Thursday 26 March 2009

1-2pm, in Fenner School's Forestry Lecture Theatre

Aboriginal Population dynamics and its response to climate change over the last 40,000 years

Alan Williams, PhD Scholar, Fenner School and Senior Archaeologist, Archaeological & Heritage Management Solutions, Annandale, NSW

Abstract

This presentation will look at the relationship between Aboriginal populations and climate change over the last 40,000 years. The keystone of this investigation is a database of radiocarbon and absolute dating (used as a proxy for Aboriginal presence and occupation), which is visually and statistically compared with available palaeo-climatic data to explore such relationships. Currently, the presentation will present a summary of several published papers involving the presenter on these relationships in the Arid zone of Australia, and more specifically at the effect of El Niño/Southern Oscillation on populations. If available, current analysis being undertaken on the Top End and the Kimberley, as well as a closer look at the effects of ENSO, will also be presented.

The Fenner School Seminar Series is held in the Forestry Lecture Theatre, Forestry Building 48, Linnaeus Way (comes off Daley Road), ANU (Acton) campus, ACT

The seminar will start at 13:00 and finish at 14:00