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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 />

234

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