Distribution of phytolithes in CRP sediment cores from the Ross Sea, Antarctica, supplement to: Thorn, Vanessa C (2001): Oligocene and early Miocene phytolits from CRP-2/2A and CRP-3, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. Terra Antartica, 8(4), 407-422

Phytoliths (siliceous plant microfossils) have been recovered from Cenozoic sediments (c. 34 to 17 Ma) in the CRP-2/2A and CRP-3 drillholes cored off Cape Roberts, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. The phytolith assemblages are sparse, but well-preserved and dominated by spherical forms similar to th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Thorn, Vanessa C
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science 2001
Subjects:
Core wireline system
CRP-2
CRP-3
Sampling/drilling from ice
Cape Roberts Project CRP
Ross Sea
Victoria Land
McMurdo Sound
Cape Roberts
Antarc*
Antarctica
antartic*
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.510767
https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.510767
Description
Summary:Phytoliths (siliceous plant microfossils) have been recovered from Cenozoic sediments (c. 34 to 17 Ma) in the CRP-2/2A and CRP-3 drillholes cored off Cape Roberts, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. The phytolith assemblages are sparse, but well-preserved and dominated by spherical forms similar to those of modern trees or shrubs. Rare phytoliths comparable to modern grass forms are also present. However, due to the paucity of phytolith data, any interpretations made are necessarily tentative. The assemblages of CRP-2/2A and the upper c. 250 m of CRP-3 are interpreted as representing a predominantly woody vegetation, including Nothofagus and Libocedrus with local areas of grass in the more exposed locations. A cool climate is interpreted to have prevailed throughout both cores. However, beneath c. 250 metres below sea floor in CRP-3, the dominant woody vegetation is supplemented by pockets of Palmae, ?Proteaceae and 'warm' climate grasses. This association represents vegetation growth in sheltered, moist sites – possibly north-facing mid-slopes or the coastal fringe. It may also represent remnant vegetation that grew in moist, temperate conditions during the Middle to Late Eocene, previously interpreted from the Southern McMurdo Sound erratics and lower part of the CIROS-1 drillhole. The phytolith analysis compares well to the terrestrial palynomorph record from both cores and provides additional independent taxonomic and climatic interpretations.

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