Pleistocene vertebrates of the Yukon Territory

Unglaciated parts of the Yukon constitute one of the most important areas in North America for yielding Pleistocene vertebrate fossils. Nearly 30 vertebrate faunal localities are reviewed spanning a period of about 1.6 Ma (million years ago) to the close of the Pleistocene some 10 000 BP (radiocarbon years before present, taken as 1950). The vertebrate fossils represent at least 8 species of fishes, 1 amphibian, 41 species of birds and 83 species of mammals. Dominant among the large mammals are: steppe bison (Bison priscus), horse (Equus sp.), woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus) – signature species of the Mammoth Steppe fauna (Fig. 1), which was widespread from the British Isles, through northern Europe, and Siberia to Alaska, Yukon and adjacent Northwest Territories. The Yukon faunas extend from Herschel Island in the north to Revenue Creek in the south and from the Alaskan border in the west to Ketza River in the east. The Yukon holds evidence of the earliest-known people in North America. Artifacts made from bison, mammoth and caribou bones from Bluefish Caves, Old Crow Basin and Dawson City areas show that people had a substantial knowledge of making and using bone tools at least by 25 000 BP, and possibly as early as 40 000 BP. A suggested chronological sequence of Yukon Pleistocene vertebrates (Table 1) facilitates comparison of selected faunas and indicates the known duration of various taxa.     

Stockwork tectonics in the Appalachian Piedmont of South Carolina and Georgia

The northeast trending belts in the crystalline Appalachian Piedmont of South Carolina are discussed and related to a detailed study in northwestern South Carolina and to a reconnaissance study of the Piedmont along the South Carolina - Georgia border.A regional tectonic stockwork model based on these studies is proposed for the Appalachian Piedmont. The inner portion of the Piedmont, characterized by recumbent isoclinal folds and nappes, containing migmatitic sillimanite mica schist and gneiss, amphibolite and granite gneiss comprises the infrastructure. Lower grade, tightly folded, non-migmatitic and partially cataclastized zones flanking both sides of this innermost Piedmont belt are considered the detachment zone. The suprastructure is believed to be preserved within the Piedmont near the Atlantic Coastal Plain offlap as two belts. One consists of a moderately deformed, low grade metamorphosed slaty assemblage of volcanics and elastics; the other belt is similar, but extensively intruded by plutons and consequently raised in metamorphic grade.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Studie diskutiert die nordöstlich verlaufenden Faltengürtel der kristallinen appalachischen Vorgebirge Südkarolinas und bezieht sich auf eine detaillierte Studie Nordwest-Südkarolinas sowie auf eine Untersuchungsstudie der Vorgebirge entlang der Grenze Südkarolinas und Georgias.Aufgrund dieser Studien ist ein regionales tektonisches Stockwerkmodell für die appalachischen Vorgebirge vorgeschlagen worden. Der Kern des Vorgebirges stellt den Unterbau dar und ist durch liegende isokline Falten und Decken gekennzeichnet, die migmatischen Sillimanit-Glimmerschiefer und Gneise sowie Amphibolit und Granitgneis enthalten. Kleingefaltete, unmigmatische und teilweise kataklastische Zonen von niedriger Temperatur begrenzen beide Seiten dieser Kernzone und werden für Abscherungszonen gehalten. Es wird angenommen, da\ der Oberbau innerhalb der Vorgebirge in der NÄhe der atlantischen Küstenauflage als zwei Faltengürtel erhalten ist. Der eine besteht aus einer mÄ\ig durchbewegten, niedrig metamorphisierten Schieferansammlung von Vulkaniten und detritischen Ablagerungen; der andere Gürtel hat eine Ähnliche Zusammensetzung, besitzt aber ausgedehnte Plutone und folglich eine intensivere Metamorphose.

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Résumé Les zones de plissement courant vers le nord-est qui se trouvent dans le Piedmont cristallin des Appalaches de la Caroline du Sud sont le sujet d'une discussion que l'on rapproche d'une étude détaillée de la région nord-ouest de la Caroline du Sud et d'une étude de reconnaissance du Piedmont le long de la frontière entre la Géorgie et la Caroline du Sud.Un modèle tectonique des strates de la région, basé sur ces études, est proposé pour le Piedmont appalachien. La partie intérieure du Piedmont (l'infrastructure) se caractérise par des plis couchés isoclinaux et par des nappes, et elle contient du schiste, du gneiss de sillimanite migmatitiques, et du gneiss amphibolitique et granitique. Certaines zones non-migmatitiques, partiellement cataclastiques, étroitement pliées et d'un degré inférieur se trouvant de chaque cÔté de cette région centrale du Piedmont sont considérées comme la zone de détachement. Dans le Piedmont près de la plaine sédimentaire littorale de l'Atlantique d'origine marine, la superstructure, semble-t-il, reste intacte, formant deux bandes: l'une comprenant un mélange un peu déformé de matière volcanique et clastique, métamorphosé, d'apparence ardoiseuse, et de qualité inférieure; l'autre semblable, mais contenant de grandes quantités de matière plutonique d'injection ayant élevé sa qualité métamorphique.

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Zoogeographical affinities and the use of vertebrates in Xochicalco (Morelos, Mexico)

Xochicalco is a Mesoamerican locality that developed after the fall of Teotihuacan, and became one of the most important urban, ceremonial and military communities of its time. Chronologically, it is situated in the Epiclassic period (700–900 A.D.) and its buildings show a marked hierarchical distribution. The site is located in the current State of Morelos (Mexico), embedded in the Mexican Transition Zone between the two major American zoogeographic regions: Nearctic and Neotropic. The animal remains identified show a mixed assemblage from both regions. With the aim of exploring the relationship between the zoogeographical affinities of identified fauna and differential uses due to the hierarchical distribution of the site, the data were processed using two multivariate analyses in order to find the animals that characterize each social level. This comparison shows that some animals are common to all the social levels, suggesting easy availability, while a few others, mainly from the Neotropic area, were associated only with the elite places suggesting their quality as social markers. This approach offers an initial hypothesis about the different cultural attitudes toward the animals in a Mesoamerican locality, little studied, showing a positive relationship between the zoogeographic affinity and the social hierarchy.     

Two-feldspar geothermometry,geobarometry in mesozonal granitic intrusions: Three examples from the Piedmont of Georgia

The equilibrium temperatures for coexisting plagioclase and potassium feldspar pairs have been calculated for various textural varieties of feldspar from 3 post-metamorphic granites from the Georgia Piedmont; the Danburg, Siloam, and Stone Mountain plutons. Assuming an intermediate structural state for the feldspars at time of equilibration, crystallization temperatures match those expected from experimental data for quartz monzonite magmas (650 to 780° C). The variations in solidus temperature, recorded in the feldspars, may be used to estimate relative differences in depth of intrusion. Sharp reversals in plagioclase compositional trends may be caused by isothermal decreases in confining pressure associated with upward migration through the crust. In fine grained and slowly cooled intrusions, albite tends to be lost from the alkali feldspar grains, and recrystallizes as separate unzoned grains of oligoclase, thus erasing the previous thermal history. Perthite exsolution and re-equilibration within the alkali feldspar grains appears to continue down to temperatures of 400° C or so, although the zoned plagioclase does not homogenize. The recrystallization associated with changes in structural state may facilitate exsolution within alkali feldspar grains.     

Strontium isotope systematics of base flow in Piedmont Province watersheds,Georgia (USA)

⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio variations were analyzed in rainfall, shallow ground water and base flow collected from 4 Piedmont streams within the Middle Oconee River basin in northeastern Georgia during the period between March, 2003 and March, 2004. They Sr isotope ratio analyses were accompanied by measurements of stream discharge, rainfall, stable O isotope ratios and major ion and ³H concentrations. The average Sr ion concentration and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio for the terminal stream basin (the Middle Oconee River) were 23.6 μg/L and 0.7172, respectively. The average ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the rainwater and shallow ground water were below 0.7125, indicating that most of the Sr in this stream water is input by weathering reactions in deeper ground water, rather than by ion exchange in shallow soil horizons. This is consistent with the higher alkalinity concentrations (∼23–47 mg/L) and specific conductance values (60–113 μS/cm) that characterize stream base flow. Piedmont streams are characterized by lower concentrations of Sr and higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios than average global stream flow.Base flow rates decreased by a factor of 2–3 during the summer months and this is accompanied by increased alkalinity concentrations. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, however, were temporally invariant for a given stream basin and were independent of season, antecedent rainfall, and discharge. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios were unique for each of the 4 basins and a general trend toward higher ratios with increasing basin area was apparent. The inferred contribution from minerals with high Rb contents such as K feldspar and muscovite may have resulted from the greater integration of flow from mineralogically diverse pathways afforded by a larger basin area. The basin specificity and temporal or seasonal invariability make ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios an invaluable hydrological tracer that can be readily employed in mass balance studies of stream flow within the Piedmont Province.     

Comparative major ion geochemistry of Piedmont streams in the Atlanta,Georgia region: possible effects of urbanization

. The major ion stream chemistry for an urbanized basin (Peachtree Creek) in the Atlanta (Georgia, USA) metropolitan region was analyzed and compared upon a time-series basis with the stream chemistry of a nearby, but far less developed basin (Sweetwater Creek). The major ion chemistry from both streams indicated that all parameters fell below safe drinking water standards as would be expected in watersheds underlain by low-solubility aluminosilicate bedrock. Base flow TDS concentrations for the urbanized basin (Peachtree Creek) were ~30% greater than Sweetwater Creek and were characterized by elevated concentrations of base cations (Ca, Mg, Na), alkalinity, sulfate, and chloride. The less-urbanized Sweetwater Creek basin is underlain by a higher percentage of more soluble amphibolite and, therefore, the higher concentration of solutes within the urban base flow can not readily be explained by differential mineral weathering. The increased inorganic solute loads might have resulted from pollution input (leaky underground sewer lines?) and/or evaporative concentration; however, these explanations are presently speculative. Major ion concentrations within the urban Peachtree Creek basin were diluted by an average of ~50% compared with only ~25% in the Sweetwater Creek basin as a result of the increased contribution of direct surface runoff. The regression correlation coefficients for the ions that evolve through mineral weathering (Ca, Mg, Na, and HCO3) are much higher in urban stream flow than in Sweetwater Creek waters. This might indicate that storm waters in the urban basin are more closely derived from a two end member mixture (groundwater and street runoff) than waters from Sweetwater Creek, which represent a more complex mixture.     

Recent vertical crustal movements from precise leveling surveys in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces, North Carolina and Georgia

Examination of two lines of repeated leveling in North Carolina and Georgia reveals

1. (1) apparent uplift at the Blue Ridge-Piedmont physiographic boundary (the AtlanticGulf drainage divide) relative to the Atlantic Coastal Plain on the east and the Valley and Ridge province to the west; and

2. (2) large tilts over short baselines superimposed upon the regional pattern in the vicinity of the nearby Blue Ridge—Piedmont geologic boundary (the Brevard fault zone). In the North Carolina profile a very pronounced correlation between topography and movement suggests possible systematic leveling error, but the observed movements appear to be larger than those normally attributed to leveling error. Thus, either refraction or rod errors are larger than expected, or the movement is real and strongly correlates with topography along this portion of the leveling line.

Anomalously high stream-gradients over both resistant and nonresistant lithologies are found around the drainage divide in North Carolina, and may be associated with the relative uplift inferred from releveling. The drainage divide in Georgia, also characterized by relative uplift on the movement profile, approximately separates two different types of stream patterns. In both cases evidence presented here suggests that stream morphology may be responding to contemporary deformation as implied by the observed elevation changes. The relative uplift in North Carolina also correlates with a positive Bouguer gravity anomaly of 30–40 mGal in the midst of the regional Blue Ridge gravity low, although the significance of the correlation is unclear.The close spatial correspondence between the zone of maximum uplift and the drainage divide suggests that the vertical movements and geomorphic anomalies may result from the same mechanism, although the nature of such is unclear. One possible mechanism could be displacement at depth along the nearby Brevard zone. However, on the basis of dislocation modeling it appears that the geodetic observations cannot be adequately explained by surface deformation associated with any simple models of slip on the Brevard zone.     

Archosaurian reptiles with Gondwanan affinities in the Upper Cretaceous of Europe

The Late Cretaceous (mainly Campanian and Maastrichtian) non-marine vertebrate faunas of Europe contain archosaurian reptiles which belong to groups otherwise known mainly or only from the southern ('Gondwanan') continents. They include titanosaurid sauropods, abelisaurid theropods, and trematochampsid crocodilians. The occurrence of these forms together with others of 'Asiamerican' affinities gives the Late Cretaceous vertebrate faunas of Europe a peculiar composition, which makes them clearly different from the well-known faunas from western North America and Central Asia. The Gondwanan dinosaurs and crocodilians from Europe provide evidence of faunal interchange across the Tethys Sea during the Cretaceous, possibly via the Alboran plate, or the Apulian plate, which may have functioned as 'stepping-stones', especially during periods of low sea level.     

Detailed analysis of tectonic levels in the Appalachian Piedmont

Recent mapping has provided a close look at detail relationships contrasting a major infrastructural zone with an adjacent suprastructural area in the southern U.S. Piedmont. The Inner Piedmont belt infrastructural flow folds terminate against a northeast trending polydeformational cataclastic zone as one traverses toward the southeast along the South Carolina — Georgia border. The broad axial part of the infrastructural Inner Piedmont is represented by a complex of sillimanite-bearing mica gneiss and schist. Interlayered amphibolite permits recognition of major nappe-like antiforms and synforms. The southeastern edge of the Inner Piedmont is devided from the axial core by a tectonic slide, and is a separate and distinct nappe. Granitoid gneiss and amphibolite dominate in it.Suprastructural rock terrane lies southeast of the cataclastic Lowndesville (Kings Mountain) belt, which is considered to have behaved as a detachment zone between the plastic infrastructure in the northwest and the stiffer suprastructure in the south-east. Mafic metamorphosed rocks dominate the lower stratigraphic section in the suprastructural area. These Charlotte belt rocks are overlain by low grade metavolcanic rocks of the Carolina Slate belt. Tight upright folds characterize the suprastructure.Granitoid bodies of large to small size intrude the Piedmont of this area. Extensive migmatite is associated with this granitoid material in the infrastructural Inner Piedmont belt. Much of the granitoid material formed during the stockwork tectonic phase in an early Paleozoic orogenesis.

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Zusammenfassung Neue geologische Kartierungen im südlichen Appalachen-Vorgebirge ergaben einen engen Zusammenhang zwischen Oberbau und Unterbau. In der inneren Piedmont-Zone endet der Fließfaltenbau gegen eine mehrfach deformierte, kataklastische Zone, die sich nach SE entlang der South Carolina/Georgia-Grenze erstreckt. Die breite Achsialzone des Unterbaues im Bereich des inneren Piedmont wird aus Sillimanitführenden Glimmer-Gneisen und Schiefern aufgebaut. Zwischengelagerte Amphibolite erlauben in Synklinen und Antiklinen größere deckenartige Strukturen zu erkennen. Der SE-Teil des inneren Piedmont ist vom achsialen Kern durch eine tektonische Bewegungsfläche getrennt und stellt eine eigene Decke dar. Hier dominieren Granit-Gneise und Amphibolite.Der Oberbau folgt SE der kataklastischen Lowndesville (Kings Mountain) Zone als vom plastischeren Unterbau abgescherter starrer Komplex. Mafische Metamorphite bilden den stratigraphisch liegenden Teil des Oberbaues. Diese Charlotte Belt-Gesteine werden von niedrig metamorphen metavulkanischen Gesteinen des Carolina Slate Belt überlagert. Aufrechte Falten charakterisieren den Oberbau.Granitkörper von verschiedenen Dimensionen intrudieren in das Piedmont. Migmatisierung ist vor allem im inneren Piedmont zu beobachten. Das granitische Material wurde während der Ausbildung der Stockwerkstektonik in einer frühpaläozoischen Gebirgsbildung geformt.

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Résumé Une étude géologique récente fournit une première connaissance des contrastes qui existent entre une zone majeure infrastructurale dans le Piedmont des Appalaches du Sud et une région adjacente, superstructurale. Des plis infrastructuraux d'écoulement se terminent contre une zone cataclastique qui s'étend vers le sud-est le long de la frontière entre la Géorgie et la Caroline du Sud. Cette zone, comme toutes les zones, court vers le nord-est. La large zone axiale de l'infrastructure, est représentée par uncomplexe de gneiss et de schistes à mica et à sillimanite. Des intercalations d'amphibolite permettent de reconnaître dans les antiformes et synformes de grandes structures en nappes. Le bord sud-est de l'Inner Piedmont, qui est une nappe distincte, est séparé de la partie centrale par une faille. Le gneiss granitique et l'amphibolite y prédominent.Le domaine superstructural se trouve au sud-est de la zone cataclastique du Lowndesville (Kings Mountain), qui est considérée comme la zone de détachement entre l'infrastructure plastique du nord-ouest et la superstructure plus rigide du sud-est. Des roches métamorphiques et basiques prédominent dans les couches stratigraphiques inférieurs dans la partie rigide. Ces roches de la bande Charlotte sont recouvertes par les roches volcaniques, moins métamorphiques, de la zone Caroline du Slate. Des plissements serrés et verticaux caractérisent la zone megastructurales.Des plutons granitiques de dimensions variées pénètrent le Piedmont, avec migmatitisation surtout dans la zone d'infrastructure. Le materiau granitique s'est formé, au cours de la formation d'une tectonique en Stockwerk lors d'une orogénie dans le Paleozoique ancien.

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. Piedmont , SE : /. Piedmont , . . SE Piedmont . - . Lowndesville SE — King Mountain — . . Charlotte Carolina Slate, . . Piedmont . Piedmont . .

     

青藏高原更新世冰期的天文气候学依据

青藏高原上更新世的三次冰期分别发生于深海氧同位素的第2—4,6和14—16阶段。介于它们之间的乃是间冰期。所以寒冷期不等于冰期,间冰期不等于温暖期。如果考察过去73万年以来全球所获得的北半球冬半年平均的太阳辐射量的变化,那么第2—4,6和14—16阶段乃是太阳辐射量比较低的时期。因此青藏高原的更新世冰期是服从天文气候学的基本规律的,是受天文因素的自然变化所控制的。     

The fossil vertebrates from Lano (Basque Country, Spain); new evidence on the composition and affinities of the Late Cretaceous continental faunas of Europe

A newly discovered fossil locality at Lano (Basque Country) has yielded a vertebrate assemblage of probably Maastrichtian age comprising fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. It considerably enlarges our knowledge of the Late Cretaceous continental faunas of Europe, hitherto based on a much less complete record. Some taxa are recorded for the first time in Europe, and the fauna also contains the oldest known representatives of some groups (amphisbaenians, salamandrids). The Lan assemblage reveals an original fauna comprising both forms related to Asian and North American groups and elements with Gondwanan affinities.     

Quaternary vertebrates in Hungary

Book reviewed in this article:
Janossy, D. 1986: Pleistocene Vertebrate Faunas in Hungary.     

Helical probe tests in residual soils of the Appalachian Piedmont

Helical probe tests (HPT) are a quick and economical means for manual field testing of soils to depths of 1.5 m with readings taken at 0.15-m intervals in only 10 min. The equipment is lightweight (only 2 kg) and thus amenable to deploy on initial site reconnaissance explorations, shallow pavement projects, earth retention walls, and/or compaction of fills. Although suitable for use in a variety of geomaterials: sands, silts, clays, and mixed soils, the specific application to residual fine sandy silts and silty fine sands of the Appalachian Piedmont and Blue Ridge geologic provinces is shown here. Existing relationships for converting the measured HPT torque reading to equivalent cone penetration testing (CPT) tip resistances are reviewed, as well as other trends.     

Two magmatic series with island arc affinities within the vourinos ophiolite

Within the Vourinos ophiolite evidence of two magmatic series has been preserved in cognate cumulates and in effusive and hypabyssal rocks, which constitute the earlier Krapa sequence and the younger Asprokambo sequence. The Asprokambo dyke basic magmas which are poor in incompatible elements and relatively Ni and Cr rich, bear some resemblance to very low Ti basalts (transitional to boninites) found in subduction related arcs or interarc basins. Krapa series magmas from sills, massive and pillow lavas are best equated with low-K tholeiites of island arc suites. Compositions of Al- and Ti- poor Cpx in lavas from both series are comparable to those in island arc basalts, the Asprokambo Cpx being richer in Ca and Cr than those from Krapa.The large volume of cumulates from the Krapa sequence displays the following crystallization order: Ol±Sp, Cpx, Pl±Opx, Mt. Periodic influx of fresh magma batches into the magma chamber occurred mainly during the formation of the lower cumulates (wehrlite, Ol-clinopyroxenite and melagabbro). The upper cumulates, gabbronorite and leucogabbronorite with minor Mt-bearing gabbronorite, crystallized in the upper levels of a magma chamber which became progressively smaller with time. In the Asprokambo sequence, Ol+Sp, Opx, Cpx, PI and Amph are the successively crystallizing phases. The ortho to heteradcumulates consist of websterite, Pl-websterite, gabbronorite, amphibole bearing leuconorite, diorite and granophyre. In cumulates, especially in the lower Krapa sequence, significant subsolidus reaction was probably induced by the persistence of high geothermal gradients linked to continuous magmatism. Petrological features indicate that the evolution of the Krapa series is more compatible with an intermediate fractional/equilibrium crystallization history in an initially open system, whereas nearly perfect fractional crystallization in closed system may have occurred in the small Asprokambo magma chambers. Chemical variations in the lavas of both series can be explained in terms of crystallization of the observed cumulates. Significantly, the Asprokambo intrusives have igneous Mg-hornblende and vanadium bearing, chromian, aluminous titaniferous magnetite, crystallization of which is responsible for the calcalkaline evolutionary trend of these rocks. Major and trace element modelling necessitates a two stage model for the petrogenesis of the Vourinos parental melts, involving high-degree remelting of previously depleted mantle sources favoured by the influx of subduction derived hydrous fluids. The primary magmas parental to the Krapa and Asprokambo series could have been derived respectively by 20 and 30% equilibrium partial fusion of variably depleted lherzolitic sources, leaving residua having a harzburgitic to dunitic composition.     

Pleistocene movements in the Gregory Rift Valley

Summary The Tertiary and post-Tertiary chronology of faulting in the Gregory Rift Valley is discussed with particular reference to areas where Middle Pleistocene deposits have been mapped. It is concluded that while strong faulting occurred at the end of the Middle Pleistocene period, the main faulting was earlier. At least three pre-Middle Pleistocene phases of faulting are recognised; the maximum movements probably occurred in late Pliocene or earliest Pleistocene times.     

Pleistocene gravels in the lower wye valley

The fluviatile Pleistocene of the lower Wye valley, below the Devensian glacial limit near Hereford, consists almost entirely of coarse gravels, situated both above and below the level of the modern flooplain. Those above the floodplain are largely composed of pebbles from the Ordovician and Silurian of east-central Wales. Around Hereford they are associated with well-preserved terraces; further downstream they are fragmentary and have also undergone some displacement. It is suggested that the high-level gravels comprise remants of four distinct aggradational units. Correlations are proposed with the Severn valley Pleistocene sequence, from which it is concluded that the lower Wye gravels represent a series of cold, perhaps glacial, periods ranging in age from pre-Hoxnian to Devension. This confirms the pre-Hoxnian age of fragmentary glacial deposits in northeast Herefordshire. Relations between the gravels and some geomorphological features are discussed, with special attention to abandoned incised meanders.     

The latest vertebrates are the earliest

The teeth, or elements, ofconodonts are among the most important Palaeozoic microfossils. Despite this, the biological relationships of conodonts have long remained enigmatic. Recent evidence of their soft anatomy, and of the ultrastructure of the elements, has finally revealed that they are vertebrates. These discoveries push vertebrate origins firmly back into the Cambrian and add a large cohort of specialists to the ranks of the vertebrate palaeontologists.