The clay mineralogy of a set of Tertiary marine sediments from the Internal Subbetic of the Betic External Zone was examined. Two types of sedimentary environment were distinguished: a platform environment consisting of limestones, marls, organogenic limestones, conglomerates and silexites distributed heterogeneously in time and space; and deep environments, where the sedimentation consisted of marls, marly limestones, marly clays and silexites, with no sedimentary gap. A third group of sediments studied belongs to the Águila Complex, with mineralogical and stratigraphic characteristics very similar to the platform sediments. This third type of sediment is found in the sediments of the Campo de Gibraltar Complex as large, disperse blocks resulting from tectonic activity. A very similar mineral association was observed in all three domains, consisting of smectite, illite, mixed-layer I-S, kaolinite and lesser amounts of palygorskite and chlorite. Materials mainly derive from the erosion of Mesozoic sediments, and sedimentation was controlled by the compressive tectonics of the region.

Tertiary sediments are of restricted occurrence in the onshore British Isles but occur extensively offshore, attaining thicknesses of ~4 km in the Faroe—Shetland Basin and ~3 km in the North Sea Basin. Clay mineral stratigraphic studies of the North Sea Paleocene to Lower Miocene successions show a dominance of smectite (and smectite-rich illite-smectite) with minor illite, kaolin and chlorite. Abundant smectite in the Paleocene and Eocene reflects alteration of volcanic ash derived from pyroclastic activity associated with the opening of the North Atlantic between Greenland and Europe. However, the persistence of high smectite into the Oligocene and Middle Miocene indicates that smectite-rich soils on adjacent land areas may also have been an important source of detrital clays. An upwards change to illite-dominated assemblages in the Middle Miocene reflects higher rates of erosion and detrital clay supply, with a subsequent increase in chlorite reflecting climatic cooling. The persistence of smectite-rich assemblages to depths of >3000 m in the offshore indicates little burial-related diagenesis within the mudstone succession, possibly as a consequence of over-pressuring. Despite the importance of Paleocene and Eocene sandstones as hydrocarbon reservoirs in the North Sea and Faroe-Shetland basins, there are few published details of the authigenic clays. The principal clay cements in these sandstones are kaolin and chlorite, with only minor illite reported.

The offshore successions provide a valuable background to the interpretation of the more intensively studied, but stratigraphically less complete, onshore Tertiary successions. The most extensive onshore successions occur in the London and Hampshire basins where sediments of Paleocene to earliest Oligocene age are preserved. Here clay assemblages are dominated by illite and smectite with subordinate kaolin and chlorite. The relatively large smectite content of these successions is also attributed primarily to the alteration of volcanic ash. Associated non-smectitic clays are largely detrital in origin and sourced from areas to the west, with reworking of laterites and “china clay” deposits developed over Cornish granites. Authigenic clays include glauconite (sensu lato), early diagenetic kaolin that has replaced muscovite (principally in the London Clay Formation of the London Basin) and smectite that has replaced ash. Pedogenesis has extensively modified the assemblages in the Reading Formation and Solent Group. Tertiary sediments are largely missing from onshore northern and western Britain, but clays and sands of Eocene and Oligocene age are locally preserved in small fault-bounded basins. Here, clay assemblages are dominated by kaolin with minor illite.

Illite-smectite (I-S) mixed-layer minerals from North Sea oil fields and a Danish outcrop were investigated to determine the detailed structure and the diagenetic clay transformation. Clay layers in the chalk and residues obtained by dissolution of the chalk matrix at pH 5 were investigated. The phase compositions and layer sequences were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) including simulation with a multicomponent program. The structural formulae were determined from chemical analysis, infrared (IR) and 27Al NMR spectroscopies and XRD, and the particle shape by atomic force microscopy (AFM). A high-smectitic (HS) I-S phase and a lowsmectitic (LS) illite-smectite-chlorite (I-S-Ch) phase, both dioctahedral, together constitute 80 – 90% of each sample. However, two samples contain significant amounts of tosudite and of Ch-Serpentine (Sr), respectively. Most of the clay layers have probably formed by dissolution of the chalk, but one Campanian and one Santonian clay layer in well Baron 2 may have a sedimentary origin. The HS and LS minerals are probably of detrital origin. Early diagenesis has taken place through a fixation of Mg in brucite interlayers in the LS phase, this solid-state process forming di-trioctahedral chlorite layers. During later diagenesis involving dissolution of the HS phase, neoformation of a tosudite or of a random mixed-layer trioctahedral chlorite-berthierine took place. In the tosudite, brucite-like sheets are regularly interstratified with smectite interlayers between dioctahedral 2:1 layers, resulting in ditrioctahedral chlorite layers.

Four species of Ophisaurus, O. fejfari, O. spinari, O. robustus and O. holeci, are recognized on the basis of parietals from the Early Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany. The fifth species, O. acuminatus, is described from the Late Miocene of Germany, but its parietal is not preserved. This paper describes new O. fejfari, O. spinari, O. robustus and O. holeci specimens from the Early and Middle Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany. The O. fejfari and O. holeci parietals from Germany are the first records of these species outside the Czech Republic. This paper provides a significant contribution to the understanding of both interspecific and intraspecific Ophisaurus variability in the Cenozoic of Europe. A well-preserved parietal of Anguis rarus sp. nov. is described from the Early Miocene of Germany. This is the first record of the parietal of Anguis in the Cenozoic. A new parietal from the Middle Miocene of Germany is described as Pseudopus sp. It differs from the contemporaneous P. laurillardi only in the absence of the large and distinctly laterally projecting anterolateral processes of the parietal. In the Miocene, Ophisaurus and Pseudopus exhibit a higher diversity than that of the preceding geological periods of the Cenozoic. Besides, Ophisaurus emigrates from Europe to (1) Asia and via the Bering Strait to North America, and (2) North Africa during the Oligocene and Miocene. By contrast, Anguis and Pseudopus are limited to Eurasia. The palaeobiogeography of members of Anguinae is discussed.

Since the beginning of the development of the North German Basin in Stephanien to Early Rotliegend times, rifting played a major role. Nearly all structures in NW-Germany and the German North Sea - (more than 800) - salt diapirs, grabens, inverted grabens and inversion structures - are genetically related to rifting. Today, the rifting periods are well dated. We find signs of dilatation at all times except from the Late Aptian to the end of the Turonian. To the contrary, the period of the Coniacian and Santonian, lasting only five million years was a time of compression, transpression, crustal shortening and inversion. Rifting activities decreased notably after inversion in Late Cretaceous times. Tertiary movements concentrated on a limited number of major, long existing lineaments. Seismically today NW-Germany and the German North Sea sector is one of the quietest regions in Central Europe.

The Broad Fourteens Basin is a NW-SE trending Mesozoic structural element that was affected by inversion movements during the Late Cretaceous (Subhercynian Phase) and Early Tertiary (Laramide Phase). Since the overlying Tertiary section of this area is relatively little studied, a multi-disciplinary investigation was initiated using both seismic and well data. The present study is the first phase of that project and deals exclusively with the stratigraphical framework and sedimentary development based on well logs from approximately forty wells.

The Tertiary sedimentary section in this area (maximum thickness up to approximately 800 m) consists of siliciclastic rocks that generally correlate well with the established lithostratigraphical framework of the Netherlands. However, the highly variable thickness of these lithological units, illustrated by isopach maps for all units, reflect the intricate pattern of sea level movements, differential vertical movements and the ensuing erosion, that took place in this tectonically active area.

Well P06-02, one of the most complete sections in the center of the area, was selected for detailed biostratigraphical analysis to support further stratigraphical subdivision and correlation. This yielded information on both the distribution pattern of various lithological units and the influence of large, partly global, events during basin development. It is concluded that application of detailed sequence stratigraphy in the study area is very problematic and only 2nd and some 3rd order cycles could be recognized.

Within the Cenozoic sedimentary section of the Roer Valley Graben ten seismostratigraphic units have been identified. They are closely related to the lithological framework which makes it possible to recognize diem also on well logs in this region. The Lower Tertiary seismic units, representing mainly marine sediments, have a uniform development mat can be correlated over large distances into the German part of the Roer Valley Graben. The marine to continental Upper Tertiary and Quaternary seismic units display a more complex development due to lateral facies changes (including prograding delta systems) and rift tectonics.

The River Rhine and its tributaries represent one of the largest drainage systems in Europe. Its prominence among other fluvial systems is due to the location of its headwaters within the central Swiss Alps, which were repeatedly glaciated during the Quaternary, and the concurrence of major parts of the River Rhine course with the European Cenozoic Rift System. Sediments of the Rhine have thus recorded both changes in climate and tectonic activity as well as sea level change in the lower part of the river course.

The River Rhine is composed of different subdivisions characterised by distinct geographical and geological settings. Vorder-and Hinterrhein in the headwaters are inner-alpine rivers frequently influenced in their course by tectonic lines and the blockage of valley floors by the deposits of mass movements. The Alpenrhein is located in a main Alpine valley that drains into a large foreland basin, the Bodensee (Lake Constance). The Hochrhein flows out of the lake following the Jura Mountains in a western direction. All these areas display a series of geological features such as moraine ridges and outwash plains, which directly reflect Quaternary glaciations of the Alps. The Oberrhein (Upper Rhine) Valley, as a graben structure, is part of the rifting system that started to develop during the middle Tertiary. The northern end of the graben is represented by the triple junction of the Mainz Basin, which is mainly characterised by the remains of marine transgressions that occurred during the initial rifting phase. The Rhine continues following the western branch of the tectonic system by passing through the Rhenish Massif. Uplift in this so-called Mittelrhein (Middle Rhine) area is well documented by a flight of late Tertiary to Quaternary river terraces. This region is also characterised by young volcanic activity as found, for example, in the Eifel volcanic field. The Niederheinische Bucht (Lower Rhine Embayment), especially the Roer Valley Rift System, represents the northern continuation of the rifting system. This area is characterised by differential uplift in the southern and subsidence in the northern part of the basin, which continues into the Netherlands. Here, the main stream of the River Rhine is separated into different branches developing an active delta at the coast of the North Sea. When the North Sea Basin was covered by ice during the Elsterian, Saalian and probably also the Weichselian glaciation and global sea level was low, the Rhine continued its course through the English Channel and flowed into the North Atlantic off Brittany.

A high-resolution reflection seismic survey was carried out in 1999 over the Feldbiss fault system, the southern border of the Roer Valley graben, in Belgium. Six profile-lines with total length of 13982 m provided information on the 40-600 m depth range, covering Lower Pleistocene to Miocene strata with special emphasis on the Plio-Pleistocene Kieseloolite formation. Data quality depends on near-surface conditions and on degree of deformation in some fault zones, with better results for seismic detonator sources compared to vibroseis sources. The new data confirm the segmented character of the fault system with occurrence of fault bends, relay ramps and branching of overlapping fault sequences, testifying of the strong tectonic activity during the lower Pleistocene. Antiform structures along the Bichterweerd scarp, relaying the Feldbiss to the Geleen fault in the Meuse valley, are presented as a model for the Tertiary evolution of the Bree Uplift.

Radiometric ages for undated parts of the volcanic succession and intrusions in West Greenland were obtained by the 40Ar–39Ar incremental heating method. Acceptable crystallization ages were obtained for 27 samples. Combined with published results the new data provide a volcanic stratigraphy correlatable throughout the Nuussuaq Basin. The thick onshore volcanic pile consists of four widespread formations: 62.5–61 Ma picrites (Vaigat Formation), 61–60 Ma depleted basalts (Maligât Formation and the Hellefisk-1 well), 60–58 Ma less-depleted basalts (Svartenhuk Formation) and 56–54 Ma enriched basalts (Naqerloq Formation). Two local successions comprise 53.5 Ma alkali basalts (Erqua Formation) and 38.7 Ma transitional basalts (Talerua Member). A central volcano developed on Ubekendt Ejland, leading to the Sarqâta qáqâ gabbro-granophyre intrusion at 57–55 Ma. Pre-break-up volcanism took place further south as early as 64–63 Ma. The offshore volcanic succession most probably comprises the known onshore succession plus some younger lavas. The change in spreading direction near the Paleocene–Eocene boundary took place west of the Nuussuaq Basin c. 56.2 Ma. Some tectonomagmatic events are correlatable across the entire North Atlantic Igneous Province. A quiescent 58–56 Ma period correlates with similar periods in East Greenland and the Faroes, and the Naqerloq Formation is coeval with the Eocene basalts in East Greenland. The Paleocene and Eocene tholeiitic basalts are distinguishable chemically; in early Eocene time, mantle typical of the Iceland plume seems to have extended beneath the whole West Greenland margin as well as the central East Greenland margin.

Problem solving and teamwork abilities are important skills for graduates entering the environment profession. Through a problem based learning approach small groups of students from the environmental courses at RMIT University have been gaining these professional skills by undertaking projects in Vietnam. With three years experience in running the project we have data, through the students' reflections and feedback, to demonstrate the value of the project approach, and to undertake improvements. Drawing on data from the latest project we can identify opportunities for improving the details of the project's organisation, but importantly demonstrate the value of the project in providing a depth of professional experiences for the students. This analysis will be important for other academics needing support in the development of project based activities for those in environmental courses.

Fish biomass, species richness and composition were compared between upland streams draining two contrasting geological units (Pebas and Tsa) in Colombian Amazonia. Because Pebas sediments reportedly show higher levels of base concentrations than Tsa sediments, we expected that the fish communities from the Pebas streams would show highest biomass and species richness, and that the species composition would vary between the two upland systems. Eight forest streams were sampled in four locations, applying four daily sampling events. Tsa soil samples were comparatively sandy, whereas Pebas soil samples tended to be siltier, with higher levels of exchangeable acidity, Ca, Mg and total bases. Conductivity, concentrations of bases (Ca, Mg, K and Na), bicarbonates and temperature showed higher values in Pebas stream-water samples than in Tsa. In total, 7696 fish individuals were captured, belonging to eight orders, 28 families and 122 species. Pebas streams had 1.3 times more species than Tsa streams, and more than twice the total biomass. Species richness and biomass were highly correlated with conductivity and water concentrations of Mg and Na, and biomass alone with dissolved oxygen. Fish species composition differed significantly between the geological units. Species turnover was not related to distance between sampling locations.

The clastic sequence of the Ergiliin Zoo Formation stretches along the Mongolian–Chinese border in the southern Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Its members (Sevkhuul, Ergil) exposed in the Erdene Sum region are well known for their vertebrate remains of Late Eocene and Oligocene age. Based upon field work, the continental red beds were subdivided into four units described as (I) prodelta/mud-sand flat, (II) delta front, (III) delta plain and (IV) calcretes. All sub-environments are in a fluvial–lacustrine setting. Electronmicroprobe analysis, in addition to conventional thin-section examination, was applied to shed some light on the complex mineral association made up of light minerals (quartz, plagioclase, ternary feldspar, orthoclase, smectite, illite, rare palygorskite), heavy minerals (almandine–pyrope solid solution series, zoisite–epidote s.s.s.) and abundant goethite and carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite). Igneous rocks being exposed in the source area have contributed to the formation of carbonate minerals and Mg-bearing sheet silicates during diagenesis. Higher up on the delta plain transitional between distal alluvial and deltaic deposits, fluids emerged from the distal alluvial–fluvial deposits and formed calcareous duricrusts. Drawing conclusions from the rock colour, the mineral assemblage and the palaeoecological data, the climatic conditions may be described as alternating wet and dry seasons, closely resembling those conditions of a modern savannah.

A sedimentary sequence, c. 5–6 km thick, extending from the Kimmeridgian–Upper Eocene crops out in the James Ross Island area, northern Antarctic Peninsula. This succession is the most important onshore Late Cretaceous–Tertiary sequence in Antarctica and is probably one of the most significant Cretaceous sequences in the Southern Hemisphere. However, the understanding of the geological and palaeontological evolution of the area has been limited by an incomplete knowledge of the biostratigraphy of this region. Palynological studies are providing a finer resolution biostratigraphical zonation scheme than previously possible. This paper reviews the stratigraphy of the basin fill succession and provides a framework for the papers published in this Special Issue.

The Tertiary stocks (Meander Intrusives) cropping out along the coasts of the Ross Sea were sampled for a palaeomagnetic study during the sixth Italian expedition to northern Victoria Land. Laboratory investigations concerned magnetic mineralogy and remanent magnetization. Minerals of the magnetiteulvöspinel series occur in the rocks from all stocks, with low-Ti titanomagnetite usually prevalent. Haematite and goethite occur in small amounts as alteration products. Large secondary components commonly screen the characteristic remanent magnetization and were removed by thermal or AF demagnetization at temperatures or peak-fields higher than 360°C and 20 mT respectively. A total of 10 VGPs were obtained from radiometrically dated rocks (42–22 Ma); the averaged position (69°S, 334°E; α95=9.9°) is the first middle Tertiary palaeomagnetic pole for East Antarctica, and gives evidence for a reversal in the course of the APW path. This evidence is not substantially altered by a supposed tilt-correction consistent with geophysical and geological models for the uplift of the Transantarctic Mountains. No definite conclusion about relative movements between East Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula can be drawn from the existing palaeomagnetic data.

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic volcanic arc of the Antarctic Peninsula is represented on Adelaide Island by a sedimentary and volcanic succession intruded by plutons. 40Ar-39 Ar step-heating age spectra have been obtained from volcanic rocks and hornblende separates from sedimentary clasts of plutonic origin. These spectra show evidence for some argon loss, but, in general, have plateau ages which are consistent with the mapped stratigraphy and with other geochronological controls, suggesting that they approximate to original ages. As a result the following events in the evolution of Adelaide Island can be recognized:

1) mostly marine Mesozoic sedimentation, 2) Early Cretaceous (c. 141 Ma) plutonism (recorded in clasts from conglomerates), 3) Cretaceous volcanism, 4) Late Cretaceous (possibly Tertiary) sedimentation, 5) Early Tertiary volcanism, which was acidic in eastern outcrops and intermediate elsewhere, and 6) Eocene intermediate volcanism and deposition of arc-derived conglomerates. Volcanism was possibly coeval with known Palaeocene-Eocene plutonic activity on Adelaide Island (part of the Antarctic Peninsula Batholith) and with volcanism of similar age in northern Alexander Island and the South Shetland Islands. The volcanism on Adelaide Island and the South Shetland Islands, at least, was associated with a westward migration of the Antarctic Peninsula arc.

The high-dT/dP-type Hidaka Metamorphic Belt in Hokkaido, northern Japan, represents a tilted crustal section of a magmatic arc of Tertiary age. The highest metamorphic grades reached are granulite facies, and the syn-metamorphic granitic rocks are widely distributed in this metamorphic terrane. The granitic rocks are mainly tonalitic and granodioritic in composition, and are classified into peraluminous (S-type) and metaluminous (I-type) granitoids. A large amount of pyroxene-bearing S-type tonalites (garnet-orthopyroxene tonalite) is distributed in the Niikappu river region in the northern part of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt. Pyroxene-bearing I-type tonalite (two-pyroxene hornblende tonalite) bodies are also distributed in this area.

The pyroxene-bearing tonalites are classified into several sub-types on the basis of their field occurrence, texture, mineral assemblage and geochemical features. Homogeneous IH- and SH-type tonalite are thought to represent original magmas, i.e. those which have been generated by partial melting of mafic metamorphic rocks and pelitic-psammitic metamorphic rocks, respectively. Model calculations assuming batch partial melting indicate that possible restites are garnet-two-pyroxene mafic granulite for IH-type and garnet-orthopyroxene aluminous granulite for SH-type. The unexposed lowermost crust of the ‘Hidaka crust’ is thought to be composed of garnet-two-pyroxene mafic granulite, garnet-orthopyroxene aluminous granulite and metagabbros.

Major and trace element data on Tertiary continental basalt flows from the Shalatein area, Red Sea coastal plain of Egypt, have been presented and used to obtain more information about their source region and the processes involved in their generation. The rocks are mainly alkali olivine basalt with MgO and Mg no. in the range of 9.8–5 wt % and 65–46, respectively. They display wide variations in incompatible element concentrations, particularly LREE, Zr, Nb, K, Y, Ba and Sr. There is no evidence of significant crustal contamination or a lithospheric mantle signature in these rocks. Normalized trace element patterns and diagnostic elemental ratios are very similar to those of modern ocean-island basalts (OIB) a feature which suggests that the mantle source region was the asthenosphere. Comparison with the different types of OIB indicates that the basalts may be derived from a high U/Pb (HIMU) source with slightly elevated K and Ba contents. The basalts show general trends of increasing incompatible elements (K2O, Nb, Y, Sr and Yb), and decreasing contents of compatible elements (Cr, Ni, Sc and Ca) with decreasing Mg no. Furthermore, TiO2, P2O5, LREE and Th define maxima at about Mg no.=56, suggesting late fractionation of Fe–Ti oxides and apatite. Although these variations are consistent with fractional crystallization processes, the wide variations in LREE contents and the incompatible trace element ratios Ce/Y (1.2–3.8), Zr/Nb (2.3–7.1) and Nb/Y (0.6–4) in the least fractionated samples (Mg no. > 56) suggest that fractional crystallization involving the observed phenocryst assemblage (olivine and clinopyroxene) cannot fully explain such compositional variations. Modelling of the mafic rocks (Mg no. > 56) using REE suggests varying degrees of partial melting of an enriched mantle source region in the garnet stability field. Partial melting is attributed to plume-related mantle upwelling beneath the Red Sea rift system.