Progress in faunal correlation of Late Cenozoic fluvial sequences 2000–4: the report of the IGCP 449 biostratigraphy subgroup

Abstract

Vertebrate and invertebrate faunal biostratigraphy is a well-tested method for establishing relative chronologies for fluviatile sequences that has proved useful in many parts of the world, The robust bones and teeth of large mammals are commonly found in fluviatile deposits, whereas small vertebrates can be readily recovered through systematic sieving of calcareous sediments, as can molluscs, the other major faunal group that has been used for biostratigraphical analysis of fluvial seq uences, Because of their rapid and quantifiable rates of evolution, extinction, body mass change and dispersal during the Late Cenozoic, mammals are especially useful for ordering the fragmentary terrestrial sequence of interglacials and glacials, and proposing correlation with the global marine climatostratigraphic record. Other groups (e.g. reptiles and amphibians, ostracods) are as yet only in the initial stages of development as a dating tool, whereas some (e.g. fish, birds) still require substantial development in order to fully explore their utility. As part of IGCP 449, vertebrate and molluscan assemblages have made important contributions to datasets from a number of areas, notably northern France, central Germany, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. Further south, mammalian assemblages have proved useful in separating discrete periods of climatic change in Iberia and Syria. At greater distances from the core area of fluvial biostratigraphical archives, significant contributions have come from South America (Uruguay River), South Africa (Vaal) and Australia (Riverine Plain and Lake Eyre drainage basin).

Quaternary fluvial archives and landscape evolution: a global synthesis

“…The fact that changing patterns of river-terrace formation can be interpreted 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 MPR, paired to synchronous faster subsidence in its offshore surroundings (Westaway and Bridgland, 2007). This latter region, of course, is located within a plate boundary zone but in the view of Westaway and Bridgland (2007) the effects of the active faulting that accommodates the plate motions are superimposed onto a background of regional-scale vertical crustal motions caused by the isostatic response to climate change.…”

“…This latter region, of course, is located within a plate boundary zone but in the view of Westaway and Bridgland (2007) the effects of the active faulting that accommodates the plate motions are superimposed onto a background of regional-scale vertical crustal motions caused by the isostatic response to climate change.…”

“…The fluvial sequences that are best constrained in terms of age are generally those with reliable biostratigraphy (see Schreve et al, 2007), although Palaeolithic artefacts found within or in association with fluvial sediments can also provide valuable evidence of age (e.g., Bridgland et al, 2006;Westaway et al, 2006a;Mishra et al, 2007;Pettitt and White, 2012;Bridgland and White, 2014). Various geochronological methods have been applied to fluvial sequences representing the timescales under discussion here: primarily older than can be dated using radiocarbon (but see section 7).…”

Well-dated fluvial sequences as templates for patterns of handaxe distribution: Understanding the record of Acheulean activity in the Thames and its correlatives

“…This high quality is again largely thanks to the Chalk, which provides the calcareous substrate that has promoted the preservation of mammalian and molluscan fossils, both valuable indicators of palaeoclimate and of importance for biostratigraphy (Keen, 1990;Preece, 1995;Sutcliffe, 1964Sutcliffe, , 1995Schreve, 2001a;Bridgland and Schreve, 2004;Schreve et al, 2007;White et al, 2013). As Figure 1 indicates, each terrace is formed by cold-climate lower and upper gravels, between which interglacial deposits are preserved at some locations, particularly near the valley-side edge.…”

Interglacial climates: Advances in our understanding of warm climate episodes

“…The recognition of diagnostic faunal assemblages corresponding to individual interglacials within the long and well-constrained sequence of the Thames has facilitated biostratigraphical correlation with sites further afield, for example with other long fluvial sequences both in Britain (Bridgland and Schreve, 2001;Schreve, 2009) and overseas (Bridgland et al, 2004b;Schreve et al, 2007), with raised beach sequences (Bates et al, 2002), with isolated sites such as caves (Schreve, 2001a), infilled lake basins (Ashton et al, 2008;Preece et al, 2007;Schreve, 2000Schreve, , 2001a and springline deposits (Murton et al, 2001). Prior to 450,000 years ago, the early Middle Pleistocene succession in Britain also contains very detailed evidence for episodes of temperate-climate conditions (e.g.…”