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

Rieneke Weij; Jon D. Woodhead; J. M. Kale Sniderman; John C. Hellstrom; Elizabeth Reed; Steven Bourne; Russell N. Drysdale; Timothy J. Pollard

doi:10.1038/s43247-022-00538-y

Communications Earth & Environment (Sep 2022)

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

Rieneke Weij,
Jon D. Woodhead,
J. M. Kale Sniderman,
John C. Hellstrom,
Elizabeth Reed,
Steven Bourne,
Russell N. Drysdale,
Timothy J. Pollard

Affiliations

Rieneke Weij: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
Jon D. Woodhead: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
J. M. Kale Sniderman: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
John C. Hellstrom: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
Elizabeth Reed: School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide
Steven Bourne: Limestone Coast Landscape Board
Russell N. Drysdale: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
Timothy J. Pollard: School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00538-y
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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The presence of pollen and charcoal in radiometrically dated speleothems suggest the Naracoorte Cave Complex, South Australia, has been open to the atmosphere for the past 600,000 years, placing an upper limit on the accumulation of fossils inside the caves.

Published in Communications Earth & Environment

ISSN: 2662-4435 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Geology; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.nature.com/commsenv/

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