Wits Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI)
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Item Cretaceous biozonation based on terrestrial palynomorphs from two wells in the offshore Orange Basin of South Africa(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011-12) Sandersen, A.; Scott, L.; McLachlan, I.R.; Hancox, P.J.The C-B1 and O-A1 petroleum exploration wells were drilled by SOEKOR Pty Ltd in 1988 and 1992, respectively, in the Orange Basin off the west coast of South Africa. A palynological analysis of the Cretaceous interval intersected by the two wells, for which the ages were adopted from foraminiferal studies, provides new information on the biostratigraphy and also on reconstructions of the Cretaceous palaeoflora and palaeoenvironment. The spores and pollen used in this study were extracted from over 500 samples of conventional cores, side-wall cores and ditch-cuttings. The identified terrestrial palynoflora includes 41 species of angiosperm and gymnosperm pollen, 85 species of fern and bryophyte spores, and two monolete spore taxa. Several of the pollen and spore taxa are possibly new species. Five palynological zones were established for each of the two wells, which are separated by a latitudinal distance of 300 km. Within the Early Cretaceous intervals of the two wells, there is a considerable degree of similarity in the palynological assemblages, which suggests that the terrestrial plant communities were relatively uniform. For the Late Cretaceous interval, however, there are marked differences suggesting that the plant communities had become more diverse and also that the palynomorphs were being supplied from separate geographical areas.Item Botanical remains from a coprolite from the Pleistocene hominin site of Malapa, Sterkfontein Valley, South Africa(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, University of the Witwatersrand, 2010-12) Bamford, M.K.; Neumann, F.H.; Pereira, L.M.; Scott, L.; Dirks, P.H.G.M.; Berger, L.R.A coprolite probably from a carnivore described in this paper was recovered from the decalcified sediments of Facies D, close to the cranium of a hominid child, Australopithecus sediba, at Malapa, and is dated at 1.95–1.78 Ma based on a combination of faunal, U-Pb and palaeomagnetic dating techniques. Maceration of the coprolite yielded wood fragments and pollen of Podocarpus sp. as well as phytolith morphotypes that occur in leaves of Podocarpus and many other woody taxa. The Malapa site today is in the Grassland Biome, close to the transition to the Savanna Biome. Podocarpus/Afrocarpus occurs about 30km distance in the Northern Afromontane Forest Biome and is restricted to small patches in the mountain kloofs or small canyons (altitude: 1500–1900 m). The occurrence of this vegetation at Malapa in the past implies that the cooler, moister forest vegetation was more widespread.