Department of Earth Sciences

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Browsing Department of Earth Sciences by Subject "Abiotic factors"

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    Comprehensive abiotic taphonomic examination of stage 0 and 1 on Homiphoca (PHOCID, SEAL) long-bones, West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-04) Doughty, Myra Beth; Tucker, Ryan T.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Earth Sciences.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The West Coast Fossil Park near Langebaanweg in the Western Cape, South Africa, is a nearshore depositional environment that preserves a wide array of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates. Taphonomic studies of the phocid seal Homiphoca from ‘E’ Quarry have, thus far, focused on biotic markers. Abiotic taphonomic study is limited and reliant upon Behrensmeyer’s Weathering Series. However, this weathering series does not reflect environmental abiotic factors as preserved in Homiphoca long-bone. This study sought to 1) refine Behrensmeyer’s general classification for stages 0 and 1 with the introduction of newly defined substages, 2) apply these novel techniques to fossil long-bone (Homiphoca) from the West Coast Fossil Park (South Africa), 3) utilize preserved abiotic markers alongside stages 0 and 1 to interpret depositional environment, and 4) compare modern forensic processes to paleo-scientific techniques concerning abiotic bone markers in preservation. Through this analysis, we were able to assess and improve Behrensmeyer’s weathering series for fossil assemblages within a nearshore Mediterranean environment. This form of analysis has to be done to every type of fossil assemblage within the palaeoscience record to further understanding and prevent existing interpretation bias.