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Middle pleistocene variations in palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironment and vegetation of the las tablas de daimiel national park (Spain)
Author(s) -
ValdeolmillosRodríguez Ana,
DoradoValiño Miriam,
RuizZapata Maria Blanca,
AlonsoZarza Ana María
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/jqs.1440
Subject(s) - holocene , geology , pleistocene , marine isotope stage , vegetation (pathology) , physical geography , sea level , steppe , palynology , paleontology , wetland , sedimentology , fluvial , pollen , interglacial , oceanography , ecology , geography , archaeology , structural basin , medicine , pathology , biology
The Middle Pleistocene palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment evolution of the Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands is described using a combination of sedimentology, pollen and δ 13 C and δ 18 O isotopic records of Unit B of core LT‐199906. This unit mostly contains fluvial and palustrine sediments. U/Th and amino acid racemization (AAR) dating and a comparison of the δ 18 O curve of Unit B with oceanic records suggests that Unit B spans the period from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (340 ka) to the first stages of MIS 7 (ca. 210 ka). MIS 9 was characterised by a regional vegetation dominated by Cupressaceae, with Pinus as a tree element. The water level was high and temperatures were very probably higher than during the Holocene. MIS 8 and the first substages of MIS 7 (7e, 7d and 7c) were dominated by xerophilous steppe vegetation in lowlands (elevations around 610 m above sea level) near to the wetland. At higher altitudes, far away from the wetland, there were fewer Pinus than in MIS 9, and a greater presence of warm, temperate and cool climate tree elements. The aquatic system in MIS 9 became shallower, with eutrophication and the accumulation of organic matter occurring; temperatures were similar to or lower than those of the Holocene. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.