Vegetation Changes Viewed from Pollen Analysis in Rarotonga, Southern Cook Islands, Eastern Polynesia

• DOI: 10.1017/s0033822200049730
• Publication Date: 2016-07-19T08:50:41Z
• Authors: Toshiyuki Fujiki; Mitsuru Okuno; Hiroshi Moriwaki; Toshio Nakamura; Kei Kawai; Gerald McCormack; George Cowan; Paul T Maoate
• Keywords: Charcoal; Phytolith; Deposition

This study presents accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates and pollen assemblages of 400-cm core sediments collected from the Karekare Swamp in Rarotonga, Southern Cook Islands, to investigate vegetation changes on island, particular those induced by human impacts. Eight 14 C charcoal higher plant fragment samples indicate that accumulated since ∼6.0 cal kBP, with an apparent interruption deposition (hiatus) 130 132 cm depth, corresponding ∼2.8 0.7 kBP. The appearance Chenopodiaceae upland weeds, Cucurbitaceae Vigna grains cultivated plants suggest influence existed above depth. increased abundance Pandanus monolate-type fern spores also implies existence activity.