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.