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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 55(1)

Late Holocene vegetation and environments of the Mersey Valley, Tasmania

Patrick T. Moss A D , Ian Thomas B and Michael Macphail C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Geography, Planning and Architecture, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.

B School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

C Archaeology and Natural History, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University, ACT 0200, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: patrick.moss@uq.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 55(1) 74-82 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT06010
Submitted: 18 January 2006  Accepted: 1 August 2006   Published: 18 January 2007

Abstract

A record of vegetation and environmental change over the past 3000 years was obtained through pollen and charcoal analysis of sediments from a grassy plain in the Mersey Valley, Tasmania. The results tentatively suggest that Aborigines had an impact on the environment of the Mersey Valley, although the scale of the impact is difficult to quantify owing to complexities associated with the fire history and sedimentary processes. In addition, a strong regional climate signal (drier late Holocene environments) was observed, suggesting that both anthropogenic and climatic factors are required to explain pre-European environments. The study also showed the dramatic impact European settlers had on the Australian environment, with massive land clearance, introduction of exotic plant types and increased sedimentation rates.


Acknowledgements

We thank John Broomby for allowing access to Den Plain to collect the sediment cores and Michael Boyden of the Tasmanian Forestry Service for providing information on Den Plain and the Gog Ranges vegetation. We also thank Christine Kenyon for assistance with laboratory work and with pollen identification.


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