PALEO-LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF SELECT PROFILES AT THE PLIOCENE HOMININ FOSSIL LOCALITY OF WORANSO MILLE, ETHIOPIA

The Pliocene-age hominin locality of Woranso-Mille in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia is known for its diversity of taxa, including A. afarensis, A. anamensis, A. deyiremeda, and a partial foot belonging to an unidentified species. Here I present paleoenvironmental reconstructions of select paleosol profiles younger than 3.469 ± 0.008 Ma at Woranso-Mille. The majority of these profiles belong to the vertisol order, signaling formation in a seasonal wet and dry environment. This interpretation is reinforced by the translocation of both iron oxides and calcium carbonate. Rhizoliths observed mostly have diameters less than or equal to 5 mm, indicating dominant herbaceous cover, which is comparable to the vegetation of the present-day Afar Region.