Holocene environmental change in the S kallingen area, eastern N orth G reenland, based on a lacustrine record

A lacustrine record from a small lake, L ille S neha S ø, in the S kallingen area indicates that the region was deglaciated in the early H olocene, prior to 8000 cal. a BP . Deglaciation was probably triggered by high temperatures, but it took more than 1000 years for the lake and the catchment to stabilize. Chironomids were amongst the first invertebrates to colonize the lake. The fossil chironomid assemblage is fairly rich and comparable to other records from further south in G reenland. The pioneer vegetation in the area consisted of mosses and herbaceous plants. The oldest remains of woody plants ( S alix arctica ) are dated to c.  7700 cal. a BP , and remains of D ryas integrifolia appear at around 6700 cal. a BP ; these are the only woody plants recorded. Maximum concentrations of chironomids, maximum occurrence of ephippia of the water flea D aphnia pulex , highest organic matter contents and lowest minerogenic input from c. 7700 to 4400 cal. a BP probably reflect the H olocene thermal maximum ( HTM ). The highest temperatures during the HTM are indicated around 7000 cal. a BP , when S alix arctica , which is considered a warmth‐loving plant, had a maximum. Comparisons with H olocene records from E ast and N orth G reenland show similar immigration histories and similar trends, with the L ittle I ce A ge as the coldest period during the H olocene, culminating about 150 years ago. Subsequent warming does not indicate environmental conditions comparable to the HTM yet at this stage. The occurrence of several warmth‐demanding species particularly in the early H olocene sediments indicates redeposition and implies that temperatures in the past, most likely during an interglacial period, were significantly higher than during the HTM .