Report of Geologists' Association Field Meeting in north-east Essex, May 22nd–24th, 1987

Bridgland, David R.; Allen, Peter M.; Currant, A. P.; Gibbard, Philip L.; Lister, Adrian M.; Preece, Richard C.; Robinson, J.; Stuart, Anthony J.; Sutcliffe, Antony J.

doi:10.1016/s0016-7878(88)80056-7

Cited by 24 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The classic area for this faunal grouping is the old 'Clyrena' brickfields of Grays Thurrock, Essex, part of the 'Middle Terrace' complex of the Lower Thames (see Zeuner, 1945). Similar assemblages are known from the lower part of the sequence at Aveley, Essex (Stuart, 1976); from the Cudmore Grove channel, East Mersea, Essex (Bridgland et al, 1989); and from Itteringham in Norfolk (personal observation). Deposits yielding faunas belonging to this group have produccd pollen spectra variously assigned to the Ipswichian and Hoxnian interglacial stages.…”

Section: Group 2 Assemblagessupporting

confidence: 56%

“…While this is a fairly drastic modification of existing correlations, it could be a major step towards resolving thc long standing dispute over supposed 'Ipswichian' faunas. At Cudmore Grove, East Mersea, Esscx, closely adjacent channel sequences at similar heights contain quite distinct Group 2 and Group 1 assemblages, countering the argument that the differences between these faunas might be due to regional or ecological factors (Bridgland et al, 1989). DISCUSSION The proposed faunal groupings necessarily involve two major modifications to previous models: acceptance of there having been a major temperate woodland episode between the Cromerian and Hoxnian interglacials of the floral sequence and a change in the relative position of the Ipswichian interglacial as originally defined so that it is no longer synonymous with the 'Last Interglacial'.…”

Section: Group 1 Ajsemblagesmentioning

confidence: 85%

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The Quaternary origins of the modern British mammal fauna

Currant

1989

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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T h r origins of the modrrn British mammal fauna as a rrcognizable assemblage arr tracrablr through prcccding tcmpcraic woodland phasrs at least as far back as the early part of the Middle Plristocene. Earlier Quaternary mammal asscmhlagrs have more in common with those of the Pliocrnc than thosr of the Middlr Plcistorme, but cvidcncc for gaps in the British Early Plcisiocenc sequcnce prrciudes inferences concerning the nature of this changc in faunal composition.A major dificulty in reconstructing Quaternary faunal histories is in establishing stablr corrrlations between the fragmentary terrestrial sequences from which the fossil record has bccri mbling thosr srquences into chronological order. Existing reconstructions of Quaternary rvenLs in Britain are of hybrid origin, a mix of palynological biostratigraphy based on assumed monocyclic floral successions for a small number of major interglacial stages, with iritervcning cold stages identified by characteristic glacial or periglacial lirhologies and strurtures. LVhile this framework has scrvrd as a useful basis lor some Quaternary disciplines, some inirrprrtations of the mammalian evidencr do not fit it well.Attention is given here io inlormation derived from fossil mammal assemblages which may be used to help driermine the number and srqurnce of Middle and Latc Plcistoccne temperate woodland phases with faunas showing close links with that of the Flandrian. While much of this information is not new, i t has been largdy ignored in thc construction of some of the more widely known schrmcs for Qiiatrrnary subdivision. At present five such rpisodcs can be idctiiified and charactcrizrd prior to thc prcscrit intcrglacial, though further refinement may br possible as work on a more drtailed account of key sitrs arid their palaeontology progressrs.

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Section: Group 2 Assemblagessupporting

confidence: 56%

Section: Group 1 Ajsemblagesmentioning

confidence: 85%

The Quaternary origins of the modern British mammal fauna

Currant

1989

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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“…Comparable to features described by Allen (1991), these probably are periglacial in origin. Elsewhere in southeast England similar diapiric disturbances of the London Clay have been found to be associated with disruption of the overlying gravel, either by ice-wedge pseudomorphs or gulls (Bridgland, 1983a(Bridgland, , 1994Bridgland et al, 1988;Allen, 1991), but at Barling the suprajacent gravel was never seen in exposure. However, Gruhn and Bryan (1969;unpublished appendix to Gruhn et al, 1974) reported prominent ice-wedge casts, frost cracks and 'festoons' in the eastern part of an earlier gravel quarry at Barling, at Baldwins Farm (TQ 935893; Fig.…”

Section: Geological Contextmentioning

confidence: 92%

Middle Pleistocene interglacial deposits at Barling, Essex, England: evidence for a longer chronology for the Thames terrace sequence

Bridgland

Preece

Roe

et al. 2001

J Quaternary Science

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Results are presented from a multidisciplinary study of fossiliferous interglacial deposits on the northern side of the Thames estuary. These fill a channel cut into London Clay bedrock and overlain by the Barling Gravel, a Thames-Medway deposit equivalent to the Lynch Hill and Corbets Tey Gravels of the Middle and Lower Thames, respectively. The channel sediments yielded diverse molluscan and ostracod assemblages, both implying fully interglacial conditions and a slight brackish influence. Pollen analysis has shown that the deposits accumulated during the early part of an interglacial. Plant macrofossils, particularly the abundance of Trapa natans, reinforce the interglacial character of the palaeontological evidence. A beetle fauna, which includes four taxa unknown in Britain at present, has allowed quantification of palaeotemperature using the mutual climatic range method (T max 17 to 26°C; T min −11 to 13°C). A few vertebrate remains have been recovered from the interglacial deposits, but a much larger fauna, as well as Palaeolithic artefacts, is known from the overlying Barling Gravel.The age of the interglacial deposits is inferential. The geological context suggests a late Middle Pleistocene interglacial, part of the post-diversion Thames system and therefore clearly post-Anglian. This conclusion is supported by amino acid ratios from the shells of freshwater molluscs. The correlation of the overlying Barling Gravel with the Lynch Hill/Corbets Tey aggradation of the Thames valley constrains the age of the Barling interglacial to marine oxygen isotope stages 11 or 9. The presence of Corbicula fluminalis and Pisidium clessini confirms a pre-Ipswichian (marine oxygen isotope substage 5e) age and their occurrence in the early part of the interglacial cycle at Barling precludes correlation with marine oxygen isotope stage 11, as these taxa occur only later in that interglacial at sites such as Swanscombe and Clacton. Thus by process of elimination a marine oxygen isotope stage 9 age would appear probable.

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“…The sequence of sediments at Cudmore Grove (Table 2) follow Bridgland et al (1988), and appear to represent an episode ofmarine regression. Bed 2, which is the main channel fill, contains abundant Mollusca indicative of brackish conditions, whereas the overlying detritus mud of Bed 3 contains mostly freshwater Mollusca, including the bivalve Corbicula jluminalis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Preliminary list of Cudmore Grove mammalian taxa (identified by A. P. Currant inBridgland et al ., 1988). The bone is very well ossified, a condition that would not obtain in bones ofsimilar size oflarger forms such as Rana or Bufo.BUFO BUFO (Linnaeus, 1758) Material-JCCG86 118-122, three left and two right ilia ; JCCG88 28-32, three left and two right ilia; and JCCG88 33-34, two sacral vertebrae.Remarks-The ilia of Bufo bufo are separable from other British and European species of the genus on the…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A middle Pleistocene herpetofauna from Cudmore Grove, Essex, England, and its paleogeographic and paleoclimatic implications

Holman

Stuart

Clayden

1990

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

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Freshwater/estuarine organic deposits at Cudmore Grove, Mersea Island, Essex, England, palynologically dated to the Hoxnian Interglacial Substage Ho IIIb, have yielded by far the richest fossil herpetofauna known from the British Pleistocene. Caudates are represented by Triturus cristatus and T. vulgaris; anurans by Hyla sp., Bufo bufo, Rana arvalis, R . "esculenta" or R. ridibunda, and R . lessonae ; testudines by Emys orbicularis; saurians by Anguis fragili s and Lacerta sp .; and snakes by Elaphe longissima, Natrix maura or N. tessel/ata , N. natrix, and Vipera berus. Of these 14 taxa , seven do not occur in Britain today, but are found in continental Europe. The fossil assemblage reflects the former connection of Britain to continental Europe and is consistent with a climate of milder winters and warmer summers than today during the later part of the Hoxnian Interglacial (Substage Ho IIIb).

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Report of Geologists' Association Field Meeting in north-east Essex, May 22nd–24th, 1987

Cited by 24 publications

References 19 publications

The Quaternary origins of the modern British mammal fauna

The Quaternary origins of the modern British mammal fauna

Middle Pleistocene interglacial deposits at Barling, Essex, England: evidence for a longer chronology for the Thames terrace sequence

A middle Pleistocene herpetofauna from Cudmore Grove, Essex, England, and its paleogeographic and paleoclimatic implications

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