just beginning to be studied. Consequently, the conclusions leave open the possibility of furthering this research through geophysical methods and comparative analysis with similar features found in Argentina and Chile. This will be explored in future work to ascertain whether these are indeed mastodon footprints or erosional scours.
Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close
Report a concern

Views

Reviewer Report 12 Jan 2023

Valeria Lupiano, National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR-IRPI, Perugia, Italy

Approved with Reservations

https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.135699.r159655

The authors present a paper that aims to show how the footprints, found in Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador), attributed to Mastodon by local people, are instead a geomorphological phenomenon (river potholes) related to fluvial erosion and the lithology of the site. They did a field survey and used aerial photogrammetry to prove this.

The manuscript is well structured but needs a revision of English language.

It is necessary to explain the mechanism that leads to the formation of river potholes by commenting on Figure 5. Also mention the factors that predispose to the phenomenon. See for example:

Ortega, J. A., Gómez-Heras, M., Perez-López, R., & Wohl, E. (2014). Multiscale structural and lithologic controls in the development of stream potholes on granite bedrock rivers. Geomorphology, 204, 588-598.
Kale, V. S., & Joshi, V. U. (2004). Evidence of formation of potholes in bedrock on human timescale: Indrayani river, Pune district, Maharashtra. Current Science, 723-726.

The conclusions are very meager, should be supplemented with some consideration.

Minor revision:

figure 1: insert a small map with Ecuador location; In the legend change "m.s.n.m." in "m a.s.l.";
In the text change "masl" in "m a.s.l.";
ArcMap and globalmapper cite as:
ESRI year. ArcMap, Release xx. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute.
Blue Marble year. Globalmapper Release....;

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Not applicable
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

No source data required
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

References

1. Ortega J, Gómez-Heras M, Perez-López R, Wohl E: Multiscale structural and lithologic controls in the development of stream potholes on granite bedrock rivers. Geomorphology. 2014; 204: 588-598 Publisher Full Text
2. Kale VS, Joshi VU: Evidence of formation of potholes in bedrock on human timescale: Indrayani river, Pune district, Maharashtra. Current Science. 2004. 723-726

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Geology, geomorphology, landslides

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

CITE

Report a concern

Author Response 25 Jul 2023

Benito Mendoza, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, 060150, Ecuador

25 Jul 2023

Author Response

Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to ... Continue reading Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to further explanation on how the marmites could have originated.
Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to further explanation on how the marmites could have originated.
Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close
Report a concern
Respond or Comment

COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT

Author Response 25 Jul 2023

Benito Mendoza, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, 060150, Ecuador

25 Jul 2023

Author Response

Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to ... Continue reading Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to further explanation on how the marmites could have originated.
Dear reviewer, a thorough review of the English writing was conducted, taking into account minor corrections. Additionally, the study was analyzed with respect to new suggested literature, which led to further explanation on how the marmites could have originated.
Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close
Report a concern

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 2

VERSION 2 PUBLISHED 01 Nov 2022

Open Peer Review

Reviewer Status

Reviewer Reports

	Invited Reviewers
	1	2	3
Version 2 (revision) 25 Jul 23	read		read
Version 1 01 Nov 22	read	read

Valeria Lupiano, National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR-IRPI, Perugia, Italy
Matthew Bennett, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
Adrienne Mayor, Stanford University, Stanford, USA

Comments on this article

All Comments(0)

Add a comment

Browse by related subjects

Back to all reports

Reviewer Report

84 Views

21 Aug 2023 | for Version 2

Adrienne Mayor, Classics Department and the History and Philosophy of Science Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA

84 Views Cite this report Responses(0)

Approved

Since the nineteenth century, paleontologists have excavated numerous well-preserved Pleistocene mastodon remains in the abundant fossil deposits around Quebrada de Chalán, a deep ravine in south-central Ecuador. The abundance of mastodon fossils led to the assumption that a series of round holes in the bedrock above the deep-bed stream were footprints left by mastodons. For more than 100 years, this identification became embedded in traditional descriptions of the Chalán Gorge’s geological treasures. Only two other locales in South America, Chile and Argentina, boast mastodon tracks reported in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

The co-authors thoroughly analyzed the geophysical and hydrological data of the Chalán Gorge and the properties of the holes and their context. Their interpretation of the evidence concluded that the “mastodon tracks” are really marmites created by water erosion in the ravine over millennia. There are clear descriptions and images showing how turbulent fluvial action carve the rounded holes in the streambed over time. I find the article well-conceived and organized, with convincing conclusions.

The authors might wish to expand the discussion of local and Indigenous legends about giant bones in Ecuador. This is mentioned only briefly. As early as the 1500s, Spanish explorers, such as Pedro Cieza de Leon, preserved accounts by Inca, Manta, Arica, and other Indigenous peoples about the bones of fearsome giants that invaded Ecuador and were destroyed en masse, by fire. (see A. Mayor, Fossil Legends of the First Americans, Princeton 2005, pp 80-84). The giants’ bones were actually the fossil remains of mastodons and other megafauna of the Pleistocene, extremely plentiful in southern Ecuador.
Also, given that marmites figured in a modern explanatory myth perpetuated by scientists for more than a century, the authors might consider looking for previous local explanations of the pot holes often called “Giants’ kettles” or “cauldrons” in other cultures, to see whether Indigenous inhabitants of the region, not just Europeans, tried to account for the remarkable formations along the gorge.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Not applicable
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Yes

References

1. Mayor A: Fossil Legends of the First Americans. Princeton. 2005. 80-84

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Fossil folklore, history of science, legends and myths about fossilization

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

Respond to this report

Responses (0)

Back to all reports

Reviewer Report

13 Views

01 Aug 2023 | for Version 2

Valeria Lupiano, National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR-IRPI, Perugia, Italy

13 Views Cite this report Responses(0)

Approved

I believe the article has reached a sufficient level of improvements and is ready for indexing.

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Geology, geomorphology, landslides

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

Respond to this report

Responses (0)

Back to all reports

Reviewer Report

27 Views

14 Mar 2023 | for Version 1

Matthew Bennett, Institute for Studies in Landscapes and Human Evolution, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK

27 Views Cite this report Responses(1)

Not Approved

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Partly
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Partly
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Not applicable
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

No source data required
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Footprints

Respond to this report

Responses (1)

Author Response

25 Jul 2023

Benito Mendoza, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, 060150, Ecuador

Dear reviewer, while the presented work requires more data to determine whether the traces are mastodon footprints or erosional scours, a thorough revision has been conducted. Additional paragraphs have been added to reinforce the initial theory presented in the paper, supported by a literature review and macro and microscale analysis. It is important to note that there are limited indications of mastodon footprints in South America, and this topic is just beginning to be studied. Consequently, the conclusions leave open the possibility of furthering this research through geophysical methods and comparative analysis with similar features found in Argentina and Chile. This will be explored in future work to ascertain whether these are indeed mastodon footprints or erosional scours.

View more View less

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Back to all reports

Reviewer Report

31 Views

12 Jan 2023 | for Version 1

Valeria Lupiano, National Research Council of Italy, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR-IRPI, Perugia, Italy

31 Views Cite this report Responses(1)

Approved With Reservations

Ortega, J. A., Gómez-Heras, M., Perez-López, R., & Wohl, E. (2014). Multiscale structural and lithologic controls in the development of stream potholes on granite bedrock rivers. Geomorphology, 204, 588-598.
Kale, V. S., & Joshi, V. U. (2004). Evidence of formation of potholes in bedrock on human timescale: Indrayani river, Pune district, Maharashtra. Current Science, 723-726.

The conclusions are very meager, should be supplemented with some consideration.

Minor revision:

figure 1: insert a small map with Ecuador location; In the legend change "m.s.n.m." in "m a.s.l.";
In the text change "masl" in "m a.s.l.";
ArcMap and globalmapper cite as:
ESRI year. ArcMap, Release xx. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute.
Blue Marble year. Globalmapper Release....;

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Not applicable
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

No source data required
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

References

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Geology, geomorphology, landslides

Respond to this report

Responses (1)

Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article:

Approved - the paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested

Approved with reservations - A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.

Not approved - fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions

[1] Branco W: About A Fossil Mammal Fauna of Punín. Quito, Ecuador:Annals of the Central University of Ecuador;1938.

[2] Buenaño P: Geological and geophysical analysis applied to hydrogeological prospecting between the towns of Riobamba and Pungalá. Quito:National Polytechnic School;2019.

[3] Clapperton C, Vera R: The Quaternary glacial sequence in Ecuador: a reinterpretation of the work of Walter Sauer. Journal of Quaternary Science. 1986; 1(1): 45–56.

[4] Casella E, Drechsel J, Winter C, et al.: Accuracy of sand beach topography surveying by drones and photogrammetry. Geo-Marine Letters .2020; 40(2):255–268. Publisher Full Text

[5] de Riobamba D : Quebrada de Chalán. In the footsteps of megafauna. Diario de Riobamba. Recalled on 12 of 2021.05 of 12 of 2019.Reference Source

[6] Fernández Díaz M: The Profession of Drone Pilot in the field of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology: science and dissemination from the air.2018.

[7] Fernández V:Archaeological prospecting: approaches, aids and techniques. Theory and Method of Archaeology. Fernández V, editor.Madrid:Synthesis;1989; pp. 54–67.

[8] Gasparini M, Moreno-Escribano JC, Monterroso-Checa A: Photogrammetric Acquisitions in Diverse Archaeological Contexts Using Drones: Background of the Ager Mellariensis Project (North of Córdoba-Spain). Drones 2020 .2020; 4(3):47. Publisher Full Text

[9] Hoffstetter R: Les Mammiféres Pléistocénes de la République de L´Equateur. Memoirs of the Société Géologique de France. Nouvelle Série-Tome XXXI-Fasc. 1952: 1–4.

[10] Lanis T, Razuvaev D: Systematization of features and requirements for geological survey of railroad subgrades functioning in cold regions. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions. 2018; 9(3): 205–212.

[11] La Prensa:La Quebrada de Chalán.La Prensa Chimborazo.11 de 09 de 2021.Recuperado el 12 de 2021, de. https://www.laprensa.com.ec/quebrada-de-chalan

[12] The Press: The Quebrada de Chalán. The Chimborazo Press;11 of 09 of 2021. Retrieved 12, 2021.Reference Source

[13] Lorenc M, Muñoz P, Saavedra J: Giant marmites in the valley of the Jerte River as an example of intensive river erosion by eddies and tectonic influence on its distribution and morphology. Quaternary and Geomorphology. 1995; 9(1/2): 17–26.

[14] Maggi E: The telegraph.26 of 11, 2016. Retrieved 12, 2021, from The Telegraph.Reference Source

[15] Mendoza B, Jiménez M, Carretero P, et al.: Mastodon footprints or water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán. Licto, Ecuador:2022. Publisher Full Text

[16] Moncayo D: Diario de Riobamba. Obtained from Diario de Riobamba.05 of 12 of 2019.Reference Source

[17] Ortega J, Gomez M, Perez R, et al.: Multiscale structural and lithologic controls in the development of stream potholes on granite bedrock rivers. Geomorphology. 2014; 204: 588–598.

[18] Pelletier J, Sweeney K, Roering J, et al.: Controls on the geometry of potholes in bedrock channels. Geophysical Research Letters. 2015; 42(3): 797–803.

[19] Reinoso G: Punín and Chalán. Cuenca:Separata de la Revista N°4 de Antropología;1974.

[20] Román J: Resumption of paleontological research at the Pleistocene site of Punín, Quebrada de Chalán, province of Chimborazo, Ecuador. In X Argentine Congress of Paleontology and Biostratigraphy and VII Latin American Congress of Paleontology (La Plata, 2010).2010.

[21] Román J: Puesta en valor y propuesta de quebrada Chalán, provincia de Chimborazo, como el primer parque paleontológico del Ecuador (Tesis de Maestría) .Madrid:Universidad Complutense de Madrid;2013.

[22] Sauer W: Geología del Ecuador .Quito:Editorial del Ministerio de Educación;1965.

[23] Spillmann F: Die Säugetiere Ecuadors im Wandel der Zeit .Ecuador:Universidad Central del Ecuador;1931.

[24] Stott E, Williams RD, Hoey TB: Ground Control Point Distribution for Accurate Kilometre-Scale Topographic Mapping Using an RTK-GNSS Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and SfM Photogrammetry. Drones 2020 .2020; 4(3):55. Publisher Full Text

[25] El Telégrafo:La Quebrada de Chalán, el lugar donde yacen las huellas de mastodontes. El Telégrafo.28 de 11 de 2016.Recuperado el 12 de 2021 de https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/regional/1/la-quebrada-chalan-el-lugar-donde-yacen-las-huellas-de-mastodontes

[26] The Telegraph: The Quebrada de Chalán, the place where the mastodon footprints lie. The Telegraph;28 of 11 of 2016. Retrieved 12 of 2021.Reference Source

[27] Velasco JD:Historia del reino de Quito en la América meridional.1789.

[28] Wagner A: Ueber fossile Säugetiernochen am Cimborasso. Sitzugsberichte der königlich bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu München. 1883; 3: 330–338.

[29] Wolf T: Geografía y geología del Ecuador; publicada por órden del supremo gobierno de la república por Teodoro Wolf. Tipografía de FA Brockhaus;1892.

[30] Yurak:Yurak.05 de 11 de 2020.Recuperado el 12 de 2021, de. https://yurakproducciones.wordpress.com/2020/11/05/de-que-son-las-huellas-halladas-en-la-quebrada-chalan/

Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador)

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

Methods

Results and discussion

Figure 1. Location map of the Quebrada Chalán.

Geological context

Paleontological context

Prospecting in the Chalán ravine

Figure 2. Stratigraphic succession of the study area.

Figure 3. Circular markings located on the roof of stratum 2.

Figure 4. Description of the evolution of marmite erosion (Lorenc, Muñoz, & Saavedra, 1995).

Figure 5. Water erosion in the upper part of the Chalán ravine.

Figure 6. Marmites found in the upper part of the Chalán ravine.

Conclusions

Data availability

Underlying data

References

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Open Peer Review

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Open Peer Review

Reviewer Status

Reviewer Reports

Comments on this article

Browse by related subjects

Competing Interests Policy

Stay Updated