Recent environmental change and trace metal pollution in World Heritage Bathurst Harbour, southwest Tasmania, Australia

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dc.contributor.authorSaunders, KMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorButler, ECVen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHodgson, DAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMcMinn, Aen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-12T00:49:38Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-01-12T00:49:38Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2013-08-22en_AU
dc.date.statistics2022-11-03en_AU
dc.description.abstractBathurst Harbour in World Heritage southwest Tasmania, Australia, is one of the world’s most pristine estuarine systems. At present there is a lack of data on pollution impacts or long-term natural variability in the harbor. A ca. 350-year-old 210Pb-dated sediment core was analysed for trace metals to track pollution impacts from local and long-range sources. Lead and antimony increased from AD 1870 onwards, which likely reflects remote (i.e. mainland Australian and global) atmospheric pollution sources. Variability in the concentrations of copper and zinc closely followed the history of mining activities in western Tasmania, which began in the AD 1880s. Tin was generally low throughout the core, except for a large peak in AD 1989 ± 0.5 years, which may be a consequence of input from a local small-scale alluvial tin mine. Changes in diatom assemblages were also investigated. The diatom flora was composed mostly of planktonic freshwater and benthic brackish-marine species, consistent with stratified estuarine conditions. Since mining began, however, an overall decrease in the proportion of planktonic to benthic taxa occurred, with the exception of two distinct peaks in the twentieth century that coincided with periods of high rainfall. Despite the region’s remoteness, trace metal analyses revealed evidence of atmospheric pollution from Tasmanian and possibly longer-range mining activities. This, together with recent low rainfall, appears to have contributed to altering the diatom assemblages in one of the most pristine temperate estuaries in the world. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrechten_AU
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and University of Tasmania are gratefully acknowledged for financial support. K. Saunders was funded by an Australian Postgraduate Award with additional funding from the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationSaunders, K. M., Harrison, J. J., Butler, E. C. V., Hodgson, D. A., & McMinn, A. (2013). Recent environmental change and trace metal pollution in World Heritage Bathurst Harbour, southwest Tasmania, Australia. Journal of Paleolimnology, 50(4), 471-485. doi:10.1007/s10933-013-9740-8en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1573-0417en_AU
dc.identifier.issue4en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleJournal of Paleolimnologyen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination471-485en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-013-9740-8en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/14320en_AU
dc.identifier.volume50en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherSpringer Natureen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmental effectsen_AU
dc.subjectTrace amountsen_AU
dc.subjectMetalsen_AU
dc.subjectPollutionen_AU
dc.subjectEstuariesen_AU
dc.subjectDiatomsen_AU
dc.subjectLead 210en_AU
dc.subjectTasmaniaen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.titleRecent environmental change and trace metal pollution in World Heritage Bathurst Harbour, southwest Tasmania, Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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