Late Quaternary vegetation and climate dynamics in central-eastern Brazil: insights from a similar to 35k cal a bp peat record in the Cerrado biome

Author(s)

Horak-Terra, Ingrid ^[1] ; Martinez Cortizas, Antonio ^[2] ; Pinto Da Luz, Cynthia Fernandes ^[3] ; Silva, Alexandre Christofaro ^[4] ; Mighall, Tim ^[5] ; De Camargo, Plinio Barbosa ^[6] ; Mendonca-Filho, Carlos Victor ^[7] ; De Oliveira, Paulo Eduardo ^[8] ; Cruz, Francisco Willian ^[8] ; Vidal-Torrado, Pablo ^[9]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Vales Jequitinhonha & Mucuri ICA UFVJM, Inst Ciencias Agr, BR 251 Av Univ 1000, BR-38610000 Unai, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Santiago de Compostela USC, Fac Biol, EcoPast GI 1553, Santiago De Compostela 15782 - Spain

^[3] Secretaria Infraestrutura & Meio Ambiente Estado, Inst Bot, Nuc Pesquisa Palinol, BR-04301902 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Vales Jequitinhonha & Mucuri UFVJM, Dept Engn Florestal, BR-39100000 Diamantina, MG - Brazil

^[5] Univ Aberdeen, Sch Geosci, G22 St Marys, Aberdeen - Scotland

^[6] Ctr Energia Nucl Agr CENA USP, Lab Ecol Isotop, BR-13416903 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Vales Jequitinhonha & Mucuri UFVJM, Dept Ciencias Biol, BR-39100000 Diamantina, MG - Brazil

^[8] Inst Geociencias IGc USP, Dept Geol Sedimentar & Ambiental, BR-05508080 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[9] Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz ESALQ USP, Dept Ciencia Solo, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE; v. 35, n. 5 MAY 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

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 Capoes - small vegetation islands of semi-deciduous and mountain forests. We investigated the factors that influenced the expansion and contraction of the Cerrado and Capoes during the late Quaternary (last similar to 35 ka), using a multi-proxy approach: stable isotopes (delta C-13, delta N-15), geochemistry, pollen and multivariate statistics derived from a peat core (Pinheiro mire, Serra do Espinhaco 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 (similar to 29.6 to similar to 16.5k cal a bp) and over (similar to 16.5 to similar 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 Capoes are likely to be a remnant of a more humid climate; meanwhile, the Cerrado biome seems to have stablished in the late Holocene, after similar to 3.1 k cal a bp. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/00676-1 - Geochemical evidence of environmental changes during the quaternary in the Montain range of the southern Espinhaço, Minas Gerais
• Grantee: Ingrid Horák Terra
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate