Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America

Nicolás Waldmann; Ana Maria Borromei; Cristina Recasens; Daniela Olivera; Marcelo A. Martínez; Nora I. Maidana; Daniel Ariztegui; James A. Austin; Flavio S. Anselmetti; Christopher M. Moy

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023

Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America

Nicolás Waldmann, Ana Maria Borromei, Cristina Recasens, Daniela Olivera, Marcelo A. Martínez, Nora I. Maidana, Daniel Ariztegui, James A. Austin, Flavio S. Anselmetti, Christopher M. Moy

Department of Marine Geosciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study presents new paleoenvironmental data obtained from sedimentary cores from Lago Fagnano, an elongated lake located at 54°S in southernmost South America. Data from palynomorphs (pollen, spores and algae) and associated palynofacies as well as from diatom taxa retrieved from these cores compared with other regional proxies contribute to evaluate the similarities and differences in the climate patterns based on different proxies from southernmost Patagonia. The pollen analysis reveals that a grass steppe environment existed during the early Holocene (11,300-~. 8000. cal. a. BP) followed by a major vegetation change characterized by development of forest-steppe ecotone communities between ~. 8000 and ~. 6500. cal. a. BP, under more humid conditions. Between ~. 6500 and ~. 4000. cal. a. BP, expansion and colonization by Nothofagus forests reflect an increase in effective moisture levels, while openness in the forest communities characterizes the region after ~. 1100. cal. a. BP. The palynological organic matter combined with the algal content reflects hydrological changes occurring in the lake and its nutrient status, probably in close relation with past climate oscillations. All these past ecological changes are closely related to oscillations in precipitation and temperature as a response to the variations in the latitudinal position and/or strength of the Southern Westerlies wind belt during the Holocene.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	294-309
Number of pages	16
Journal	Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Volume	399
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023
State	Published - 1 Apr 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We acknowledge Robert Dunbar (Stanford University, USA) for the invaluable help and contributions to every aspect of this study and for the use of the capable small research vessel, the R/V Neecho (owned by Stanford). John H. McAndrews (Toronto University, Canada) and Charles L. Turton (Royal Ontario Museum, Canada) are gratefully acknowledged for their valuable help in non-pollen palynomorph identifications. The authors kindly acknowledge Rosanna Martini and Agathe Martignier from the University of Geneva and André Piuz from the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève (Switzerland) for their help with SEM imaging. We thank David Mucciarone (Stanford, USA), Steffen Saustrup and Mark Wiederspahn (Institute for Geophysics) and Juan Federico Ponce (CADIC-CONICET) for technical assistance during fieldwork and at later stages of this project. The logistical help, hospitality and assistance during every aspect of the fieldwork of Alejandro, Maria Elena and Gabriel Echeverría from Bahía Torito are also kindly acknowledged. Captains Jorge Ebling and Rafael Quezada are also kindly acknowledged for their help during fieldwork. The Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CADIC-CONICET, Argentina) and the Prefectura Naval Argentina are acknowledged for their logistical support and assistance. This work is part of the project Environmental Changes Down-South (ENDS), supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grants 200021-100668/1 and 200020-111928/1 to D. Ariztegui and the National Geographic Society (grant CRE 7705-04 ) to J. A. Austin Jr. We also thank the Augustin Lombard Foundation for their financial support (grant to C. Recasens) for the 2006 field campaign.

Keywords

Lacustrine sediments
Limnogeology
Multi-proxy analyses
Paleoenvironment and Paleoclimate reconstruction
Palynology
Southern Hemisphere Westerlies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oceanography
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Earth-Surface Processes
Paleontology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023

Cite this

Waldmann, N., Borromei, A. M., Recasens, C., Olivera, D., Martínez, M. A., Maidana, N. I., Ariztegui, D., Austin, J. A., Anselmetti, F. S., & Moy, C. M. (2014). Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 399, 294-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023

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title = "Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America",

abstract = "This study presents new paleoenvironmental data obtained from sedimentary cores from Lago Fagnano, an elongated lake located at 54°S in southernmost South America. Data from palynomorphs (pollen, spores and algae) and associated palynofacies as well as from diatom taxa retrieved from these cores compared with other regional proxies contribute to evaluate the similarities and differences in the climate patterns based on different proxies from southernmost Patagonia. The pollen analysis reveals that a grass steppe environment existed during the early Holocene (11,300-~. 8000. cal. a. BP) followed by a major vegetation change characterized by development of forest-steppe ecotone communities between ~. 8000 and ~. 6500. cal. a. BP, under more humid conditions. Between ~. 6500 and ~. 4000. cal. a. BP, expansion and colonization by Nothofagus forests reflect an increase in effective moisture levels, while openness in the forest communities characterizes the region after ~. 1100. cal. a. BP. The palynological organic matter combined with the algal content reflects hydrological changes occurring in the lake and its nutrient status, probably in close relation with past climate oscillations. All these past ecological changes are closely related to oscillations in precipitation and temperature as a response to the variations in the latitudinal position and/or strength of the Southern Westerlies wind belt during the Holocene.",

keywords = "Lacustrine sediments, Limnogeology, Multi-proxy analyses, Paleoenvironment and Paleoclimate reconstruction, Palynology, Southern Hemisphere Westerlies",

author = "Nicol{\'a}s Waldmann and Borromei, {Ana Maria} and Cristina Recasens and Daniela Olivera and Mart{\'i}nez, {Marcelo A.} and Maidana, {Nora I.} and Daniel Ariztegui and Austin, {James A.} and Anselmetti, {Flavio S.} and Moy, {Christopher M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We acknowledge Robert Dunbar (Stanford University, USA) for the invaluable help and contributions to every aspect of this study and for the use of the capable small research vessel, the R/V Neecho (owned by Stanford). John H. McAndrews (Toronto University, Canada) and Charles L. Turton (Royal Ontario Museum, Canada) are gratefully acknowledged for their valuable help in non-pollen palynomorph identifications. The authors kindly acknowledge Rosanna Martini and Agathe Martignier from the University of Geneva and Andr{\'e} Piuz from the Mus{\'e}um d'Histoire Naturelle de Gen{\`e}ve (Switzerland) for their help with SEM imaging. We thank David Mucciarone (Stanford, USA), Steffen Saustrup and Mark Wiederspahn (Institute for Geophysics) and Juan Federico Ponce (CADIC-CONICET) for technical assistance during fieldwork and at later stages of this project. The logistical help, hospitality and assistance during every aspect of the fieldwork of Alejandro, Maria Elena and Gabriel Echeverr{\'i}a from Bah{\'i}a Torito are also kindly acknowledged. Captains Jorge Ebling and Rafael Quezada are also kindly acknowledged for their help during fieldwork. The Centro Austral de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas y T{\'e}cnicas (CADIC-CONICET, Argentina) and the Prefectura Naval Argentina are acknowledged for their logistical support and assistance. This work is part of the project Environmental Changes Down-South (ENDS), supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grants 200021-100668/1 and 200020-111928/1 to D. Ariztegui and the National Geographic Society (grant CRE 7705-04 ) to J. A. Austin Jr. We also thank the Augustin Lombard Foundation for their financial support (grant to C. Recasens) for the 2006 field campaign.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023",

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Waldmann, N, Borromei, AM, Recasens, C, Olivera, D, Martínez, MA, Maidana, NI, Ariztegui, D, Austin, JA, Anselmetti, FS & Moy, CM 2014, 'Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America', Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 399, pp. 294-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.023

TY - JOUR

T1 - Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America

AU - Waldmann, Nicolás

AU - Borromei, Ana Maria

AU - Recasens, Cristina

AU - Olivera, Daniela

AU - Martínez, Marcelo A.

AU - Maidana, Nora I.

AU - Ariztegui, Daniel

AU - Austin, James A.

AU - Anselmetti, Flavio S.

AU - Moy, Christopher M.

N1 - Funding Information: We acknowledge Robert Dunbar (Stanford University, USA) for the invaluable help and contributions to every aspect of this study and for the use of the capable small research vessel, the R/V Neecho (owned by Stanford). John H. McAndrews (Toronto University, Canada) and Charles L. Turton (Royal Ontario Museum, Canada) are gratefully acknowledged for their valuable help in non-pollen palynomorph identifications. The authors kindly acknowledge Rosanna Martini and Agathe Martignier from the University of Geneva and André Piuz from the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève (Switzerland) for their help with SEM imaging. We thank David Mucciarone (Stanford, USA), Steffen Saustrup and Mark Wiederspahn (Institute for Geophysics) and Juan Federico Ponce (CADIC-CONICET) for technical assistance during fieldwork and at later stages of this project. The logistical help, hospitality and assistance during every aspect of the fieldwork of Alejandro, Maria Elena and Gabriel Echeverría from Bahía Torito are also kindly acknowledged. Captains Jorge Ebling and Rafael Quezada are also kindly acknowledged for their help during fieldwork. The Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CADIC-CONICET, Argentina) and the Prefectura Naval Argentina are acknowledged for their logistical support and assistance. This work is part of the project Environmental Changes Down-South (ENDS), supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grants 200021-100668/1 and 200020-111928/1 to D. Ariztegui and the National Geographic Society (grant CRE 7705-04 ) to J. A. Austin Jr. We also thank the Augustin Lombard Foundation for their financial support (grant to C. Recasens) for the 2006 field campaign.

PY - 2014/4/1

Y1 - 2014/4/1

N2 - This study presents new paleoenvironmental data obtained from sedimentary cores from Lago Fagnano, an elongated lake located at 54°S in southernmost South America. Data from palynomorphs (pollen, spores and algae) and associated palynofacies as well as from diatom taxa retrieved from these cores compared with other regional proxies contribute to evaluate the similarities and differences in the climate patterns based on different proxies from southernmost Patagonia. The pollen analysis reveals that a grass steppe environment existed during the early Holocene (11,300-~. 8000. cal. a. BP) followed by a major vegetation change characterized by development of forest-steppe ecotone communities between ~. 8000 and ~. 6500. cal. a. BP, under more humid conditions. Between ~. 6500 and ~. 4000. cal. a. BP, expansion and colonization by Nothofagus forests reflect an increase in effective moisture levels, while openness in the forest communities characterizes the region after ~. 1100. cal. a. BP. The palynological organic matter combined with the algal content reflects hydrological changes occurring in the lake and its nutrient status, probably in close relation with past climate oscillations. All these past ecological changes are closely related to oscillations in precipitation and temperature as a response to the variations in the latitudinal position and/or strength of the Southern Westerlies wind belt during the Holocene.

AB - This study presents new paleoenvironmental data obtained from sedimentary cores from Lago Fagnano, an elongated lake located at 54°S in southernmost South America. Data from palynomorphs (pollen, spores and algae) and associated palynofacies as well as from diatom taxa retrieved from these cores compared with other regional proxies contribute to evaluate the similarities and differences in the climate patterns based on different proxies from southernmost Patagonia. The pollen analysis reveals that a grass steppe environment existed during the early Holocene (11,300-~. 8000. cal. a. BP) followed by a major vegetation change characterized by development of forest-steppe ecotone communities between ~. 8000 and ~. 6500. cal. a. BP, under more humid conditions. Between ~. 6500 and ~. 4000. cal. a. BP, expansion and colonization by Nothofagus forests reflect an increase in effective moisture levels, while openness in the forest communities characterizes the region after ~. 1100. cal. a. BP. The palynological organic matter combined with the algal content reflects hydrological changes occurring in the lake and its nutrient status, probably in close relation with past climate oscillations. All these past ecological changes are closely related to oscillations in precipitation and temperature as a response to the variations in the latitudinal position and/or strength of the Southern Westerlies wind belt during the Holocene.

KW - Lacustrine sediments

KW - Limnogeology

KW - Multi-proxy analyses

KW - Paleoenvironment and Paleoclimate reconstruction

KW - Palynology

KW - Southern Hemisphere Westerlies

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JO - Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

JF - Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

ER -

Integrated reconstruction of Holocene millennial-scale environmental changes in Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this