Holocene environmental changes in the fuegian forest and steppe, Argentina. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coronato, Andrea; Borromei, Ana María; Ponce, Juan Federico; Candel, Soledad; Musotto, Lorena; Fernández, Marilén; Laprida, Cecilia; Mehl, Adriana; Montes, Alejandro; San Martín, Cristina; Savoretti, Adolfina; Cusminsky, Gabriela; Gordillo, Sandra; Orgeira, María Julia; López, Ramiro; Alli, Pamela; Quiroga, Diego
• Is Part Of: Journal of South American earth sciences. Volume 119(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Late Quaternary -- Southern Patagonia -- Environmental variability -- Southern hemisphere westerlies -- Terrestrial and marine environments; Geology -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Geology -- Antarctica -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Antarctica -- Periodicals; Geology -- Caribbean Area -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Caribbean Area -- Periodicals; Géologie -- Amérique latine -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Amérique latine -- Périodiques; Géologie -- Antarctique -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Antarctique -- Périodiques; Géologie -- Caraïbes (Région) -- Périodiques; Sciences de la terre -- Caraïbes (Région) -- Périodiques; Earth sciences; Geology; Antarctica; Caribbean Area; Latin America; Periodicals; 550.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsames.2022.103952
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-9811

Abstract

Abstract: Environmental changes were reconstructed from a multiproxy synthesis of over 30 localities from the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados, southernmost South America. At a local scale, the results from the mountain forest and gently undulating steppe areas were integrated as well as those from the marine environments of the Beagle Channel and the Atlantic coasts. At a regional scale, the results were integrated with those published for the southernmost Andean and Extra-Andean Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula. This study focuses on the environmental evolution during the Late Glacial-Holocene transition, the Middle to Late Holocene transgressive-regressive hemicycle and wet-dry oscillations, the Medieval Climate Anomaly, the Little Ice Age, the tephra inputs from the Patagonian Andes, and the recent climatic warming. Most paleoenvironmental changes are related to variations in the latitudinal position and intensity of the Southern Westerly Winds (SWW) while others are associated with astronomical or endogenous forcings. At a strong intensity of the SWW, a greater contribution of humidity to the forest areas and an increase in the rainfall gradient create windy and arid conditions in the steppe. At a weak intensity of the SWW, lower humidity input in the forest areas and the advection of air masses from the Atlantic Ocean promoted humid and slightly windy conditions in the steppe. Similar environmental trends are observed between terrestrial and marine environments in the center and south of Tierra del Fuego, Isla de los Estados and the Antarctic Peninsula, and between the Fuegian steppe and Extra-Andean Patagonia. The paleoclimatic evidence reveal high environmental variability in the last 10, 000 years for this sector of the Southern Hemisphere. Highlights: Integrated paleoclimate reconstruction from Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados. Multiproxy data evidence of changes in the strenght/latitudinal position of the Southern Hemisphere Westerlies. Late Quaternary comparison between two physiographic areas in southern South America, based on multiproxy records. Relationships between the Southern Westerly/Easterly Winds and humid/arid conditions. Paleoenvironments in Patagonian, Subantarctic and Antarctic latitudes.