Testing the relationship between Holocene peatland palaeoclimate reconstructions and instrumental data at two European sites

Peatland surface wetness records provide long Holocene palaeoclimate reconstructions at 10¹–10² year resolution. They reflect changes in water balance but the relative strength of precipitation and temperature signals are not known. In common with other non-annually resolved records, there has been no testing of the reconstructions against instrumental climate data. In this paper high-resolution records of palaeohydrological change reconstructed from testate amoebae analysis are used to examine critically the relationships between reconstructed water table change, instrumental water table and climate data. A 200-year record of reconstructed water table from northern England shows that the strongest control on reconstructed mean annual water table change is summer precipitation, with summer temperature becoming more important over longer time periods. A 50-year record from Estonia shows that both measured and reconstructed water table records are strongly correlated with summer precipitation. Summer temperature is also correlated with reconstructed water table. We conclude that peatland surface wetness records should be interpreted as primarily reflecting summer precipitation variability, with summer temperature increasingly important in more continental settings.     

Jurassic smectite and kaolinite trends of the East European Platform: implications for palaeobathymetry and palaeoclimate

Clay minerals cannot only give information on sedimentary depositional environment but also the climate regime under which sediment was weathered. The successions of non‐marine to marine Middle and Late Jurassic strata of the East European Platform show upwards increasing contents of smectite and decreasing contents of kaolinite. There is also an increasing smectite vs. kaolinite ratio laterally, in a basinward direction within individual formations. Vertical smectite and kaolinite content curves coincide broadly with the Sahagian and Jones eustatic sea‐level curve. All this implies differential settling of smaller smectite particles offshore and larger kaolinite particles onshore. Smectite formation, preservation and supply were further enhanced as the eastwards expanding Late Jurassic arid zone of Laurasia influenced weathering conditions in the sediment source areas, to the north and east of the East European Platform.     

Astronomical frequencies for pre-Quaternary palaeoclimate studies

The sensitivity of the Earth's orbital frequencies, involved in the astronomical theory of palaeoclimates, to the Earth-Moon distance and consequently to the length of the day and to the dynamical ellipticity of the Earth has been investigated for the last billion years. The shortening of the Earth-Moon distance and of the length of the day back in time induces a shortening of the fundamental astronomical periods for the obliquity and the precession, a shortening which is larger for the longer periods. These periods of precession and obliquity influenced by the changing Earth-Moon distance, length of the day and dynamical ellipticity of the Earth, have been recomputed for the last 440 million years.     

中国侏罗纪古气候分区与演变

以古生物学和沉积学资料为主,结合地球化学和植物化石气孔器参数等资料系统分析了中国侏罗纪的气候特征、气候分区及其演变过程。侏罗纪时期的气温明显比现代为高,但无论是温度还是湿度都经历了强烈的变化,可划分为早侏罗世早中期、晚期,中侏罗世早、晚期以及晚侏罗世等5个演化阶段,各阶段气候分区特征明显。其中,早侏罗世早中期(大致为埃唐日期—普林斯巴赫期)可划分为5个气候区,自北而南依次为黑龙江东部乌苏里温凉气候区、北方暖温带潮湿气候区、东南热带-亚热带潮湿气候区、西南热带-亚热带半干旱半潮湿气候区以及西藏—滇西热带海洋干旱气候区。其中,北方暖温带潮湿气候区范围最大,占据了昆仑—秦岭—大别山一线以北的广大地区。早侏罗世晚期(图阿尔期)总体升温并趋于干旱化,依然可以划分为5个气候区,但北方暖温带潮湿气候区由于南界的大幅度向北移而大为缩小,范围最广的是中部热带-亚热带半干旱-半潮湿气候区。中侏罗世早期(阿伦期—巴柔期)气温较早侏罗世晚期明显下降,北方暖温带潮湿气候区南界向南推移,基本恢复到了早侏罗世早中期的范围,东南地区为热带-亚热带半干旱-半潮湿气候。中侏罗世晚期(巴通期—卡洛维期)又复升温趋干,气候区界线再度北移,暖温带潮湿气候区范围再次大幅度缩小到燕辽及东北地区,热带-亚热带半潮湿-半干旱气候区范围扩大至整个华北与西北地区,南方则为热带-亚热带干旱气候区。晚侏罗世气温进一步升高,暖温带潮湿气候区退缩至东北一隅,除滇、藏热带海洋干旱气候区外,其他广大地区均为热带-亚热带干旱气候,且多地出现荒漠化。     

Upper bathyal trace fossils document palaeoclimate changes

Marine trace fossils were investigated in a 102-m cored section that covers −14.379 to −14.142 Ma (Middle Miocene). Long-term climate trends are perfectly reflected by changing trace fossil communities of the upper bathyal (−200 to −300 m). The community structure is expressed in abundance of taxa based on probabilities of time concordance between the deposition of the sediment and the time, when the traces were produced. Changes in community structure precisely parallel the increasing δ¹³C isotopes during the Middle Miocene climate transition and perfectly mirror oscillations in solar insolation in both amplitudes and phase. Furthermore, the density stratification of the seawater caused by wind-induced currents is reflected in trace fossil communities. Additionally, the dependence of ichnotaxa abundance from threshold values in the sedimentation rate could be demonstrated.     

青藏高原南部第四纪花粉植物群及古气候

本文选择了青藏高原南部具有代表性的６个花粉剖面，应用主成分分析处理这些剖面的花粉数据，重建了这些地区的古植被和古气候。研究表明，在青藏高原南部，早、中更新世的植被类型主要是松林、云杉林、铁杉林、桦林、桤木林和栎林，晚更新世和全新世的植被类型主要是高山灌丛草原、小半灌木草原、杂类草草甸、亚高山灌丛和落叶阔叶灌丛；在早、中更新世气候条件良好，有森林生长，晚更新世以后气候明显恶化，基本无森林生长。     

天津北部4.00 Ma BP以来古植被与古气候

依据CQJ1孔275块孢粉样品分析结果,结合岩性特征和测年资料,建立了天津北部4.00 Ma BP以 来古植被与古气候变化序列。大约在3.60-4.00Ma BP, 天津北部植被以荒漠草原为主, 气候冷干;3.44- 3.60Ma BP植被为疏林草原, 气候温和湿润;3.18-3.44Ma BP植被为荒漠草原, 气候冷干;2.58-3.18Ma BP植被以针阔叶混交林草原为主,气候温暖湿润;1.90-2.58Ma BP植被以疏林草原为主,气候温凉偏干; 1.74-1.90Ma BP植被为荒漠草原,气候冷干;1.30-1.74Ma BP植被以针阔叶混交林为主,气候温暖潮湿; 0.78-1.30Ma BP植被为以针叶树种为主的针阔叶混交林草原,气候温和湿润;0.15-0.78Ma BP植被以针阔叶 混交林为主,气候温暖潮湿;0.15Ma BP以来,孢粉丰度呈现有规律的变化,3个高丰度层段分别相当于MIS（海洋氧同位素） １、３、５阶段,与河北平原东部具有可比性。     

上海东部地区全新世孢粉组合及古植被和古气候

通过对上海东部地区南汇鹤鸣Hm孔、东海Dh1井、高桥G2孔3口钻井全新世地层的孢粉研究,划分出5个孢粉组合带和3个亚带,恢复了本地区古植被演替和古气候波动的5个阶段：第1阶段为针阔叶混交林-草地,反映气候温凉略湿（前北方期）;第2阶段为含常绿阔叶树的针阔叶混交林,反映气候温和略干（北方期）;第3阶段为以常绿栎类、栲属、杨梅等为主的常绿阔叶林,反映气候热暖潮湿（大西洋期）;第4阶段是以栎、松、禾本科为主的针阔叶混交林,反映气候温暖略干（亚北方期）;第5阶段是以落叶栎类、常绿栎类、松为主的落叶阔叶、常绿阔叶、针叶混交林-草地,反映气候温暖湿润（亚大西洋期）。这为本地区的地层年代划分和对比提供了可靠的证据,为全新世古植被、古气候及古环境的重建提供了重要的孢粉学资料。     

洱海沉积物化学元素与古气候演化

测定了洱海沉积物中常量和微量元素的含量,利用因子分析方法,识别了控制沉积物化学组成的三个主要因子：流域侵蚀因子、早期成岩因子和湖 内生碳酸钙了。进一步 研究还发现,流域了和湖泊内生碳酸钙沉淀因子的因子得分曲线作为气候干湿和冷暖变化的代用曲线。从而为古气候重建提供了一条有效的新途径。结合沉积的柱＾２１０Ｐｂ和＾１３７Ｃ计年结果,初步评价了６００多年来洱海区域气候及环境演化历史,提示他该区暖干与冷湿相     

Late quaternary palaeoclimate in the savannas of South America

The paper reviews Late Quaternary palynological evidence from eight sites in the savannas of northern South America. The sites reviewed are Lake Valencia (10°N), Carajas (6°S), Aguas Emendadas (15°S), Crominia (17°S), Salitre (19°S), Lagoa de Serra Negra (18°S), Lagoa Santa (20°S) and Lagoa dos Olhos (20°S). Four of the sites show evidence for a climate more humid than at present from ca. 36 ka BP to ca. 22–18 ka BP. Maximum dryness was reached at 14 ka to 10.5 ka BP at Lake Valencia. There was an increase in moisture from 8.8 ka BP at Lake Valencia and from 7 ka BP in Central Brazil. The presence of charcoal indicates human impact from ca. 8.6 ka BP. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deglaciation and palaeoclimate of the Andfjord-Vågsfjord area, North Norway

This paper reviews the deglaciation history and palaeoclimate from 22 to 9.5 ¹⁴Cka BP in the Andfjord-Vagsfjord area. Eight main glacial events are recorded: The Egga-I (>22 ¹⁴Cka BP), the Bjerka, the Egga-II (>14.6 ¹⁴Cka BP), the Flesen (14.5 ¹⁴Cka BP), the D (13.8–13.2 ¹⁴Cka BP), the Skarpnes (12.2 ¹⁴Cka BP), the Tromsø–Lyngen (10.7–10.3 ¹⁴C ka BP) and the Stordal (10.0–9.5 ¹⁴Cka BP). Onset of the final deglaciation occurred about 14.6 ¹⁴Cka BP. Most of the western part of the Fennoscandian and Barents Sea Ice Sheets receded from the outer continental shelf 15–14 ¹⁴Cka BP. The delivery and melting of icebergs at this time to the Norwegian-Greenland Sea resulted in a low oxygen isotope event recorded in a number of cores in the region. Atlantic water intruded the area 13.2 ¹⁴Cka BP, and an atmospheric warming commenced 12.9/12.8 ¹⁴Cka BP. A marked glacial recession occurred before the Skarpnes event. During Allerød time, the glaciers retreated to the fjord heads or even farther inland. The Fennoscandian outlet glaciers readvanced (locally more than 40 km), reached their Younger Dryas outer limit after 10.7 ¹⁴Cka BP and retreated from this position before about 10.3 ¹⁴Cka BP.     

The role of true polar wander on the Jurassic palaeoclimate

From the Late Carboniferous until the Middle Jurassic, continents were assembled in a quasi-rigid supercontinent called Pangea. The first palaeomagnetic data of South America indicated that the continent remained stationary in similar present-day latitudes during most of the Mesozoic and even the Palaeozoic. However, new palaeomagnetic data suggest that such a scenario is not likely, at least for the Jurassic. In order to test the stationary versus the dynamic-continent model, we studied the Jurassic apparent polar wander paths of the major continents, that is, Eurasia, Africa and North America that all in all show the same shape and chronology of the tracks with respect to those from South America. We thus present a master path that could be useful for the Jurassic Pangea. One of the most remarkable features observed in the path is the change in pole positions at ~197 Ma (Early Jurassic), which denotes the cessation of the counter-clockwise rotation of Pangea and commencement of a clockwise rotation that brought about changes in palaeolatitude and orientation until the end of the Early Jurassic (185 Ma). Here, we analyse a number of phenomena that could have triggered the polar shift between 197 and 185 Ma and conclude that true polar wander is the most likely. In order to do this, we used Morgan’s (Tectonophysics 94:123–139, 1983) grid of hotspots and performed “absolute” palaeogeographical reconstructions of Pangea for the Late Triassic and Jurassic. The palaeolatitudes changes that we observe from our palaeomagnetic data are very well sustained by diverse palaeoclimatic proxies derived from geological and palaeoecological data at this time of both the southern and northern hemispheres.     

Merging chironomid training sets: implications for palaeoclimate reconstructions

Icelandic and Norwegian chironomid calibration or training sets were merged to investigate whether a larger combined training set would be useful to apply to subfossil chironomid data from Iceland for periods such as the early Holocene, the Holocene Thermal Maximum and the Little Ice Age, when temperatures can be expected to be outside the current temperature range of the Icelandic training set. Following taxonomic harmonisation, the Icelandic and Norwegian data sets were compared before being merged to form a combined Norwegian-Icelandic training set. Analyses showed that it was biologically and statistically valid to merge the two data sets. The resulting combined inference model for mean July air temperature had improved performance statistics (r²_jack = 0.87; RMSEP_jack = 1.13) when compared to the best performing Icelandic model (r²_jack = 0.61; RMSEP_jack = 0.83), due to the longer environmental gradient covered (Icelandic 6–11 °C; combined 3.5–16 °C), and to the increased number of samples (Icelandic = 53 lakes; combined = 207 lakes) and taxa (Icelandic = 47 taxa; combined = 133 taxa) present within the combined training set. The inference models were applied to an early Holocene chironomid sequence from Vatnamýri, north Iceland, and a 450-year recent record from Myfluguvatn, north-west Iceland, to compare the reconstructions produced. The various inference models produced similar trends and patterns of temperature reconstruction, but the inference model based on the combined training set produced a larger range of reconstructed temperatures than the Icelandic model. It was found that different inference models produced more variation in the reconstruction than when different training sets were used. A comparison of the Myfluguvatn reconstructions with meteorological observations showed that the combined Norwegian–Icelandic inference model produced more reliable results than the Icelandic or Norwegian inference models alone.     

渤海湾全新世贝壳堤与牡蛎礁:古气候与海面变化

讨论了早全新世晚期以来渤海湾西岸贝壳堤平原成堤、西北岸牡蛎礁平原(及毗邻浅海区)建礁过程的同时性特征和气候变化与这一特征之间的关系,以及堤、礁记录的相对海面变化。堤、礁大致同时发育,可分为6期,依次分别被寒冷事件5、4、3、2和1分隔。堤底板前、后缘高差大致对应3m的大潮差、礁顶板大致对应海平面。据二者分别重建了南部贝壳堤平原、北部牡蛎礁平原的相对海面变化:南部自7ka cal BP以来基本与现代海平面等高,小的波动在±1m之间,压实固结作用抵消了中全新世的相对高海面;北部中全新世的相对海平面位置因新构造和固结压实双重下沉作用的影响,已位于现代海平面2~3m以下。     

Holocene palaeoclimate and glacier fluctuations within Baspa valley,Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

Present study is an attempt to understand the tree line shift in relation to glacier fluctuations during Holocene based on the exploratory palynological studies from a 1.3 m deep sediment profile located at 3,100 meters above mean sea level (mamsl), Rukti valley, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. The study reveals that during the early to middle Holocene, tree line taxa viz. Betula and Juniperus were well characterized in the site of investigation evident by higher percentage of their pollen grains in subsurface sediments than those recorded during the late Holocene. This variation in distribution of these taxa suggests that till middle Holocene tree line was close to the study site (3,100 mamsl) i.e. at lower altitude than its present day distribution between 3,800 to 3,900 mamsl. Accordingly, the glacier snout might also be at lower elevations (∼3,500 mamsl) than its present day location at altitude (∼4,300 mamsl).     

Morphostratigraphy and palaeoclimate appraisal of the Leh valley,Ladakh Himalayas,India

In the present paper we study morphology, occurrence and mutual interrelationship of erosional (amphitheaters) and depositional landforms belonging to glacial (moraines), fluvio-glacial (glacial out wash), mass wasting (alluvial fans), aeolian (obstacle dune and sand sheets) and lacustrine (palaeo-lake sediments) processes within the Leh valley. These landforms are the geomorphic expression of past deglaciation grouped into five Formative Stages of Landform (FSL 1 to FSL 5) development in the Leh valley. The broad age bracket for the formative stages are based on the empirical relationship of the landforms, available chronology and their correlation with comparable climate phases. The retreat of glaciers in the Leh valley, along the southern slopes of Ladakh hill range and their retention over the northern slopes and Karakoram is further explained.     

Deglacial palaeoclimate at Puerto del Hambre,subantarctic Patagonia,Chile

The primary objective of this study is to further substantiate multistep climatic forcing of late‐glacial vegetation in southern South America. A secondary objective is to establish the age of deglaciation in Estrecho de Magallanes–Bahía Inútil. Pollen assemblages at 2‐cm intervals in a core of the mire at Puerto del Hambre (53°36′21″S, 70°55′53″W) provide the basis for reconstructing the vegetation and a detailed account of palaeoclimate in subantarctic Patagonia. Chronology over the 262‐cm length of core is regulated by 20 AMS radiocarbon dates between 14 455 and 10 089 ¹⁴C yr BP. Of 13 pollen assemblage zones, the earliest representing the Oldest Dryas chronozone (14 455–13 000 ¹⁴C yr BP) records impoverished steppe with decreasing frequencies and loss of southern beech (Nothofagus). Successive 100‐yr‐long episodes of grass/herbs and of heath (Empetrum/Ericaceae) before 14 000 ¹⁴C yr BP infer deglacial successional communities under a climate of increased continentality prior to the establishment of grass‐dominated steppe. The Bølling–Allerød (13 000–11 000 ¹⁴C yr BP) is characterised by mesic grassland under moderating climate that with abrupt change to heath dominance after 12 000 ¹⁴C yr BP was warmer and not as humid. At the time of the Younger Dryas (11 000–10 000 ¹⁴C yr BP), grass steppe expanded with a return of colder, more humid climate. Later, with gradual warming, communities were invaded by southern beech. The Puerto del Hambre record parallels multistep, deglacial palaeoclimatic sequences reported elsewhere in the Southern Andes and at Taylor Dome in Antarctica. Deglaciation of Estrecho de Magallanes–Bahía Inútil is dated close to 14 455 ¹⁴C yr BP, invalidating earlier dates of between 15 800 and 16 590 ¹⁴C yr BP. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

德国北部盆地晚侏罗世沉积环境及古气候分析*

德国北部盆地上侏罗统广泛发育,但野外露头地层普遍出露不全。Hildesheimer Wald地区Wendhausen 6井和Süntel山地区Eulenflucht 1井完整钻遇了上侏罗统牛津阶和启莫里阶地层,为分析该区晚侏罗世沉积演化过程及其所反映的古环境变化规律提供了丰富的资料。通过岩心描述和岩石薄片镜下观察,根据不同层段的颗粒成分、生物组合特征、沉积结构和构造等特征,在2口井的岩心中共划分出14个岩石类型,分别形成于碳酸盐岩斜坡和三角洲环境。建立了该区牛津阶和启莫里阶垂向沉积演化序列,垂向上由Heersum组到Süntel组,沉积环境逐步由外陆棚、内陆棚、临滨过渡到了开阔台地、潮坪环境,表现出了相对海平面降低的进积过程。同时对不同沉积相中保存较好的以低镁方解石为主要成分的牡蛎壳进行原位Mg/Ca值(古温度指标)测试,得出该区牛津期至启莫里期总体表现出了古气候变暖的趋势,且共有3次气候变暖过程。这一古气候变化与由沉积相分析得出的古气候变化一致,且同苏格兰、俄罗斯台地古温度变化趋势有很好的对应关系,表明古气候是控制该区沉积演化的一个重要因素,且牡蛎壳Mg/Ca值可以做为一个古气候指示指标应用于其他地区的古气候分析中。     

Pleistocene speleothems of Mallorca: implications for palaeoclimate and carbonate diagenesis in mixing zones

The Pleistocene speleothems of Sa Bassa Blanca cave, Mallorca, are excellent indicators of palaeoclimate variations, and are samples that allow evaluation of the products and processes of mixing‐zone diagenesis in an open‐water cave system. Integrated stratigraphic, petrographic and geochemical data from a horizontal core of speleothem identified two main origins for speleothem precipitates: meteoric‐marine mixing zone and meteoric‐vadose zone. Mixing‐zone precipitates formed at and just below the water–air interface of cave pools during interglacial times, when the cave was flooded as a result of highstand sea‐level. Mixing‐zone precipitates include bladed and dendritic high‐Mg calcite, microporous‐bladed calcite with variable Mg content, and acicular aragonite; their presence suggests that calcium‐carbonate cementation is significant in the studied mixing‐zone system. Fluid inclusion salinities, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O compositions of the mixing‐zone precipitates suggest that mixing ratio was not the primary control on whether precipitation or dissolution occurred, rather, the proximity to the water table and degassing of CO₂ at the interface, were the major controls on precipitation. Thus, simple two‐end‐member mixing models may apply only in mixing zones well below the water table. Meteoric‐vadose speleothems include calcite and high‐Mg calcite with columnar and bladed morphologies. Vadose speleothems precipitated during glacial stages when sea level was lower than present. Progressive increase in δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O of the vadose speleothems resulted from cooling temperatures and more positive seawater δ¹⁸O associated with glacial buildup. Such covariation could be considered as a valid alternative to models predicting invariant δ¹⁸O and highly variable δ¹³C in meteoric calcite. Glacio‐eustatic oscillations of sea‐level are recorded as alternating vadose and mixing‐zone speleothems. Short‐term climatic variations are recorded as alternating aragonite and calcite speleothems precipitated in the mixing zone. Fluid‐inclusion and stable‐isotope data suggest that aragonite, as opposed to calcite, precipitated during times of reduced meteoric recharge.