Preservation and interpretation of pollen in hyaena coprolites: taphonomic observations from Spain and southern Africa
Date
2003
Authors
Scott, Louis
Fernandez-Jalvo, Yolanda
Carrion, Jose
Brink, James
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
A survey of palynological research on hyaena coprolites from 10 fossil sites in southern Africa and 4 from Spain shows that coprolites
from 10 out of the 14 sites contained fossil pollen. Pollen-bearing coprolites are generally richer in pollen than the surrounding
sediments. Provisionally it seems that the sites with poor or no pollen in coprolites are relatively old or have been exposed to wet and
dry moisture fluctuations, namely Makapansgat, Gran Dolina, Redcliff Cave and Erfkroon. This suggests that conditions during their
long histories eventually destroyed pollen through oxidation associated with regular saturation of sediments. The composition of
pollen spectra and preservation of pollen grains from coprolites is compared with that in fresh hyaena dung. SEM studies suggest that
pollen grains in fresh dung and in fossil coprolites if preserved under suitable cave conditions, are generally well preserved with little
damage. The damage traits require further systematic investigation in order to assess their taphonomic significance but selective
destruction of pollen through ingestion, if any, seems to be light. Of particular interest to palaeoenvironmental studies is the
observation that pollen assemblages preserved in hyaena dung are likely to provide relatively unbiased characterizations of vegetation
representative of the wide surroundings in which the hyaenas were active. This implies that where pollen was relatively wellpreserved
in coprolites, it can provide palaeoenvironmental information extending beyond the immediate environs of the site in which
they were found. Any possible bias introduced through behaviour-related pollen trapping is, however, difficult to exclude.
Description
Main article
Keywords
palynology, hyaena coprolites, taphonomy, South Africa, Spain.
Citation
None