Abstract
Formed close to the K–Pg boundary, the Boltysh meteorite crater, Ukraine, preserves >400 m of lacustrine sedimentary rocks that include a record of the early Danian Dan-C2 hyperthermal event. Abundant pollen, spores and algae recovered from these sediments have yielded a cyclic record of plant ecology change paced by c. 21 kyr orbital precession cycles. New, higher resolution sampling across the inception of the Dan-C2 hyperthermal event has identified oscillations in vegetation community ecology at sub-orbital periods of c. 2 kyr, c. 200 years and c. 11 years. These are consistent with possible Hallstatt, DeVreis–Suess and Schwabe solar cycles, respectively. Rapid regime shift from savanna to a mesic forest ecosystem was paced by c. 21 kyr precession, with the shift probably occurring in <200 years. Prior to regime shift, c. 2 kyr (i.e. possible Hallstatt) oscillations between mesic- and winterwet-dominated plant communities increased in intensity, suggestive of ecological flickering.ectively. Rapid regime shift from savanna to a mesic forest ecosystems was paced by ~21ky precession, with the shift likely occurring in <200y. Prior to regime shift, ~2 ky (i.e. possible Hallstatt) oscillations between mesic- and winterwet-dominated plant communities increased in intensity, suggestive of ecological flickering.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1019-1030 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of the Geological Society |
Volume | 174 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 29 Jun 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2017 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank R.A.Spicer for his helpful comments on a draft version of this paper, and two anonymous referees for their constructive comments. The second author, Rob Daly, died after an extended illness prior to the publication of this paper. He was a valued co-worker and is much missed by his friends and co-workers at Aberdeen.
Funding
The drilling of the Boltysh crater was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant NE/D005043/1.