Early Jurassic Wildfire and Environmental Proxy Data from Mochras Borehole

Terrestrial palaeo-environmental proxy data from the Upper Pliensbachian Margaritatus Zone, spanning approximately 350,000 years. The dataset includes high-resolution measurements of charcoal abundance, palynofacies, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and clay mineralogy from the Mochras borehole in Wales. Data was collected and analyzed by researchers including Teuntje Hollaar and Claire Belcher.

Use Cases

• Correlate microscopic and macroscopic charcoal abundance with orbital forcing cycles to model wildfire activity.
• Analyze palynofacies data to assess changes in riverine influx and organic preservation impacting charcoal records.
• Use X-ray fluorescence and clay mineralogy data to examine detrital output and hydrological cycle changes.
• Investigate bulk organic carbon isotopes and Total Organic Carbon content for insights into the carbon cycle and lithology.

Strengths

• High-resolution sampling at 10 cm intervals for orbital cycle analysis.
• Multi-proxy approach combining charcoal, geochemical, and mineralogical data.
• Temporal coverage of approximately 350,000 years from a defined geological zone.

Limitations

• Geographic scope is limited to a single borehole location in the Cardigan Bay Basin.
• Sample data and specific row/column counts are unavailable for assessing dataset scale.
• Data represents a specific paleoenvironment (~35°N paleolatitude) which may limit broader applicability.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS), associated with NERC Grant NE/N018508/1.

Collection Method

Data gathered via X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and palynological preparations.

Time Range

Upper Pliensbachian Margaritatus Zone, equivalent to ~350 kyr.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Mochras Borehole, Cardigan Bay Basin, Wales (paleolatitude ~35°N).