11 research outputs found
A fossil specimen of Pterostichus angustatus (Duftschmid) (Carabidae): implications for the importance of pine and fire habitats.
The recovery of a fossil specimen of the Pterostichus angustatus (Duftschmid) in 4000 year-old deposits from Hatfield Moors SSSI, Humberhead Levels shows the early presence of this species in Britain. Before this discovery the species has been considered only as an established immigrant since about 1900. This paper discusses the biology and biogeography of this species and the implications of its recovery in the fossil record
Mire ontogeny, environmental and climate change inferred from fossil beetle successions from Hatfield Moors, eastern England
Results of a fossil Coleoptera (beetle) fauna from a fen edge sequence from Hatfield Moors, Humber-head Levels, England, are presented. Mire ontogeny inferred from this location and others are discussed, particularly in the light of previous palynological and plant macrofossil investigations. Peat initiation across most of the site centres around 3000 cal. bc, characterized by a Calluna-Eriophorum heath with areas of PinusBetula woodland. The onset of peat accumulation on the southern margins of the site was delayed until 1520â 1390 cal. bc and appears to overlap closely with a recurrence surface at a pollen site (HAT 2) dated to 1610â 1440 cal. bc, suggesting that increased surface wetness may have caused mire expansion at this time. The faunas illustrate the transition from eutrophic and mesotrophic fen to ombrotrophic raised mire, although the significance of both Pinus- and Calluna-indicating species through the sequence suggests that heath habitats may have continued to be important. Elsewhere, this earlier phase of rich fen is lacking and mesotrophic mire developed immediately above nutrient-poor sands, with ombrotrophic conditions indicated soon after. Correspondence analysis of the faunas provides valuable insights into the importance of sandy heath habitats on Hatfield Moors. The continuing influence of the underlying coversands suggests these may have been instrumental in mire ontogeny. The research highlights the usefulness of using Coleoptera to assess mire ontogeny, fluctuations in site hydrology and vegetation cover, particularly when used in conjunction with other peatland proxies. The significance of a suite of extinct beetle species is discussed with reference to forest history and climatic change