Giday Woldegabriel, William K. Hart, Paul R. Renne, Yohannes Haile-Selassie, and Tim White
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520254404
- eISBN:
- 9780520942509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520254404.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
The late Miocene Adu-Asa Formation comprises major sedimentary and volcanic units that crop out along the densely faulted and tilted frontal blocks of the western rift margin of the transition zone ...
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The late Miocene Adu-Asa Formation comprises major sedimentary and volcanic units that crop out along the densely faulted and tilted frontal blocks of the western rift margin of the transition zone between the northern Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) and the southern Afar Rift. This chapter discusses the geological and tectonic processes that led to the origin and evolution of the rift basin of the transition zone. It highlights a decade-long geological and paleontological reconnaissance and focuses investigation along the strike of the frontal fault blocks of the western rift margin of the Middle Awash study area.Less
The late Miocene Adu-Asa Formation comprises major sedimentary and volcanic units that crop out along the densely faulted and tilted frontal blocks of the western rift margin of the transition zone between the northern Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) and the southern Afar Rift. This chapter discusses the geological and tectonic processes that led to the origin and evolution of the rift basin of the transition zone. It highlights a decade-long geological and paleontological reconnaissance and focuses investigation along the strike of the frontal fault blocks of the western rift margin of the Middle Awash study area.
Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Gen Suwa, and Tim White
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520254404
- eISBN:
- 9780520942509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520254404.003.0007
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Recent discoveries of hominid remains older than 5 Ma have afforded new perspectives on the origin of the hominid clade. This chapter describes and assesses the key evidence bearing on these ...
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Recent discoveries of hominid remains older than 5 Ma have afforded new perspectives on the origin of the hominid clade. This chapter describes and assesses the key evidence bearing on these issues—the remains of Ardipithecus kadabba from the Middle Awash study area of the Afar Rift. It introduces the major morphological features of the known Ardipithecus kadabba specimens and also infers possible ancestral ape conditions from the morphologies shared by extant great apes and the collective late and middle Miocene fossil ape record.Less
Recent discoveries of hominid remains older than 5 Ma have afforded new perspectives on the origin of the hominid clade. This chapter describes and assesses the key evidence bearing on these issues—the remains of Ardipithecus kadabba from the Middle Awash study area of the Afar Rift. It introduces the major morphological features of the known Ardipithecus kadabba specimens and also infers possible ancestral ape conditions from the morphologies shared by extant great apes and the collective late and middle Miocene fossil ape record.
Denise F. Su, Stanley H. Ambrose, David Degusta, and Yohannes Haile-Selassie
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520254404
- eISBN:
- 9780520942509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520254404.003.0017
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This chapter considers the paleoenvironment of the Middle Awash study area in the Afar Rift of Ethiopia. Different aspects of the large mammalian faunal communities from the Asa Koma and Kuseralee ...
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This chapter considers the paleoenvironment of the Middle Awash study area in the Afar Rift of Ethiopia. Different aspects of the large mammalian faunal communities from the Asa Koma and Kuseralee Members are examined. The chapter examines the community structure based on locomotor and dietary variables, relative abundances of indicator taxa, and ecomorphology. Independent verification of the results based on large mammalian fauna have been derived from fish, bird, and small mammal faunas and from geological and stable isotopic data.Less
This chapter considers the paleoenvironment of the Middle Awash study area in the Afar Rift of Ethiopia. Different aspects of the large mammalian faunal communities from the Asa Koma and Kuseralee Members are examined. The chapter examines the community structure based on locomotor and dietary variables, relative abundances of indicator taxa, and ecomorphology. Independent verification of the results based on large mammalian fauna have been derived from fish, bird, and small mammal faunas and from geological and stable isotopic data.
