OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME
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abundances (1-30%) of Podocarpaceae (Dacrydium) and Nothofagus (Fuscospora). Frequent<br />
to common taxa include Gleicheniaceae, Araucariaceae (chiefly Araucaria), Podocarpaceae<br />
(Podocarpus-Prumnopitys), Cupanieae, Cyperaceae and Sparganiaceae (Aglaoreidia).<br />
The majority of rare taxa have NLRs that are confined to warm temperate to subtropical<br />
rainforest but also present are a significant number of taxa with temperate, sclerophyll and<br />
wetland NLRs. Examples are: Lycopodiaceae, Selaginellaceae, Calochlaena/Culcita,<br />
Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Lygodium, Polypodiaceae (Belvisia-type), Pteris, Cupressaceae,<br />
Podocarpaceae (Dacrycarpus, Halocarpus, Lagarostrobos, Microcachrys, Phyllocladus,<br />
Podosporites, Trisaccites), Agathis/Wollemia, Anacolosa (Anacolosidites sectus),<br />
Aquifoliaceae (Ilex), Palmae (Arecipites), Bombacaceae (Camptostemon), Caesalpinaceae,<br />
Convolvulaceae (Wilsonia), Cunoniaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Droseraceae, Ericales,<br />
Euphorbiaceae (Austrobuxus-type, Croton, Mallotus-type, Micrantheum), Gyrostemonaceae,<br />
Haloragaceae (Haloragodendron-type), Gunnera, Liliaceae, Loranthaceae, Meliaceae<br />
(Dysoxylum), cf. Menispermaceae?, Menyanthaceae (cf. Villarsia), Myrtaceae (including<br />
Austromyrtus- and Eugenia types), Pandanaceae (Freycinetia), Proteaceae<br />
(Banksia/Dryandra, Isopogon, Musgraveinae, Persoonia, Telopea-type and numerous now<br />
extinct or locally extinct taxa such as Proteacidites pachypolus, Polygonaceae, Quintinia,<br />
Santalum, Restionaceae (Milfordia homeopunctata), Rubiaceae (Guettarda), Sapindaceae<br />
(Dodonaea), Sapotaceae, Sparganiaceae, Strasburgeriaceae, Sterculiaceae (Ungeria),<br />
Trimeniaceae and Vitaceae (Cissus).<br />
2. Lake Eyre Basin<br />
Correlative microfloras from the Eyre Formation in the northern Lake Eyre Basin (Sluiter<br />
1991, Martin 1998b) and at Nelly Creek in the south of the Lake Eyre Basin (Alley et al.<br />
1996) are virtually identical in composition but include greater relative abundances of<br />
gymnosperms such as Agathis/Wollemia (23%), Cunoniaceae and Myrtaceae (chiefly noneucalypt<br />
types). Nothofagus is relatively rare (5-10%) in the south, but occasionally reaches<br />
up to 30% in the north of the basin. Rare taxa that are present in this basin but apparently<br />
absent in the Alice Springs basins include Aquifoliaceae (Sphenostemon), Ascarina,<br />
Callitrichaceae, Didymelaceae, a possible Eucalyptus (Myrtaceidites tenuis) and Winteraceae.<br />
3. Torrens Basin<br />
Harris (1971b) has recorded a marked increase in the relative abundance of Nothofagus<br />
(Brassospora) spp. between 270.1 to 184.4 m in the Lake Torrens-3A Bore. Occurrences of<br />
Aglaoreidia qualumis, Cranwellia striata, Myrtaceidites tenuis, Nothofagidites falcatus,<br />
Proteacidites reticulatus, Tricolpites thomasii and Triorites magnificus indicate the section is<br />
Late Eocene.<br />
Inferred Climate<br />
The high degree of geographic variation in relative pollen dominance within central Australia<br />
may reflect climatic gradients across central Australia, differences in geological age, or<br />
merely be due to site-specific factors such as area of the pollen source area and sedimentary<br />
basin. For example, Martin (1998b) has proposed that the high diversity of microthermmesotherm<br />
taxa are likely to represent gallery rainforest growing along the river systems and<br />
therefore may not reflect regional climates. Sluiter (1991) has proposed that the high relative<br />
abundance of Nothofagus (Brassospora) spp. implies mean annual temperature were in the<br />
mesotherm range (17-18 0 C) and very wet (1500-2800 mm pa). Kemp and Marchant (1986)<br />
and Macphail (1997a) suggest low energy, brackish water conditions and noted that minor<br />
taxa are more consistent with seasonally warm-hot, dry conditions. A consensus position is<br />
that climates were sufficiently cool (lower mesotherm) and wet (humid) during summer to<br />
support temperate rainforest in uplands such as the MacDonnell Ranges but were warmer<br />
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