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The Waipounamu Erosion Surface: questioning the antiquity of the New Zealand land surface and terrestrial fauna and flora

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2008

C. A. LANDIS ,
H. J. CAMPBELL ,
J. G. BEGG ,
D. C. MILDENHALL ,
A. M. PATERSON  and
S. A. TREWICK
C. A. LANDIS
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
H. J. CAMPBELL*
Affiliation:
GNS Science, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
J. G. BEGG
Affiliation:
GNS Science, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
D. C. MILDENHALL
Affiliation:
GNS Science, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
A. M. PATERSON
Affiliation:
Bio-Protection and Ecology Division P.O. Box 84, Lincoln University, New Zealand
S. A. TREWICK
Affiliation:
Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
*
Author for correspondence: h.campbell@gns.cri.nz
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Abstract

The Waipounamu Erosion Surface is a time-transgressive, nearly planar, wave-cut surface. It is not a peneplain. Formation of the Waipounamu Erosion Surface began in Late Cretaceous time following break-up of Gondwanaland, and continued until earliest Miocene time, during a 60 million year period of widespread tectonic quiescence, thermal subsidence and marine transgression. Sedimentary facies and geomorphological evidence suggest that the erosion surface may have eventually covered the New Zealand subcontinent (Zealandia). We can find no geological evidence to indicate that land areas were continuously present throughout the middle Cenozoic. Important implications of this conclusion are: (1) the New Zealand subcontinent was largely, or entirely, submerged and (2) New Zealand's present terrestrial fauna and flora evolved largely from fortuitous arrivals during the past 22 million years. Thus the modern terrestrial biota may not be descended from archaic ancestors residing on Zealandia when it broke away from Gondwanaland in the Cretaceous, since the terrestrial biota would have been extinguished if this landmass was submerged in Oligocene–Early Miocene time. We conclude that there is insufficient geological basis for assuming that land was continuously present in the New Zealand region through Oligocene to Early Miocene time, and we therefore contemplate the alternative possibility, complete submergence of Zealandia.

Keywords

Waipounamu Erosion SurfacepeneplainsubmergenceCenozoicGondwanalandZealandiaNew Zealand
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 145 , Issue 2 , March 2008 , pp. 173 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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