MODERN POLLEN DEPOSITION IN THE TROPICAL LOWLANDS OF NORTHEAST QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Surface sediments of mangrove, freshwater wetland and rainforest sites in northeast Queensland were sampled to obtain pollen signatures from a range of climatic and vegetational settings as a basis for interpre tation of fossil pollen diagrams. Maximum terrestrial pollen diversity was predicted by curve fitting using the Putter No. 1 growth curve. T axonomic diversity was found to be a better indicator of rainfall zone than the presence or absence of any one taxon. However, the presence of Chenopodiaceae pollen and a general lack of rainforest pollen types are characteristic of low-rainfall environments. High Values for pter idophytes indicate fluvial conditions, while high-altitude taxa were f ound in lowland sites fed by streams draining upland vegetation. Local habitat indicators provide good evidence for the type of depositional environment, in keeping with other published studies.