Abstract
A detailed lake-level record for the Holocene period has been derived from sediment sequences from 26 lakes in west-central Europe plus a data set of c. 200 radiocarbon, tree-ring, and archeological dates. The data suggest a highly variable Holocene climate resulting in a succession of 15 centennial-scale regional phases of higher lake level. A comparison of paleohydrological data collected in western Europe suggests contrasting patterns of hydrological changes in response to Holocene climate cooling phases with wetter conditions over the mid-European latitudes, whereas northern and southern latitudes experienced a drier climate. Quantitative estimates obtained from a method combining pollen and lake-level data indicate that phases of higher lake level coincided with an increase in annual precipitation, a decrease in summer temperature, and a shortening of the growing season. Finally, a comparison of the mid-European lake-level record with the atmospheric 14 C record, the GISP2 Polar Circulation Index record, the North Atlantic Ice-Rafted Debris record and meltwater outbursts in North America and Europe supports the hypothesis that variations in solar activity were a major driving factor of Holocene climate oscillations.
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