Kelly Hill Cave (K1–P2) - Layer 4
Basic information
Sample name: Kelly Hill Cave (K1–P2) - Layer 4
Reference: S. J. Adams, M. C. McDowell, and G. J. Prideaux. 2016. Understanding accumulation bias in the ecological interpretation of archaeological and paleontological sites on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 7:715-729 [ER 3692]
Geography
Country: Australia
State: South Australia
Coordinate: 35° 58' 52" S, 136° 54' 26" E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark
Time interval: Holocene
Section: 3692
Unit number: 3
Unit order: above to below
Max Ma: 0.00619
Min Ma: 0.003986
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: "Kelly Hill Cave (K1) is a non-cultural cave site on Kangaroo Island consisting of large cavities up to 25 m below the crest of Kelly Hill".
Layer 4 of K1–P2 is constrained by a radiocarbon date from Layer 3 of 3986 ± 20 BP, ranging from 4550–4250 cal. BP., and a radiocarbon date from Layer 5 of 6190 ± 40 BP, ranging from 7200–6900 cal. BP.
Layer 4 of K1–P2 is constrained by a radiocarbon date from Layer 3 of 3986 ± 20 BP, ranging from 4550–4250 cal. BP., and a radiocarbon date from Layer 5 of 6190 ± 40 BP, ranging from 7200–6900 cal. BP.
Environment
Lithology: limestone
Taphonomic context: bird accumulation,cave,pitfall trap
Habitat comments: "The Kelly Hill Cave system consists of a series of cave entrances connected by extensive passages covering at least 36 000 square metres".
The system likely formed through water slowly infiltrating poorly consolidated dune sediments resulting in the dissolution of large lateral cavities that have matured into structurally stable chambers (McDowell et al. 2013).
The faunal remains likely accumulated "through a combination of pitfall entrapment of large hopping species and owl accumulation".
The system likely formed through water slowly infiltrating poorly consolidated dune sediments resulting in the dissolution of large lateral cavities that have matured into structurally stable chambers (McDowell et al. 2013).
The faunal remains likely accumulated "through a combination of pitfall entrapment of large hopping species and owl accumulation".
Methods
Life forms: rodents,other small mammals
Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash
Sample size: 54 specimens
Sampling comments: "A well-stratified late Pleistocene–Holocene accumulation containing abundant faunal material was excavated near the entrance of K1".
"The excavation (K1–P2) consisted of two 1 m × 1 m squares excavated to bedrock in 5-cm spits within layers".
"Sediment was dry sieved through a 12-mm sieve to retrieve large bones then washed through a 1.5-mm sieve to retrieve smaller faunal elements".
"The excavation (K1–P2) consisted of two 1 m × 1 m squares excavated to bedrock in 5-cm spits within layers".
"Sediment was dry sieved through a 12-mm sieve to retrieve large bones then washed through a 1.5-mm sieve to retrieve smaller faunal elements".
Metadata
Sample number: 3871
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-02-01 15:37:22
Modified: 2023-04-29 05:27:22
Abundance distribution
8 species
2 singletons
total count 54
geometric series index: 15.5
Fisher's α: 2.596
geometric series k: 0.6095
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.5968
Shannon's H: 1.3291
Good's u: 0.9649
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Dasyurus maculatus | 2 | |
| Sminthopsis aitkeni | 4 | |
| also 1 Sminthopsis sp. | ||
| Cercartetus concinnus | 1 | |
| Bettongia cf. penicillata | 1 | |
| Pseudomys australis | 2 | |
| Pseudomys occidentalis | 10 | |
| Pseudomys shortridgei | 2 | |
| Rattus fuscipes | 32 | |