Assessing the impact of mid-to-late Holocene ENSO-driven climate change on toxic Macrozamia seed use: a 5000 year record from eastern Australia |
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Authors: | Brit Asmussen Paul McInnes |
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Institution: | 1. Archaeology, Cultures and Histories, Queensland Museum, South Bank, Post Office Box 3300, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia;2. Archaeology Program, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia;3. Research and Innovation Division, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia |
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Abstract: | Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic data indicate that during the mid-to-late Holocene eastern Australia became significantly drier and experienced more intense and more frequent droughts. These changes, driven by the re-emergence and intensification of the ENSO climate phenomena, have been argued to have had considerable impact on Aboriginal societies, although there is uncertainty as to the exact nature, timing and magnitude of this impact. This paper analyses changes in the utilisation of toxic Macrozamia (cycad) seeds at seven archaeological sites in eastern Australia, identifying an extremely close correlation between the intensity of seed use and two proxy ENSO datasets, and a weaker correlation with a third ENSO dataset. Given the ecological attributes and resource potential of these plants, it is argued that these correlations are best explained as an intensified exploitation of a lower-ranked resource in direct response to the increased subsistence risks and lower productivity created by ENSO-driven climatic conditions. It also suggests that by 3000 BP the intensification of the ENSO system was driving changes in human subsistence behaviour on a sufficient scale to have considerable impact on other aspects of the wider cultural systems. |
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Keywords: | ENSO Holocene Aboriginal Australia Macrozamia Toxic plant Seeds Backed artefact Palaeoclimate |
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