Dr Patrick De Deckker - Vegetation changes in the Murray Darling Basin, deciphered from deep-sea cores taken offshore Kangaroo Island - NEW TOPIC
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Thursday, 1 July 2021 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Unfortunately, Dr Bob Godfree will be unable to present the talk previously scheduled. In his place, Dr Patrick De Deckker will discuss vegetation changes in the Murray Darling Basin oiver the last 125,000 years.
Abstract: A palynological record spanning the last 125,000 years was derived from high-resolution, deep-sea core MD03-2607, located near Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The core site lies opposite the mouth of the River Murray that, together with the Darling River, drains the extensive (~1.6x106 km2) Murray Darling Basin (MDB). The record is comprised of 120 samples and is compared with other detailed records of sea-surface temperature (SST), the C3/C4 plant ratio obtained from the d13C of n-alkanes from leaf waxes, as well as the biomass burning component levuglosan.
This record spans glacial and interglacial periods as well as the period of human arrival in Australia. During that time, sea levels continuously changed.
Significant vegetation changes were identified with especially a turnover of Eucalyptus and Callitris trees, plus the periods of significant fires linked to particular vegetation types and the waxing and waning of grass pollen.
Biography: Patrick De Deckker is Emeritus Professor in the Research School of Earth Sciences at the ANU. He is a geologist and micropalaeontologist with a PhD in zoology. His interests are diverse, going from the history of changing climates affecting environments both on land and at sea. He also studied Australian salt lakes and their biota, and more recently spent several years studying the composition of dust with a multidisciplinary and multinational team.
This talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette.
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