DOCSLIB.ORG

Desktop Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Desktop Study PALAEONTOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: DESKTOP STUDY PROPOSED BEZALEL ECO-ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ON PORTIONS 135 AND 136 OF THE FARM TOWNLANDS OF MARTHINUS WESSELSTROOM 121 HT NEAR WAKKERSTROOM, MPUMALANGA John E. Almond PhD (Cantab.) Natura Viva cc, PO Box 12410 Mill Street, Cape Town 8010, RSA [email protected] November 2013 1. SUMMARY Nulani Investments Pty Ltd is proposing to construct a residential development, known as the Bezalel Eco-estate, on portions 135 and 136 of the farm Townlands of Marthinus Wesselstroom 121HT, situated c. 6.5 km northwest of the small town of Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The lower-lying, southern portion of the Bezalel Eco-estate study area is underlain by offshore mudrocks of the Middle to Late Permian Volksrust Formation (Ecca Group) that are extensively intruded by dolerite sills. The fossil record of the dark Volksrust mudrocks is generally poor, with locally abundant organic-walled microfossils and trace fossils (e.g. invertebrate burrows) plus rare records of both marine and freshwater bivalve molluscs. Richer plant and insect biotas may occur in nearshore, deltaic sediments high up within the succession, but the stratigraphic position of these fossiliferous beds is poorly-defined. Steeper escarpment slopes featuring prominent- weathering sandstones in the study area are assigned to the Normandien Formation (Lower Beaufort Group) of Latest Permian age. This fluvio-deltaic succession of interbedded mudrocks and sandstones (previously referred to the Estcourt Formation) is well-known in Kwazulu-Natal for its diverse, well-preserved fossil floras - predominantly ferns and glossopterid pteridosperms, with minor coniferophytes. These are sometimes associated with important insect faunas. The Normandien fossil assemblages are generally found within recessive-weathering laminated mudrock horizons that are not at all well-exposed in the study area and that may well have been baked by the dolerite sill that caps the higher ground in the study area. Infrastructure constructed in the low-lying, southwestern portions of the Belazel study area is unlikely to have significant impacts on local fossil heritage resources since this region is underlain by poorly-fossiliferous, baked Volksrust mudrocks and unfossiliferous dolerite. The higher-lying, steeper slopes built of sandstone-rich Normandien (Escourt) Formation rocks are more palaeontologically sensitive, but again baking by dolerite may have compromised fossil heritage here. Any substantial excavations (e.g. for building foundations) into the Normandien bedrocks should be monitored for fossils (e.g. plant-rich mudrock horizons) by a professional palaeontologist during the construction phase. The highest ground along the north-eastern and eastern edge of the study area overlies unfossiliferous dolerite. Should any substantial fossil remains (e.g. vertebrate bones and teeth, petrified wood, plant fossil assemblages) be encountered during excavation, these should be reported to SAHRA for possible mitigation by a professional palaeontologist at the developers expense (SAHRA contact details: Ms. Colette Scheermeyer, South African Heritage Resources Agency, 111 Harrington Street. P.O. Box 4637, Cape Town 8000. Tel: 021 462 4502. Email: [email protected]. Fax: +27 (0)21 462 4509. Web:www.sahra.org.za). John E. Almond (2013) 1 Natura Viva cc 2. INTRODUCTION & BRIEF The company Nulani Investments Pty Ltd is proposing to develop a residential eco-estate (Bezalel Eco-estate) on portions 135 (a portion of portion 1) and 136 (a portion of portion 1) of the farm Townlands of Marthinus Wesselstroom 121HT, situated some 6.5 km northwest of the small town of Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga (Figs. 1 to 3). The residential component of the estate, comprising 59 residential erven and a hotel, will be situated on a portion of Portion 136 while a manager’s residence with workshop, estate services and stables will be accommodated on Portion 135. The development footprint will be no more than 19 ha and include: 59 residential erven and related infrastructure; A hotel erf including conference venue and convenience shops as well as 25 accommodation rooms; and an erf for the management of the estate with a manager’s residence, estate office, guard house, workshop, services, animal accommodation and stables. The study area near Wakkerstroom is underlain by potentially fossiliferous sediments of Palaeozoic age (Ecca and Beaufort Groups, Karoo Supergroup) that may be disturbed or excavated during the construction phase of development. A palaeontological heritage assessment for the project was requested by SAHRA in accordance with the requirements of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (SAHRA Ref: 16/5/1 Bezalel Eco-Estate, dated August 19, 2013). The present desktop report was therefore commissioned on behalf of the developer by KZK Urban Planning Studio (Contact details: Sieghard Knöcklein. KZK Urban Planning Studio, 282 Joubert Street, WAKKERSTROOM 2480. Tel: +27(81) 797 6211; Fax: +27 (86) 766 6795; E-mail: [email protected]). The brief for the study, as specified by SAHRA, is as follows: A Palaeontological study must be undertaken to assess whether or not the development will impact upon significant palaeontological resources. Alternatively, a letter of exemption from a Palaeontologist is required to indicate that this is unnecessary. If the area is deemed sensitive or if significant heritage is identified, a full Palaeontological Report may be required. John E. Almond (2013) 2 Natura Viva cc N 5 km Fig. 1. Approximate location (blue rectangle) of the proposed Bezalel Eco-Estate study area some 6.5 km northwest of Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga (Map abstracted from topographical sheet 2720 Vryheid, Courtesy of the Chief Directorate, National Geo-spatial Information, Mowbray). John E. Almond (2013) 3 Natura Viva cc N 2 km Fig. 2. Extract from 1: 50 000 topographical sheet 2730AC Wakkerstroom (courtesy of the Chief Directorate, National Geo-spatial Information, Mowbray) showing the outline of the Bezalel Eco-estate study area on portions 135 and 136 of the farm Townlands Of Marthinus Wesselstroom 121 HT, northwest of Wakkerstroom (red polygon). John E. Almond (2013) 4 Natura Viva cc Fig. 3. Google earth© satellite image of the region to the northwest of Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga showing the dissected mountainous terrain in the Bezalel Eco-estate study area (approximately indicated by the yellow rectangle). Gently-sloping to hilly terrain in the lowlands, away from the mountains, is underlain by mudrocks of the Volksrust Formation. Prominent-weathering pale sandstones of the Normandien Formation (= Escourt Formation) are seen in the escarpment. Faint reddish-brown hues on the plateau above the sandstones as well as beneath them reflect intrusive sills of the Karoo Dolerite Suite. 1.2. Legislative context of this palaeontological study The various categories of heritage resources recognised as part of the National Estate in Section 3 of the National Heritage Resources Act (1999) include, among others: geological sites of scientific or cultural importance; palaeontological sites; palaeontological objects and material, meteorites and rare geological specimens. According to Section 35 of the National Heritage Resources Act, dealing with archaeology, palaeontology and meteorites: (1) The protection of archaeological and palaeontological sites and material and meteorites is the responsibility of a provincial heritage resources authority. (2) All archaeological objects, palaeontological material and meteorites are the property of the State. (3) Any person who discovers archaeological or palaeontological objects or material or a meteorite in the course of development or agricultural activity must immediately report the find to the responsible heritage resources authority, or to the nearest local authority offices or museum, which must immediately notify such heritage resources authority. (4) No person may, without a permit issued by the responsible heritage resources authority— John E. Almond (2013) 5 Natura Viva cc (a) destroy, damage, excavate, alter, deface or otherwise disturb any archaeological or palaeontological site or any meteorite; (b) destroy, damage, excavate, remove from its original position, collect or own any archaeological or palaeontological material or object or any meteorite; (c) trade in, sell for private gain, export or attempt to export from the Republic any category of archaeological or palaeontological material or object, or any meteorite; or (d) bring onto or use at an archaeological or palaeontological site any excavation equipment or any equipment which assist in the detection or recovery of metals or archaeological and palaeontological material or objects, or use such equipment for the recovery of meteorites. (5) When the responsible heritage resources authority has reasonable cause to believe that any activity or development which will destroy, damage or alter any archaeological or palaeontological site is under way, and where no application for a permit has been submitted and no heritage resources management procedure in terms of section 38 has been followed, it may— (a) serve on the owner or occupier of the site or on the person undertaking such development an order for the development to cease immediately for such period as is specified in the order; (b) carry out an investigation for the purpose of obtaining information on whether or not an archaeological or palaeontological site exists and whether mitigation is necessary; (c)
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Paleontologia Em Destaque
    Paleontologia em Destaque Boletim Informativo da SBP Ano 34, n° 72, 2019 · ISSN 1807-2550 PALEO, SBPV e SBPI 2018 RELATOS E RESUMOS SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE PALEONTOLOGIA Presidente: Dr. Renato Pirani Ghilardi (UNESP/Bauru) Vice-Presidente: Dr. Annie Schmaltz Hsiou (USP/Ribeirão Preto) 1ª Secretária: Dra. Taissa Rodrigues Marques da Silva (UFES) 2º Secretário: Dr. Rodrigo Miloni Santucci (UnB) 1º Tesoureiro: Me. Marcos César Bissaro Júnior (USP/Ribeirão Preto) 2º Tesoureiro: Dr. Átila Augusto Stock da Rosa (UFSM) Diretor de Publicações: Dr. Sandro Marcelo Scheffler (UFRJ) P a l e o n t o l o g i a e m D e s t a q u e Boletim Informativo da Sociedade Brasileira de Paleontologia Ano 34, n° 72, setembro/2019 · ISSN 1807-2550 Web: http://www.sbpbrasil.org/, Editores: Sandro Marcelo Scheffler, Maria Izabel Lima de Manes Agradecimentos: Aos organizadores dos eventos científicos Capa: Palácio do Museu Nacional após a instalação do telhado provisório. Foto: Sandro Scheffler. 1. Paleontologia 2. Paleobiologia 3. Geociências Distribuído sob a Licença de Atribuição Creative Commons. EDITORIAL As reuniões PALEO são encontros regionais chancelados pela Sociedade Brasileira de Paleontologia (SBP) que têm por objetivo a comunhão entre estudantes de graduação e pós- graduação, pesquisadores e interessados na área de Paleontologia. Estes eventos possuem periodicidade anual e ocorrem em várias regiões do Brasil. Iniciadas em 1999, como uma reunião informal da comunidade de paleontólogos, possuem desde então as seguintes distribuições, de acordo com a região de abrangência: Paleo RJ/ES, Paleo MG, Paleo SP, Paleo RS, Paleo PR/SC, Paleo Nordeste e Paleo Norte.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Simulated Fossil Dig Teacher's Guide
    Simulated Fossil Dig Field Trip Program Revised February, 2017 Petrified Forest Focus: Geology and Paleontology School Subjects: Science & Math Grade Levels: 1st – 5th Duration: 90 – 120 minutes in class time, 90-120 minutes in-park time AZ Science Standards SC01-S1C1: compare common objects using multiple senses SC01-S1C2: Ask questions based on experiences with objects, organisms, and events in the environment. SC01-S1C2: Scientific testing (investigating and Modeling) Participate in planning and conducting investigations and recording data. SC01-S1C4, SC02-S1C4, SC03-S1C4, SC04-S1C4, SC05-S1C4: Communication; communicate results of investigations SC01-S1C2, SC02-S2C2, SC03-S2C2, SC04-S2C2, SC05-S2C2: Nature of scientific knowledge; Understand how science is a process for generating knowledge. SC01 – S3C2-02: Describe how suitable tools (e.g. magnifiers, thermometers) help make better observations. SC01-S1C2-01, SC02-S1C2-01, SC03-S1C2-01, SC04-S1C2-01, SC05-S1C2-01: Demonstrate safe behavior and appropriate procedures. SC02-S1C1, SC03-S2C1-02, SC04-S1C1: Observations, Questions, and Hypotheses: Observe, ask questions, and make predictions. SC02-S2C1-02, SC03-S2C1-02, SC04-S2C1-02: Identify science related career opportunities SC03-S1C2-04, SC04-S1C1, SC05-S1C2-04: Use metric and U.S. customary units to measure objects; measure using appropriate tools and units of measure. SC03-S1C2-05, SC04-S1C2-05, SC05-S1C2-05: Record data in an organized and appropriate format. SC03-S1C4-03, SC04-S1C4-03, SC05-S1C4-03: Communicate with other groups or individuals to compare the results of a common investigation. SC03-S4C1-01: Identify animal structures that serve different functions SC01-S6C1-05: Identify ways to conserve natural resources (eg.
    [Show full text]
  • New Fossil Woods from Lower Cenozoic
    [Papers in Palaeontology, Vol. 6, Part 1, 2020, pp. 1–29] NEW FOSSIL WOODS FROM LOWER CENOZOIC VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE FILDES PENINSULA, KING GEORGE ISLAND, AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TRANS-ANTARCTIC PENINSULA EOCENE CLIMATIC GRADIENT by CHANGHWAN OH1 , MARC PHILIPPE2 , STEPHEN MCLOUGHLIN3 , JUSUN WOO4,MARCELOLEPPE5 ,TERESATORRES6, TAE-YOON S. PARK4 and HAN-GU CHOI7 1Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea; [email protected] 2Universite Lyon 1 & CNRS, UMR 5023, 7 rue Dubois, F69622 Villeurbanne, France; [email protected] 3Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, S-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; [email protected] 4Division of Polar Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Korea; [email protected], [email protected] 5Instituto Antartico Chileno (INACH), Plaza Munoz~ Gamero 1055 Punta Arenas, Chile; [email protected] 6Facultad de Ciencias Agronomicas Casilla 1004, Universidad Chile, Santiago, Chile; [email protected] 7Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Korea; [email protected] Typescript received 14 August 2018; accepted in revised form 22 November 2018 Abstract: Ten embedded fossil logs sampled in situ from assemblages from Seymour Island, on the western and east- the middle Eocene volcano-sedimentary rocks close to Suf- ern sides of the Antarctic Peninsula respectively, are inter- field Point in the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, preted to result from environmental and climatic gradients Antarctica, are assigned to Protopodocarpoxylon araucarioides across the Peninsula Orogen during the early Palaeogene. In Schultze-Motel ex Vogellehner, Phyllocladoxylon antarcticum particular, a precipitation gradient inferred across the Penin- Gothan, Agathoxylon antarcticum (Poole & Cantrill) Pujana sula at that time might have been induced by a rain-shadow et al., A.
    [Show full text]
  • Coniferous Wood of Agathoxylon from the La Matilde Formation, (Middle Jurassic), Santa Cruz, Argentina
    Journal of Paleontology, page 1 of 22 Copyright © 2018, The Paleontological Society 0022-3360/15/0088-0906 doi: 10.1017/jpa.2017.145 Coniferous wood of Agathoxylon from the La Matilde Formation, (Middle Jurassic), Santa Cruz, Argentina Adriana C. Kloster,1 and Silvia C. Gnaedinger2 1Área de Paleontología, Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CECOAL-CCT CONICET Nordeste-UNNE). 〈[email protected]〉 2Área de Paleontología, Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CECOAL-CCT CONICET Nordeste-UNNE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (FaCENA-UNNE). Casilla de Correo 291, 3400 Corrientes, Argentina, 〈[email protected]〉 Abstract.—In this contribution, four species of Agathoxylon are described from the La Matilde Formation, Gran Bajo de San Julián and central and south-western sectors of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Agathoxylon agathioides (Kräusel and Jain) n. comb., Agathoxylon santalense (Sah and Jain) n. comb., Agathoxylon termieri (Attims) Gnaedinger and Herbst, and the new species Agathoxylon santacruzense n. sp. are described based on a detailed description of the secondary xylem. In this work, it was possible to construct scatter plots to elucidate the anatomical differences between the fossil species described on quantitative anatomical data. Comparisons are made with other Agathoxylon species from Gondwana. These parameters can be used to discriminate genera and species of wood found in the same formation, as well as to establish differences/similarities between other taxa described in other formations. Some localities contain innumerable “in situ” petrified trees, which allowed us to infer that these taxa formed small forests, or local forests, or small forests within a dense forest, which is a habitat coincident with the extant Araucariaceae.
    [Show full text]
  • Petrified Wood Records & Discovery in Thailand
    FossilFossil WoodWood ofof Thailand:Thailand: TakeTake aa looklook atat petrifiedpetrified woodwood…… Which trees were living in the past? P. Jintasakul Nareerat Boonchai P. J. Grote Northeastern Institute and Environmental Biology Museum of Petrified wood Suranaree University & Mineral Resources of Technology - Petrified wood records & discovery in Thailand - Review of previous studies and researches 2 In 1921, petrified wood wasTheSince firstfound 1957, record and an presented appears toinabundance ContributionsKingContributions Rama of VIpetrified .toto TheThe thethe memorialGeologywoodGeologymemorial has andand monumentmonumentbeen MorphologyMorphology waswas setofdiscoveredofset SiamSiam upup at(the the from Bulletin Mun diggingRiver of railwayGeology,out gravel crossing 1913) for highway in Tha byChang,and Bertil road Nakhon Högbom.construction in King Rama VI (1910-1925) Ratchasimathe Northeast.(Khorat). 3 4 5 6 1.Chiangmai 2.Lampang 3.Tak 4. Lop buri 5.Nakhon Ratchasima 6. Khon Kaen 7.Chaiyaphum 8.Buriram 9.Surin 10. Kalasin 11. Mahasarakham 12. Srisaket 13.Ubon Ratchathani 14. Udornthani 15. Yasothorn 16. Krabi Carboniferous (320 Millions year ago) Coal mine, Loei Province CordaitesCordaites LepidodendronLepidodendron Permian (280 – 250 Millions year ago) Petchabun Province DadoxylonDadoxylon (Vozenin-Serra,1990) cf.cf. GingkophytoxylonGingkophytoxylon (Berthelin, 2006) 8 Late Jurassic Nakhon Ratchasima Province (140 – 120 Ma) Protocedroxylon cf. araucarioides Gothan (Zhang et al.,2004) 9 Early Cretaceous Nakhon Ratchasima
    [Show full text]
  • Palaeontological Impact Assessment for the Proposed Construction of One Large Residential Township in Maokeng, Kroonstad, Free State Province
    Palaeontological Impact Assessment for the proposed construction of one large residential township in Maokeng, Kroonstad, Free State Province Desktop Study For Archaeological and Heritage Services Africa (Pty) Ltd Prof Marion Bamford Palaeobotanist P Bag 652, WITS 2050 Johannesburg, South Africa [email protected] Expertise of Specialist The Palaeontologist Consultant is: Prof Marion Bamford Qualifications: PhD (Wits Univ, 1990); FRSSAf, ASSAf Experience: 30 years research; 23 years PIA studies Declaration of Independence This report has been compiled by Professor Marion Bamford, of the University of the Witwatersrand, sub-contracted by Archaeological and Heritage Services Africa (Pty) Ltd, South Africa. The views expressed in this report are entirely those of the author and no other interest was displayed during the decision making process for the Project. Specialist: Prof Marion Bamford Signature: 1 Executive Summary A palaeontological Impact Assessment was requested for the proposed construction of a large area of residential housing, the northern Maokeng Housing Development, Kroonstad. To comply with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) in terms of Section 38(8) of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act No. 25 of 1999) (NHRA), a desktop Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) was completed for the proposed project. The proposed sites lie on the sandstones and mudstones of the late Permian, Adelaide Subgroup, Beaufort Group, Karoo Supergroup. Although fossils have not been reported from this site there is a small chance that typical vertebrates of the Pristerognathus, Tropidostoma, Cistecephalus and Dicynodon Assemblage Zones could occur, as well as typical (but very infrequent) late Glossopteris flora plants, could occur in the sediments just below the surface.
    [Show full text]
  • A NEW RECORD of Agathoxylon from the OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE of SOUTH CHINA
    338 IAWAIAWA Journal Journal 36 (3), 36 2015: (3), 2015 338–344 A NEW RECORD OF AGATHOXYLON FROM THE OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE OF SOUTH CHINA Xinxin Feng1, 2, 3, Alexei A. Oskolski 4, 5, Xiaoyan Liu1, Wenbo Liao1 and Jianhua Jin1, 2, * 1State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China 2State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China 3Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Shenzhen Paleontological Museum and Shenzhen Fairylake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen 518004, China 4Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia 5Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa *Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT A gymnosperm wood is described from the Oligocene-Miocene of Hainan Island, South China. It is characterized by circular, thin-walled tracheids with resin plugs, 1–3-seriate alternate or opposite intertracheary pits in radial walls, 1–2-seriate rays, cross fields with 3–14 araucarioid cross-field pits. These are features found in the Araucariaceae and the fossil is designated as Agathoxylon sp. Fossil woods with anatomical characteristics seen in the Araucariaceae are extremely rare in the North Hemisphere after the K/T boundary. Thus, this Agathoxylon from the Oligocene-Miocene of South China has significance for biogeographic studies. Keywords: Araucariaceae, Araucarioxylon-type of woods, Agathoxylon, Oli- gocene-Miocene, Hainan Island, South China. INTRODUCTION Fossil woods that are anatomically similar to modern Araucariaceae have been called Araucarioxylon.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Reconstruction of the Mandible of an Adult Lesothosaurus Diagnosticus with Insight Into the Tooth Replacement Process and Diet
    Digital reconstruction of the mandible of an adult Lesothosaurus diagnosticus with insight into the tooth replacement process and diet Lara Sciscio1, Fabien Knoll2, Emese M. Bordy1, Michiel O. de Kock3 and Ragna Redelstorff1 1 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa 2 Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis, Teruel, Spain 3 Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa ABSTRACT Fragmentary caudal ends of the left and right mandible assigned to Lesothosaurus diagnosticus, an early ornithischian, was recently discovered in the continental red bed succession of the upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic) at Likhoele Mountain (Mafeteng District) in Lesotho. Using micro-CT scanning, this mandible could be digitally reconstructed in 3D. The replacement teeth within the better preserved (left) dentary were visualised. The computed tomography dataset suggests asynchronous tooth replacement in an individual identified as an adult on the basis of bone histology. Clear evidence for systematic wear facets created by attrition is lacking. The two most heavily worn teeth are only apically truncated. Our observations of this specimen as well as others do not support the high level of dental wear expected from the semi-arid palaeoenvironment in which Lesothosaurus diagnosticus lived. Accordingly, a facultative omnivorous lifestyle, where seasonality determined the availability, quality, and abundance of food is suggested. This would have allowed for adaptability
    [Show full text]
  • Cryptic Diversity of a Glossopteris Forest: the Permian Prince Charles Mountains Floras, Antarctica
    CRYPTIC DIVERSITY OF A GLOSSOPTERIS FOREST: THE PERMIAN PRINCE CHARLES MOUNTAINS FLORAS, ANTARCTICA by Ben James Slater A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham September 2013 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT The Toploje Member chert is a Roadian to Wordian autochthonous– parautochthonous silicified peat preserved within the Lambert Graben, East Antarctica. It preserves a remarkable sample of terrestrial life from high-latitude central Gondwana prior to the Capitanian mass extinction event from both mega- and microfossil evidence that includes cryptic components rarely seen in other fossil assemblages. The peat layer is dominated by glossopterid and cordaitalean gymnosperms and contains sparse herbaceous lycophytes, together with a broad array of dispersed organs of ferns and other gymnosperms. The peat also hosts a wide range of fungal morphotypes, Peronosporomycetes, rare arthropod remains and a diverse coprolite assemblage. The fungal and invertebrate-plant interactions associated with various organs of the Glossopteris plant reveal the cryptic presence of a ‘component community’ of invertebrate herbivores and fungal saprotrophs centred around the Glossopteris organism, and demonstrate that a multitude of ecological interactions were well developed by the Middle Permian in high-latitude forest mires.
    [Show full text]
  • Insights Into Early Diatom History?
    Thai amber: insights into early diatom history? Vincent Girard, Simona Saint Martin, Eric Buffetaut, Jean-Paul Saint Martin, Didier Néraudeau, Daniel Peyrot, Guido Roghi, Eugenio Ragazzi, Varavudh Suteethorn To cite this version: Vincent Girard, Simona Saint Martin, Eric Buffetaut, Jean-Paul Saint Martin, Didier Néraudeau, et al.. Thai amber: insights into early diatom history?. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, Société géologique de France, 2020, L’ambre (special issue), 191, pp.23. 10.1051/bsgf/2020028. insu- 02890787v2 HAL Id: insu-02890787 https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-02890787v2 Submitted on 20 Jan 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution| 4.0 International License BSGF - Earth Sciences Bulletin 2020, 191, 23 © V. Girard et al., Published by EDP Sciences 2020 https://doi.org/10.1051/bsgf/2020028 Available online at: Special Issue L’Ambre, edited by J.-P. Saint Martin, S. Saint Martin (Guest editors) www.bsgf.fr Thai amber: insights into early diatom history?
    [Show full text]
  • Palaeontological Impact Assessment: Desktop Study
    PALAEONTOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: DESKTOP STUDY Upgrading and construction of water supply schemes in Cluster 2, Chris Hani District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province: Phase 2 (Regional Scheme 4) John E. Almond PhD (Cantab.) Natura Viva cc, PO Box 12410 Mill Street, Cape Town 8010, RSA [email protected] July 2010 1. SUMMARY The study region between Cofimvaba and Queenstown, Eastern Cape Province, is underlain by Early Triassic fluvial sediments of the Burgersdorp Formation (Tarkastad Subgroup, upper Beaufort Group, Karoo Supergroup) that are extensively intruded by Early Jurassic Karoo dolerites. The Beaufort Group rocks are potentially fossiliferous, having yielded elsewhere a diverse biota of Early to Mid Triassic vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, therapsids), trace fossils and plants. However, in the study area these rocks are poorly exposed due to a widespread mantle of colluvium (e.g. doleritic scree) and alluvium. Furthermore, they have been thermally metamorphosed during dolerite intrusion, reducing their palaeontological heritage value. The igneous Karoo dolerites contain no fossils, and the palaeontological sensitivity of the Quaternary to Recent superficial sediments is generally low. The small scale excavations envisaged for the planned water scheme improvements in the Chris Hani District Municipality are unlikely to disturb large volumes of fresh, fossil-bearing rock. It is concluded that the proposed development will not have an appreciable impact on local palaeontological heritage and no further specialist mitigation is recommended for this project. Should substantial fossil remains (notably articulated vertebrate skeletons or skulls) be exposed during construction, however, the ECO should safeguard these - in situ, where feasible. SAHRA and / or a professional palaeontologist should then be alerted as soon as possible so that appropriate mitigation measures can be implemented.
    [Show full text]
  • Flora of the Late Triassic
    Chapter 13 Flora of the Late Triassic Evelyn Kustatscher, Sidney R. Ash, Eugeny Karasev, Christian Pott, Vivi Vajda, Jianxin Yu, and Stephen McLoughlin Abstract The Triassic was a time of diversification of the global floras following the mass-extinction event at the close of the Permian, with floras of low-diversity and somewhat uniform aspect in the Early Triassic developing into complex vegetation by the Late Triassic. The Earth experienced generally hothouse conditions with low equator-to-pole temperature gradients through the Late Triassic. This was also the time of peak amalgamation of the continents to form Pangea. Consequently, many plant families and genera were widely distributed in the Late Triassic. Nevertheless, E. Kustatscher (*) Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bindergasse 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy Department für Geo– und Umweltwissenschaften, Paläontologie und Geobiologie, Ludwig– Maximilians–Universität, and Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Richard–Wagner–Straße 10, 80333 Munich, Germany e-mail: [email protected] S.R. Ash Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northrop Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA e-mail: [email protected] E. Karasev Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya 123, Moscow 117647, Russia e-mail: [email protected] C. Pott Palaeobiology Department, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden LWL-Museum of Natural History, Westphalian State Museum and Planetarium, Sentruper Straße 285, 48161 Münster, Germany e-mail: [email protected] V. Vajda • S. McLoughlin Palaeobiology Department, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] J.
    [Show full text]