T266 Recent Advances in Soil and Paleosol Science (Posters)

Wednesday, 25 September 2024
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Hall D

PALEO-LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF SELECT PROFILES AT THE PLIOCENE HOMININ FOSSIL LOCALITY OF WORANSO MILLE, ETHIOPIA

Paper number: T266-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

  • Evan Madill Presenting Author
    Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
  • Evan Madill Presenting Author
    Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Abstract

The Pliocene-age hominin locality of Woranso-Mille in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia is known for its diversity of taxa, including A. afarensis, A. anamensis, A. deyiremeda, and a partial foot belonging to an unidentified species. Here I present paleoenvironmental reconstructions of select paleosol profiles younger than 3.469 ± 0.008 Ma at Woranso-Mille. The majority of these profiles belong to the vertisol order, signaling formation in a seasonal wet and dry environment. This interpretation is reinforced by the translocation of both iron oxides and calcium carbonate. Rhizoliths observed mostly have diameters less than or equal to 5 mm, indicating dominant herbaceous cover, which is comparable to the vegetation of the present-day Afar Region.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 56, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2024AM-405023

© Copyright 2024 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.