浙江余姚田螺山遗址古人类活动的环境背景分析——植硅体、硅藻等化石证据

长江中下游丰富的新石器时代文化遗址,为研究该地区新石器时期气候环境变化、古人类活动和文化演化等提供了丰富的材料。浙江余姚田螺山遗址是河姆渡早期文化保存比较完整的一处新石器时代遗址。文章通过对田螺山遗址剖面植硅体、硅藻和炭屑等的分析,探讨了田螺山遗址河姆渡文化早期的原始农业和古人类活动的文化环境背景。7000～6600cal.aB.P.期间,植硅体和炭屑含量较低,淡水-半咸水硅藻丰富,推测为淡水或泻湖沉积环境,受海水影响较小;  从6600cal.aB.P.开始,水稻植硅体和炭屑含量增加说明田螺山先人已经开始大量种植水稻;  晚期（约6000cal.aB.P.后）海绵骨针和硅藻海水种含量的增长说明该时期田螺山地区明显受到海水影响。研究结果表明,河姆渡文化早期,田螺山地区就已经开始水稻栽培,原始农业形态基本是以稻作农业为主;  田螺山遗址河姆渡文化之前和之后都可能存在相对海面较高或受海水影响的时期,其与河姆渡文化在田螺山地区兴起与消失有着一定的关系。     

湖北屈家岭遗址孢粉、炭屑记录与古文明发展*

湖北屈家岭遗址附近的河湖相沉积剖面及文化层的孢粉和炭屑分析表明,距今5400—4200年间,遗址周边地区分布有常绿阔叶和落叶阔叶林,大量的禾本科(Gramineae)和松属(Pinus)花粉及炭屑表明这一时期有强烈的人类活动,暖湿的气候条件为屈家岭文化和石家河文化发展奠定了基础。距今4200—2200年间,莎草科（Cyperaceae）花粉和水蕨(Ceratopteris)孢子的减少反映生境干旱化,遗址周边发育由蒿属（Artemisia）、藜科(Chenopodiaceae)、唐松草（Thalictrum）和蕨类植物组成的坡草丛;这种生境干旱化是由气候变干和强烈人类活动所致。伴随着生境日趋干旱化,屈家岭文化和石家河文化走向衰亡。距今2200年前,莎草科花粉和水蕨孢子含量增加表明这一时期遗址周围生境比较湿润,与此同时,大量的禾本科花粉及高浓度的炭屑指示着又一人类活动高潮期的到来。     

我国古环境中炭屑的研究现状与展望

炭屑是恢复古火灾的一个重要手段,同时也为认识古气候、古植被和古地理提供了重要途径.从炭屑研究方法和应用两个方面总结了国内近年来炭屑研究的进展,提出了炭屑研究中尚需解决的问题,展望未来研究的前景.炭屑的分析方法和现代过程研究可能是今后研究中急需解决的问题,这两个问题的解决可以使炭屑在古环境和人类活动研究中充分发挥其作用....     

泥河湾盆地籍箕滩剖面记录的6400年以来环境变化与人类活动影响

本文对泥河湾盆地籍箕滩剖面地表下65～ 75cm、140～150cm、190～ 200cm和300～310cm处的4块泥质样品进行了AMS14C测年,校正后的年代分别为2117cal.a B.P.、3081cal.a B.P.、5481cal.aB.P.和6420cal.a B.P.,表明籍箕滩剖面305cm以上地层形成于全新世中晚期.籍箕滩剖面的孢粉、炭屑和磁化率分析,揭示了研究区中全新世以来的植被演替、气候变化和人类活动的影响.6400～ 5800cal.a B.P.,气候总体温暖湿润,籍箕滩南面的浅山地带可能有森林生长,孢粉百分比和炭屑含量的变化表明,该阶段植被对气候变化和人类活动影响非常敏感.6000cal.a B.P.前人类活动使籍箕滩剖面南面浅山地带的森林遭到一定破坏;6000～5800cal.a B.P.,籍箕滩周边的人类活动可能有所减弱或迁移他处,籍箕滩剖面南面浅山地带的森林得到一定恢复;5500 cal.a B.P.左右的降温事件和4000 cal.a B.P.左右的干旱事件以及人类活动,使得泥河湾盆地的森林植被破坏后再也没有恢复到之前的景观,草原植被迅速发展;4000～2000cal.a B.P.,气候以冷干为主,区域内森林植被几近消失,只在水分条件较好的地方有小片阔叶灌丛林生长,植被类型表现为草原或干草原.泥河湾盆地中晚全新世以来的气候变化与其他地方的对比表明,东亚季风的衰退具同步性.     

殷墟地区土壤剖面孢粉组合特征及环境意义*

安阳地区3个土壤剖面孢粉分析揭示了殷墟文化前后的环境背景。取自安阳市区的茶店陂剖面灰黑色古土壤层(3400cal.aB.P.之前)孢粉组合是以乔木植物花粉为主,推测当时茶店陂剖面所在的安阳市附近是含常绿树的落叶阔叶林植被;取自安阳市东南20余公里广润陂的"广1"和"广2"两剖面孢粉组合特征相近,都以中湿生草本植物花粉为主,表明广润陂地区是以中湿生草本植物为主的草地和湿地景观,显示了与安阳市区不同的植被特征。古土壤层上部出现较高含量的禾本科花粉和中华卷柏孢子,反映当时安阳市附近已有人类定居并从事农业生产活动,森林植被已遭受人类砍伐破坏。黑色古土壤面以上地层(3400cal.aB.P.以后)是殷墟建都,殷商文化空前发展时期的沉积,孢粉组合中乔木花粉显著减少,表明殷商先人为了满足都城建设和生活需要,对安阳市周边的森林进行了大规模地砍伐和破坏。此后,乔木植物花粉含量进一步减少,中华卷柏孢子含量不断增加,可能反映了人类活动对安阳市及周边森林植被不断加剧的破坏过程。     

基于3种不同类型的炭屑数据定量重建大兴安岭火历史的结果对比

如何根据沉积物中的炭屑记录准确重建火历史是当前古火研究的热点.在古火研究中,大于125μm的大炭屑和小于125μm的微炭屑是最常用的炭屑数据.本文根据大兴安岭以北的漠河县图强泥炭剖面(TQ)的微炭屑面积浓度(AC)、微炭屑颗粒浓度(MiN)和大炭屑颗粒浓度(MaN)这3种不同类型的炭屑数据并利用目前国际上使用比较广泛的CharAnalysis模型定量重建了该地区的火历史.研究结果表明,同一沉积剖面不同类型的炭屑数据所重建的火历史总体规律基本一致,均表现出在距今1690年以来着火次数为12～14次;火事件间隔期变化均较为平缓,单次火事件的平均间隔期为81～124年;火事件发生频率经历了先上升后下降再上升的变化趋势,平均频率为3.5～4.1次/500年.但3种不同类型的炭屑数据重建火事件的次数、频率和间隔期之间仍有一些差异.这种差异可能是由于炭屑破碎程度不同所致.     

辽西义县盆地英窝山下白垩统义县组砖城子层沉积岩石组合特征及古环境研究

辽西义县盆地是中生代阜新-义县断陷盆地中大凌河以南的次级凹陷区,盆地内近东西走向的马神庙一刀把地一三百垄-金刚山一带为义县组标准地层剖面出露地.作为义县阶标准地层剖面的义县盆地英窝山砖城子层为一套早白垩世义县组的湖相沉积组合.野外详细沉积岩和地层学研究将砖城子层进一步划分出三个沉积亚单元.英窝山砖城子层下部为一套膨润土...     

洛阳盆地全新世炭屑记录及其古环境意义

黄土-古土壤剖面保存的炭屑记录了全新世古火与环境演变信息.文章以洛阳盆地五岔沟(WCG)剖面(厚度200 cm)为研究对象,利用该剖面的炭屑记录,并结合磁化率、有机碳等古环境指标,试图恢复和重建洛阳盆地中部全新世野火的演变历程,进而探讨洛阳盆地中部全新世以来野火与气候、人类活动之间的相互关系.研究表明:马兰黄土堆积时期...     

甘肃河西走廊早期冶炼活动及影响的炭屑化石记录

炭屑化石的显微结构研究是根据木材的解剖特征（组成木材的细胞与组织的形态和排列方式）确定燃烧植物的类型,重建古植被和古环境,探讨人类活动对环境的影响。火石梁和缸缸洼青铜冶炼点位于河西走廊西北部、黑河流域下游巴丹吉林南缘沙地中,散布了大量的炭屑化石遗存。通过炭屑化石3个切面（横切面、径切面和弦切面）显微结构特征研究,比对现代切片标本和木材解剖图版,识别和确定炭屑化石的木材种属,确定 2100～1860BC期间的青铜冶炼所用木材为柽柳、杨属、柳属、蓼科4种乔灌木植物,火石梁和缸缸洼地区大量乔、灌群落生长要比目前荒漠生态环境优越的多。先民的青铜冶炼活动导致乔木和灌木植物被大量砍伐,植被盖度急剧降低,对生态环境产生重大影响,是1900BC左右杨属、柳属和蓼科乔灌木植物基本消失的主要原因。     

华北平原小冰期以来干湿变化与人类活动特征

气候变化尤其干湿变化对人类活动具有重要影响,高分辨率地重建过去的干湿变化是研究区域干湿变化的基础,同时也为未来气候变化提供依据。目前针对华北地区小冰期高分辨率的气候变化研究还较少,特别是干湿变化研究更少。本研究在3个AMS-14C测年的基础上,通过99个样品的孢粉、炭屑、粒度等指标高分辨率地重建了该地区小冰期以来的气候干湿变化特征及与人类活动强度的关系。结果表明:小冰期之前(约1340 A.D.)乔木花粉含量多在25%以上,指示流域植被以森林草地景观为主,沉积物颗粒较粗,沉积环境不稳定,气候较为湿润。小冰期期间(1340~1920 A.D.)乔木花粉多降低至15%以下,喜干的藜科、荨麻属和葎草属花粉含量明显增加,指示气候整体变干,但不同阶段变干程度又存在明显差异:小冰期早期(1340~1580 A.D.)孢粉组合中喜干的藜科花粉含量逐渐增加,湿生植物花粉含量减少,PCA axis 1得分值多在0~1之间,显示气候偏干。该时期与人类活动有关的炭屑浓度、农作物(禾本科≥35μm)花粉和磷(P)含量均最低,说明小冰期早期研究区人类活动强度相对较弱;小冰期中期(1580~1800 A.D.)喜干的藜科、荨麻属和葎草属花粉含量达到最高值,PCA axis 1得分值较小冰期早期更正偏,指示气候更为干旱。炭屑浓度、伴人植物、磷(P)含量和农作物(禾本科≥35μm)花粉均达最高值,指示人类活动强度明显增强;小冰期晚期(1800~1920 A.D.)湿生的禾本科和水生植物狐尾藻属等花粉含量达到最高值,PCA axis 1得分值负偏,指示气候变湿润。该阶段农作物(禾本科≥35μm)花粉、炭屑浓度和磷(P)含量较上一时期均略有降低,表明人类活动强度较小冰期中期略有降低。小冰期以后(1920年至今)喜湿的禾本科和水生植物狐尾藻属花粉含量减少,与小冰期晚期相比,气候向着干旱化方向发展.     

History of vegetation during the Holocene in the Courel and Queixa Sierras,Galicia, northwest Iberian Peninsula

Palynological studies undertaken in the mountainous regions of the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula are few in number and have been concerned largely with the second half of the Holocene. New pollen data from two Galician sierras, the Courel and Queixa Sierras, provide a 10000‐yr record of vegetation and climate change. In the Courel Sierra before 9750 yr BP, Laguna Lucenza (1420 m a.s.l.) reflects a period of open landscape covered by Poaceae and heliophilous plants, which may be correlated with the Younger Dryas. The onset of the Holocene is characterised by the expansion of oak woodland, prior to 9300 yr BP, following a short phase of birch along with the gradual decline of pine. The oak values reach a peak at 8350 ± 80 yr BP. Towards 8800 yr BP Corylus begins to expand, followed by Alnus (7500 yr BP) and Ulmus. During this period, the Fraga pollen assemblage (Queixa Sierra, 1360 m a.s.l.) indicates Betula woodland surrounding the site, masking the regional predominance of oak. After 5000 yr BP there is a gradual decrease in arboreal pollen values in both Sierras. Castanea appears in Laguna Lucenza (Courel Sierra) at 4075 ± 75 yr BP. There is widespread deforestation during the last 4000 yr. During this period the presence of large quantities of microcharcoal particles points to the occurrence of fire. The reduction in forest is associated with the arrival of cultivation at 4000 yr BP at low altitudes in the Queixa Sierra. At higher altitudes the first agricultural activity is dated at later than 2000 yr BP. This coincides with the first record of cereal cultivation at high altitude in the Courel Sierra. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An 8000-year record of vegetation, climate, and human disturbance from the Sierra de Apaneca, El Salvador

An ∼8000-cal-yr stratigraphic record of vegetation change from the Sierra de Apaneca, El Salvador, documents a mid-Holocene warm phase, followed by late Holocene cooling. Pollen evidence reveals that during the mid-Holocene (∼8000-5500 cal yr B.P.) lowland tropical plant taxa were growing at elevations ∼200-250 m higher than at present, suggesting conditions about 1.0°C warmer than those prevailing today. Cloud forest genera (Liquidambar, Juglans, Alnus, Ulmus) were also more abundant in the mid-Holocene, indicating greater cloud cover during the dry season. A gradual cooling and drying trend began by ∼5500 cal yr B.P., culminating in the modern forest composition by ∼3500 cal yr B.P. A rise in pollen from weedy plant taxa associated with agriculture occurred ∼5000 cal yr B.P., and pollen from Zea first appeared in the record at ∼4440 cal yr B.P. Human impacts on local vegetation remained high throughout the late Holocene, but decreased abruptly following the Tierra Blanca Joven (TBJ) eruption of Volcán Ilopango at ∼1520 cal yr B.P. The past 1500 years are marked by higher lake levels and periodic depositions of exogenous inorganic sediments, perhaps indicating increased climatic variability.     

长江三峡地区汉代以来人类文明的兴衰与生态环境变迁

巫山张家湾遗址考古发掘结果表明,研究区汉代曾有较发达的农业及手工业活动。陶窑和废铁渣、废陶坯及大量陶片、汉代砖瓦的发现充分表明当时的手工业活动已具相当的规模。铁锸等铁制农具及猪、马等家畜骨头的发现表明农业已相当发达。孢粉分析表明当时植被主要以草本植物为主,木本植物较少,地面植被呈退化趋势,生态环境恶化。地面植被的减少导致地表侵蚀的增强,大量碎屑物质从赵家坡山上冲刷下来,破坏了当时人类赖以生存的环境,人们被迫迁徙。该文研究结果还表明,在利用孢粉分析的手段恢复古环境演变时应考虑到人类活动的影响,须与其它指标相互印证,才能得出合理的结果     

Modern pollen-rain characteristics of tall terra firme moist evergreen forest, southern Amazonia

The paucity of modern pollen-rain data from Amazonia constitutes a significant barrier to understanding the Late Quaternary vegetation history of this globally important tropical forest region. Here, we present the first modern pollen-rain data for tall terra firme moist evergreen Amazon forest, collected between 1999 and 2001 from artificial pollen traps within a 500 × 20 m permanent study plot (14°34′50″S, 60°49′48″W) in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (NE Bolivia). Spearman's rank correlations were performed to assess the extent of spatial and inter-annual variability in the pollen rain, whilst statistically distinctive taxa were identified using Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Comparisons with the floristic and basal area data of the plot (stems ≥10 cm d.b.h.) enabled the degree to which taxa are over/under-represented in the pollen rain to be assessed (using R-rel values). Moraceae/Urticaceae dominates the pollen rain (64% median abundance) and is also an important constituent of the vegetation, accounting for 16% of stems ≥10 cm d.b.h. and ca. 11% of the total basal area. Other important pollen taxa are Arecaceae (cf. Euterpe), Melastomataceae/Combretaceae, Cecropia, Didymopanax, Celtis, and Alchornea. However, 75% of stems and 67% of the total basal area of the plot ≥10 cm d.b.h. belong to species which are unidentified in the pollen rain, the most important of which are Phenakospermum guianensis (a banana-like herb) and the key canopy-emergent trees, Erisma uncinatum and Qualea paraensis.     

A high-resolution Late Holocene landscape ecological history inferred from an intramontane basin in the Western Taurus Mountains,Turkey

Late Holocene vegetation and geomorphological history is reconstructed from a 800 cm long high-resolution palynological and sedimentological record sampled from Bereket, a 6.3 km² semi-arid to sub-humid intramontane basin in the Western Taurus Mountains (southwest Turkey). The well-dated Bereket record provides from cal. 360 BC to cal. AD ∼400 a unique record of biennial-to-decadal landscape changes caused primarily by intensive human impacts against a background of global climate variations. During this period, land clearance with multiple fire episodes, intensive agricultural practices and grazing pressure profoundly altered the pre-existing warm mixed forest. Increasing moisture availability since cal. ∼280 BC has acted as a trigger to crop cultivation and mountain-adapted arboriculture starting with Juglans regia during the Beyşehir Occupation Phase. Pollen from olive groves have been recorded above 1400 m a.s.l. only at cal. ∼23 BC and have disappeared definitively at cal. AD ∼294. During this phase, the sediment accumulation rate was extremely high, reflecting landscape instability. From cal. AD 450 to recent times, the area has mainly recorded pasture and minor cultivation activities reflected in stable soils and thin colluvial depths.     

Paleoecology of a Middle Wisconsin Deposit from Southern California

Analysis of a buried deposit in the Diamond Valley of southern California has revealed well-preserved pollen, wood, and diatom remains. Accelerator mass spectrometry dates of 41,200±2100 and 41,490±1380 ¹⁴C yr B.P. place this deposit in marine isotope stage 3. Diatoms suggest a shallow lacustrine environment. Pollen data suggest that several plant communities were present near the site, with grassland, scrub, chaparral, forest, and riparian communities represented. Comparison with modern pollen suggests similarities with montane forests in the nearby San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges, indicating vegetation lowering by at least 900 m elevation and temperatures 4°–5°C cooler than today. An increase in high-elevation conifer pollen documents climatic cooling near the profile top. Early-profile diatoms are typical of warm water with high alkalinity and conductivity, whereas later diatoms suggest a higher flow regime and input of cooler water into the system. We suggest that the sequence is part of the cooling phase of an interstadial Dansgaard–Oeschger cycle. Records of the middle Wisconsin period are rare in southern California, but the Diamond Valley site is similar to records from Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley and the ODP Site 893A record from Santa Barbara Basin. It is probable that the Diamond Valley assemblage is a local expression of a vegetation type widespread in the ranges and basins of southwestern California during the middle Wisconsin.     

Holocene History of the Chocó Rain Forest from Laguna Piusbi, Southern Pacific Lowlands of Colombia

A high-resolution pollen record from a 5-m-long sediment core from the closed-lake basin Laguna Piusbi in the southern Colombian Pacific lowlands of Chocó, dated by 11 AMS¹⁴C dates that range from ca. 7670 to 220¹⁴C yr B.P., represents the first Holocene record from the Chocó rain forest area. The interval between 7600 and 6100¹⁴C yr B.P. (500–265 cm), composed of sandy clays that accumulated during the initial phase of lake formation, is almost barren of pollen. Fungal spores and the presence of herbs and disturbance taxa suggest the basin was at least temporarily inundated and the vegetation was open. The closed lake basin might have formed during an earthquake, probably about 4400¹⁴C yr B.P. From the interval of about 6000¹⁴C yr B.P. onwards, 200 different pollen and spore types were identified in the core, illustrating a diverse floristic composition of the local rain forest. Main taxa are Moraceae/Urticaceae,Cecropia,Melastomataceae/Combretaceae,Acalypha, Alchornea,Fabaceae,Mimosa, Piper, Protium, Sloanea, Euterpe/Geonoma, Socratea,andWettinia.Little change took place during that time interval. Compared to the pollen records from the rain forests of the Colombian Amazon basin and adjacent savannas, the Chocó rain forest ecosystem has been very stable during the late Holocene. Paleoindians probably lived there at least since 3460¹⁴C yr B.P. Evidence of agricultural activity, shown by cultivation ofZea maissurrounding the lake, spans the last 1710 yr. Past and present very moist climate and little human influence are important factors in maintaining the stable ecosystem and high biodiversity of the Chocó rain forest.     

Chilean and Southeast Pacific paleoclimate variations during the last glacial cycle: directly correlated pollen and δO records from ODP Site 1234

Joint pollen and oxygen isotope data from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1234 in the southeast Pacific provide the first, continuous record of temperate South American vegetation and climate from the last 140 ka. Located at 36°S, 65 km offshore of Concepcion, Chile, Site 1234 monitors the climatic transition zone between northern semi-arid, summer dry-winter wet climate and southern year-round, rainy, cool temperate climate. Dominance of onshore winds suggests that pollen preserved here reflects transport to the ocean via rivers that drain the region and integrate conditions from the coastal mountains to the Andean foothills. Down-hole changes in diagnostic pollen assemblages from xeric lowland deciduous forest (characterized by grasses, herbs, ferns, and trees such as deciduous beech, Nothofagus obliqua), mesic Valdivian Evergreen Forest (including conifers such as the endangered Prumnopitys andina), and Subantarctic Evergreen Rainforest (comprised primarily of southern beech, N. dombeyi) reveal large rapid shifts that likely reflect latitudinal movements in atmospheric circulation and storm tracks associated with the southern westerly winds. During glacial intervals (MIS 2-4, and 6), rainforests and parkland dominated by Nothofagus moved northward into the region. At the MIS 6/5e transition, coeval with the rapid shift to lower isotopic values, rainforest vegetation was rapidly replaced by xeric plant communities associated with Mediterranean-type climate. An increased prominence of halophytic vegetation suggests that MIS 5e was more arid and possibly warmer than MIS 1. Although rainforest pollen rises again at the end of MIS 5e, lowland deciduous forest pollen persists through MIS 5d and 5c, into MIS 5b. Substantial millennial-scale variations occur in both interglacial and glacial regimes, attesting to the sensitivity of the southern westerly belt to climate change. Comparison of the cool, mesic N. dombeyi rainforest assemblage from Site 1234 with δ¹⁸O in the Byrd Ice core shows that on time scales longer than 10 ka, cool-moist conditions in central Chile were coherent with and occurred in phase with Antarctic cooling. This is also likely at millennial scales, although rainforest pollen lags Antarctic cooling with exponential response times of about 1000 years, which plausibly reflects the ecological response time to regional climate change.     

云南省玉龙雪山表土花粉垂直散布与植被关系研究

对云南省玉龙雪山地区8个垂直植被带下采集的49个表土样品进行表土孢粉的垂直散布研究,同时选择43个受人类活动干扰较少的样品和20个主要木本花粉类型进行了降维对应分析(DCA)。结果表明,玉龙雪山地区不同垂直植被带的孢粉组合具有不同的代表性成分与变化特征,能够较好地反映相应的植被带类型。在植物稀疏、花粉产量低的高山杜鹃灌丛植被带中,孢粉组合以外来的松属、冷杉属、落叶松属、云杉属和铁杉属等为主;   冷杉林、落叶松林、云杉林和铁杉林等植被带孢粉组合的指示性成分分别是冷杉属、落叶松属、云杉属和铁杉属花粉,它们对应的峰值分别为13.6％,4.7％,39.4％和11.5％;   针阔混交林、中山湿性常绿阔叶林的孢粉组合分别以高含量的常绿栎类、栲/石栎属为特征,并都含有多种落叶阔叶乔木和灌木的花粉,但后者比前者所包含的阔叶乔木与灌木成分更多,且蕨类孢子的峰值也出现在中山湿性常绿阔叶林中;   云南松林的孢粉组合中除松属外很少有木本花粉出现。DCA排序结果较好地反映了现代植被与环境之间的相互关系,认为温度是决定不同植被带样点分布的最重要因素,这与垂直植被带随着海拔升高、温度逐渐降低而发生更替的规律是一致的。     

Holocene fire and vegetation dynamics in a montane forest, North Cascade Range, Washington, USA

We reconstructed a 10,500-yr fire and vegetation history of a montane site in the North Cascade Range, Washington State based on lake sediment charcoal, macrofossil and pollen records. High-resolution sampling and abundant macrofossils made it possible to analyze relationships between fire and vegetation. During the early Holocene (> 10,500 to ca. 8000 cal yr BP) forests were subalpine woodlands dominated by Pinus contorta. Around 8000 cal yr BP, P. contorta sharply declined in the macrofossil record. Shade tolerant, mesic species first appeared ca. 4500 cal yr BP. Cupressus nootkatensis appeared most recently at 2000 cal yr BP. Fire frequency varies throughout the record, with significantly shorter mean fire return intervals in the early Holocene than the mid and late Holocene. Charcoal peaks are significantly correlated with an initial increase in macrofossil accumulation rates followed by a decrease, likely corresponding to tree mortality following fire. Climate appears to be a key driver in vegetation and fire regimes over millennial time scales. Fire and other disturbances altered forest vegetation at shorter time scales, and vegetation may have mediated local fire regimes. For example, dominance of P. contorta in the early Holocene forests may have been reinforced by its susceptibility to frequent, stand-replacing fire events.