Late Wisconsin glaciation of Tasmania

Abstract

During the Late Wisconsin, icecap and outlet glacier systems developed on the West Coast Range and on the Central Plateau ofTasmania. Local cirque and valley glaciers occurred in many other mountain areas of southwestern Tasmania. Criteria are outlined that enable Late Wisconsin and older glacial landforms and deposits to be distinguished . Rad iocarbon dates show Late Wisconsin ice d eveloped after 26-25 ka BP, attained its maximum extent c. 19 ka BP, and disappeared from the highest cirques before 10 ka BP. Important Late Wisconsin age glacial landforms and deposits of the West Coast Range, north-central and south-central Tasmania are described. Late Wisconsin ice was less extensive than ice formed during middle and earlier Pleistocene glaciations. Late Wisconsin snowline altitudes, glaciological conditions and palaeodimatic conditions are outlined.

Tasmanian Trechinae and Psydrinae (Coleoptera, Carabidae): a taxonomic and biogeographic synthesis, with description of new species and evaluation of the impact of Quaternary climate changes on evolution of the subterranean fauna(3)

“…Augustinus and Macphail 1997;Colhoun, et al 1996, Eberhard, R. 1997Kiernan et al 2001;Kirkpatrick & Fowler 1998). The Last Glaciation commenced after 26-25 ka BP, peaked at 19 ka BP and all known ice had decayed by 10 ka BP (Colhoun et al 1996).…”

“…The snowline was lowered by about 1000 m, and mean temperature was depressed by about 6-6.5 0 C from present. Icecaps and associated outlet valley glaciers developed on the Central Plateau and West Coast Range, and isolated cirque glaciers formed leeward of mountain ranges in the east (Colhoun et al 1996) (Map 20).…”

Glacial refugia and reticulate evolution: the case of the Tasmanian eucalypts

“…In Tasmania, the altitudes of cirques suggest terrestrial temperatures ca. 6-6.5°C colder than present for the LGM (Colhoun et al 1996). The Tasmanian climate was probably also more continental because of the greatly increased land area, and was certainly more arid in most areas.…”

Systematic seasonal land use by late Pleistocene Tasmanian Aborigines

“…Climate was moist and it was ca. 5 C colder on average than at present (Colhoun, 2000;Colhoun et al, 1996). The dominant flora were heath and herb communities from 24,000 to 20,000 BP, with increasing grass and herb pollen after 22,000 BP until the LGM at 18,000 years BP (Hopf et al, 2000;Macphail and Colhoun, 1985).…”