Vegetation and Modern Pollen Rain From the Barrington Tops and Upper Hunter River Regions of New South Wales

Abstract

Vegetation was mapped using existing maps, Landsat interpretation, aerial photograph interpretation and some verification by ground surveys. Twenty-five moss cushions were collected to identify pollen rain and pollen indicators of vegetation for use in fossil pollen interpretation. Eucalyptus (10%), Poaceae (4-10%), Casuarina (4-5%), Asteraceae (Tubuliflorae) (0-4%) and Cyperaceae (0-2%) were the general components in the pollen rain of the region. Subtropical rain forest was characterized by Backhousia and low values of a wide range of taxa. Cool temperate rain forest had Nothofagus values above 40% and Eucalyptus values below 20%. Subalpine grasslands had Poaceae values above 45%, Eucalyptus values below 15% and small quantities of Epacridaceae and Goodeniaceae pollen. Subalpine forest and wet eucalypt forest formations had very similar pollen representation and could be confused in pollen spectra. However, Monotoca, Banksia, Leptospermum pollen and fern spores were more common in the wet eucalypt forests. Dry eucalypt formations were characterized by 2-20% values of Bursaria, Callitris and Dodonaea as well as eucalypt values.