Selected publications



  • Last, F. M., Last, W. M., and Halden, N. M., 2012. Modern and late Holocene dolomite formation: Manito Lake, Saskatchewan. Sedimentary Geology, vol. 281, p. 222-237.

  • Last, F. M. and Last, W. M., 2012. An overview of saline lake carbonates, the northern Great Plains of western Canada. Sedimentary Geology, vol 277-278, p. 1-31. (Invited Review Paper; Listed #2 in Top 25 Hottest Articles, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Elsevier).

  • Last, Fawn M., and Last, William M., 2011. An Overview Of Saline Lake Carbonates, The Northern Great Plains Of Western Canada. Geol. Society of America, Abstracts with Program vol. 43.

  • Last, F. M., Last, W. M. and Halden, N.M. 2010 Carbonate microbialites and hardgrounds from Manito Lake, an alkaline, hypersaline lake in the northern Great Plains of Canada. Sedimentary Geology vol. 225, p. 34-49.

  • Last, Fawn M., Last, William M., and Halden, Norman M., 2010. The Use Of Continental Saline Lake Microbialites As Indicators Of Holocene Environmental Change. Geol. Society of America, Abstracts with Program vol. 42, p. 623.

  • Last, W. M. and Ginn, F. M., 2009. Bio-mediated and abiotic dolomite formation in saline lakes of the northern Great Plains of Canada. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Vol. 73, p. A725.


  • Last, W. M. and Ginn, F. M., 2009. Modern and late Holocene dolomite formation in a continental hypersaline lake, western Canada. Program and Abstracts Volume, 27th Annual Meeting of International Association of Sedimentologists, p. 34

  • Ginn, F. M. and Last, W. M., 2009. Manito Lake microbialites: a record of changing environment and climate in the northern Great Plains of western Canada. Program and Abstracts Volume, 27th Annual Meeting of International Association of Sedimentologists, p. 84.






  • Last, William M., Ginn, Fawn M., Londry, Kathleen, and Chalaturnyk, Matthew. 2005. Dolomite, Microbialites And Salt Lakes: Celebrating 75 Years Of Lacustrine Dolomite Research. Earth System Processes II, Geol. Soc. Amer. Abstracts with Program, 42-7.







  • Solylo, P., Last, W. M., and De Deckker, P., 2002, Genesis and Diagenesis of Carbonate Hardgrounds from Volcanic Maars, Victoria, Australia. WIUGC Annual Meeting, Edmonton.


  • Last, W. M., 1999. Lacustrine Dolomite: search for the Holy Grail Down Under. Abstracts Volume, 2nd International Congress of Limnogeology, Brest, France, p. 40-41.


  • Last, W. M., Kelly, R. J., and De Deckker, P.,1999. Late Holocene History of East Basin Lake, Victoria, Australia. Abstracts Volume, 2nd International Congress of Limnogeology, Brest, France, p. p28.


  • Last, W. M., 1996. Freefight Lake. In: Lemmen, D. S. (Ed.) Landscapes of the Palliser Triangle. In: Lemmen, D. S. (Ed.) Landscapes of the Palliser Triangle. Guidebook for the Canadian Geomorphology Research Group Field Trip, p. 70-72. pdf




  • Last, W. M., and DeDeckker, P., 1992, Paleohydrology and Paleochemistry of Lake Beeac A Saline Playa in Southern Australia. In: Roberts, R.D., and Bothwell, M.L. (eds.) Aquatic Ecosystems in Semi-Arid Regions, N.H.R.I. Symposium Series 7, Environment Canada, pp. 63-74. pdf

  • De Deckker, P., and Last, W. M., 1991. Holocene History of Lake Beeac. 7th SLEADS Abstracts Volume, p. 26.

  • De Deckker, P. Last, W. M., and Head, M. J., 1991. The calcium content of primary dolomite in a playa lake relates to the composition of the regional groundwater: an example from the Holocene record of Lake Beeac, western Victoria. SLEADS conference 91 proceedings, ANU, p 62-63

  • Last, W. M., and Kostelnyk, E., 1991, Genesis and Diagenesis of Carbonate Hardgrounds from East Basin Lake, Victoria, Australia. Sedimentary Records of Modern and Ancient Saline Lakes, Abstracts Volume, p. 25.


  • Last, W. M., 1990, Paleohydrology and Paleochemistry of Lake Beeac, A Saline Playa in Southern Australia. Abstracts Volume, Aquatic Ecosystems In SemiArid Regions.



  • DeDeckker, P., and Last, W. M., 1988, A Newly Discovered Region of Modern Dolomite Deposition in Western Victoria, Australia. Geology, vol. 16, p. 29-32. pdf

  • Last, W. M., 1988, Lacustrine Dolomite: a Sedimentological and Geochemical Overview. 6th SLEADS Conference, Abstracts Volume.

  • DeDeckker, P. and Last, W. M. , 1988. A new Modern Dolomite Precipitating Area in Australia. IX Australian Geological Convention, Abstracts Volume 21, p. 113.

  • Last, W. M., and DeDeckker, P., 1987, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of Two Volcanic Maar Lakes in Western Victoria. In: Chivas, A.R. and DeDeckker, P. (eds.), SLEADS Workshop 87, 41-44. pdf


  • DeDeckker, P. and Last, W. M., 1987, A Newly Discovered Region of Modern Dolomite Deposition in Western Victoria. In: Chivas, A.R. and DeDeckker, P. (eds.), SLEADS Workshop 87, 34-40. pdf