Cretaceous fossil wood from the Raggatt Basin, southern Kerguelen Plateau (Site 750)

Abstract

Lower Cretaceous volcaniclastic sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 120, Site 750, from the eastern flank of the Raggatt Basin on the Kerguelen Plateau, contain small clasts of fossil wood. All the wood examined is from conifer trees and is identified as Podocarpoxylon. The presence of wood suggests that forested land was situated near the Raggatt Basin during the Early Cretaceous. Some wood was charred by burning in forest fires, possibly caused by volcanic eruptions. The charcoal and some unburnt wood was then buried in adjacent (probably nonmarine) sediments. -from Authors