Reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes in NW Romania during the early part of the last deglaciation (∼15,000–13,600 cal yr BP)

Abstract

High resolution pollen, plant macrofossil, charcoal, mineral magnetic and sedimentary analyses, combined with AMS 14C measurements, were performed on multiple sediment sequences along a transect through the former crater lake Preluca Ţiganului in northwestern Romania in order to reconstruct the climatic and environmental changes during the early part of the Last Termination. Lake sediments started to accumulate at ∼14,700 cal yr BP. Initially the upland vegetation consisted of an open forest with mainly Betula and Salix and few Pinus sp., but from 14,500 cal yr BP onwards, Pinus mugo, P. sylvestris and Populus and later on also Larix became established around the lake. Between 14,150 and 13,950 cal yr BP, Pinus cembra seems to have replaced P. mugo and P. sylvestris. At ∼13,950 cal yr BP the tree cover increased and Picea appeared for the first time, together with Pinus cembra, P. mugo and Larix. From ∼13,750 cal yr BP onwards, a Picea forest developed around the site. Based on the combined proxy data the following climatic development may be inferred: 14,700–14,500 cal yr BP, cooler and wet/humid; 14,500–14,400 cal yr BP: gradually warmer temperatures, wet/humid with dry summers; 14,400–14,320 cal yr BP: warm and dry; 14,320–14,150 cal yr BP: cooler and wet/humid; 14,150–14,100 cal yr BP: warm and dry; 14,100–13,850 cal yr BP: warmer and wet/humid; <13,850 cal yr BP: warm and dry. The tentative correlation of this development with the North Atlantic region assumes that the period >14,700 cal yr could correspond to GS-2a, the time span between 14,700 and 14,320 to GI-1e, the phase between 14,320 and 14,150 cal yr BP to GI-1d and the time frame between 14,150 and 13,600 cal yr BP to the lower part of GI-1c.