Compared with other Australian marine Quaternary locations, Site 820's dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are low in both abundance and diversity. Abundances are between < 1 and 14 cysts/cm3 , and the number of species is between 7 and 14 per sample. The dominant species are Operculodinium israelianum, Spiniferites bulloideus, Spiniferites hyperacanthus and Tuberculodinium vancampoae, which together usually make up more than 75% of the assemblage.The rareness of Protoperidinium spp., taxa usually associated with nutrient enrichment, suggests that upwelling was not a regular feature of this region during the Quaternary.The relative dinoflagellate abundance, which indicates changes in the position of the coastline, shows the presence of several sea-level events, particularly near the base of the sequence. Here, they parallel at least two upward-coarsening cycles in the sediment record. Further comparison is hindered by too large a sampling interval.

Sediment depth is given in mbsf. Count is the total number of dinoflagellate cysts in the sample; if fewer than 10 specimens were found, then the number of specimens rather than the percentage abundance is given.

Supplement to: McMinn, Andrew (1993): Quaternary dinoflagellate cyst distribution at Site 820, Great Barrier Reef. In: McKenzie, JA; Davies, PJ; Palmer-Julson, A; et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 133, 93-95