New Zealand Journal of Botany abstract
Radiocarbon dates for Holocene fires and associated events, Canterbury, New
Zealand
C. J. BURROWS
Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch, New Zealand
Abstract The fire history and associated geomorphic and
pedologic events are interpreted from radiocarbon-dated horizons from three
locations in Canterbury. In each case there are three superimposed palaeosols
separated by relatively thick inorganic deposits. The stratigraphy indicates
that periods of stability, when soils formed, were followed by periods of
erosion and sediment accumulation after fire had removed vegetation.
Conventional radiocarbon dates for some of the palaeosols, and dates for fire
(either on the internal evidence, or by correlation with dated sites nearby)
are: Bush Creek, Lake Stream catchment, Arrowsmith Range 8880 +/- 60 yr B.P.
(Wk-2637), 5910 +/- 60 yr B.P. (Wk-3451); Ribbonwood Creek, Cass basin,
Waimakariri catchment 2547 +/- 66 yr B.P. (NZ-7519); Jumped-up Downs, Erewhon
Station, Rangitata catchment 940 +/- 100 yr B.P. (Wk-3452). All but the
youngest of these dates are for fires prior to the Polynesian invasion of New
Zealand. These and other published accounts indicate that fires were extensive
in the eastern South Island at intervals throughout the Holocene. Younger,
undated soils at Ribbonwood Creek and Jumped-up Downs each have abundant
charcoal.
Keywords superimposed palaeosols; fossil wood; charcoal;
natural fires; pre-human; Polynesian; erosion; deposition
B95014
Received 5 April 1995; accepted 28 September 1995
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (521K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
This year's abstracts |Journal home page |All abstracts | Publishing home page
