Cave opening and fossil accumulation in Naracoorte, Australia, through charcoal and pollen in dated speleothems

Weij, Rieneke; Woodhead, Jon; Sniderman, J. M. Kale; Hellström, John; Reed, Elizabeth Helen; Bourne, Steven; Drysdale, Russell N.; Pollard, Timothy

doi:10.1038/s43247-022-00538-y

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 57 publications

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“…Fossil Chamber, the source of some of the material described in this study, has fossil material dating between 500 and 213 ka (Ayliffe et al 1998;Arnold et al 2022). A recent study has indicated a potential upper (older) age limit of 600 ka for vertebrate fossils in the Naracoorte Cave Complex based on pollen and charcoal records (Weij et al 2022). Accipitrid fossils are known from the very large and speciesrich deposit in Fossil Chamber but are extremely rare, with only eight bones currently identified (see Mather 2021).…”

Section: Victoria Fossil Cavementioning

confidence: 90%

A giant raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the Pleistocene of southern Australia

et al. 2023

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The giant accipitrid Dynatoaetus gaffae gen. et sp. nov. is described from existing and newly collected material. Initial fossil remains were collected from Mairs Cave (Flinders Ranges, South Australia) in 1956 and 1969, and comprised a sternum, distal humerus and two ungual phalanges. A further 28 bones from this individual—including the neurocranium, vertebrae, furculum, and additional wing and leg bones, most of which were incomplete—were discovered at the site in 2021. This allowed identification of additional fossils from the same species in collections from Cooper Creek (Lake Eyre Basin, SA), Victoria Fossil Cave (Naracoorte, SA) and Wellington Caves (Wellington, NSW). Dynatoaetus has variable similarity across elements to those of living species in the Perninae, Gypaetinae, Circaetinae and Aegypiinae. Parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of combined morphological and DNA data resolved it as the immediate sister-group to the Aegypiinae within the Circaetinae + Aegypiinae clade. The robust and eagle-like morphology of the lower hindlimbs suggest that the species was a predator, rather than a scavenger, and thus functionally similar to large circaetines such as the Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi. Furthermore, this new species is the largest known bird of prey from Australia, much larger than the modern Wedge-Tailed Eagle Aquila audax. It is outsized in Australasia only by female Hieraaetus moorei (the extinct Haast’s Eagle from New Zealand). It is inferred to have been Australia’s top terrestrial avian predator during the Pleistocene, ranging from arid inland Australia to the more temperate coast, and likely became extinct around the time of the megafaunal mass extinction which peaked around 50 Ka. Its extinction in the late Pleistocene, along with the recently described scavenging vulture Cryptogyps lacertosus, marked a distinct decline in the diversity and function of Australia’s raptor guild.

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Section: Victoria Fossil Cavementioning

confidence: 90%

A giant raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the Pleistocene of southern Australia

et al. 2023

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Unveiling the potential of karst vadose deposits in constraining Quaternary tectonic subsidence

Ballesteros,

Pérez‐Mejías,

Moreno

et al. 2024

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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In carbonate coastlines, karst studies have traditionally focused on reconstructing Quaternary coastal uplift and sea level oscillations. However, their potential for investigating coastal subsidence remains unexplored in regions with limited sedimentary records and scientific monitoring. In line with this, our study delved into the utility of karst research for deciphering the Quaternary evolution of the Granada coast in southern Spain—a shoreline marked by a conspicuous scarcity of records and information regarding recent tectonic movements. The current labelling data and the absence of evidence for uplift led to the hypothesis that the Granada coast may be susceptible to subsidence, though this conjecture remained unconfirmed. While submerged marine terraces were clearly identified, they were previously interpreted as consequences of sea‐level oscillations. Our multidisciplinary approach integrated karst vadose features, biostratigraphy, and the dating of 22 speleothems to address the potential uplifting or subsiding dynamics of the Granada coast. The findings indicated that the Granada coast experienced emersion between 3.5/2.4 Ma and 650 ka ago. Notably, this uplift predated similar occurrences in neighbouring coastal regions to the W and E, which occurred within the last 200–180 ka. These disparities in timing cannot be solely attributed to sea‐level fluctuations, suggesting the involvement of the tectonic activity during the Quaternary. The tectonic likely led to the emergence of the Granada coast and its karstification, followed by subsidence. Furthermore, we identified the extensional faults that caused the coastal subsidence, previously documented in studies conducted in nearby regions. However, until now, their specific impact on the Granada coast had not been comprehensively stated. In summary, our research introduces a novel application of classical karst investigations in the understanding coastal subsidence and the extensional active tectonic. By comparing vadose cave ages with established chronologies in adjacent coastal areas, this approach sheds light on the complex tectonic evolution of coastal regions.

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Otway Basin

White

2023

Cave and Karst Systems of the World

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Cave opening and fossil accumulation in Naracoorte, Australia, through charcoal and pollen in dated speleothems

Cited by 8 publications

References 57 publications

A giant raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the Pleistocene of southern Australia

A giant raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the Pleistocene of southern Australia

Unveiling the potential of karst vadose deposits in constraining Quaternary tectonic subsidence

Otway Basin

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