The stable isotope setting of Australopithecus sediba at Malapa, South Africa.

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dc.citation.doi10.17159/sajs.2016/20150351en_ZA
dc.citation.epage9en_ZA
dc.citation.issue7/8en_ZA
dc.citation.spage1en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHolt, E.
dc.contributor.authorDirks, P.
dc.contributor.authorPLaczek, C.
dc.contributor.authorBerger, L.R.
dc.date.accessioned2017-02-08T14:25:40Z
dc.date.available2017-02-08T14:25:40Z
dc.date.issued2016-07
dc.description.abstractWe report delta C-13 and delta O-18 results from carbonate-cemented cave sediments at Malapa in South Africa. The sediments were deposited during a short-period magnetic reversal at 1.977±0.003 Ma, immediately preceding deposition of Facies D sediments that contain the type fossils of Australopithecus sediba. Values of delta C-13 range between -5.65 and -2.09 with an average of -4.58±0.54% (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite, VPDB) and values of delta O-18 range between -6.14 and -3.84 with an average of -4.93±0.44% (VPDB). Despite signs of diagenetic alteration from metastable aragonite to calcite, the Malapa isotope values are similar to those obtained in two previous studies in South Africa for the same relative time period. Broadly, the Malapa delta C-13 values provide constraints on the palaeovegetation at Malapa. Because of the complex nature of the carbonate cements and mixed mineralogy in the samples, our estimates of vegetation type (C4-dominant) must be regarded as preliminary only. However, the indication of a mainly C4 landscape is in contrast to the reported diet of A. sediba, and suggests a diverse environment involving both grassland and riparian woodland.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianNCS2016en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationHolt, E. et al. 2016. The stable isotope setting of Australopithecus sediba at Malapa, South Africa. South african Journal of Science 112 (7/8): Article #2015-0351en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0038-2353 (Print)
dc.identifier.issn1996-7489 (Online)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/21949
dc.journal.titleSouth African Journal of Scienceen_ZA
dc.journal.volume112en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherAcademic of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)en_ZA
dc.rights© 2016. The Author(s). Published under a Creative Commons Attribution Licenceen_ZA
dc.subjectpalaeovegetationen_ZA
dc.subjectcarbonatecementeden_ZA
dc.subjectcave sedimentsen_ZA
dc.subjectpalaeoclimateen_ZA
dc.titleThe stable isotope setting of Australopithecus sediba at Malapa, South Africa.en_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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