DOCSLIB.ORG

Review of the West Dorset Coast Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct, and Recording Scheme 1999 to 2010

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Review of the West Dorset Coast Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct, and Recording Scheme 1999 to 2010 Review of the West Dorset coast fossil collecting code of conduct, and recording scheme 1999 to 2010 This is a consultation – we want your views. There is a response questionnaire within the appendices and in order to tabulate responses, we would appreciate it if you could reply through that form. Contents Page Executive summary 2 Background 4 The need for a code and why just West Dorset? 5 The core of the code 6 The review of the code Part 1 – the quality of the site 7 Part 2 – the recording scheme 13 Has the code answered the concerns and issues raised by the code working 15 group in 1999? Criticisms of the code 16 Issues and recommendations 17 Discussion: the rationale behind the code and how the review informs it 25 Conclusions 29 Appendices Appendix 1: All specimens. Appendix 2: The re classification of specimens. Appendix 3: Category 1 specimens and where are they now. Appendix 4: Specimens acquired by the Collecting Cultures project. Appendix 5: The definitions of scientific importance. Appendix 6: Consultation list Appendix 7: Questionnaire Appendix 8: Plates This is the first part of the review and has been undertaken by Richard Edmonds, Earth Science Manager with the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Team, in consultation with the Science and Conservation Advisory Group (SCAG) and the West Dorset fossil collecting code group. The responses to the paper will be considered by both groups as the second stage of the review, with the third stage being the adoption of a reviewed code of conduct following that consultation. The requirement for this review was identified in the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site Management Plan 2009-2014 under Aim 2 ‘To conserve and enhance the Site and its setting for science, education and public enjoyment’ , policy number 2.6 (page 47) and is also discussed in the issues and opportunities section on page 26. Date of publication: November 2010 Responses to this review must be submitted by the end of April 2011. 1 Consultation executive summary The West Dorset fossil collecting code of conduct (the code) was developed by a working group with representation from all interests and, following a period of consultation, was adopted in the late 1990’s. It applies to the coast between Lyme Regis and Burton Bradstock or stratigraphically, the Lower and part of the Middle Jurassic. The code has been accepted by UNESCO as appropriate management for this type of site through the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site Management Plan. This is an exceptional site; a rapidly eroding coastal section that is the source of internationally important fossils contained within an internationally significant geological section maintained by spectacular coastal processes, principally, massive landslides. The priorities of the code are that fossils should be recovered before they are destroyed by the very processes that expose them; landslides and storms, and that everyone should have access to information about what is being found. Specimens of key scientific importance should be offered to accredited museums if they are to be donated or sold. Collecting in situ is restricted and the fossils within the foreshore ledges or cliff sections may only be removed with permission from the landowner or Natural England. That said; specimens (principally vertebrates and large crinoid slabs) at immediate risk of being destroyed by the sea or found by others may be extracted and retrospective permission sought. The code recognises the essential role that collectors, notably local collectors, have always played in the recovery of fossils, from Joseph and Mary Anning some 200 years ago to those of today, who are still making new discoveries. However, less than 10% of the specimens defined as being of ‘key scientific importance’ have found their way into accredited museum collections. The working group knew that this would be a problem; the issues are complex and discussed in the main document. It is important to recognise that despite the high collecting effort, these specimens are rescued ‘ just in time’ as they can only be found once the process of erosion is acting upon them. The coast, particularly around Charmouth and Lyme Regis, is a focus for major educational activities; several museums/heritage centres and individuals lead numerous guided walks for schools and the general public, throughout the year. This is an entirely sustainable activity in terms of the site in that the common fossils are regularly renewed by the massive natural erosion rates at work on the coast. Many geologists interest in the subject was sparked at a young age by a visit to this coast. The promotion of the Earth sciences to the general public, including the economic benefits that it delivers, are important to the long term profile of what many would say is an often overlooked subject. A small minority of tourists do continue to clamber up and pick away at the cliffs but the scientific interest is unlikely to be damaged by such activity which also has no significant contribution to erosion rates. The concern is much more their safety. Two individuals have expressed, and continue to express concerns about the effectiveness of the code and the damage that they claim is being done to the coast by the current collecting effort but they offer no evidence to support their view other than a deeply flawed comparative analysis between the fossils recorded under the code and those recovered from the nearby Charmouth bypass. There are many in the academic community that support the work of collectors but there are almost certainly others that do have concerns or reservations about the level of collecting effort along this coast and aspects of the code. A key objective of this consultation is to canvass the full range of opinion, principally from within the academic community. 2 Are the priorities of the working group correct? Is it better that the specimens are recovered, even if they remain in private hands, than to seek a more restrictive approach? Is co-operation preferable to coercion? It is difficult to imagine how a more restrictive approach that might lead to loss of co-operation, good will or trust with collectors, would improve the chances of important specimens, particularly vertebrates, being rescued. Is there an alternative, more effective, practical and affordable way to achieve the objectives set out in the code or alternative objectives that you have identified? This is a robust site subject to high erosion rates. Collecting effort of ex situ fossils is high but the site remains in ‘favourable condition’ and research can be undertaken. Would you agree or disagree with that statement? What is the evidence to support claims of damage to the scientific interest within this site? Obviously these are potentially complex questions; the condition of the site can be interpreted very subjectively while the quality of the site is changing all the time, principally due to the time of year and weather conditions. A visit to Charmouth in the height of the summer will reveal very different numbers and types of fossils than a similar visit on or just after a major winter storm. On a longer term basis, the huge Black Ven Landslide of 1958/9 has now largely been eroded away and the numbers of fossils coming from it have greatly declined. On the other hand, the Spittles slip of May 2008 has brought down a huge volume of Shales with Beef and as a result, a different fauna is currently being uncovered and rescued. The scientific interests vary; stratigraphers are interested in examining strata and collecting specimens in situ in the field. A vertebrate palaeontologist, in contrast, will typically work on specimens held in museum collections built up over the last 200 years or more, specimens which have been recovered by academics and collectors alike and who have open access to the sites in which the fossils are found. The main review document and appendices contain observations, issues, recommendations and discussion to inform this consultation and we welcome your views so please respond, ideally by addressing the questions in appendix 7. Please respond to Richard Edmonds, Earth Science Manager, Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site team, by the end of April 2011. Respond to: C/O Environmental Services, Dorset County Council, County Hall, Dorchester. E-mail: r.edmonds@dorsetcc.gov.uk. 3 Background The West Dorset coast between Lyme Regis and Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, the area covered by the West Dorset coast Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct (the code), is the richest source of fossil reptiles, fish and insects of Lower Lias age anywhere in the world (Nomination of the Dorset and East Devon coast for inclusion in the World Heritage List). It also displays a spectacular sequence of rock strata which, when combined with the fossil fauna, provides a superb record through the Lower and part of the Middle Jurassic periods of time. Unsurprisingly the coast contains a rich mosaic of overlapping Geological Conservation Review (GCR) sites for stratigraphy, palaeontology and geomorphology (Table 1) and these interests are legally protected within the West Dorset Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It mostly lies within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for wildlife interests under the European Habitats Regulations and forms part of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site (WHS). GCR GCR Name Block Name 51 Burton Cliff & Cliff Hill Road Aalenian-Bajocian stratigraphy Section Stratigraphy 87 Pinhay Bay to Fault Corner Hettangian, Sinemurian and Pliensbachian stratigraphy 251 Seatown to Watton Cliff Toarcian stratigraphy 253 East Cliff Toarcian stratigraphy 1330 Watton Cliff Bathonian stratigraphy Palaeontology 794 Charmouth Palaeoentomology 916 Lyme Regis Jurassic-Cretaceous Reptilia 2952 Lyme Regis Mesozoic-Tertiary Fish 2901 Watton Cliff Mesozoic-Tertiary Fish/Amphibia 546 Watton Cliff Mesozoic Mammals Geomorphology 1321 Black Ven Mass Movement 1800 Chesil Beach Coastal geomorphology 2901 Golden Cap-Lyme Regis Coastal geomorphology Table 1: The Geological Conservation Review sites within the West Dorset Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Congregational Chapel's Graveyard
    https://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/research Congregational Chapel Coombe Street, Lyme Regis The Search for a Graveyard Graham Davies, July 2021 The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum in Coombe Street, Lyme Regis, occupies a grade I listed building, a former Congregational (more recently, United Reform) Chapel which closed its doors to religious services in 1985. The Congregational (Independent) Church was formed in Lyme in 1662 following the ejection of the vicar, the Rev A Short, for non-compliance with the Act of Uniformity. He subsequently held services in his own house in Church Street and elsewhere, but was constantly hounded by the authorities. He died in 1697. In 1734 the Rev J Whitty became the new minister and under his guidance a chapel was built in Coombe Street in 1755. Dinosaurland, June 2013 In 2012, research team members, Diane Shaw, Derek Perrey and Graham Davies reviewed the Museum’s Congregational Chapel archives. They found a reference to a ‘curious little graveyard’ on the Lynch, belonging to the Congregational Chapel. In 1841, on behalf of the Chapel, a piece of ground, with two cottages on it (ref 192, 1841 tithe map), situated on the Lynch, was purchased by Mr Theophilus B Goddard from Mr Fowler, of the Hart Inn, at a price of £250. Extensive alterations were made to the cottages, and the part to be used as the burial ground was walled off from the rest. Mr Goddard hoped the Church would repay him his £250 through rents, burial fees and subscriptions. Through lack of subscriptions, Mr Goddard was set free by the Church in 1873 to dispose of the cottages as he saw fit, leaving them the graveyard.
    [Show full text]
  • Excursion to Lyme Regis, Easter, 1906
    320 EXCURSION TO LYME REGIS, EASTER, 1906. pebbles and bed NO.3 seemed, however, to be below their place. The succession seemed, however,to be as above, and, if that be so, the beds below bed I are probably Bagshot Beds. "The pit at the lower level has been already noticed in our Proceedings; cj. H. W. Monckton and R. S. Herries 'On some Bagshot Pebble Beds and Pebble Gravel,' Proc. Ceol. Assoc., vol. xi, p. 13, at p. 22. The pit has been worked farther back, and the clay is now in consequence thicker. Less of the under­ lying sand is exposed than it was in June, 1888. "The casts of shells which occur in this sand were not abundant, but several were found by members of the party on a small heap of sand at the bottom of the pit." Similarly disturbed strata were again observed in the excavation for the new reservoir close by. A few minutes were then profitably spent in examining Fryerning Church, and its carved Twelfth Century font, etc. At the Spread Eagle a welcome tea awaited the party, which, after thanking the Director, returned by the 7.55 p.m. train to London. REFERENCES. Geological Survey Map, Sheet 1 (Drift). 1889. WHITAKER, W.-I< Geology of London," vol. i, pp. 259, 266. &c. 1889. MONCKTON, H. W., and HERRIES, R. S.-I< On Some Bagshot Pebble Beds and Pebble Gravel," Proc, Geo], Assoc., vol, xi, p. 13. 1904. SALTER, A. E.-" On the Superficial Deposits of Central and Southern England," Proc. Ceo!. Assoc., vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Springs and Seepages of Wessex Lyme Regis Invertebrate Survey
    Springs and Seepages of Wessex Lyme Regis Invertebrate Survey Andy Godfrey March 2012 1 Andy Godfrey Invertebrate Consultant 90 Bence Lane Darton Barnsley South Yorkshire S75 5DA Tel: 01226 384022 Mobile: 07502 364511 Email: andy_godfrey_entomology@hotmail.com 2 Contents Summary ........................................................................................................................................4 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................5 2. Location ..................................................................................................................................5 3. Methodology............................................................................................................................5 3.1. Aquatic survey method ....................................................................................................5 3.2. Terrestrial survey method ................................................................................................5 3.3. Recording of environmental variables..............................................................................6 3.4. Identification ....................................................................................................................6 3.5. Assessment .....................................................................................................................6 4. Selection of survey sites..........................................................................................................6
    [Show full text]
  • A Mysterious Giant Ichthyosaur from the Lowermost Jurassic of Wales
    A mysterious giant ichthyosaur from the lowermost Jurassic of Wales JEREMY E. MARTIN, PEGGY VINCENT, GUILLAUME SUAN, TOM SHARPE, PETER HODGES, MATT WILLIAMS, CINDY HOWELLS, and VALENTIN FISCHER Ichthyosaurs rapidly diversified and colonised a wide range vians may challenge our understanding of their evolutionary of ecological niches during the Early and Middle Triassic history. period, but experienced a major decline in diversity near the Here we describe a radius of exceptional size, collected at end of the Triassic. Timing and causes of this demise and the Penarth on the coast of south Wales near Cardiff, UK. This subsequent rapid radiation of the diverse, but less disparate, specimen is comparable in morphology and size to the radius parvipelvian ichthyosaurs are still unknown, notably be- of shastasaurids, and it is likely that it comes from a strati- cause of inadequate sampling in strata of latest Triassic age. graphic horizon considerably younger than the last definite Here, we describe an exceptionally large radius from Lower occurrence of this family, the middle Norian (Motani 2005), Jurassic deposits at Penarth near Cardiff, south Wales (UK) although remains attributable to shastasaurid-like forms from the morphology of which places it within the giant Triassic the Rhaetian of France were mentioned by Bardet et al. (1999) shastasaurids. A tentative total body size estimate, based on and very recently by Fischer et al. (2014). a regression analysis of various complete ichthyosaur skele- Institutional abbreviations.—BRLSI, Bath Royal Literary tons, yields a value of 12–15 m. The specimen is substantially and Scientific Institution, Bath, UK; NHM, Natural History younger than any previously reported last known occur- Museum, London, UK; NMW, National Museum of Wales, rences of shastasaurids and implies a Lazarus range in the Cardiff, UK; SMNS, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, lowermost Jurassic for this ichthyosaur morphotype.
    [Show full text]
  • St Michael's House, 7 Pound Street
    St Michael’s House, 7 Pound Street Graham Davies and Richard Wells May 2020 The house is set back from the roadside and adjacent properties on the Pound Street hill in Lyme Regis. Of Regency origin, the house underwent a Victorian makeover followed by further changes in the 20th/21st centuries. Initially a private house for almost a hundred years it became an hotel for most of the 20th century before being converted into flats in 2004. The Rev Michael Babbs bought the house in 1818. Did he name the house Mount Nebo or was it the earlier owner and/or builder? 2018 The Rev Babbs (1743-1831) came from London to Lyme Regis as a curate in 1792. He was accompanied by his daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Ann, and their step-mother, his second wife Mary. He rented the recently built house, Belle Vue (today’s Kersbrook), in Pound Road from Samuel Coade and was tenant there for the next 30 years. He served under four different vicars and seemed content to act as a perpetual curate at the Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel. He was a gentleman of additional means. The parish records show him to be a very busy clergyman, well known, not only in society, but to all classes of people in the community. He was described by his sexton, John Upjohn, as ‘a nice gentleman who wrote like copperplate’. It is not known when the house was built, by whom, and from whom it was purchased in 1818. Annotated survey What is known: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Cause and Consequence of Recurrent Early Jurassic Anoxia Following The
    [Palaeontology, Vol. 56, Part 4, 2013, pp. 685–709] MICROBES, MUD AND METHANE: CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE OF RECURRENT EARLY JURASSIC ANOXIA FOLLOWING THE END-TRIASSIC MASS EXTINCTION by BAS VAN DE SCHOOTBRUGGE1*, AVIV BACHAN2, GUILLAUME SUAN3, SYLVAIN RICHOZ4 and JONATHAN L. PAYNE2 1Palaeo-environmental Dynamics Group, Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhofer€ Allee 1, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; email: van.de.Schootbrugge@em.uni-frankfurt.de 2Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; emails: avivbd@stanford.edu, jlpayne@stanford.edu 3UMR, CNRS 5276, LGLTPE, Universite Lyon 1, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France; email: guillaume.suan@univ-lyon1.fr 4Academy of Sciences, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 26, 8020, Graz, Austria; email: sylvain.richoz@uni-graz.at *Corresponding author. Typescript received 19 January 2012; accepted in revised form 23 January 2013 Abstract: The end-Triassic mass extinction (c. 201.6 Ma) Toarcian events are marked by important changes in phyto- was one of the five largest mass-extinction events in the his- plankton assemblages from chromophyte- to chlorophyte- tory of animal life. It was also associated with a dramatic, dominated assemblages within the European Epicontinental long-lasting change in sedimentation style along the margins Seaway. Phytoplankton changes occurred in association with of the Tethys Ocean, from generally organic-matter-poor the establishment of photic-zone euxinia, driven by a general sediments during the
    [Show full text]
  • Jurassic Coast Fossil Acquisition Strategy Consultation Report
    Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Fossil acquisition strategy for the Jurassic Coast- Consultation Document A study to identify ways to safeguard important scientific fossils from the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site – prepared by Weightman Associates and Hidden Horizons on behalf of the Jurassic Coast Team, Dorset County Council p Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Fossil acquisition strategy for the Jurassic Coast CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………2 2. BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………………………………..2 3. SPECIFIC ISSUES………………………………………..……………………………………….5 4. CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS………………………………………………5 5. DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………………………………..11 6. CONCLUSIONS…………………………..……………………………………………………..14 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………....14 8. APPENDIX..……………………………………………………………………………………...14 1 JURASSIC COAST FOSSIL ACQUISITION STRATEGY 1. Introduction The aim of this project is to identify ways to safeguard important scientific fossils from the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site. The identification of placements in accredited museums would enable intellectual access for scientific study and education. Two consulting companies Weightman Associates and Hidden Horizons have been commissioned to undertake this Project. Weightman Associates is a partnership of Gill Weightman and Alan Weightman; they have been in partnership for twenty years working on museum and geology projects. Hidden Horizons Ltd is a museum and heritage consultancy formed in 2013 by Will Watts. When UNESCO granted World Heritage status to the Dorset and East Devon Coast in 2001 it recognised the importance of the Site’s geology and geomorphology. The Jurassic Coast Management Plan 2014-2019 has as one of its aims to “To Conserve and enhance the Site and its setting for science, education and public enjoyment” and the Plan states that a critical success factor is “An increase in the number of scientifically important fossils found along the site that are acquired by or loaned back to local accredited museums”.
    [Show full text]
  • A Revision of the Classification of the Plesiosauria with a Synopsis of the Stratigraphical and Geographical Distribution Of
    LUNDS UNIVERSITETS ARSSKRIFT. N. F. Avd. 2. Bd 59. Nr l. KUNGL. FYSIOGRAFISKA SÅLLSKAPETS HANDLINGAR, N. F. Bd 74. Nr 1. A REVISION OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE PLESIOSAURIA WITH A SYNOPSIS OF THE STRATIGRAPHICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE GROUP BY PER OVE PERSSON LUND C. W. K. GLEER UP Read before the Royal Physiographic Society, February 13, 1963. LUND HÅKAN OHLSSONS BOKTRYCKERI l 9 6 3 l. Introduction The sub-order Plesiosauria is one of the best known of the Mesozoic Reptile groups, but, as emphasized by KuHN (1961, p. 75) and other authors, its classification is still not satisfactory, and needs a thorough revision. The present paper is an attempt at such a revision, and includes also a tabular synopsis of the stratigraphical and geo­ graphical distribution of the group. Some of the species are discussed in the text (pp. 17-22). The synopsis is completed with seven maps (figs. 2-8, pp. 10-16), a selective synonym list (pp. 41-42), and a list of rejected species (pp. 42-43). Some forms which have been erroneously referred to the Plesiosauria are also briefly mentioned ("Non-Plesiosaurians", p. 43). - The numerals in braekets after the generic and specific names in the text refer to the tabular synopsis, in which the different forms are numbered in successional order. The author has exaroined all material available from Sweden, Australia and Spitzbergen (PERSSON 1954, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1962a); the major part of the material from the British Isles, France, Belgium and Luxembourg; some of the German spec­ imens; certain specimens from New Zealand, now in the British Museum (see LYDEK­ KER 1889, pp.
    [Show full text]
  • Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19Th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology
    Headwaters Volume 26 Article 14 2009 Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology Larry E. Davis College of St. Benedict / St. John's University, ldavis@csbsju.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/headwaters Part of the Geology Commons, and the Paleontology Commons Recommended Citation Davis, Larry E. (2009) "Mary Anning of Lyme Regis: 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology," Headwaters: Vol. 26, 96-126. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/headwaters/vol26/iss1/14 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Headwaters by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@csbsju.edu. LARRY E. DAVIS Mary Anning of Lyme Regis 19th Century Pioneer in British Palaeontology Ludwig Leichhardt, a 19th century German explorer noted in a letter, “… we had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the Princess of Palaeontology, Miss Anning. She is a strong, energetic spinster of about 28 years of age, tanned and masculine in expression …” (Aurousseau, 1968). Gideon Mantell, a 19th century British palaeontologist, made a less flattering remark when he wrote in his journal, “… sallied out in quest of Mary An- ning, the geological lioness … we found her in a little dirt shop with hundreds of specimens piled around her in the greatest disorder. She, the presiding Deity, a prim, pedantic vinegar looking female; shred, and rather satirical in her conversation” (Curwin, 1940). Who was Mary Anning, this Princess of Palaeontology and Geological Lioness (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Cenoceras Islands' in the Blue Lias Formation (Lower Jurassic)
    FOSSIL IMPRINT • vol. 75 • 2019 • no. 1 • pp. 108–119 (formerly ACTA MUSEI NATIONALIS PRAGAE, Series B – Historia Naturalis) ‘CENOCERAS ISLANDS’ IN THE BLUE LIAS FORMATION (LOWER JURASSIC) OF WEST SOMERSET, UK: NAUTILID DOMINANCE AND INFLUENCE ON BENTHIC FAUNAS DAVID H. EVANS1, *, ANDY H. KING2 1 Stratigrapher, Natural England, Rivers House, East Quay, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4YS UK; e-mail: david.evans@naturalengland.org.uk. 2 Director & Principal Geologist, Geckoella Ltd, Suite 323, 7 Bridge Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1TG UK; e-mail: andy@geckoella.co.uk. * corresponding author Evans, D. H., King, A. H. (2019): ‘Cenoceras islands’ in the Blue Lias Formation (Lower Jurassic) of West Somerset, UK: nautilid dominance and influence on benthic faunas. – Fossil Imprint, 75(1): 108–119, Praha. ISSN 2533-4050 (print), ISSN 2533-4069 (on-line). Abstract: Substantial numbers of the nautilid Cenoceras occur in a stratigraphically limited horizon within the upper part of the Lower Jurassic (Sinemurian Stage) Blue Lias Formation at Watchet on the West Somerset Coast (United Kingdom). Individual nautilid conchs are associated with clusters of encrusting organisms (sclerobionts) forming ‘islands’ that may have been raised slightly above the surrounding substrate. Despite the relatively large numbers of nautilid conchs involved, detailed investigation of their preservation suggests that their accumulation reflects a reduction in sedimentation rates rather than an influx of empty conches or moribund animals. Throughout those horizons in which nautilids are present in relative abundance, the remains of ammonites are subordinate or rare. The reason for this unclear, and preferential dissolution of ammonite conchs during their burial does seem to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem.
    [Show full text]
  • Geology of the Shepton Mallet Area (Somerset)
    Geology of the Shepton Mallet area (Somerset) Integrated Geological Surveys (South) Internal Report IR/03/94 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY INTERNAL REPORT IR/03/00 Geology of the Shepton Mallet area (Somerset) C R Bristow and D T Donovan Contributor H C Ivimey-Cook (Jurassic biostratigraphy) The National Grid and other Ordnance Survey data are used with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Ordnance Survey licence number GD 272191/1999 Key words Somerset, Jurassic. Subject index Bibliographical reference BRISTOW, C R and DONOVAN, D T. 2003. Geology of the Shepton Mallet area (Somerset). British Geological Survey Internal Report, IR/03/00. 52pp. © NERC 2003 Keyworth, Nottingham British Geological Survey 2003 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The full range of Survey publications is available from the BGS Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG Sales Desks at Nottingham and Edinburgh; see contact details 0115-936 3241 Fax 0115-936 3488 below or shop online at www.thebgs.co.uk e-mail: sales@bgs.ac.uk The London Information Office maintains a reference collection www.bgs.ac.uk of BGS publications including maps for consultation. Shop online at: www.thebgs.co.uk The Survey publishes an annual catalogue of its maps and other publications; this catalogue is available from any of the BGS Sales Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LA Desks. 0131-667 1000 Fax 0131-668 2683 The British Geological Survey carries out the geological survey of e-mail: scotsales@bgs.ac.uk Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the latter as an agency service for the government of Northern Ireland), and of the London Information Office at the Natural History Museum surrounding continental shelf, as well as its basic research (Earth Galleries), Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Autumn 2009 Free Issue No
    Autumn 2009 Free Issue no. 7 no. Issue A mini version of Tower Bridge and a brontosaurus Photo-montage by Tim Heap straddling the water were two of the more tongue-in- be rustic, constructed of timber, appreciably wider with cheek suggestions put to the design team visiting passing places, extended so as to avoid the mud, and to Charmouth on September 10th. Representatives from have an arched elevation similar to the current design. Dorset Engineering Consultancy, the Coastal Ranger team, and the artists, Sans facon, met with District and Parish According to Sans facon, the artists, they do not start from Councillors, adjacent businesses and over 40 locals eager to a preconceived aesthetic: their approach consists of share their thoughts and concerns regarding the understanding a context, from its physical and social replacement footbridge over the Char river. location to the uses and functions of the place. Rather than parachute in ideas or recipes from somewhere else, they People spoke of the natural beauty of the landscape, the aim to utilise and integrate their response ideas within the importance of the geology of the area and the need for a specific quality of the location. The Velator viewing platform new structure that will sit comfortably within its rural they created in Devon (www.sansfacon.co.uk/vel/vel.html) surroundings. The general consensus was that the bridge illustrates this by drawing inspiration from and responding directly to the site and its essence. They will be working in close collaboration with the engineers and the rest of the ‘Palaeontology in Charmouth’ team to develop a joint design.
    [Show full text]