Testate amoebae as paleoindicators of surface-moisture changes on Michigan peatlands: modern ecology and hydrological calibration

Peatland testate amoebae are sensitive indicators of local hydrology and have been used as proxies for surface moisture conditions in fossil studies. However, few regional calibration datasets exist in North America, and knowledge of testate amoeba ecology and distribution patterns are limited. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the relationship between testate amoebae, environment, and Sphagnum species in Michigan peatlands; (2) generate transfer functions from this dataset that can be applied to fossil data; and (3) describe vertical variation of testate amoebae inhabiting Sphagnum moss. Testate amoeba assemblages from 139 microsites within 11 peatlands in Michigan were compared to assess variability between and within peatlands. Most peatlands contained similar testate amoeba assemblages, although within individual peatlands the amount of assemblage variability is correlated to the amount of environmental heterogeneity. Of the measured environmental variables, depth to water table showed the strongest relationship with testate amoebae. Depth to water table can be reconstructed from fossil data with a mean error of ±7.5 cm, although predictive ability deteriorates in extremely dry environments (>30 cm water table depth). Vertical variation in testate amoeba assemblages was investigated at 89 Sphagnum-dominated microsites by directly comparing amoeba assemblages and the abundance and frequency of common taxa in upper and lower portions of the Sphagnum stem. Except for extremely dry microsites, considerable vertical variation in assemblage composition exists. Many agglutinate taxa are more abundant on lower portions of the Sphagnum stem, and taxa containing symbiotic zoochlorellae are more abundant on upper portions. Refinements in sampling procedures and analysis may improve the predictive ability of transfer functions.     

Ecology of testate amoebae in peatlands of central China and development of a transfer function for paleohydrological reconstruction

Testate amoebae are a diverse and abundant group of protozoa that constitute a large proportion of biomass in many ecosystems and probably fill important roles in ecosystem function. These microorganisms have attracted the interest of paleoecologists because the preserved shells of testate amoebae and their known hydrological preferences enable reconstruction of past hydrological change. In ombrotrophic peatlands, surface wetness reflects hydroclimate, so testate amoebae can play an important role in reconstruction of Holocene climate change. Previous studies, however, have been geographically restricted, mostly to North America and Europe. We studied the ecology of testate amoebae in peatlands from central China in relation to hydrology, pH and metal concentrations. We found that testate amoeba community structure was correlated with depth to water table (DWT) and that the hydrological preferences of species generally matched those of previous studies. We developed a weighted average DWT transfer function that enables prediction of water table depth with a cross-validated mean error of <5 cm. Our results demonstrate the potential for using testate amoebae to reconstruct paleohydrology in China. Such studies could contribute to our understanding of Holocene climate changes in China, particularly regarding past Asian monsoon activity.     

A rapid response of testate amoebae and vegetation to inundation of a kettle hole mire

Our palaeoecological study covers 73 years of history (1929–2002) of a kettle hole peatland inundated by water from a nearby, dammed lake. Testate amoebae, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) were used to track the shift to wetter conditions in the peatland. Lead-210 was used to try and construct the chronology. We investigated how peatland testate amoebae communities changed since the damming of a nearby river. Furthermore, we evaluated how rapidly local vegetation responded to the increase in wetness, and how vegetation changes correlated with shifts in testate amoebae and NPPs. The Mukrza kettle hole provided palaeoecological evidence of trophic state and hydrological changes since the lake filled with water in 1929. Three stages of development were revealed. The first two were associated with initial inundation, and the third was related to Sphagnum expansion and acidification. Quantitative reconstruction of groundwater level and pH, inferred using testate amoebae, confirmed our hypotheses about changes in hydrology and trophic state. Subfossil desmid remains lend qualitative support to the reconstruction. The ecology of several testate amoeba taxa is discussed in the context of succession and population establishment. There was complete species replacement since the time of inundation. Our investigation has two important applied aspects: (1) it enables prediction of the response of peatlands to a rise in water table on restored sites; and (2) it provides analogues for palaeoclimatological studies. The history of the Mukrza mire is an example of how palaeoecological studies can be used to assess the degree of change in peatlands transformed by human activities.     

Sclerochronological oxygen and carbon isotope ratios in Radix (Gastropoda) shells indicate changes of glacial meltwater flux and temperature since 4,200 cal yr BP at Lake Karakul,eastern Pamirs (Tajikistan)

We report δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of 21 fossil shells from the aquatic gastropod Radix from a sediment core taken in the eastern basin of Lake Karakul, Tajikistan (38.86–39.16°N, 73.26–73.56°E, 3,928 m above sea level) and covering the last 4,200 cal yr BP. The lake is surrounded by many palaeoshorelines evidencing former lake-level changes, most likely triggered by changes in meltwater flux. This hypothesis was tested by interpreting the isotope ratios of Radix shells together with δ¹⁸O values of Ostracoda and of authigenic aragonite. The mean δ¹⁸O values of Radix and Ostracoda fall along the same long-term trend indicating a change in the isotopic composition of precipitation, which contributed to the glaciers in the catchment as snow and finally as melt water to the lake. The sclerochronological δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C patterns in Radix shells provide seasonal weather information, which is discussed in context with previously proposed climatic changes during the last 4,200 cal yr BP. The period between ~4,200 and 3,000 cal yr BP was characterized by stepwise glacier advance in the catchment most likely due to a precipitation surplus. Subsequently the climate remained relatively cold but the lake level fluctuated, as indicated by ostracod shell isotope data. From ~1,800 cal yr BP the sclerochronological patterns provide evidence for increasing melt water flux and transport of allochthonous carbon into the lake, most likely due to an accelerated glacier retreat. The period around 1,500 cal yr BP was characterized by strong warming, increasing meltwater flux, glacier retreat and an increasing lake level. Warm conditions continued until ~500 cal yr ΒP probably representing the end of the Medieval Warm Period. A short relatively cold (dry?) period and a lower lake level are assumed for ~350 cal yr BP, possibly an analogue to the Maunder Minimum cooling in the North Atlantic region. Our results show that the lake system is complex, and that changes were triggered by external forcing and feedbacks. The similarity of δ¹⁸O values in Radix and ostracod shells demonstrates that both archives provide complementary information.     

A multi-proxy approach to reconstruct hydrological changes and Holocene climate development of Nam Co, Central Tibet

Holocene lake level fluctuations were reconstructed from a 2.7-m sediment core from Nam Co, Central Tibet, China dating to >7.2 cal ka BP. Results were compared to existing lake records from the Tibetan Plateau to infer variations in the strength of the Asian Monsoon. Geomorphological features in the Nam Co catchment, such as beach ridges and lake terraces, indicate high lake stands during the late Glacial. A major low stand is suggested for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Sands and sandy silts at the base of the core are transgressive facies, with material transported by melt water and deposited under rising lake level conditions that followed the LGM low stand. Variations in grain size, major elements, biomarker stable isotopes and minerals in the core suggest a climate evolution reflected in at least five depositional units and subunits. Sediments in Unit I (~7.2 to ~5.4 cal ka BP) were deposited at highest lake levels. Large amounts of allogenic minerals and allochthonous organic matter suggest high precipitation and melt water input, implying positive water balance. Increasing aquatic productivity points to favourable environmental conditions. Unit II (~5.4 to ~4.0 cal ka BP) marks a transition between favourable, stable hydrological conditions and lake level decrease. Lower lake levels were a consequence of drier climate with less monsoonal precipitation, higher evaporation rates, and increased moisture recycling in the catchment. Unit III (~4.0 to ~1.4 cal ka BP) reflects the driest periods recorded, at ~3.7 cal ka BP and 1.6 cal ka BP. Lake shrinkage and salinization was interrupted as suggested by the deposition of Unit IV (~1.4 to ~0.8 cal ka BP), when increased precipitation and runoff that might be related to the Medieval Warm Period, led to a stable, but still low lake level. Unit V (800 cal years BP—present) is characterized by progressive lake shrinkage due to intense evaporation. Large fluctuations in geochemical variables indicate humid and arid periods, respectively, at Nam Co between ~450 and ~200 cal years BP, with the latter assumed to correspond to the Little Ice Age. Modern hydrological data indicate the lake level is rising. Comparison of the Nam Co record with other lake records from the Tibetan Plateau suggests general agreement with the broader picture of Holocene environmental evolution. The timing of dry and wet climate conditions at lake sites across Tibet indicates a gradually decreasing influence of the southern monsoon during the Holocene, from NW to SE. Nevertheless, further research is needed to improve our understanding of Holocene spatio-temporal hydrological variations across the Asian continent.     

Reconstructing hydrological variability from testate amoebae analysis in Carpathian peatlands

Peatlands offer the potential for high resolution records of water balance over Holocene timescales, yet this potential is under-exploited in many areas of the world. Within Europe, peatlands are mostly confined to areas north of 55° N, but several areas of southern and eastern Europe contain small peatlands which may be suitable for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. In this paper we test the potential of peatlands in the Carpathian region for deriving quantified estimates of water table changes using testate amoebae analysis. A training set for palaeohydrological reconstruction from testate amoebae assemblages was obtained by collecting surface samples from 13 peatlands, including 9 from Hungary and 4 from Transylvania (Romania). Using a simple measure of mean annual water tables estimated from staining of PVC tape, we found that some peatlands were heavily influenced by runoff and groundwater, and were therefore not suitable as modern analogues of ombrotrophic climatically sensitive sites. The relationship between the testate amoebae assemblages in the modern samples and the environmental variables was explored using CCA. The CCA biplot showed that the most important variables are depth to water table and moisture content, confirming that hydrology is a key control on taxon distribution. pH was a secondary gradient. A transfer function for % moisture and depth to water table was established and applied to fossil assemblages from a sequence from Fenyves-tető, Transylvania, Romania. The reconstructed water table shows a number of variations which have parallels with other palaeoclimatic records from Europe and the North Atlantic prominent phases of higher water tables are associated with the periods 8000–8300 cal BP, 3000–2500 cal BP and after 600 cal BP. We suggest that these were periods of particular intensification of westerly airflow which affected eastern Europe as well as western and central Europe.     

Potential implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba shells for paleoenvironmental reconstruction in peatlands

Testate amoebae are now commonly used in paleoenvironmental studies but little is known of their taphonomy. There is some experimental evidence for differential preservation of some testate amoeba shell types over others, but it is unclear what, if any impact this has on palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. To investigate this issue we looked at palaeoecological evidence for the preservation of different shell types. We then investigated the possible impact of selective preservation on quantitative palaeoenvironmental inference. We first used existing palaeoecological data sets to assess the vertical patterns of relative abundance in four testate amoeba shell types: (1) shells made of secreted biosilica plates (idiosomes, e.g. Euglypha), (2) idiosomes with thick organic coating (Assulina), (3) proteinaceous shells (e.g. Hyalosphenia), (4) shells built from recycled organic or mineral particles (xenosomes) (e.g. Difflugia, Centropyxis). In three diagrams a clear pattern of decay was only observed for the idiosome type. In order to assess the implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba taxa for paleoenvironmental reconstruction we then carried out simulations using three existing transfer functions and a wide range of scenarios, downweighting different test categories to represent the impact of selective test decomposition. Simulation results showed that downweighting generally reduced overall model performance. However downweighting a shell type only produced a consistent directional bias in inferred water table depth where that shell type is both dominant and shows a clear preference along the ecological gradient. Applying a scenario derived from previous experimental work did not lead to significant difference in inferred water table. Our results show that differential shell preservation has little impact on paleohydrological reconstruction from Sphagnum-dominated peatlands. By contrast, for the minerotrophic peatlands data-set loss of idiosome tests leads to consistent underestimation of water table depth. However there are few studies from fens and it is possible that idiosome tests are not always dominant, and/or that differential decomposition is less marked than in Sphagnum peatlands. Further work is clearly needed to assess the potential of testate amoebae for paleoecological studies of minerotrophic peatlands.     

Monsoonal forcing of Holocene paleoenvironmental change on the central Tibetan Plateau inferred using a sediment record from Lake Nam Co (Xizang,China)

This study focuses on Holocene monsoon dynamics on the central Tibetan Plateau (TP) inferred using a sediment record from Lake Nam Co. A high-resolution (decadal) multi-proxy approach, using geochemical, micropaleontological, and sedimentological methods was applied. Fifteen AMS-¹⁴C ages were used to establish the chronology, assuming a reservoir effect of 1,420 years. Our results point to a first strong monsoonal pulse at Lake Nam Co ~11.3 cal ka BP, followed by colder and drier conditions until ~10.8 cal ka BP. A warm and humid climate from ~10.8 to ~9.5 cal ka BP is related to a strong summer monsoon on the central TP, triggering a lake-level highstand at ~9.5 cal ka BP. Declining minerogenic input after ~9.5 cal ka BP indicates less moisture availability until ~7.7 cal ka BP. Following stable conditions between ~7.7 and ~6.6 cal ka BP, a warm and wet climate is inferred for the time span from ~6.6 to ~4.8 cal ka BP. A change towards drier conditions after ~4.8 cal ka BP points to a weakening of the Indian Ocean Summer Monsoon on the central TP, further diminished after ~2.0 cal ka BP. A short-term wet spell occurred from ~1.5 to ~1.3 cal ka BP. By comparing the results derived from Lake Nam Co with several lacustrine records from the central, northern, and eastern TP, a similar but not synchronous pattern of monsoon-driven paleoenvironmental change is observed. Although the general trend of lake and catchment evolution on the TP during the Holocene is also reproduced in this record, pronounced spatial and temporal offsets with respect to distinct climate events were detected, suggesting periods of non-uniform moisture and temperature evolution.     

Natural and human-induced environmental changes in Eastern Europe during the Holocene: a multi-proxy palaeolimnological study of a small Latvian lake in a humid temperate zone

This study uses the Holocene lake sediment of Lake ?ū?i (Latvia, Vidzeme Heights) for environmental reconstruction with multi-proxy records including lithology, computerised axial tomography scan, grain-size analysis, geochemistry, diatoms and macrofossils, supported by AMS radiocarbon dating. Numerical analyses (PCA; CONISS) reveal three main phases in the development of the lake. Response to the Lateglacial–Holocene transition in Lake ?ū?i took place around 11,300 cal. BP. Organogenic sedimentation started with distinctive 5-cm-thick peat layer and was followed by lacustrine sedimentation of carbonaceous gyttja. Several findings of the peat layer with similar dated age and position at different absolute altitudes indicate that lake basin was formed by glaciokarstic processes. In the Early Holocene (until around 8,500 cal. BP), the lake was shallow and holomictic, surrounded by unstable catchment with erosion and inflow events. Predominance of diatom species of Cyclotella and Tabellaria, large numbers of respiratory horns of phantom midge pupae (Chaoboridae), high Fe/Mn ratio, as well as the presence of laminated sediments indicates the transition to a dimictic and oligo-mesotrophic lake conditions with high water level, anoxia in the near-bottom and stable catchment in the Middle Holocene (8,500–2,000 cal. BP). This contrasts with many hydrologically sensitive lakes in Northern and Eastern Europe in which the water level fell several meters during this period. During the Late Holocene (from 2,000 cal. BP to the present), the lithological and biotic variables reveal major changes, such as the increase in erosion (coarser grain-size fraction) and eutrophication [diatoms Aulacoseira ambigua (Grun.) Sim., Stephanodiscus spp., Cyclostephanos dubius (Fricke) Round]. Characteristics of lake-catchment system during the Late Holocene reflect anthropogenic signal superimposed on the natural forcing factors. To date, the Late Quaternary palaeolimnological reconstructions using lake sediment has been limited in the Baltic region. Therefore, findings from Lake ?ū?i provide important information about environmental and climatic changes that took place in this part of Eastern Europe. This study shows that the relative importance of climate and local factors has varied over the time and it is essential to consider the lake basin topography, catchment size and land cover as potential dominant forcing factors for changes in sedimentary signal.     

Development of large shallow Lake Peipsi (North-Eastern Europe) over the Holocene based on the stratigraphy of phosphorus fractions

We studied high-resolution stratigraphy of phosphorus (P) forms in the Holocene sediments of large shallow Lake Peipsi (Estonia/Russia) in order to evaluate the lake ecosystem response to environmental changes and track the lake’s eutrophication history. We distinguished four main periods in the history of Lake Peipsi, each having likely different factors responsible for the distribution pattern of P fractions in the sediment record. We suggest that in the oldest period, from ca. 10.4 up to 7.3 cal ka BP, the sediment composition was mainly determined by rising water level, the second period dated 7.3–2.3 cal ka BP was governed mainly by stable hydrology and P loading, while the third period between 2.3 and 0 cal ka BP was primarily influenced by emerging anthropogenic impact. The sediments from the last period since 1950 are subject of ongoing diagenetic processes but still reflect rapid eutrophication of the lake. Comparison of the results with periods derived from other sediment proxies proved the usability of P fractions stratigraphy in reconstruction of the development of lakes.     

Diatom assemblage changes in lacustrine sediments from Isla de los Estados, southernmost South America, in response to shifts in the southwesterly wind belt during the last deglaciation

Isla de los Estados (54° 45′S, 63° 10′–64° 46′W) lies east of the main island of Tierra del Fuego and is the southeastern-most point in Argentina. Because of its geographic position near the latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere Westerlies and the strong influence of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the area is suitable for paleoecological and paleoclimate research. The island is not far north of the Subantarctic Front, which limits the northern boundary of the ACC. Paleoenvironmental study in this geographic location can shed light on past changes in atmospheric and marine circulation patterns. Diatom analysis of the lower part of a sediment sequence from Laguna Cascada (54° 45′ 51.3′′S, 64° 20′ 20.07′′W) enabled inference of changing lake conditions between 16 and 11.1 cal ka BP. Between 16 and 14.4 cal ka BP fragilarioid diatom species, often a pioneer group, dominated the record. Their presence shows seasonally open-water conditions from the onset of sedimentation. In zone II (14.4–12.8 cal ka BP), the dominance of planktonic/tychoplanktonic Aulacoseira spp. might represent longer ice-free periods and windier conditions, which would have kept this heavy species suspended in the water column. This period corresponds to the Antarctic Cold Reversal, when the Southern Hemisphere Westerlies were possibly centered on the latitudes of Tierra del Fuego, resulting in windy and wet conditions. Zone III (12.8–11.1 cal ka BP) is dominated by benthic diatom taxa that are mainly associated with peat and wetland vegetation. This suggests that climate conditions had become milder and less windy, favoring aquatic productivity and terrestrial vegetation development. This change in environmental conditions may have been a consequence of the southward movement of the Southern Hemisphere Westerlies at the start of the Antarctic Holocene thermal optimum.     

Late Quaternary (30.7–9.0 cal ka BP) vegetation history in Central Asia inferred from pollen records of Lake Balikun, northwest China

Surface and fossil pollen samples were collected to reconstruct the vegetation and environment since 30.7 cal ka BP in the Lake Balikun Basin, northwest China. This record demonstrates that the region was occupied by four vegetation communities during the interval 30.7–9.0 cal ka BP, including desert steppe (30.7–25.1 cal ka BP), Amaranthaceae-Asteraceae desert (25.1–17.7 cal ka BP), Amaranthaceae-Artemisia-Asteraceae desert (17.7–12.8 cal ka BP) and Amaranthaceae desert (12.8–9.0 cal ka BP), corresponding to relatively humid, the coldest and driest, cold and dry, and colder and drier conditions, respectively. The reconstructions of vegetation and environmental changes around Lake Balikun do not support the interpretation of an extremely humid LGM in Central Asia, challenging the cold-moist (glacial), warm-dry (interglacial) pattern of late Quaternary environmental change in Central Asia. The Last Glacial Maximum was cold and dry, and similarly harsh conditions continued into the early Holocene.     

Holocene aquatic ecosystem change in the boreal vegetation zone of northern Finland

We studied multiple variables in a sediment core from Lake Kipojärvi, northern Finland, to investigate Holocene ecosystem changes in relation to catchment characteristics and known climate variations. We focused on a forested catchment because previous paleolimnological studies conducted in Fennoscandia focused mainly on subarctic lakes within a range of shifting treeline(s). Data on aquatic macrophytes, diatoms, Cladocera, C:N ratio, organic matter (LOI) and regional vegetation (pollen), revealed a three-phase limnological development. The early Holocene, species-rich, mesotrophic lake was transformed into an oligotrophic, species-poor aquatic ecosystem by the early middle Holocene, ca. 7,500 cal years BP, earlier than has generally been reported. The transition involved considerable changes in aquatic macrophytes. Changes in the Cladocera and diatom communities appear to have been linked to aquatic macrophyte development, which in turn, was probably regulated by catchment development and hydrology, and a consequent decrease in nutrient input from the catchment. During the more humid late Holocene, surface flow from the catchment probably increased, but the lake??s nutrient status remained oligotrophic. Possible reasons for low nutrient concentration in the late Holocene include: 1) slower biogeochemical cycling due to cooler climate, 2) a new hydrologic outlet and associated shorter water-retention times, and 3) accelerated peatland development in the catchment that affected water flow patterns and nutrient cycling.     

Persistence of Artemisia steppe in the Tangra Yumco Basin,west-central Tibet,China: despite or in consequence of Holocene lake-level changes?

The closed Tangra Yumco Basin underwent the strongest Quaternary lake-level changes so far recorded on the Tibetan Plateau. It was hitherto unknown what effect this had on local Holocene vegetation development. A 3.6-m sediment core from a recessional lake terrace at 4,700 m a.s.l., 160 m above the present lake level of Tangra Yumco, was studied to reconstruct Holocene flooding phases (sedimentology and ostracod analyses), vegetation dynamics and human influence (palynology, charcoal and coprophilous fungi analyses). Peat at the base of the profile proves lake level was below 4,700 m a.s.l. during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. A deep-lake phase started after 11 cal ka BP, but the ostracod record indicates the level was not higher than ~4,720 m a.s.l. (180 m above present) and decreased gradually after the early Holocene maximum. Additional sediment ages from the basin suggest recession of Tangra Yumco from the coring site after 2.6 cal ka BP, with a shallow local lake persisting at the site until ~1 cal ka BP. The final peat formation indicates drier conditions thereafter. Persistence of Artemisia steppe during the Holocene lake high-stand resembles palynological records from west Tibet that indicate early Holocene aridity, in spite of high lake levels that may have resulted from meltwater input. Yet pollen assemblages indicate humidity closer to that of present potential forest areas near Lhasa, with 500–600 mm annual precipitation. Thus, the early mid-Holocene humidity was sufficient to sustain at least juniper forest, but Artemisia dominance persisted as a consequence of a combination of environmental disturbances such as (1) strong early Holocene climate fluctuations, (2) inundation of habitats suitable for forest, (3) extensive water surfaces that served as barriers to terrestrial diaspore transport from refuge areas, (4) strong erosion that denuded the non-flooded upper slopes and (5) increasing human influence since the late glacial.     

Late glacial and early Holocene hydroclimate variability in northwest Iran (Talesh Mountains) inferred from chironomid and pollen analysis

We reconstructed the paleohydrologic and climatic history of the Lake Neor region, NW Iran, from the end of the late glacial to the middle Holocene (15,500–7500 cal yr BP). Subfossil chironomid and pollen assemblages in a sediment core from a peatland located south of Lake Neor enabled identification of four main hydrologic phases. The period 15,500–12,700 cal yr BP was characterized by a relatively dry climate with an open landscape, suggested by the abundance of Irano-Turanian steppe plants (e.g. Amaranthaceae, Artemisia and Cousinia). Dominance of several shallow-water and semi-terrestrial chironomid taxa (e.g. Pseudosmittia, Smittia/Parasmittia and Paraphaenocladius/Parametriocnemus) during this period is indicative of lower water tables in the wetland. Between 12,700 and 11,300 cal yr BP, chironomid taxa indicate higher wetland water tables, as suggested by the presence of Zavrelia, Chironomus anthracinus/plumosus-type and Micropsectra, which are inhabitants of open-water, lacustrine areas. The open-steppe vegetation remained dominant in the watershed during this time. Increasing wetland moisture could be explained by: (1) cool summers that reduced the evaporation rate; and/or (2) a decrease in duration of the summer dry season. The period 11,300–8700 cal yr BP was characterized by lower wetland moisture, contemporaneous with a delay in the expansion of deciduous forest, suggesting persistent dry climate conditions throughout the beginning of the Holocene, which may have been related to the intensified seasonality of precipitation. Around 8700 cal yr BP, higher wetland water levels, inferred from chironomids, occurred simultaneously with the onset of regional deciduous forest expansion, probably caused by a shortening of the summer dry period. We concluded that chironomids are appropriate paleoecological proxies to investigate global and local hydrologic variability in the Middle East.     

A MIS 3 charcoal and pollen record and quantitative precipitation inferences from the Jingerwa section of the Nihewan Basin,north-central China

Pollen and charcoal data from the Jingerwa section of the Nihewan Basin, north-central China, were used to reconstruct vegetation and climate changes during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Mean annual precipitation changes were quantified by applying pollen-climate transfer functions. Sparse vegetation cover dominated by herbs indicates relatively dry climate between 51 and 43 cal ka BP. Between 43 and 35 cal ka BP, a Pinus-dominated forest reached its maximum extent, implying that climate was wetter than today. Severe fire episodes during that period suggest warm temperatures. Between 35 and 32 cal ka BP, forest retreat and the expansion of dryland vegetation are indicative of drier climates. Slightly wetter conditions prevailed between 32 and 29 cal ka BP, as indicated by the expansion of ferns. Our results suggest that the climate conditions in the Nihewan Basin during middle and late MIS 3 were probably wetter than today. This may have been caused by intensification of Asian monsoon circulation in response to greater insolation in June at 30°N. However, increases in summer temperatures and evaporation, triggered by peak summer insolation levels, may have led to a reduction in humidity around 35 cal ka BP.     

Late Holocene paleohydrology of Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada

We have gained new insight into the dynamic late Holocene paleohydrology and paleolimnology of Kluane Lake by reconstructing lakewater δ¹⁸O using sediment cellulose as an oxygen-isotope archive. Our data suggest that the lake was regularly open hydrologically between 5000 and 1000 cal year BP, although with substantially lower water levels and with greater evaporative loss in relation to inflow than under contemporary conditions. During part of this period the lake was meromictic and may have undergone intermittent hydrologic closure, but southward drainage to the Pacific Ocean via the Alsek River system was generally maintained. Isotopic evidence confirms that Kluane Lake underwent complete hydrologic closure 430–300 cal year BP (AD 1520–1650) after a major advance of Kaskawulsh Glacier blocked southward drainage. Closure persisted as the lake overtopped the Duke River fan, initiating northward drainage to the Bering Sea via the Yukon River system. Although incision of the new outlet channel led to a rapid decline in lake level, northward discharge via the Kluane River has been maintained for the past three centuries because of abundant inflow from the Slims River. Substantial quantities of glacial meltwater and seasonal runoff continue to drain via the Slims River from Kaskawulsh Glacier and its catchment in the St. Elias Mountains. During this period Kluane River has also become an important route for migrating anadromous salmon. The modern isotope hydrology of Kluane Lake confirms that its current positive water balance is highly dependent on discharge from Slims River. Declining glacial meltwater contributions to Slims River will likely lead to lower water levels in Kluane Lake over the coming decades and possible re-establishment of intermittent or perennial hydrologic closure.     

Variations of monsoonal precipitation over the last 16,000 years in the eastern Nanling Mountains,South China

A 350-cm-long sediment core was recovered from Dahu Swamp in the eastern Nanling Mountains in south China for paleoclimatic investigation. Twelve ¹⁴C dates determined on organic-rich bulk samples establish a chronological sequence for this core and yield a bottom age of ~16,000 cal years BP. Multiproxies including dry bulk density, magnetic susceptibility, organic carbon isotope, median grain size, silt-size fraction and total organic matter content were used to study variations of precipitation in relation to the East Asian monsoon. The core sediments are characterized by shifts between the lacustrine sediments and marshy sediments, implying hydrological variations between expansion and shrinkage of the water body in the swamp, and suggesting relatively wetter and drier conditions, respectively. Two relatively wetter episodes lasting from ~15,000 to 14,000 cal years BP and from ~13,500 to 12,800 cal years BP were revealed, possibly corresponding to the Bølling and the Allerød warming events, and three relatively drier phases occurred between ~16,000 and 15,000 cal years BP, between ~14,000 and 13,500 cal years BP and between ~12,800 and 11,500 cal years BP. The three events synchronize with the Oldest Dryas, the Older Dryas and the Younger Dryas cooling events, respectively. A distinctly humid period lasted from ~10,000 to 6,000 cal years BP in the early- and mid- Holocene was interpreted as the Holocene Optimum period. Several short dry events were revealed, including the most pronounced one at ~8,100 cal years BP that coincides with the “8,200 year” cooling event. Multiproxies indicate an evidently dry climate prevailing in the mid-Holocene (from ~6,000 to 3,000 cal years BP), reflecting a weakening of the East Asian summer monsoon. The general trend of Holocene climate shows agreement with the 25°N summer solar insolation, suggesting that the orbitally induced insolation have played a key role in the Holocene climate in south China.     

Evidence from testate amoebae for changes in some local hydrological conditions between c. 5000 BP and c. 3800 BP on Edgeøya (Svalbard)

The study of a subfossil peat from the northwestern part of Edgeøya (Svalbard) enabled a reconstruction of the changes in the testate amoebae communities from c. 5000 BP to c. 3800 BP to be made. Two stratigraphical zones are recognized. The ecological interpretation of these sequences revealed rather humid and unstable hydrological conditions at the bog surface in the oldest zone, which presumably lasted until about 4500-4300 BP. The communities in the upper zone indicated a more stable and drier environment.     

Post-glacial climate change and its effect on a shallow dimictic lake in Nova Scotia,Canada

A high-resolution, multi-proxy lake sediment record was used to establish the timing of Holocene environmental change in Canoran Lake, southwest Nova Scotia, Canada. Proxies include %C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, HI, magnetic susceptibility, and pollen. Canoran Lake is a small, shallow (11 m) lake with two ephemeral inlets and an outlet. The site was deglaciated at ca. 15,300 cal (calibrated) year BP and elevated %C values indicate the establishment of a productive aquatic environment that is consistent with Allerød warming. The Allerød was interrupted by rapid air temperature cooling during the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,900–11,600 cal year BP). The Early Hypsithermal (ca. 11,600–8,500 cal year BP) was relatively warm and wet. A slight increase in clastic input occurred between 9,100 and 8,500 cal year BP but δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, and HI values imply that the lithostratigraphic response may not be indicative of climate-induced change. The strong proxy response between 8,500 and 8,000 cal year BP was likely due to cooling and drying coincident with the 8.2 k year event. The climate was relatively warm and dry during the Late Hypsithermal (ca. 8,000–3,500 cal year BP). None of the proxies’ exhibit notable change during the 5,500 cal year BP hemlock decline, indicating that ecological change was likely due to a pathogen attack. Post-Hypsithermal (modern) climate was characterized by an increase in precipitation and a decrease in air temperatures from ca. 3,500 to 700 cal year BP (top of core).