Palynostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of Wellington, New Zealand, during the last 80 ka, based on palynology of drillholes

Abstract

Abstract About 20 pollen profiles from the Wellington area are correlated and zoned according to their pollen characteristics. Sequences from many of the larger sedimentary deposits are shown to contain little or no sediment of late Last Glacial and early Postglacial age, while late Postglacial sedimentation is restricted to a few localities. Sediments of middle and early Last Glacial age are well represented and widespread over the Wellington area. Pollen diagrams from Last Glacial and Postglacial sediments are zoned as follows: Zone A, 80 000–60 000 yr B.P. (lower end of range more likely) and provisionally correlated with oxygen isotope stages 5a and basal 4; Zone B, 70 000–50 000 yr B.P. (lower end of range more likely), provisionally correlated with upper oxygen isotope stages 4 and basal stage 3; Zone C, a short zone just beyond the range of radiocarbon dating at the top of Zone B of 60 000–50 000 yr B.P., correlated with the middle of oxygen isotope stage 3; Zone D, 50 000–10 000 yr B.P., with a ma...