A Late Quaternary pollen record from deep-sea core Fr10/95, GC17 offshore Cape Range Peninsula, northwestern Western Australia

Abstract

Pollen and charcoal analysis on marine sediment core Fr10/95, GC-17 provides a record of vegetation, fire and climate change for the last 100 ka, with a hiatus from 64 to 46 ka, for the Cape Range Peninsula, Western Australia. Our results indicate significantly drier conditions and reduced summer rain after 46 ka compared with 100-64 ka. Periods of maximum summer rain occurred at 100, 80 and 70 ka. Vegetation changed from open Eucalyptus woodlands rich in grasses to open Eucalyptus and Gyrostemon shrublands rich in Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Asteraceae Tubuliflorae, in the period from 46 to 40 ka. The charcoal record does not suggest human involvement in this vegetation change. The period from 14 to 3 ka was wetter with heavier summer rain compared to today, probably as a result of higher sea-surface temperatures. Increased strength of the Leeuwin Current during the last 5000 years is suggested by the presence of Pteridophyta spores derived from Indonesia.