Wolverine in Northern England at About 83,000 yr B.P.: Faunal Evidence for Climatic Change during Isotope Stage 5

Cave sediments from Stump Cross Cave in northern England contain Pleistocene mammal remains. Uranium-series dating of calcium carbonate deposits closely associated with the fossiliferous horizons has established an absolute age of 83,000 ± 6000 yr B.P. for a faunal assemblage largely comprised of wo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary Research
Main Authors: Sutcliffe, Antony J., Lord, Thomas C., Harmon, Russell S., Ivanovich, Miro, Rae, Angela, Hess, John W.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1985
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0033-5894(85)90084-5
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Summary:Cave sediments from Stump Cross Cave in northern England contain Pleistocene mammal remains. Uranium-series dating of calcium carbonate deposits closely associated with the fossiliferous horizons has established an absolute age of 83,000 ± 6000 yr B.P. for a faunal assemblage largely comprised of wolverines ( Gulo gulo ). This date lies firmly within the younger portion of oxygen-isotope stage 5. The occurrence of wolverines in the vicinity of Stump Cross Cave at ca. 83,000 yr B.P. indicates a significant climatic deterioration from ca. 120,000 yr B.P., when an Ipswichian interglacial fauna with hippopotamus was present in this part of northern England.