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Abstract

Pollen analysis of a sequence of post-glacial deposits north of the old railway bridge over the King River showed that cold wet heath, with Microstrobos and Epacridaceae, and herbland of Gramineae, Compositae and Astelia occurred in the King Valley before ca. 13 000 yr BP.
Temperate rainforest/wet mixed forest developed after 13 000 yr BP and was dominated by Phyllocladus before ca. 640 yr BP. Between ca. 6400 and 4000 yr BP Nothofagus and Eucalyptus were co-dominant. A hiatus in deposition of organic-rich sediments occurred between 4000 and 2500 yr BP, when slope debris/alluvial fan gravels were formed. After 2500 yr BP Phyllocladus became dominant again. A mosaic of shrub, heath, sedge and herb communities occurred in addition to the rainforest/wet mixed forest vegetation during much of the post-glacial period.These communities seem to reflect variations in habitat and environmental conditions related to soil differences, flooding, waterlogging and burning adjacent to the King River. The pollen sequence shows the characteristic early post-glacial peak of Phylloladus, the early-middle post-glacial maximum of Pomaderris and the middle Holocene maximum of Nothofogus for western Tasmania. The vegetation was influenced by burning at all times. The climate transition from cold to cool humid conditions occurred around 13 000 yr BP and was probably relatively rapid.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Van de Geer, G and Fitzsimons, SJ and Colhoun, EA
Keywords:	Royal Society of Tasmania, RST, Van Diemens Land, natural history, science, ecology, taxonomy, botany, zoology, geology, geography, papers & proceedings, Australia, UTAS Library
Journal or Publication Title:	Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
ISSN:	0080-4703
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.26749/rstpp.125.73
Collections:	Royal Society Collection > Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Additional Information:	Copyright Royal Society of Tasmania
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

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