University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 1999 A holocene vegetation history of the Flinders Ranges South Australia: evidence from Leporillus spp. (stick-nest rat) middens Lynne McCarthy University of Wollongong Recommended Citation McCarthy, Lynne, A holocene vegetation history of the Flinders Ranges South Australia: evidence from Leporillus spp. (stick-nest rat) middens, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, School of Geosciences, University of Wollongong, 1999. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/1962 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library:
[email protected] A HOLOCENE VEGETATION HISTORY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA: EVIDENCE FROM LEPORILLUS SPP. (STICK-NEST RAT) MIDDENS A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by LYNNE MCCARTHY B.Env.Sc. BSc (Hons.) SCHOOL OF GEOSCIENCES 1999 This work has not been submitted for a higher degree at any other University or Institution and, unless acknowledged, is my own work. Lynne McCarthy i ABSTRACT Palaeoecological records for semi-arid and arid environments of Australia are limited due to poor preservation of material in this environmental setting. As a consequence, a Holocene vegetation and climatic record for a large part of the continent is incomplete. Leporillus spp. (stick-nest rat) middens provide a wealth of palaeoecological information for Holocene environments in areas where such records are rare. Eighteen middens from three key sites in the Flinders Ranges (Arkaroola-Mount Painter Sanctuary, Mount Chambers Gorge and Brachina Gorge), were investigated in this project to provide a thorough spatial and temporal coverage of palaeoecological sites.