Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 59

A drift log from Cape York Peninsula, Australia identified as Vatica (Dipterocarpaceae), and the use of botanical, zoological, geological and ethnographic data in interpreting the direction of oceanic drift

Citation

Rozefelds, A.C., Walker, J., Norris, E., Wicks, D. & Ilic, J. 2015. A drift log from Cape York Peninsula, Australia identified as Vatica (Dipterocarpaceae), and the use of botanical, zoological, geological and ethnographic data in interpreting the direction of oceanic drift. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 59: 235-243. https://doi.org/10.17082/j.2204-1478.59.2015.2015-04

Accepted

19 August 2015

Published online

19 November 2015

Peer reviewed

Yes

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17082/j.2204-1478.59.2015.2015-04

Keywords

Dipterocarpaceae, Vatica, wood anatomy, Cape York Peninsula, New Guinea, drift trajectory, long-distance dispersal, Gulf of Papua Current (GPC), South Equatorial Current (SEC)

Abstract 

Information on oceanic currents along with botanical, zoological, geological data and ethnographic records are used to interpret drift patterns in north eastern Australia. A log of Vatica sp. (Dipterocarpaceae), other botanical disseminules, and ethnographic objects, such as indigenous canoes and plastic bottles, found in north eastern Queensland are interpreted as coming from New Guinea. The southerly drift of these objects from New Guinea is facilitated, in part, by the Gulf of Papua Current and/or seasonal south westerly directed winds from October through to March. The identification of source areas for geological (pumice), zoological (Nautilus) and some anthropological items demonstrates predominantly westerly drift due to the South Equatorial Current and south eastern trade winds from April to October. Thus, seasonal factors determine, in part, the direction of drift in parts of north east Queensland.