PALYNOLOGICAL AND SEDIMENTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A RADIOCARBON CHRONOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGE AND POLYNESIAN DEFORESTATION FROM LAKE TAUMATAWHANA, NORTHLAND, NEW-ZEALAND
Mb. Elliot et al., PALYNOLOGICAL AND SEDIMENTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A RADIOCARBON CHRONOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGE AND POLYNESIAN DEFORESTATION FROM LAKE TAUMATAWHANA, NORTHLAND, NEW-ZEALAND, Radiocarbon, 37(3), 1995, pp. 899-916
We present pollen diagrams and sedimentological analyses from a lake s
ite within an extensive dune system on the Aupouri Peninsula, Northlan
d. Five thousand years ago, a regional Agathis australis-podocarp-broa
dleaf forest dominated the vegetation, which manifested an increasing
preponderance of conifer species. Climate was cooler and drier than at
present. From ca. 3400 sp, warmth-loving species such as A. australis
and drought-intolerant species, Dacrydium cupressinum and Ascarina lu
cida, became common, implying a warm and moist climate. The pollen rec
ord also suggests a windier climate. The most significant event in the
record, however, occurred after ca. 900 sp (800 cal sp) when anthropo
genic deforestation commenced. A dramatic decline in forest taxa follo
wed, accompanied by the establishment of a Pteridium-esculentum-domina
ted community. Fire almost certainly caused this, evidenced by a drama
tic increase of charcoal. Sedimentological evidence for this site indi
cates a relatively stable environment before humans arrived and an inc
reasingly unstable environment with frequent erosional events after hu
man contact.