Holocene vegetation and climate change in southern New Zealand: linkages between forest composition and quantitative surface moisture reconstructions from an ombrogenous bog

This paper presents a Holocene pollen record from an ombrotrophic bog in Southland, New Zealand, together with multiproxy data (testate amoebae, peat humification and plant macrofossils) from the same core to establish an independent semiquantitative record of peatland surface moisture. Linkages between reconstructed peatland surface moisture and regional forest composition are investigated using redundancy analysis of the forest pollen data constrained with predicted bog water‐table depths. Over 32% of the pollen data variance can be explained by surface moisture changes in the bog, suggesting a common cause of water‐table and regional vegetation change. Water tables were higher during the early to mid‐Holocene when the forest was dominated by podocarp taxa. Water tables lowered after about 3300 cal. yr BP coevally with the expansion of Nothofagus species, culminating with the dominance of Nothofagus subgenus Fuscospora in the past 1200 cal. yr BP. This is in apparent opposition to the warm/dry to cool/wet trend suggested by subjective interpretation of pollen data alone, from this and other studies. We suggest that during the late Holocene, drier summers associated with shifts in solar insolation caused reduced surface wetness and summer humidity, which together with a trend to cooler winters, apparently favoured the regeneration of Nothofagus species. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A proxy record of late Holocene climate change from May Moss,northeast England

Quantitative reconstruction of changes in mire surface wetness has been used to reconstruct proxy climate from an upland ombrotrophic blanket mire on the North York Moors in northeast England (May Moss). Testate amoebae, plant macrofossil and humification analyses were carried out for six peat profiles. Transfer functions are used to generate estimates of water table levels from the testate amoebae stratigraphy, which complement the semi‐quantitative indications of changing surface wetness provided by plant macrofossil and humification analysis. ¹⁴C dates provide the chronology for the stratigraphy. Differences were encountered between AMS ¹⁴C dates on pure Sphagnum remains and radiometric dates on bulk peat from the same horizon, which perhaps arise from the heterogeneity of peat. Replicate palaeoecological analysis of adjacent cores identifies consistency within testate amoebae and plant macrofossil stratigraphies, and reveals a strong agreement between the water table level proxies. The record of hydrological changes at sites across May Moss are in synchrony, and so climate change is the most likely cause of the moisture fluctuations. Changes to a wetter or cooler climate were identified cal. ad 260–540, ca. ad 550–650, cal. ad 670–980, ca. ad 1350–1450, cal. ad 1400–1620 and ca. ad 1700–1800. Periods with a drier or warmer climate precede all of these wet shifts, with particularly dry periods between cal. ad 650–860 and 690–980 and between cal. ad 1290–1410 and 1400–1620. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A multiproxy record of late Holocene natural and anthropogenic environmental change from the Sphagnum peat bog Dürres Maar,Germany: implications for quantitative climate reconstructions based on pollen

Pollen data are well established for quantitative climate reconstructions over long timescales, including the Holocene and older interglacials. However, anthropogenically induced environmental change in central Europe was strong during the last 4 ka, challenging quantitative reconstructions of this time period. Here we present quantitative climate reconstructions based on pollen analyses and evaluate them with the peat humification record and the stable carbon isotopes of Sphagnum plant material (δ¹³C_cellulose). All analyses were carried out on the same 7.5 m long, largely ombrotrophic peat bog section from Dürres Maar. Three different methods were used for the quantitative climate reconstructions on the basis of the pollen data: (1) a probabilistic indicator taxa approach (the ‘pdf method’); (2) a modern analogue technique based on pollen taxa from modern surface samples (cMAT); and (3) a modern analogue technique expanded by plant functional types (pMAT). At Dürres Maar the peat humification is only affected by peat cutting during the Roman period and the Middle Ages. The stable carbon isotopes are seemingly unaffected by human impact. Thus both proxies provide independent data to evaluate the reconstructions on the basis of pollen data. The quantitative climate reconstructions on the basis of the individual methods are in general relatively similar. Nevertheless, distinct differences between the individual approaches are also apparent, which could be attributed to taxa that reflect human impact on a local to regional scale. While the pdf method appears to be relatively robust to all observed anthropogenically induced vegetation changes, it potentially underestimates climate variability. This method is therefore expected to be independent of local site characteristics and to provide robust quantitative estimates of climatic trends rather than of climatic variability of small amplitude. This is of value for palaeoclimate reconstructions of older interglacials, for which neither multiple sites nor independent climate proxies are available for comparison. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late-glacial and Holocene vegetation and climatic history of the Cass Basin, central South Island, New Zealand

Lithology, pollen, macrofossils, and stable carbon isotopes from an intermontane basin bog site in southern New Zealand provide a detailed late-glacial and early Holocene vegetation and climate record. Glacial retreat occurred before 17,000 cal yr B.P., and tundra-like grassland–shrubland occupied the basin shortly after. Between 16,500 and 14,600 cal yr B.P., a minor regional expansion of forest patches occurred in response to warming, but the basin remained in shrubland. Forest retreated between 14,600 and 13,600 cal yr B.P., at about the time of the Antarctic Cold Reversal. At 13,600 cal yr B.P., a steady progression from shrubland to tall podocarp forest began as the climate ameliorated. Tall, temperate podocarp trees replaced stress-tolerant shrubs and trees between 12,800 and 11,300 cal yr B.P., indicating sustained warming during the Younger Dryas Chronozone (YDC). Stable isotopes suggest increasing atmospheric humidity from 11,800 to 9300 cal yr B.P. Mild (annual temperatures at least 1°C higher than present), and moist conditions prevailed from 11,000 to 10,350 cal yr B.P. Cooler, more variable conditions followed, and podocarp forest was completely replaced by montane Nothofagus forest at around 7500 cal yr B.P. with the onset of the modern climate regime. The Cass Basin late-glacial climate record closely matches the Antarctic ice core records and is in approximate antiphase with the North Atlantic.     

A multi-proxy lacustrine record of Holocene climate change on northeastern Baffin Island, Arctic Canada

Reconstructions of past environmental changes are critical for understanding the natural variability of Earth's climate system and for providing a context for present and future global change. Radiocarbon-dated lake sediments from Lake CF3, northeastern Baffin Island, Arctic Canada, are used to reconstruct past environmental conditions over the last 11,200 years. Numerous proxies, including chironomid-inferred July air temperatures, diatom-inferred lakewater pH, and sediment organic matter, reveal a pronounced Holocene thermal maximum as much as 5°C warmer than historic summer temperatures from 10,000 to 8500 cal yr B.P. Following rapid cooling 8500 cal yr B.P., Lake CF3 proxies indicate cooling through the late Holocene. At many sites in northeastern Canada, the Holocene thermal maximum occurred later than at Lake CF3; this late onset of Holocene warmth is generally attributed to the impacts of the decaying Laurentide Ice Sheet on early Holocene temperatures in northeastern Canada. However, the lacustrine proxies in Lake CF3 apparently responded to insolation-driven warmth, despite the proximity of Lake CF3 to the Laurentide Ice Sheet and its meltwater. The magnitude and timing of the Holocene thermal maximum at Lake CF3 indicate that temperatures and environmental conditions at this site are highly sensitive to changes in radiative forcing.     

A record of Holocene environmental and ecological changes from Wildwood Lake,Long Island,New York

Analyses of pollen, charcoal and organic content in a lake sediment core from Wildwood Lake, Long Island, New York, provide insights into the ecological and environmental history of this region. The early Holocene interval of the record (ca. 9800–8800 cal. a BP) indicates the presence of Pinus rigida–Quercus ilicifolia woodlands with high fire activity. A layer of sandy sediment dating to 9200 cal. a BP may reflect a brief period of reduced water depth, consistent with widespread evidence for cold, dry conditions at that time. Two other sandy layers, bracketed by ¹⁴C dates, represent a sedimentary hiatus from ca. 8800 to 4500 cal. a BP. This discontinuity may reflect the removal of some sediment during brief periods of reduced water depth at 5300 and 4600 cal. a BP. In the upper portion of the record (<4500 cal. a BP), subtle changes at ca. 3000 cal. a BP indicate declining prevalence of Quercus–Fagus–Carya forests and increasing abundance of Pinus rigida, perhaps due to reduced summer precipitation. Elevated percentages of herbaceous taxa in the uppermost sediments represent European agricultural activities. However, unlike charcoal records from southern New England, fire activity does not increase dramatically with European settlement. These findings indicate that present‐day Pinus rigida–Quercus ilicifolia woodlands on eastern Long Island are not a legacy of recent, anthropogenic disturbances. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A speleothem record of Holocene climate variability from southwestern Mexico

A paleoclimate reconstruction for the Holocene based upon variations of δ¹⁸O in a U-Th dated stalagmite from southwestern Mexico is presented. Our results indicate that the arrival of moisture to the area has been strongly linked to the input of glacial meltwaters into the North Atlantic throughout the Holocene. The record also suggests a complex interplay between Caribbean and Pacific moisture sources, modulated by the North Atlantic SST and the position of the ITCZ, where Pacific moisture becomes increasingly more influential through ENSO since ~ 4.3 ka. The interruption of stalagmite growth during the largest climatic anomalies of the Holocene (10.3 and 8.2 ka) is evidenced by the presence of hiatuses, which suggest a severe disruption in the arrival of moisture to the area. The δ¹⁸O record presented here has important implications for understanding the evolution of the North American Monsoon and climate in southwestern Mexico, as it represents one of the most detailed archives of climate variability for the area spanning most of the Holocene.     

The climate of Scotland over the last 5000 years inferred from multiproxy peatland records: inter‐site correlations and regional variability

The mid to late‐Holocene climates of most of Scotland have been reconstructed from seven peat bogs located across north–south and east–west geographical and climatological gradients. The main techniques used for palaeoclimatic reconstruction were plant macrofossil, colorimetric humification, and testate amoebae analyses, which were supported by a radiocarbon‐based chronology, aided by markers such as tephra isochrons and recent rises in pine pollen and in spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs). Field stratigraphy was undertaken at each site in order to show that the changes detected within the peat profiles were replicable. Proxy climate records were reconstructed using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the plant macrofossil data and a mean water table depth transfer function on the testate amoebae data. These reconstructions, coupled with the humification data, were standardised for each site and used to produce a composite record of bog surface wetness (BSW) from each site. The results show coherent wet and dry phases over the last 5000 years and suggest regional differences in climate across Scotland, specifically between northern and southern Scotland. Distinct climatic cycles are identified, all of which record a millennial‐scale periodicity which can be correlated with previously identified marine and ice core Holocene cycles. The key role of the macrofossil remains of Sphagnum imbricatum, a taxon now extinct on many sites, is discussed in relation to the identified climatic shifts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First lake record of Holocene climate and vegetation change of the Northern Kuril Islands

Investigation of Pernatoe Lake sediments in the south of Paramushir Island has enabled us to obtain the first continuous pollen record of climate and vegetation changes in the north of the Kurile archipelago during the Holocene. Series of radiocarbon datings of between 10 000 ± 40 and 2180 ± 40 years ago are evidence that the beginning of sediments accumulation, found after borehole development, is related to the Early Holocene. Diatom analysis has shown several stages in the lake development: raised bog on the border of the Pleistocene and Holocene, lagoon formation resulting from the sea level rise over 9–6 ky, and freshwater lake formation 6 ky and up to the present. Climate warming during the period attributed to the boreal and Atlantic periods of the Holocene is reflected by the dominance of Pinus pumila and Alnus serrulata assemblages in vegetation cover. Wide dune fields were formed in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific shores of Paramushir Island 5–4 ky. Strengthening of atmogenic processes is related to cooling of the climate and drying of some areas of the underwater slope.     

A Holocene pollen and diatom record from Vanderlin Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, lowland tropical Australia

Sedimentary, palynological and diatom data from a dunefield lake deposit in the interior of Vanderlin Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria are presented. Prior to the formation of present perennial lake conditions, the intensified Australian monsoon associated with the early Holocene marine transgression allowed Cyperaceae sedges to colonise the alluvial margins of an expansive salt flat surrounded by an open Eucalyptus woodland. As sea level stabilised between 7500 and 4500 cal yr B.P. coastal dunes ceased to develop allowing dense Melaleuca forest to establish in a Restionaceae swamp. Dune-sand input into the swamp was diminished further as the increasingly dense vegetation prevented fluvial and aeolian transported sand arriving from coastal sources. This same process impounded the drainage basin allowing a perennial lake to form between 5500 and 4000 cal yr B.P. Myriophyllum and other aquatic taxa colonised the lake periphery under the most extensive woodland recorded for the Holocene. The palynological data support an effective precipitation model proposed for northern Australia that suggests more variable conditions in the late Holocene. A more precise measure of effective precipitation change is provided by diatom-based inferences that indicate few changes in lake hydrology. Such interpretations are explained in terms of palynological sensitivity to adjustments in local fire regimes where regional precipitation change may only be recorded indirectly through fire promoting mechanisms, including intensified ENSO periodicity and human impact.     

Holocene vegetation and volcanic activity,Auckland Isthmus,New Zealand

A 12 000 to 4000 yr BP pollen and tephra-bearing profile from Auckland, New Zealand, provides insights into the vegetation history and evidence for early Holocene volcanic activity in this area centred on the Mount Wellington basaltic volcano. Possibly 500 yr separated initial scoriaceous ash deposition (ca. 9500 yr ago) and subsequent major lava flows (ca. 9000 yr ago) from Mount Wellington. The local vegelation, topography, and drainage patterns were substantially modified during this time, and damming by the lava flows resulted in the formation of Lake Waiatarua in a shallow valley head ca. 9000 yr ago. Diatom evidence indicates that this lake was initially deep (> 5 m) but was shallowing around 4000 yr ago. In contrast to the Mount Wellington eruptions, tephra deposition resulting from distant rhyolitic volcanic activity of the central North Island and Mayor Island has had little effect on the Auckland vegetation during this time interval (12 000–4000 yr ago). Between ca. 12 000 and 10 000 yr ago, conifer-angiosperm forest was the predominant vegetation cover on Auckland Isthmus, but during the early Holocene, forest dominated by Metrosideros expanded, probably on to fresh volcanic surfaces resulting from the Mount Wellington eruptions. At this time, swamp forest communities developed in Waiatarua valley basin, and included species indicative of moist, mild, relatively frost-free climates. Some taxa show histories consistent with other records from the northern New Zealand region, including the rise of Ascarina lucida ca. 11 000 to 9000 yr ago, and its subsequent decline, and the expansion of Agathis australis (kauri) forest communities from ca. 6000 yr ago. Taken together the history of local and regional vegetation points to a mild, moist and weakly seasonal early Holocene climate, which subsequently became drier with greater seasonal temperature extremes.     

Holocene vegetation and climate change recorded in alpine bog sediments from the Borreguiles de la Virgen,Sierra Nevada,southern Spain

High-resolution pollen and magnetic susceptibility (MS) analyses have been carried out on a sediment core taken from a high-elevation alpine bog area located in Sierra Nevada, southern Spain. The earliest part of the record, from 8200 to about 7000 cal yr BP, is characterized by the highest abundance of arboreal pollen and Pediastrum, indicating the warmest and wettest conditions in the area at that time. The pollen record shows a progressive aridification since 7000 cal yr BP that occurred in two steps, first shown by a decrease in Pinus, replaced by Poaceae from 7000 to 4600 cal yr BP and then by Cyperaceae, Artemisia and Amaranthaceae from 4600 to 1200 cal yr BP. Pediastrum also decreased progressively and totally disappeared at ca. 3000 yr ago. The progressive aridification is punctuated by periodically enhanced drought at ca. 6500, 5200 and 4000 cal yr BP that coincide in timing and duration with well-known dry events in the Mediterranean and other areas. Since 1200 cal yr BP, several changes are observed in the vegetation that probably indicate the high-impact of humans in the Sierra Nevada, with pasturing leading to nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of the bog, Pinus reforestation and Olea cultivation at lower elevations.     

Holocene vegetation and climate changes from a peat pollen record of the forest – steppe ecotone,Southwest of Patagonia (Argentina)

Pollen analysis from a peat-bog sequence located at 50° 24′ S, 72° 42′ W in the Subantarctic forest – Patagonian steppe ecotone gives information about vegetation and climate changes in Southwestern Patagonia since the glacier retreat. After 11 000 cal yr BP a change from grass steppe to open Nothofagus forest indicates that climatic conditions became rapidly warmer. Development of a closed Nothofagus forest between 5800 and 3200 cal yr BP is interpreted as precipitation increase. During the late Holocene colder climate conditions prevail in response to Neoglacial events. After ca 3000 cal yr BP Nothofagus forest became opener, and after 800 cal yr BP grass steppe expanded. Changes in the forest-steppe ecotone composition as well as the ecotone longitudinal shifts suggest changes in temperature and precipitation. Present-day mean annual precipitation between 300 and 400 mm is associated with grass steppe, and 500–600 mm with a greater forest representation. During the last century, low presence of forest in the area may be related to European settlement and repeated flooding caused by periodic advances of Perito Moreno glacier.     

Holocene carbon storage and testate amoeba community structure in treed peatlands of the western Hudson Bay Lowlands margin,Canada

The Hudson Bay Lowlands (HBL) stores a significant proportion of the northern peatland carbon pool, and constraints on the factors controlling local-scale variation are needed to better predict soil carbon stocks. We investigated two treed peatland sites, a fen and a bog, to understand how local ecohydrological factors impacted long-term carbon storage. Ecohydrological conditions were reconstructed using quantitative water table depth reconstructions from testate amoebae (TA) and broad peat type classifications. We also linked these factors and carbon storage to changes in TA community structure through the investigation of morphological and functional traits. Both sites have high rates of peat vertical accretion during the warmer Middle Holocene. A shift to a drier, Sphagnum-dominated habitat after 7400 cal a bp at the bog site, however, led to lower apparent carbon accumulation rates (aCARs) than at the fen site. aCARs decreased with the transition to a cooler Late Holocene climate at both sites. Both sites have higher total carbon masses (kg m⁻²) than other more open and younger HBL localities, demonstrating the potential importance of treed peatlands in regional carbon storage. Shifts in the frequency of TA traits corresponded to changing ecohydrological conditions and provided insights into the role of TA in carbon storage.     

Response of testate amoeba assemblages to environmental and climatic changes during the Lateglacial–Holocene transition at Lake Lautrey (Jura Mountains,eastern France)

We tested the response of lacustrine testate amoebae (thecamoebians) to climate and environmental changes for the Lateglacial–Holocene transition. The palaeoenvironmental history of the study site (Lake Lautrey, Jura Mountains, eastern France) was previously established based on high‐resolution multi‐proxy studies of the same core. The present study is characterised by a high taxonomic resolution (54 taxa), inclusion of small species (down to 25 µm) and high total counts (>500 individuals per sample on average). Changes in the composition of testate amoeba assemblages (dominant species and assemblage structure), as well as in the accumulation rate (tests cm^?2 a^?1), corresponded to major climatic phases (i.e. Oldest Dryas, Bølling–Allerød Interstadial, Younger Dryas, Preboreal) as well as changes in organic matter inputs. Furthermore, decreases in the accumulation rate characterised minor short‐lived cooling events, such as Older Dryas event or Gerzensee oscillation. However, the Preboreal oscillation, which was well registered by other proxies at Lake Lautrey, could not be recognised in the testate amoeba record. This work demonstrates that lacustrine testate amoebae can be used for palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological reconstructions. Nevertheless, a better understanding of the relation between climate, organic matter and lacustrine testate amoebae requires further high‐resolution studies based on multi‐proxy approaches and the development of appropriate modern analogues. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

贵州西部晚全新世植被演替、气候变化与火灾历史

贵州西部位于北亚热带云贵高原山地湿润-半湿润气候区,西南季风是该区域水汽来源的主要气候系统。贵州六盘水娘娘山有连片分布的垫状泥炭沼泽沉积,较完整记录了过去的植被和气候历史,是研究气候-植被-火灾-人类活动变化的理想场所。本研究以六盘水娘娘山1999 m海拔的一处泥炭湿地钻孔上部52 cm岩芯为研究材料,通过AMS ¹⁴C测年获得年代框架,采用孢粉和炭屑分析,重建了该地区晚全新世气候变化和人类活动叠加影响下的植被演替及火灾活动历史。结果表明：3500~3100 cal.a B.P. 期间,当地亚热带常绿阔叶林繁盛,火灾活动为气候控制为主的森林火灾,但火灾活动并未改变阔叶林的总体面貌;3100~600 cal.a B.P. 期间,气候呈变干趋势,阔叶类木本植物显著减少,当地植被从亚热带常绿阔叶林转变为疏林草地和针叶类疏林,极可能是趋于冷干的气候环境的结果;大约600 cal.a B.P. 之后,当地植被演变为开阔林,同时,出现大颗粒炭屑(>125 μm)以及伴人花粉的明显增加,表明人类农业活动高强度的刀耕火种已经扩张到较高海拔山区。区域对比显示,西南地区在3500 cal.a B.P. 以来,主要以区域性火灾为主,而3100 cal.a B.P. 以后的火灾活动受到气候变干和人类活动的双重影响,特别是600 cal.a B.P. 以来,人类活动(刀耕火种)成为局地火灾和植被更替的主要因素。