Foreland basins are premier sites for the formation of resources and they host key information on orogenic evolution. Combined with studies in the adjacent orogen the analysis of foreland basins may reveal pathways and travel times of sediment transfer from source to sink on a variety of timescales. Information may also be retrieved regarding the evolution of topography, isostasy, and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the surface-process regime. Although important advances concerning these topics have been made in the past, foreland basins are still underutilized archives that yield valuable information on the interaction between tectonic and climatic processes, paleohydrologic conditions, speciation and biodiversity, and the seismotectonic and sedimentary processes of discrete fault arrays. In addition, given the tectono-sedimentary history of forelands prior to shortening, these regions can be used to assess various stages of basin evolution in light of the dynamic relationships among crustal thickening, surface processes, basin subsidence, and the role of inherited zones of crustal weakness in controlling deformation.
This session aims to explore the complex and challenging problems associated with deciphering tectonic histories, paleoenvironmental change, and biotic adaptations during basin development and georesource formation in South America. We welcome all contributions from scientists that present innovative approaches at various time scales to promote interdisciplinary discussions on the Andean foreland evolution.