Late Quaternary vegetation and climate dynamics in central‐eastern Brazil: insights from a ~35k cal a bp peat record in the Cerrado biome. (19th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Horák‐Terra, Ingrid; Cortizas, Antonio Martínez; Da Luz, Cynthia Fernandes Pinto; Silva, Alexandre Christófaro; Mighall, Tim; De Camargo, Plínio Barbosa; Mendonça‐Filho, Carlos Victor; De Oliveira, Paulo Eduardo; Cruz, Francisco Willian; Vidal‐Torrado, Pablo
• Is Part Of: Journal of quaternary science. Volume 35:Number 5(2020)
• Page Start: 664
• Page End: 676
• Publication Date: 2020-05-19
• Subjects: geochemistry -- paleoclimatology -- peatlands -- pollen -- stable isotopes; Geology, Stratigraphic -- Quaternary -- Periodicals; Paleontology -- Quaternary -- Periodicals; 551.79
• DOI: 10.1002/jqs.3209
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0267-8179

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The late Quaternary evolution of central‐eastern Brazil has been under‐researched. Questions remain as to the origin of the Cerrado, a highly endangered biome, and other types of vegetation, such as the Capões – small vegetation islands of semi‐deciduous and mountain forests. We investigated the factors that influenced the expansion and contraction of the Cerrado and Capões during the late Quaternary (last ~35 ka), using a multi‐proxy approach: stable isotopes (δ 13 C, δ 15 N), geochemistry, pollen and multivariate statistics derived from a peat core (Pinheiro mire, Serra do Espinhaço Meridional). Five major shifts in precipitation, temperature, vegetation and landscape stability occurred at different timescales. Our study revealed that changes in the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ) seem to have been coeval with these shifts: from the Late Glacial Maximum to mid‐Holocene the SACZ remained near (~29.6 to ~16.5k cal a bp ) and over (~16.5 to ~6.1 k cal a bp ) the study area, providing humidity to the region. This challenges previous research which suggested that climate was drier for this time period. At present, the Capões are likely to be a remnant of a more humid climate; meanwhile, the Cerrado biome seems to have stablished in the late Holocene, after ~3.1 k cal a bp .