Signals of Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age from southwestern Madhya Pradesh (India): A pollen-inferred Late-Holocene vegetation and climate change

Abstract

Pollen analysis of a 2 m deep sediment core from Khedla Quila Lake, Betul District (southwestern Madhya Pradesh), India has demonstrated the vegetation succession and climate change since the Late-Holocene. The pollen sequences have revealed that between 1416 and 506 cal BP (AD 534–1444), open mixed tropical deciduous forest comprising Madhuca indica, Sapotaceae, Holoptelea, Acacia, and Schleichera occupied the region under a warm and moderately humid climate, corresponding, to a certain extent, with the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) that is known between AD 740 and 1150 worldwide. Between 506 and 120 cal BP (AD 1444–1830), the open mixed tropical deciduous forest was succeeded by dense mixed tropical deciduous forest due to the prevalence of a warm and humid climate, coinciding with the Little Ice Age (LIA) which falls within the temporal range of AD 1450 and 1850 at global level. Since 120 cal BP to Present (AD 1830 onwards), the open mixed tropical deciduous forest again came into existence owing to a warm and less humid climate. The cereal-based agriculture practice continued at almost the same pace, but the lake widened during the second phase, which could be attributed to increased monsoon precipitation.