Paperbark tree to unlock climate change
Synonymous with the Australian landscape, the paperbark tree is most recognised for its distinctive bark, but it is the leaves that have found themselves at the centre of research which could provide crucial insights into climate change.
The research, completed by a consortium of researchers including Griffith University School of Engineering Professor Margaret Greenway, found Melaleuca leaves preserved in ancient wetlands could be used to reconstruct past rainfall activity.
The field study was conducted in Melaleuca wetlands in south-east Queensland, including the Carbrook Wetlands.
Professor Greenway, whose research interests are the ecological and hydrological processes of Melaleuca wetlands, said the findings were significant because of the potential they offered to tell the story of tropical and subtropical rainfall
https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/news/2016/04/22/paperbark-tree-to-unlock-climate-change/?src=hp
