Late Otiran sedimentation and glacial chronology in the Warwick valley, southeast Nelson

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Abstract
Approximately 14 m of sediment are exposed in a road cutting beneath a landslide deposit in the Warwick valley, southeast Nelson, New Zealand. Three radiocarbon dates and 5 pollen spectra were obtained from organic horizons in these sediments. The dates indicate that lacustrine sedimentation predominated from before 17 500 until 14 450 years ago. This was interrupted by a brief period of gravel aggradation between 17 500 and 16 650 years ago, which is attributed to a glacial advance. Vegetation at the site was consistently dominated by Cyperaceae, with some Gramineae, suggesting a bleak, treeless landscape. Correlation of this information with other radiocarbon-dated sites indicates the need for some revision of the chronology of the late Otira Glaciation. A late phase of the Kumara 22 advance occurred between 17 000 and 16 000 years ago, and the Kumara 31 advance did not occur until after about 15000 years ago. The end of the Otira Glaciation probably occurred between 13 000 and 12 500 years ago.

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