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Taphonomy of plant fossils from the Viséan of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

R. E. Brown ,
A. C. Scott  and
T. P. Jones
R. E. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K. Department of Biology, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K.
A. C. Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K.
T. P. Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K. Department of Biology, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, U.K.
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Abstract

The Viséan sequence at East Kirkton contains abundant plant fossils which show a wide range of preservation states. Most of the plant fragments are allochthonous, but stigmarian rootlets are found in situ at the top of the sequence and form mats near the base, where they are preserved in cherts. Axes have commonly been reworked within tuffs at the base. The majority of the plants are preserved as fragmentary compressions, although mineral replacement of the organic matter has occurred in some places. A number of woody axes which have been permineralised by phases of calcite and silica are found in the limestone and tuffs of the sequence. These axes often show complex mineralisation patterns and can occur at the centre of stromatolitic nodules. Some are well preserved and appear to have been permineralised rapidly whereas others show evidence of decay prior to calcite growth or degradation after stromatolite developed. Fusain (fossil charcoal) is abundant in the sequence, in addition to fusain transition fossils caused by partial charring, which suggests the occurrence of palaeowildfires in the area. The plant fossils have been assigned to a number of categories (some of which are new), based on their varied preservation states.

Keywords

Carboniferouspalaeobotanyvolcanic environmentspreservationpermineralisationcompressionfusaintransition fossilsmineral replacementEast KirktonScotland
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 84 , Issue 3-4: Volcanism and early terrestrial biotas , 1993 , pp. 267 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1993

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