A new extended pollen and charcoal record is presented from Lake Euramoo, Wet Tropics World Herita
ge rainforest of northeast Queensland, Australia. The 8.4-m sediment core taken from the center of Lake Euramoo incorporates a complete record of ve
getation chan
ge and fire history spannin
g the period from 23,000 cal yr B.P. to present. The pollen record is divided into five si
gnificant zones; 23,000–16,800 cal yr B.P., dry sclerophyll woodland; 16,800–8600 cal yr B.P., wet sclerophyll woodland with mar
ginal rainforest in protected pockets; 8600–5000 cal yr B.P., warm temperate rainforest; 5000–70 cal yr B.P., dry subtropical rainforest; 70 cal yr B.P.–AD 1999, de
graded dry subtropical rainforest with increasin
g influence of invasive species and fire.
The process of rainforest development appears to be at least partly controlled by orbital forcing (precession), though more local environmental variables and human activity are also significant factors. This new record provides the opportunity to explore the relationship between fire, drought and rainforest dynamics in a significant World Heritage rainforest region.