Rodriguez, F. & Behling, H. (2012): <b>Late Quaternary vegetation, climate and fire dynamics, and evidence of early to mid-Holocene Polylepis forests in the Jimbura region of the southernmost Ecuadorian Andes</b>. <i>Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</i> <b>350-352</b>, 247-257.
Resource Description
Title:
Late Quaternary vegetation, climate and fire dynamics, and evidence of early to mid-Holocene Polylepis forests in the Jimbura region of the southernmost Ecuadorian Andes
FOR816dw ID:
1164
Publication Date:
2012-07-16
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Fernando Rodriguez
Contact:
email:
fernando.rodriguez <at> biologie.uni-goettingen.de
A.v.H.-Inst. für Pflanzenwiss., Abt. Palynologie u. Klimadynamik, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen
1712257 Quito
Ecuador
Individual:
Hermann Behling
Contact:
email:
Hermann.Behling <at> bio.uni-goettingen.de
Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics
Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences
University of Göttingen
Untere Karspüle 2
37073 Göttingen
Germany
Abstract:
The vegetation,climate and fire history of high mountain ecosystemsin the southern Ecuadorian Andes are<br/>
documented in a continuous pollen and charcoal record,from Lagunas Natosas Forest bog,at 3495 m a.s.l. spanning the late Pleistocene and Holocene periods since 15,930 cal yr BP.The chronology of this record is<br/>
based on four radiocarbon dates.Páramo vegetation with abundant Poaceae and Plantago rigida characterized<br/>
the Late Glacial(LG)period, implying cold and wet conditions. Slight expansions of mountain forests suggest <br/>
warming during the LG. The upper foresl line was lower than today and fire events were rare during the <br/>
Pleistocene. During the early and mid-Holocene until 4300 cal yr BP, the area of páramo was markedly smaller and the subpáramo with woody vegetation (Melastomataceae) was larger. The upper mountain forest dominated and the upper forest line shifted to higher elevations. The pollen record provides the first evidence<br/>
of the development of Polylepis forests in the southern part of the so-called Andean Depression reflecting <br/>
warmer and drier climatic conditions during early and mid-Holocene. The late Holocene after about <br/>
4300 cal yr BP is characterized by larger areas of páramo and subpáramo promoted by moister conditions.<br/>
These moister conditions and frequent fires may have been the cause of the very rare occurrence or even extinction of Polylepis populations in the Jimbura region. Since ca. 1000 cal yr BP human occupation has altered <br/>
the landscape by frequent burning, woodcutting, grazing and cultivation.
Keywords:
| Ecuador | palynology | Holocene | Andes | mountain forest | Polylepis | fire history | forest line | Late Glacial | Zamora |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal:
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Volume:
350-352
Page Range:
247-257
Publisher:
Elsevier
ISSN:
0031-0182
Metadata Provider:
Individual:
Nele Jantz
Contact:
email:
nele.jantz <at> biologie.uni-goettingen.de
Untere Karspüle 2
A.v.H.-Inst. für Pflanzenwiss.
Abt. Palynologie u. Klimadynamik
37073 Göttingen
Germany
