Palaeontological excavation and taphonomic investigation of the late Pleistocene fossil deposit in Grant Hall, Victoria Fossil Cave, Naracoorte, South Australia

Application of sedimentary and chronological analyses to refine the depositional context of a Late Pleistocene vertebrate deposit, Naracoorte, South Australia

“…A unique feature of the assemblage is the low proportion of grazing versus browsing macropodids (kangaroos and wallabies) when compared to other NCWHA deposits (Reed, 2003;Fraser and Wells, 2006;Prideaux et al, 2007). This apparent change in the structure of the regional faunal community may represent a response to climatic conditions associated with the peak of the last interglacial (Fraser and Wells, 2006).…”

“…The faunal assemblage is taxonomically diverse, containing a minimum of 47 species including the remains of a broad range of extinct and extant mammals, reptiles and birds (Fraser and Wells, 2006). A unique feature of the assemblage is the low proportion of grazing versus browsing macropodids (kangaroos and wallabies) when compared to other NCWHA deposits (Reed, 2003;Fraser and Wells, 2006;Prideaux et al, 2007).…”

“…This apparent change in the structure of the regional faunal community may represent a response to climatic conditions associated with the peak of the last interglacial (Fraser and Wells, 2006). As identified by Fraser and Wells (2006), resolving the extent to which the deposit represents a unique fauna associated with the last interglacial requires both (a) systematic sedimentary analysis and dating through the depositional sequence, and (b) further excavation of the deposit to increase the fossil sample to better discern ecological trends. Given the paucity of stratigraphically and chronologically refined Pleistocene fossil deposits in Australia, continued study of cave deposits such as Grant Hall is required to advance understanding of climate impacts on Quaternary faunas, and to resolve the causes and timing of the Late Pleistocene extinctions (Prideaux, 2006;Price et al, 2011).…”

“…The fossil deposit of Grant Hall, a chamber within Victoria Fossil Cave (VFC; 5U1) is the only known deposit to sample the last interglacial period from the NCWHA and may be significant in terms of past environmental records for the region Grün et al, 2001;Fraser and Wells, 2006). Its age is constrained by U/Th dates on underlying and capping flowstone layers to ca.…”

“…A unique feature of the assemblage is the low proportion of grazing versus browsing macropodids (kangaroos and wallabies) when compared to other NCWHA deposits (Reed, 2003;Fraser and Wells, 2006;Prideaux et al, 2007). This apparent change in the structure of the regional faunal community may represent a response to climatic conditions associated with the peak of the last interglacial (Fraser and Wells, 2006). As identified by Fraser and Wells (2006), resolving the extent to which the deposit represents a unique fauna associated with the last interglacial requires both (a) systematic sedimentary analysis and dating through the depositional sequence, and (b) further excavation of the deposit to increase the fossil sample to better discern ecological trends.…”