Climatic implications of Late Pleistocene and Holocene faunal associations in Australia

Abstract

Late Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Australia contain many extant taxa that indicate more mesic conditions. The presence of many disharmonious pairs of taxa in these faunas implies that the Pleistocene climate was more equable than at present. The climate began to change between 16,000 and 20,000 years B.P. to less equable conditions. Faunas younger than 16,000 years B.P. contain fewer disharmonious associations and show changes in the geographic distribution of many taxa approaching their present ranges. The disappearance of numerous disharmonious associations takes place at the same time as the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. The correspondence in time of the extinction of many Pleistocene taxa and the decrease in equability of the climate suggests that the cause of the widespread extinction 16,000 to 20,000 years ago lies in this climatic change which would lower plant productivity at certain seasons, putting stress on some components of the fauna.