Zagros Mountains

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Zagros
Dena2.jpg
Dena, highest point in the Zagros Mountains
Highest point
Peak Dena
Elevation 4,409 m (14,465 ft)
Dimensions
Length 1,600[1] km (990 mi)
Width 240[1] km (150 mi)
Geography
Zagros Folded Zone.jpg
The Zagros fold and thrust belt in green, with the Zagros Mountains to the right
Location Iran, Iraq, Turkey
Geology
Age of rock Carboniferous
Mountain type Fold and thrust belt
The Zagros Mountains (Persian ???? ??? ???????, Kurdish ??????????? ???????;
iyayn Zagros, Lurish ?????? ??????, Syriac ???????? ?????????, Arabic ???? ?????
?? Aramaic ??? ????,) form the largest mountain range in Iran, Iraq and
southeastern Turkey. This mountain range has a total length of 1,500 km (932 mi).
The Zagros mountain range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly corresponds to
Iran's western border, and it spans the whole length of the western and
southwestern Iranian plateau, ending at the Strait of Hormuz. The highest point in
the Zagros Mountains is Dena.

SRTM Shaded Relief Anaglyph of Zagros Mountains

Contents [hide]
1 Geology
1.1 Type and age of rock
2 Glaciation of the East Zagros
3 Climate
4 Flora and fauna
5 History
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Geology[edit]
The Zagros fold and thrust belt was formed by collision of two tectonic plates, the
Eurasian Plate and the Arabian Plate. This collision primarily happened during the
Miocene and folded the entire rocks that had been deposited from the Carboniferous
to the Miocene in the geosyncline in front of the Iranian Plate. The process of
collision continues to the present and as the Arabian Plate is being pushed against
the Eurasian Plate, the Zagros Mountains and the Iranian Plateau are getting higher
and higher.

The Zagros Mountains from space, September 1992[2]

Recent GPS measurements in Iran[3] have shown that this collision is still active
and the resulting deformation is distributed non-uniformly in the country, mainly
taken up in the major mountain belts like Alborz and Zagros. A relatively dense GPS
network which covered the Iranian Zagros[4] also proves a high rate of deformation
within the Zagros. The GPS results show that the current rate of shortening in the
southeast Zagros is ~10 mmyr, dropping to ~5mmyr in the northwest Zagros. The
north-south Kazerun strike-slip fault divides the Zagros into two distinct zones of
deformation. The GPS results also show different shortening directions along the
belt, normal shortening in the southeast and oblique shortening in the northwest
Zagros.

The sedimentary cover in the SE Zagros is deforming above a layer of rock salt
(acting as a ductile decollement with a low basal friction) whereas in the NW
Zagros the salt layer is missing or is very thin. This different basal friction is
partly responsible for the different topographies on either side of the Kazerun
fault. Higher topography and narrower zone of deformation in the NW Zagros is
observed whereas in the SE, deformation was spread more and a wider zone of
deformation with lower topography was formed.[5] Stresses induced in the Earth's
crust by the collision caused extensive folding of the preexisting layered
sedimentary rocks. Subsequent erosion removed softer rocks, such as mudstone (rock
formed by consolidated mud) and siltstone (a slightly coarser-grained mudstone)
while leaving harder rocks, such as limestone (calcium-rich rock consisting of the
remains of marine organisms) and dolomite (rocks similar to limestone containing
calcium and magnesium). This differential erosion formed the linear ridges of the
Zagros Mountains.

The depositional environment and tectonic history of the rocks were conducive to
the formation and trapping of petroleum, and the Zagros region is an important area
for oil production.

Salt domes and salt glaciers are a common feature of the Zagros Mountains. Salt
domes are an important target for petroleum exploration, as the impermeable salt
frequently traps petroleum beneath other rock layers.

Type and age of rock[edit]

A road through the Zagros Mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan

The Zagros Mountains have a totally sedimentary origin and are made primarily of
limestone. In the Elevated Zagros or the Higher Zagros, the Paleozoic rocks could
be found mainly in the upper and higher sections of the peaks of the Zagros
Mountains along the Zagros main fault. On both sides of this fault, there are
Mesozoic rocks, a combination of Triassic and Jurassic rocks that are surrounded by
Cretaceous rocks on both sides. The Folded Zagros (the mountains south of the
Elevated Zagros and almost parallel to the main Zagros fault) is formed mainly of
Tertiary rocks, with the Paleogene rocks south of the Cretaceous rocks and then the
Neogene rocks south of the Paleogene rocks.

The mountains are divided into many parallel sub-ranges (up to 10, or 250 km wide),
and orogenically have the same age as the Alps. Iran's main oilfields lie in the
western central foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The southern ranges of the
Fars Province have somewhat lower summits, reaching 4000 metres. They contain some
limestone rocks showing abundant marine fossils.

Glaciation of the East Zagros[edit]

Dena, highest point in the Zagros Mountains, still has glaciers on it

The mountains of the East-Zagros, the Kuh-i-Jupar (4135 m), Kuh-i-Lalezar (4374 m)
and Kuh-i-Hezar (4469 m) do not currently have glaciers. Only at Zard Kuh and Dena
some glaciers still survive. However, before the Last Glacial Period they had been
glaciated to a depth in excess of 1900 meters, and during the Last Glacial Period
to a depth in excess of 2160 meters. Evidence exists of a 20 km wide glacier fed
along a 17 km long valley dropping approximately 1500 meters along its length on
the north side of Kuh-i-Jupar with a thickness of 350-550m. Under precipitation
conditions comparable to the current conditions, this size of glacier could be
expected to form where the annual average temperature was between 10.5 and 11.2 C,
but since conditions are expected to have been dryer during the period in which
this glacier was formed, the temperature must have been lower.[6][7][8][9]
Climate[edit]
The Zagros Mountains contain several ecosystems. Prominent among them are the
forest and forest steppe areas with a semi-arid climate. As defined by the World
Wildlife Fund and used in their Wildfinder, the particular terrestrial ecoregion of
the mid to high mountain area is Zagros Mountains forest steppe (PA0446). The
annual precipitation ranges from 400 mm to 800 mm (16 to 30 inches) and falls
mostly in winter and spring. Winters are severe, with low temperatures often below
-25 C (-13 F). The region exemplifies the continental variation of the
Mediterranean climate pattern, with a snowy, cold winter and mild rainy spring
followed by a dry summer and autumn.[10]

[hide]Climate data for Amadiya District, Iraq

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high C (F) -0.2
(31.6) 1.4
(34.5) 6.4
(43.5) 12.2
(54) 19.3
(66.7) 24.8
(76.6) 29.7
(85.5) 29.6
(85.3) 25.6
(78.1) 17.7
(63.9) 9.7
(49.5) 2.7
(36.9) 14.91
(58.84)
Average low C (F) -8.0
(17.6) -6.8
(19.8) -2.0
(28.4) 3.5
(38.3) 8.8
(47.8) 13.0
(55.4) 17.3
(63.1) 16.9
(62.4) 13.0
(55.4) 7.2
(45) 2.1
(35.8) -4.3
(24.3) 5.06
(41.11)
Source [11]
Flora and fauna[edit]

A view of Persian oak forests that dominate the Zagros Mountains

Although currently degraded through overgrazing and deforestation, the Zagros
region is home to a rich and complex flora. Remnants of the originally widespread
oak-dominated woodland can still be found, as can the park-like pistachioalmond
steppelands. The ancestors of many familiar foods, including wheat, barley, lentil,
almond, walnut, pistachio, apricot, plum, pomegranate and grape can be found
growing wild throughout the mountains.[12] Persian oak (Quercus brantii) (covering
more than 50% of the Zagros forest area) is the most important tree species of the
Zagros in Iran.[13]

Other floral endemics found within the mountain range include Allium iranicum,
Astracantha crenophila, Bellevalia kurdistanica, Cousinia carduchorum, Cousinia
odontolepis, Echinops rectangularis, Erysimum boissieri, Iris barnumae,
Ornithogalum iraqense, Scrophularia atroglandulosa, Scorzoner kurdistanica,
Tragopogon rechingeri, and Tulipa kurdica.[14]