This study presents three records of environmental change during the late-Holocene from wetlands across Bentinck Island in the South Wellesley Islands, northern Australia. Radiometric dating provided ages for sediment cores with the longest chronology spanning the last 1250 cal. yr BP. Palynological results show the diverse mangrove community transitioned to woodland- and wetland-dominated vegetation over the last 850 years on the southeast coast. The key driver of this landscape change was likely late-Holocene sea level regression and coastal progradation in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This study found freshwater wetlands expanded across Bentick Island over the last 500 years, with sedges and rushes peaking in the last 350 years. Macroscopic and microscopic charcoal records, coupled with archaeological evidence, highlights the spatial and temporal variation in fire regimes across the island, reflecting the traditional fire management practices of the Kaiadilt people during the late-Holocene. This study finds a significant increase in charcoal accumulation in the 1900s when Kaiadilt fire practices were disrupted and the South Wellesley Islands were abandoned. The pollen record reflects little change in the vegetation despite the shifting fire regime, highlighting the importance of multi-proxy approaches to reconstructing past environments in tropical northern Australia where vegetation is adapted to fire.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚北部热带地区沿海湿地发展和火灾状况的全新世晚期记录

这项研究展示了澳大利亚北部南韦尔斯利群岛本廷克岛湿地晚全新世期间环境变化的三个记录。放射性测年提供了沉积岩心的年龄，最长的年代学跨越了过去的 1250 卡路里。年 BP。孢粉学结果表明，在过去的 850 年里，东南海岸的多样化红树林群落转变为以林地和湿地为主的植被。这种景观变化的关键驱动因素可能是卡奔塔利亚湾的全新世晚期海平面回归和沿海退化。这项研究发现，淡水湿地在过去 500 年间在本蒂克岛扩张，莎草和灯心草在过去 350 年达到顶峰。宏观和微观木炭记录，加上考古证据，突出了整个岛屿火灾状况的时空变化，反映了全新世晚期 Kaiadilt 人的传统火灾管理实践。这项研究发现，在 1900 年代，当 Kaiadilt 火灾实践被破坏并且南韦尔斯利群岛被遗弃时，木炭积累显着增加。尽管火势不断变化，花粉记录反映出植被几乎没有变化，这突显了多代理方法在重建澳大利亚北部热带地区植被适应火灾的过去环境中的重要性。这项研究发现，在 1900 年代，当 Kaiadilt 火灾实践被破坏并且南韦尔斯利群岛被遗弃时，木炭积累显着增加。尽管火势不断变化，花粉记录反映出植被几乎没有变化，这突显了多代理方法在重建澳大利亚北部热带地区植被适应火灾的过去环境中的重要性。这项研究发现，在 1900 年代，当 Kaiadilt 火灾实践被破坏并且南韦尔斯利群岛被遗弃时，木炭积累显着增加。尽管火势不断变化，花粉记录反映出植被几乎没有变化，这突显了多代理方法在重建澳大利亚北部热带地区植被适应火灾的过去环境中的重要性。