Mid‐Holocene drying of K'gari lakes (subtropical eastern Australia) necessitates re‐evaluation of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate links and future drying risk

ABSTRACT The Holocene history of Australia's climate is surprisingly poorly understood. This is, in part, because of the relatively weak forcing of Holocene climate versus that of the late Pleistocene. However, it is commonly suggested that eastern Australia dried during the mid‐ to late‐Holocene and that this was in response to increased activity in the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), in particular, the intensification of the El Niño phase of ENSO. While this has been inferred from numerous locations, data from K'gari (a subtropical sand island adjacent to the east coast) was amongst the first used to develop this hypothesis and features heavily in the discussion of ENSO intensification. This study examines published and new data from three ≥4.5 m deep K'gari lakes that demonstrate a strong drying event during the middle Holocene (from 7640 to 5600 cal a BP), followed by a wetter late Holocene climate. This contrasts somewhat with previous arguments about K'gari's history that suggest a late Holocene drying. In turn, this indicates a need to re‐evaluate the notion that ENSO intensification drove late‐Holocene drying in the region. It also indicates that even large, deep lakes on K'gari, which are iconic landmarks with substantial cultural, ecological and economic values, are vulnerable to drying.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Quaternary Science
Published
2025-10-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.70016
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.30

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article

Mid‐Holocene drying of K'gari lakes (subtropical eastern Australia) necessitates re‐evaluation of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate links and future drying risk

Patricia S. Gadd, Francesca A. McInerney, Glenn B. McGregor, John Tibby et al.
1 citations
Journal of Quaternary Science
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
1.30
article

Mid‐Holocene drying of K'gari lakes (subtropical eastern Australia) necessitates re‐evaluation of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate links and future drying risk

Patricia S. Gadd, Francesca A. McInerney, Glenn B. McGregor, John Tibby, Cameron Schulz, Mathew Raven, Patrick Moss, Jonathan Tyler, Haidee Cadd, Cameron Barr, Harald Hofmann, Matthew R. P. Harris, Geraldine Jacobsen, Jonathan C. Marshall, Claire E. Murphy
article en
1 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Holocene history of Australia's climate is surprisingly poorly understood. This is, in part, because of the relatively weak forcing of Holocene climate versus that of the late Pleistocene. However, it is commonly suggested that eastern Australia dried during the mid‐ to late‐Holocene and that this was in response to increased activity in the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), in particular, the intensification of the El Niño phase of ENSO. While this has been inferred from numerous locations, data from K'gari (a subtropical sand island adjacent to the east coast) was amongst the first used to develop this hypothesis and features heavily in the discussion of ENSO intensification. This study examines published and new data from three ≥4.5 m deep K'gari lakes that demonstrate a strong drying event during the middle Holocene (from 7640 to 5600 cal a BP), followed by a wetter late Holocene climate. This contrasts somewhat with previous arguments about K'gari's history that suggest a late Holocene drying. In turn, this indicates a need to re‐evaluate the notion that ENSO intensification drove late‐Holocene drying in the region. It also indicates that even large, deep lakes on K'gari, which are iconic landmarks with substantial cultural, ecological and economic values, are vulnerable to drying.

Journal of Quaternary ScienceVol. 40(8)
GNS Science (NZ), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (AU), Queensland University of Technology (AU), Flinders University (AU), University of Wollongong (AU), UNSW Sydney (AU), Health Sciences and Nutrition (AU), Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU), Agriculture and Food (AU), The University of Adelaide (AU)
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, University of Adelaide, Queensland Government
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
1.30
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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