Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)

Lake Meerfelder Maar (MFM) is the northernmost W European sediment record with annual laminations across the Younger Dryas (YD), and the onset of the YD in the record of MFM has previously been defined as an increase in non-arboreal pollen abundance at ca 12,680 varve a BP. Here we present a palynol...

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Main Authors: Engels, Stefan, Brauer, Achim, Buddelmeijer, Nico, Martín-Puertas, Celia, Rach, Oliver, Sachse, Dirk, van Geel, Bas
Format: Article
Published: Wiley 2016
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36086/
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author Engels, Stefan
Brauer, Achim
Buddelmeijer, Nico
Martín-Puertas, Celia
Rach, Oliver
Sachse, Dirk
van Geel, Bas
author_facet Engels, Stefan
Brauer, Achim
Buddelmeijer, Nico
Martín-Puertas, Celia
Rach, Oliver
Sachse, Dirk
van Geel, Bas
author_sort Engels, Stefan
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Lake Meerfelder Maar (MFM) is the northernmost W European sediment record with annual laminations across the Younger Dryas (YD), and the onset of the YD in the record of MFM has previously been defined as an increase in non-arboreal pollen abundance at ca 12,680 varve a BP. Here we present a palynological record at unprecedented subdecadal-resolution for MFM, covering the Allerød-YD transition. Our results show a fluctuation in pollen accumulation rates(PAR) prior to the onset of the YD, with lower PAR between ca 12,725 and 12,685 varve a BP. The fluctuation in PAR occurs simultaneous with a previously undescribed short fluctuation in sediment composition and varve thickness, as well as with changes in biogeochemical proxies. The combined evidence indicates signs of climatic instability ca. 45 years before the onset of the YD. The PAR records of Betula and Pinus furthermore show earlier and more abrupt changes at the onset of the YD than the percentage-records do. Finally, heliophilous herbaceous taxa show a delayed increase following the onset of the YD of ca. 145 years. This paper illustrates the potential to identify previously unrecognised climate variability and vegetation change when using subdecadal resolution analyses.
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spelling nottingham-360862020-05-04T18:15:10Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36086/ Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany) Engels, Stefan Brauer, Achim Buddelmeijer, Nico Martín-Puertas, Celia Rach, Oliver Sachse, Dirk van Geel, Bas Lake Meerfelder Maar (MFM) is the northernmost W European sediment record with annual laminations across the Younger Dryas (YD), and the onset of the YD in the record of MFM has previously been defined as an increase in non-arboreal pollen abundance at ca 12,680 varve a BP. Here we present a palynological record at unprecedented subdecadal-resolution for MFM, covering the Allerød-YD transition. Our results show a fluctuation in pollen accumulation rates(PAR) prior to the onset of the YD, with lower PAR between ca 12,725 and 12,685 varve a BP. The fluctuation in PAR occurs simultaneous with a previously undescribed short fluctuation in sediment composition and varve thickness, as well as with changes in biogeochemical proxies. The combined evidence indicates signs of climatic instability ca. 45 years before the onset of the YD. The PAR records of Betula and Pinus furthermore show earlier and more abrupt changes at the onset of the YD than the percentage-records do. Finally, heliophilous herbaceous taxa show a delayed increase following the onset of the YD of ca. 145 years. This paper illustrates the potential to identify previously unrecognised climate variability and vegetation change when using subdecadal resolution analyses. Wiley 2016-10-27 Article PeerReviewed Engels, Stefan, Brauer, Achim, Buddelmeijer, Nico, Martín-Puertas, Celia, Rach, Oliver, Sachse, Dirk and van Geel, Bas (2016) Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany). Journal of Quaternary Science, 31 (7). pp. 741-752. ISSN 1099-1417 Late-glacial; pollen accumulation rates; vegetation change; climate instability; Meerfelder Maar http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.2900/full doi:10.1002/jqs.2900 doi:10.1002/jqs.2900
spellingShingle Late-glacial; pollen accumulation rates; vegetation change; climate instability; Meerfelder Maar
Engels, Stefan
Brauer, Achim
Buddelmeijer, Nico
Martín-Puertas, Celia
Rach, Oliver
Sachse, Dirk
van Geel, Bas
Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title_full Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title_fullStr Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title_full_unstemmed Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title_short Subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-Allerød climate fluctuation and Younger Dryas cooling at Lake Meerfelder Maar (Germany)
title_sort subdecadal-scale vegetation responses to a previously unknown late-allerød climate fluctuation and younger dryas cooling at lake meerfelder maar (germany)
topic Late-glacial; pollen accumulation rates; vegetation change; climate instability; Meerfelder Maar
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36086/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36086/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36086/