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Evidence of High Sea Level during Isotope Stage 5c in Queensland, Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

J. W. Pickett ,
C. H. Thompson ,
R. A. Kelley  and
D. Roman
J. W. Pickett
Affiliation:
Geological Survey of New South Wales, Geological and Mining Museum, 36 George Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
C. H. Thompson
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Soils, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
R. A. Kelley
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Queensland, Chancellor's Place, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
D. Roman
Affiliation:
Isotope Division, Australian Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Private Mail Bag, Sutherland, New South Wales 2232, Australia
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Abstract

Thirty-nine species of scleractinian corals have been recovered from under a high dune on the western (mainland) side of North Stradbroke Island, eastern Australia. The corals are associated with thin intertidal sediments and their good condition implies burial in situ and preservation in a saturated zone. Most likely this occurred as the coast prograded and a large dune advanced into the littoral zone, burying intertidal sediments and coral. The species assemblage indicates a sheltered environment but one open to the ocean without wide fluctuations in salinity. Three species yielded a mean 230Th/234U age of 105,000 yr B.P. which is significantly younger than the nearest Pleistocene corals at Evans Head, New South Wales. The corals provide evidence of a sea stand near present sea level during isotope Stage 5c, which is considerably higher than previously suggested for this period. Their good condition implies that the overlying parabolic dune is of comparable age and formed during that high stand of sea level. Also, the isotope age provides a maximum period for the development of giant podzols in the podzol chronosequences on coastal dunes in southern Queensland.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , July 1985 , pp. 103 - 114
Copyright
University of Washington

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