Repeated flood events and fossil forests at Curio Bay (Middle Jurassic), New Zealand

During the Middle Jurassic, the regional environment of Curio Bay, southeas t South Island, New Zealand, was a fluvial plain marginal to volcanic uplan ds. Intermittent flashy, poorly-confined flood events buried successive con ifer forests. With the termination of each flood, soils developed and veget ation was reestablished. In most cases, this developed into coniferous fore st. In approximately 40 m of vertical section, 10 fossil forest horizons ca n be distinguished, highlighting a type of fluvial architecture which is po orly documented. Flood-basin material is minimal, but a short-Lived floodba sin lake is inferred to have developed within the interval of study. Paleoc urrent indicators suggest enclosure of the basin on more than one side. Sed imentation style suggests a relatively dry (less than humid but not arid) c limate with seasonal rainfall. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.