The evolution of Thirlmere lakes: a long-term sedimentary record of climate and fire dynamics in the Sydney Basin

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dc.contributor.authorCohen, TJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMarx, SKen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBarber, Een_AU
dc.contributor.authorForbes, MSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGadd, PSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTyler, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHaines, HAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWoodward, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZamora, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMooney, SDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorConstantine, Men_AU
dc.date.accessioned2020-06-11T05:07:33Zen_AU
dc.date.available2020-06-11T05:07:33Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2018-12-10en_AU
dc.date.statistics2020-06-01en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe Thirlmere lakes are located 40 km from the coast and are at ~300 m elevation and fall within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area. The series of five lakes sit within a narrow and sinuous former river valley within the Hawkesbury sandstone with surrounding dry sclerophyll forest. Recent declines in water levels have prompted the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage to fund research about the history of Thirlmere lakes, the sub-surface characteristics and the potential frequency of past drying. This research builds on some existing work and has highlighted the extraordinary potential for the region for a long-term archive for palaeoenvironmental research.To date we have taken multiple vibracores across three lakes to depths of 7 m and we have supplemented this with some preliminary deep drilling to depths of 14 m. Our initial chronology is based on radiocarbon and OSL and we have employed a raft of geochemical and palaeoecological techniques to investigate changes through time. The lakes contain excellent organic preservation with deposition of the ‘modern’ peat environments commencing ~11 ka across two of the lakes investigated. This phase is represented by the upper 2 -3 m of organic rich peat (50% TOC). The underlying sediments are a mix of weakly bedded organic clays and oxidised clay facies that represent lake-wide drying intervals, a sequence that is repeated down profile. All five lakes are separated by alluvial sills that are comprised of medium to well-sorted sands, interbedded with organic ‘marker’ horizons that indicate these separate lakes were once joined, prior to the Last Glacial Maximum. The sandy sills that separate the lakes are derived from tributary alluvial fans accumulating progressively over the Holocene and effectively blocking and separating the lakes into their current configuration. This paper provides a preliminary overview of the chrono-stratigraphic history of Thirlmere lakes. © The Authorsen_AU
dc.identifier.citationCohen, T., Marx, S., Barber, E., Forbes, M., Gadd, P., Tyler, J., Haines, H., Woodward, C., Zamora, A., Mooney, S., & Constantine, M. (2018). The evolution of Thirlmere lakes: a long-term sedimentary record of climate and fire dynamics in the Sydney Basin. Paper presented at the AQUA Biennial Conference, Canberra, 10-14 December 2018. (pp. 71). https://aqua.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AQUA-2018-Program.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate14 December 2018en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameAQUA Biennial Conferenceen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceCanberra, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate10 December 2018en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc9637en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination71en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://aqua.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AQUA-2018-Program.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/9575en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAustralasian Quaternary Association Inc.en_AU
dc.subjectLakesen_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectEvolutionen_AU
dc.subjectMountainsen_AU
dc.subjectValleysen_AU
dc.subjectWatershedsen_AU
dc.subjectSandstonesen_AU
dc.subjectFinancingen_AU
dc.subjectDrill coresen_AU
dc.titleThe evolution of Thirlmere lakes: a long-term sedimentary record of climate and fire dynamics in the Sydney Basinen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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