The author is to be congratulated on her efforts and perseverance in undertaking this research, and Springer for making the material available in this book format. I commend the information to all who live close to or around the Becher Point wetlands and the whole study as a model for wetland science globally. Peter Bridgewater Secretary General Ramsar Convention, Gland, Switzerland December 2005. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In a piece of work with wide ranging subject matter and extensive duration, such as this, there are many people to acknowledge and to thank for their contribution and perseverance. Many people followed through to completion tasks which incorporated several stages and several years. They expressed a real commitment to the project and a love for the wetlands in the area. It has been uplifting to work in their company. Together, we have amassed a repertoire of stories that are funny, disappointing, bizarre, dangerous and inspirational. I wish to begin by thanking the many people who assisted with fieldwork because this is where the story really started. They are: Ben Asper, Derek Bazen, Theo Bazen, Anthony Bougher, Gary Dietrich, Martine Desbureaux, Toby Nisbet, Kaylene Parker, Julie Pech, Karen Semeniuk, Trudi Semeniuk, Tony Smith, and Joy Unno. Regional surveying of sites was carried out by Ric Stephenson. The people who assisted in preparing samples for laboratory analyses were Penny Clifford, Toby Nisbet, and Joy Unno. The people responsible for final electronic drafting of the diagrams were Craig Miskell, Vic Semeniuk and Glynn Kernick.

1. Introduction. 1.1 General introduction.1.1.1 This study. 1.2 Location of study area. 1.3 Objectives. 1.4 Nature and scope of study. 1.5 History of work in similar areas.- 2. Terminology and methods. 2.1 General introduction. 2.2 Local scale wetland classification systems. 2.2.1 Local scale wetland classification. 2.2.2 Local scale wetland vegetation classification system. 2.2.3 Wetland sediment terminology. 2.3 Terminology. 2.4 Methods. 2.4.1 Introduction. 2.4.2 Wetland mapping, selection of wetlands for study, and description. 2.4.3 Wetland stratigraphy. Regional and sub-regional scale. Local scale (wetland and adjacent beachridges). Basin scale. Bedding scale. 2.4.4 Wetland hydrology. Regional and sub-regional scale. Local scale (wetland and adjacent beachridges). Basin scale. Bedding scale. 2.4.5 Wetland hydrochemistry. Regional to sub-regional scale. Local scale (wetland and adjacent beachridges). Basin scale. Bedding scale. 2.4.6 Wetland vegetation (including pollen). Regional and sub-regional scale. Local scale (wetland and adjacent beachridges). Basin scale. 2.4.7 Experiments. Experiment 1. Experiment 2. Experiment 3. Experiment 4.- 3. Regional setting. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 The Swan Coastal Plain. 3.2.1 Climate. 3.2.2 Geology. 3.2.3 Geomorphology. 3.2.4 Hydrology. 3.2.5 Coastal sectors and nearshore morphology. 3.3 The Rockingham-Becher Plain. 3.3.1 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - coastal sector. 3.3.2 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - offshore oceanography. 3.3.3 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - geometry. 3.3.4 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - geomorphology. 3.3.5 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - stratigraphy. 3.3.6 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - surface and groundwater hydrology. 3.3.7 The Rockingham-Becher Plain - wetlands. 3.3.8. The Rockingham-Becher Plain - evolutionary environmental history relating to beachridge and swale development. 3.4 The Becher Cusp. 3.4.1 The Becher Cusp - geometry and terminology. 3.4.2 The Becher Cusp - geomorphology. 3.4.3 The Becher Cusp - stratigraphy and soils. Soils. 3.4.4 The Becher Cusp - hydrology. Wetlands. 3.4.5 The Becher Cusp - vegetation.- 4. Database. 4.1 General introduction. 4.2 Radiocarbon dates. 4.3 General notes on biota.- 5. Development of wetland proto-type: geomorphology, basal sheet, hydrology. 5.1 General introduction. 5.2 Beachridges and swales. 5.2.1 Definition of shore parallel ridges. 5.2.2 Beachridges and swales of the Becher cuspate foreland: morphology. 5.2.3 Processes for constructing beachridges. Sediment source and supply. Nearshore profile. Mound nuclei. Repetitive formational agent. 5.2.4 Evolutionary environmental history relating to beachridge and swale development. Rate of beachridge development. 5.2.5 The higher set of beachridges. Cyclic storm activity and increased wave energy. Changes to sediment supply. A change in refraction intensity. Sea level changes. 5.2.6 The modern beachridges. 5.2.7 The development of beachridge swales. 5.2.8 Development of proto-wetland basins. 5.3 Wetlands. 5.3.1 Introduction. 5.3.2 Basal sediments. Descriptions of histograms. Description of grain size distributions using modern analogues. Comparison between basal sediments and modern beach/dune sands. Granulometry of quartz sand as an indicator of beach and dune sediments. Description of beach and dune in situ cores. Interpretation of the results of the three approaches. 5.3.3 A model for wetland initiation. 5.3.4 Dates for wetland commencement. Radiocarbon dating of base of wetlands. Evolutionary model for wetland development. 5.3.5 Conclusions.- 6. Wetland sedimentology and stratigraphy. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Stratigraphic framework to wetland basins. 6.3 Characterisation of wetland basin fills. 6.3.1 Occurrence of sedimentary bodies. 6.3.2 Geometry and thickness of sediment. 6.3.3 Types of sediments. 6.3.4 Typical vertical stratigraphic sequences. 6.3.5 Lateral stratigraphic relationships. 6.3.6 Small scale structures within the sediments. 6.3.7 Granulometry. 6. ...