Late Quaternary vegetation and coastal environmental changes at Ilha do Cardoso mangrove, southeastern Brazil

Author(s)

Ruiz Pessenda, Luiz Carlos ^[1] ; Vidotto, Elaine ^[1] ; De Oliveira, Paulo Eduardo ^[2] ; Buso, Jr., Antonio Alvaro ^[1] ; Lisboa Cohen, Marcelo Cancela ^[3] ; Rossetti, Dilce de Fatima ; Ricardi-Branco, Fresia ^[4] ; Bendassolli, Jose Albertino ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] CENA, BR-13400000 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Francisco, BR-12900000 Braganca Paulista, SP - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Para, BR-66059 Belem, Para - Brazil

^[4] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY; v. 363, p. 57-68, NOV 20 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 20

Abstract

A 190 cm mangrove sediment core from the Ilha do Cardoso State Park, State of Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil was analyzed for pollen, diatoms as well as carbon and nitrogen isotopes. The goal was to determine the dynamics of the coastal terrestrial/aquatic ecosystems, vegetation history and climate change in this region of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. The values for total organic carbon-TOC (from similar to 3 up to 40%), C/N ratios (from similar to 10 up to 130), and delta N-15 (similar to 0 to >8) are associated with well preserved aquatic and terrestrial organic matter and possibly influenced by nitrogen cycling (e.g., denitriflcation) that caused N-15 enrichment between >40,000 cal yr B.P. and similar to 23,000 cal yr B.P. Depleted delta C-13 values (similar to -28.0 parts per thousand) are also observed and indicate the predominance of C-3 plants. During this time interval, the pollen analysis reveals the presence of the genera Ilex. Alchomea, Weinmannia, Myrsine, Symplocos, Drimys and Podocarpus on a site currently occupied by mangrove vegetation. These data suggest that in the past prevailed a colder and more humid climate than today, with a low relative sea-level. From similar to 23,000 cal yr B.P. to similar to 2200 cal yr B.P. a sedimentary hiatus likely occurred, related to an erosive event associated to the post glacial sea-level rise. Since at least similar to 2200 cal yr B.P., sediments are marked by relatively low C/N ratios (from 2 to 27), exhibit more enriched delta C-13 (from similar to-26.0 parts per thousand to -24.0 parts per thousand) and delta N-15 (up to similar to 7) values and are characterized by the presence of marine diatoms. This indicates the return of the marine coastal line to its current position, and consequently the development of mangrove. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/15531-2 - Reconstruction of paleovegetation and paleoclimate in regions of the Southern coast of the State of São Paulo (Serra do Mar State Park - Nucleus of Curucutu and Ilha do Cardoso) in the Late Quaternary
• Grantee: Luiz Carlos Ruiz Pessenda
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants