Palaeoenvironmental context of the Late‐glacial woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) discoveries at Condover, Shropshire, UK

Abstract

In 1986/1987 the remains of several mammoths, Mammuthus primigenius (Blumenbach), were discovered on the spoil heap of an actively working gravel pit at Condover, Shropshire, England. The discovery of the remains posed two questions that could be addressed by analyses of biological proxies. First, as none of the bones was found in situ it was necessary to confirm the stratum in which the remains occurred. Second, what was the environment in which these animals lived and died? A range of biological indicators was used to address these questions, including pollen, spore and algal, plant macrofossil, invertebrate, anuran and biological mineral analyses. Multivariate statistical analyses of palynological and Pediastrum data, along with evidence from the Coleopteran assemblages, support the attribution of the mammoth bones to a unit of dark grey clayey sandy silt, although they may have lived at the time of the overlying green detritus mud. The palaeobiological data supports the correlation of these sediments to the Devensian Late‐glacial. The mammoths entered this basin at the start of the Late‐glacial Interstadial (Greenland Interstadial 1e) (ca. 14 830—3930 cal. year BP; 12 300 ± 110 14C year BP) and became mired in soft cohesive sediments. Palaeotemperature reconstructions, based on the Coleopteran assemblages, from the time when the mammoths actually became mired, show that the climate was temperate with mean July temperatures between 15 and 19°C and mean January temperatures between −13 and +6°C. Biological indicators from the sediments encasing the mammoths indicate that the landscape surrounding the basin was treeless and dry, contrasting with rich vegetation within the basin itself that had possibly attracted the mammoths to the site. Evidence of sedimentary disturbance suggests that the mammoths caused large‐scale bioturbation of the deposits making palaeoenvironmental interpretations difficult. Fossils of terrestrial blowflies, carcass and dung beetles show that some of the decaying corpses must have lain exposed on the land surface for sufficient time for the soft parts to have rotted away and skin and bones to have become desiccated before many of them sank into the dark grey clayey sandy silt. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late‐glacial remains of woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) from Shropshire, UK: stratigraphy, sedimentology and geochronology of the Condover site

“…This gives a 95.4% age probability of 14 492-14 032 cal yr BP which overlaps with the age range of a sample of twigs and leaves of Betula from the top of Unit C1 at the base of the main Profile C (OxA-2265) which is dated at 14 720-13 820 cal yr BP (Table 1; Figure 13). The 14 C analyses confirm the correlation, based on pollen spectra, that Unit C1 is the main source of the bones, supporting the field working hypothesis that this unit is the mammoth stratum (Allen et al 2009). The sample of the green detritus mud, Unit C3 from Profile D, consisting of fine plant detritus, yielded a date of 14 830-13 930 cal yr BP (OxA-2241), slightly older than, but overlapping with, the C1 sample.…”

“…This unit was observed to have formed a consistent sedimentary unit overlying C1 prior to the detailed survey of June-July 1987. Sieving of this unit recovered remains of stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and frog (Rana temporaria) (Allen et al 2009). …”

“…The sample of the green detritus mud, Unit C3 from Profile D, consisting of fine plant detritus, yielded a date of 14 830-13 930 cal yr BP (OxA-2241), slightly older than, but overlapping with, the C1 sample. Though this date is acceptable given the stratigraphic and vegetational context of the dated material (Allen et al 2009), the possibility of contamination by inert carbon as 'hard water error' has to be considered given the nature of the dated material. Aquatic plants, especially Potamogeton, are known to incorporate inert carbon from water rich in calcium carbonate (Peglar et al 1989) and thereby yield erroneously old radiocarbon ages.…”

“…Aquatic plants, especially Potamogeton, are known to incorporate inert carbon from water rich in calcium carbonate (Peglar et al 1989) and thereby yield erroneously old radiocarbon ages. The occurrence of calcareous algae of the family Characeae (stoneworts) in the underlying Unit C1 (Allen et al 2009) indicates the likelihood of highly calcareous water at this time. If the date is accepted it confirms the possible association, established by correlation of the pollen spectra, between the sediment adhering to the juvenile jaw and Unit C3 (Allen et al 2009), and also supports the close relationship established between units C1 and C3.…”

“…The occurrence of calcareous algae of the family Characeae (stoneworts) in the underlying Unit C1 (Allen et al 2009) indicates the likelihood of highly calcareous water at this time. If the date is accepted it confirms the possible association, established by correlation of the pollen spectra, between the sediment adhering to the juvenile jaw and Unit C3 (Allen et al 2009), and also supports the close relationship established between units C1 and C3. It is possible that Unit C3 in Profile D is a lateral facies equivalent of the uppermost part of Unit C1 in Profile C.…”