Environmental change in the coastal wetlands near Adelaide, Australia.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorNicholson, EDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorKrull, ESen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSmernik, RJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZawadzki, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGell, PAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGillanders, BMen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2009-12-02T03:55:22Zen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2010-04-30T04:57:10Zen_AU
dc.date.available2009-12-02T03:55:22Zen_AU
dc.date.available2010-04-30T04:57:10Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2007-07en_AU
dc.date.statistics2007-07en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe coastal wetlands located near metropolitan Adelaide are comprised almost exclusively of the Grey Mangrove (Avicennia marina). This native vegetation is a natural resource that has numerous suggested functions, including coastal buffering, mitigation of terrestrially derived nutrient runoff, fish nursery habitat and also ecotourism. The coastal wetlands that are the focus of this study exist primarily within two aquatic reserves. As such, it is important to understand how this coastal environment once existed so as to provide a reference for assessing its current condition. In the relatively calm marine environment provided by the Grey Mangrove, sediments are trapped amongst the roots and pneumatophores. Within these sediments, a number of proxies exist, by which past environmental conditions may be reconstructed. These proxies include microfossils, such as diatoms and forams, macrofossils, such as pollen and seeds, but also relatively indistinguishable fractions of the soil matrix generally referred to as OM (organic matter). The ultimate question being asked within the larger context of this palaeoecological study is, “What impact has European settlement had on the coastal environment near Adelaide?” The research presented here will focus on the palaeoecological utility of OM, found in mangrove sediments, toward answering this question. Sediment samples were collected and analysed from among twenty-three modern sites and three sediment cores. In addition, plant samples representing the types of organic matter typically found in the study region (e.g. samphire OM, mangrove OM, seagrass OM, macroalgal OM), were collected from the same modern sites. An analysis of 13C and 15N isotopes was performed, as organic matter sources may be differentiated based upon recognisable isotopic signatures (e.g. marine vs. terrestrial plant origins). 13C-NMR spectroscopy was then used to supplement the stable isotope analysis, providing an additional means of differentiating carbon types and their sources. In order to make inferences about post-European impacts upon the study region, a modern chronology was obtained. 210Pb profiling of the sediment cores was performed in combination with an analysis of exotic Pinus pollen occurrences. This study describes the environmental changes that have occurred in Adelaide’s coastal wetlands since European settlement and the level of impact that may be attributable to anthropogenic influence.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationNicholson, E. D., Krull, E. S., Smernik, R. J., Zawadzki, A., & Gell, P. A., & Gillanders, B. M. (2007). Environmental change in the coastal wetlands near Adelaide, Australia. Presentation to the International Union for Quaternary Research XVII Congress (INQUA) – “The Tropics: Heat Engine of the Quaternary”, 28th July – 3rd August 2007. Cairns, Australia: Cairns Convention Centre. In Quaternary International, 167-168, 306.en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate3 August 2007en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameInternational Union for Quaternary Research XVII Congress (INQUA) – “The Tropics: Heat Engine of the Quaternaryen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceCairns, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate28 July 2007en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc1045en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1040-6182en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleQuaternary Internationalen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/2489en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectWetlandsen_AU
dc.subjectMangrovesen_AU
dc.subjectCoastal regionsen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_AU
dc.titleEnvironmental change in the coastal wetlands near Adelaide, Australia.en_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.79 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Description:
Download
Collections
Conference Publications