Geochemical investigation of the South Wellesley Island wetlands: insight into wetland development during the Holocene in tropical northern Australia

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dc.contributor.authorMackenzie, LLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHeijnis, Hen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGadd, PSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMoss, PTen_AU
dc.contributor.authorShulmeister, Jen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-28T01:04:13Zen_AU
dc.date.available2017-03-28T01:04:13Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2016-09-28en_AU
dc.date.statistics2017-03-28en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe South Wellesley Islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia, were the recent focus of a palynological investigation which found vegetation change during the Holocene was driven by coastal progradation and regional climate. Here, we present new elemental data from x-ray fluorescence core scanning which provides non-destructive, continuous and high resolution analysis from three wetlands across Bentinck Island, the largest of the South Wellesley Islands. Elemental data and grain size analyses are combined with lead-210 (210Pb) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) carbon-14 (14C) dates. An open coastal environment was present 1250 cal. a BP on the south east coast of Bentinck Island, with sediment supply incorporating fluvial deposition and detrital input of titanium and iron from eroding lateritic bedrock. Prograding shorelines, dune development and river diversion formed a series of swales parallel to the coast by ~800 cal. a BP, forming the Marralda wetlands. Wetlands developed at sites on the north and west coasts ~500 and ~450 cal. a BP, respectively. Geochemical and grain size analyses indicate that wetlands formed as accreting tidal mudflats or within inter-dune swales that intercepted groundwater draining to the coastal margins. The timing of wetland initiation indicates localised late-Holocene sea level regression, stabilisation and coastal plain development in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Elemental data provide new records of wetland development across Bentinck Island, highlighting the value of a multi-proxy approach to understanding environmental change during the Holocene in tropical northern Australia. © 2020 by SAGE Publicationsen_AU
dc.identifier.citationMackenzie, L., Heijnis H., Gadd, P., Moss, P., & Schulmeister, J. (2016). Geochemical investigation of the South Wellesley Island wetlands: insight into wetland development during the Holocene in tropical northern Australia. The Holocene, 27(4), 566–578. doi:10.1177/0959683616670219en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc7470en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1477-0911en_AU
dc.identifier.issue4en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleThe Holoceneen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination566-578en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0959683616670219en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/8510en_AU
dc.identifier.volume27en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherSageen_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectWetlandsen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectX-ray tubesen_AU
dc.subjectCarbonen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.titleGeochemical investigation of the South Wellesley Island wetlands: insight into wetland development during the Holocene in tropical northern Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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