Holocene forest fires in the upper Clutha district, Otago, New Zealand

Surveyors' maps and descriptions show that the extent of tall forest in the upper Clutha district was almost the same at the beginning of European set tlement in the 1850s as it is today. Since the 1850s fires in non-forest ve getation have burnt up to forest boundaries, but in the one locality where a large block of Nothofagus forest was burnt (about 1891), succession towar ds podocarp woodland is now advanced. Totara (Podocarpus hallii) logs were abundant on mountain sides down-valley from existing forests at the time of European settlement. Radiocarbon dates range between 730 and 1200 yr BP, w ith the younger dates likely to be closest to the time of destruction of th e trees. Charcoal occurs on slopes where soil movement after fire has led t o burial and preservation, and in alluvial fans and terraces. It is most fr equent between altitudes of 300 and 1000 m, and depths of 20-40 cm. None wa s found where annual precipitation exceeds 3600 mm, very little where it is less than 450 mm, and none within existing forest except close to margins. Fragments were identified as angiosperm or podocarp. Nothofagus and six ot her angiosperm. genera were confidently distinguished. Six species of podoc arp were separated, though usually as probable rather than definitive ident ifications; most were identified as Phyllocladus alpinus, but Prumnopitys t axifolia, Halocarpus, and Podocarpus also occur. Podocarp charcoal is widel y distributed through the district, usually dispersed through the subsoil, and ranges in age from 860 to 8490 years BP. Nothofagus charcoal is most ab undant near surviving Nothofagus stands, often as substantial pockets. One sample was dated at 3830 years BP, whereas the remainder date at 1620 years BP or younger. Charcoal of Kunzea ericoides and/or Leptospermnum scoparium , which usually grow as fire-induced stands, dated to as old as 3420 years. Charcoal and totara logs dated between 430 and 860 years BP, together with abundant undated material with similar stratigraphy, indicate burning with in the period of Maori presence.