Large-scale,millennial-length temperature reconstructions from tree-rings

Over the past two decades, the dendroclimate community has produced various annually resolved, warm season temperature reconstructions for the extratropical Northern Hemisphere. Here we compare these tree-ring based reconstructions back to 831 CE and present a set of basic metrics to provide guidance for non-specialists on their interpretation and use. We specifically draw attention to (i) the imbalance between (numerous) short and (few) long site chronologies incorporated into the hemispheric means, (ii) the beneficial effects of including maximum latewood density chronologies in the recently published reconstructions, (iii) a decrease in reconstruction covariance prior to 1400 CE, and (iv) the varying amplitudes and trends of reconstructed temperatures over the past 1100 years. Whereas the reconstructions agree on several important features, such as warmth during medieval times and cooler temperatures in the 17th and 19th centuries, they still exhibit substantial differences during 13th and 14th centuries. We caution users who might consider combining the reconstructions through simple averaging that all reconstructions share some of the same underlying tree-ring data, and provide four recommendations to guide future efforts to better understand past millennium temperature variability.     

Summer monsoon precipitation variations in central China over the past 750 years derived from a high-resolution absolute-dated stalagmite

A 2–3-year resolution record of stalagmite oxygen isotope variations from the south flank of the Qinling Mountains, central China, has revealed the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) precipitation variations in the investigated area over the past 750 years. The summer monsoon precipitation gradually increased since 1249 AD, reaching its highest values in the period 1535–1685 AD, and then decreased with substantial decadal- to centennial-scale fluctuations. The monsoon precipitation increased again between 1920 and 1970 AD. Three intervals of high monsoon precipitation were identified: 1535–1685 AD, 1755–1835 AD, and 1920–1970 AD. Three intervals of low precipitation were inferred in 1249–1325 AD, 1390–1420 AD, and 1890–1915 AD. The δ¹⁸O composition and lithological features of the stalagmite coincidently indicate a wetter climate during the Little Ice Age (LIA), which is also confirmed by climate records from Chinese historical documents within this area. A comparison with other high-resolution speleothem records indicates regional differences in monsoon precipitation variability from the south to the north of central China in the last 750 years on decadal- to centennial-scale. Power spectrum analysis of the δ¹⁸O record shows significant 117.8-, 34.6-, 14-, 10.3-, and ~ 6-year periodicities. These periodicities are widely observed in the climate records from ASM-controlled areas of China and are consistent with the Gleissburg periodicity, Brϋckner periodicity, sunspot periodicity of solar activity, and El Nińo–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) periodicity. These correlations suggest that both solar activity and ENSO periodicity may have had important influences on ASM precipitation in China over the past 750 years.     

X-ray microdensitometry applied to subfossil tree-rings: growth characteristics of ancient pines from the southern boreal forest zone in Finland at intra-annual to centennial time-scales

A collection of subfossil wood of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) was exposed to X-ray densitometry. The collection of 64 samples from the southern boreal forest zone was dendrochronologically cross-dated to a.d. 673-1788. Growth characteristics were determined by performing density profiles including the following parameters: minimum density, earlywood and latewood boundary density, maximum density, earlywood width, earlywood density, latewood width, latewood density, annual ring width and annual ring density. Seven out of the nine parameters were found to contain non-climatic growth trends and six were found to be heteroscedastic in their variance. Tree-specific records were indexed, to remove the non-climatic growth trends and stabilize the variance, and combined into nine parameter-specific tree-ring chronologies. Growth characteristics of the pines changed in parallel with the generally agreed climatic cooling from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age: pine tree-rings showed decreasing maximum densities from the period a.d. 975-1150 to a.d. 1450–1625. A concomitant change in the intra-annual growth characteristics was detected between these periods. The findings indicate that not only the trees growing near the species’ distributional limits are sensitive to large-scale climatic variations but also the trees growing in habitats remote from the timberline have noticeably responded to past climate changes.     

Human activity and climate change during the historical period in central upland Japan with reference to forest dynamics and the cultivation of Japanese horse chestnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aesculus turbinata</Emphasis>)

Karikomi Lake is located in the border area between the Hida and Echizen regions (36° 04N, 135° 44E) at 1075 m a.s.l., in the Hakusan mountains. Several villages are located near the lake where hansaibai was practised in the past, i.e. horse-chestnut trees (Aesculus turbinata) were favoured for their nuts which were gathered and processed as an important food source. To understand how the forest was used for this purpose, a core was taken from Karikomi Lake and the past vegetation was reconstructed through pollen analysis of the lake sediment. Climate deterioration caused by the Little Ice Age impinged severely on the local population and seems to have played a key role in the development of hansaibai and reliance on horse chestnut as a major food source. The pollen analytical data suggest that hansaibai was associated with increased frequency of famine periods during the Little Ice Age in Japan, although human impact in the vicinity of the lake began much earlier, in the 8^th century A.D. Deforestation and economic development during the twentieth century have led to abandonment of the use of horse chestnut as a major food source and the replacement of Aesculus by Fagus in the local forest which lies within lands designated as a National Park.     

Climatic impacts on the vegetation of eastern North America during the past 2000 years

Pollen diagrams from seven lakes with annually laminated sediments sampled at 40-year intervals are analyzed to isolate the climatic effects from other effects on the long-term dynamics of vegetation during the past 1000–2000 years along a transect from Maine to Minnesota. Principal components analysis is used to reduce the dimensionality of the pollen data. The pollen records from all lakes show long-term trends, medium frequency oscillations, and higher frequency fluctuations. The long-term trend is associated with the neoglacial expansion of the boreal forest. The mechanism causing this replacement is a change in frequency of air masses in the area. The medium-frequency oscillations are also associated with climate changes, the most recent of which is the ‘Little Ice Age’. The climate-related mechanism causing the medium-frequency changes may be changes in disturbance frequency. The higher frequency fluctuations may also be related to disturbance. This analysis of pollen diagrams into time scales of variation has enabled the separation of climate from other factors affecting vegetation dynamics. By comparing the principal components across a transect of sites it proved possible to interpret the climatic effects on vegetation at most sites and not only at range boundaries and ‘sensitive’ sites.     

Carotenoids from plankton and photosynthetic bacteria in sediments as indicators of trophic changes in Lake Lobsigen during the last 14000 years

Previous examination of drilling cores showed that the majority of the carotenes and carotenoids originally present in the various planktonic organisms and phototrophic bacteria are preserved in sediments. The indicator pigments for algae phyla are: Lutein for Chlorophyta, Myxoxanthophylls and their derivatives for Cyanophyta, Fucoxanthin for Chrysophyta, and Alloxanthin for Cryptophyta.The pigments in the deepest sediment sample (late glacial time, clay, 12.83 m) consists primarily of Alloxanthin, secondly of Lutein and -carotene and thirdly of traces of Okenone, Speroidenone and other such bacterial carotenoids. The first plankton organisms were thus Cryptophyta and some Chlorophyta. The presence of the phototrophic bacteria pigments indicates that at the time of sediment formation, anaerobic conditions prevailed at the lake bottom.The Holocene era commences at a depth of 8.55 m and is characterized by the first occurrence of Myxoxanthophyll and Echinenone from Cyanophyta, as well as by a rapid increase of -carotene, Lutein and Alloxanthin. The pronounced occurrence of Oscillatoria rubescens (blood of the Burgundies), characterized by Oscillaxanthin at 8.21 m must be considered for Swiss lakes as a very surprising discovery.The intensive plankton production again lead to stringent anaerobic conditions. Predominant among phototrophic bacteria pigments were Okenone, Spheroidene and Rhodopin.     

Climate-related changes during the Late Glacial and early Holocene in northern Poland, as derived from the sediments of Lake Sierzywk

Reconstruction of past climate change and ecosystem response is important to correctly assess the impacts of global warming. In this study, we provide a paleoenvironmental record of in-lake and catchment changes in northern Poland during the Late Glacial and early Holocene using various biotic proxies (pollen, macrofossils and Cladocera) preserved in the lake sedimentary record. Chronology was derived from palynological correlation with a well-dated pollen sequence from nearby-lying Lake Ostrowite and some well-dated events of vegetation history in Central Europe. Pollen analysis provided information on regional climate change affecting vegetation dynamics, whereas macrofossils supplied substantial information on the response of local flora and fauna to climatic, geomorphological and limnological changes. Data were supplemented by analysis of Cladocera remains, which are of special importance because of their quick response to changes in trophic conditions and climate (especially temperature). The bottom of the sediment core reflects an initial stage of the lake formed during the late Aller?d. The Younger Dryas cooling apparently resulted in forest recession and presence of cold tolerant Cladocera species. Due to amelioration of climate at the end of the Younger Dryas and melting of ice, the lake deepened. The beginning of the Holocene was characterised by forest shrinkage and induced clear changes in local flora and fauna communities. The regional vegetation development deduced from the lake’s core is generally consistent with the vegetation history of central Europe. Due to the location of the site near the seashore (oceanic climate and western wind), signals of warming came earlier than inland and in eastern Poland.     

滇中阳宗海流域过去1200年以来的环境变化

根据滇中阳宗海78 cm沉积岩芯的花粉/炭屑分析,重建了阳宗海流域过去1200年的植被演替、气候变化和森林火灾史。岩芯年代框架的建立基于底部一个植物残体的AMS14C测年和上部的210Pb测年。结果表明:1)阳宗海流域过去1200年的植被变化经历了4个阶段:暖干期(780—1630 AD)的植被以松栎混交林为主,草本植物少;凉湿期(1630—1860 AD)的植被仍以松栎混交林为主,但比重有所减少并存在明显波动,草本植物显著增加;冷干期(1860—1950 AD)和随后的暖干期(1950 AD之后)受人类活动干扰强烈,人类活动可能已成为影响植被的主导性因素。2) 1200年以来,阳宗海流域气候变化存在明显的暖期(780—1630 AD)和冷期(1630—1950 AD),分别对应了中世纪暖期和小冰期,且水热条件配置呈现暖干-冷湿的模式,与滇西天才湖、洱海和青藏高原东部等邻近区域较为同步。整个暖期气温波动不大,仅在最暖的12世纪中期到15世纪中期温度表现出较大的波动,小冰期存在两个气候波动阶段,分别是1630—1860 AD凉湿期和1860—1950 AD的冷干期。阳宗海流域气候变化的主...     

Diatoms and their preservation in the sediments of Lake Neuchâtel (Switzerland) as evidence of past hydrological changes

Core LNO3 is 1136 cm long and includes uninterrupted sediments from the Oldest Dryas to historic time which have been submitted for geological, geochemical, palynological and diatom analysis. Thirty samples have been investigated for diatoms, focussing especially on their preservation, which changed during major hydrological events. In the lower part of the core (Oldest Dryas to beginning of Atlantic), with low carbonate, but high clastic silicate content, the diatoms are rare but are well preserved. In the upper well carbonated part of the core (Atlantic to historical periods), the diatoms are abundant but show traces of dissolution.Between 1136 and 909 cm (Oldest Dryas) the flora is made up of benthic species principally of the genus Fragilaria. This flora is often the first to develop after the last glaciation. Between 879 and 569 cm (Bølling to beginning of Atlantic), littoral and terrestrial species adapted to eutrophic conditions are dominating. They suggest a strong fluvial impact on sedimentation, which corroborates the hypothesis of past inflows of the River Aar into the lake. Between 529 cm and 1 cm (Atlantic to historical periods) planktonic species of the genera Cyclotella, Aulacoseira or Stephanodiscus are dominating. This suggests that the upper well carbonated sediments were mainly formed by pelagic precipitation, without influence of the River Aar. The trophic level of the lake seems to have decreased, then increased again during prehistoric deforestation and development of agriculture in the watershed.     

Climatic factors affecting the tree-ring width of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula ermanii</Emphasis> at the timberline on Mount Norikura,central Japan

Tree-ring-width chronology of Betula ermanii was developed at the timberline (2,400 m a.s.l.) on Mount Norikura in central Japan, and climatic factors affecting the tree-ring width of B. ermanii were examined. Three monthly climatic data (mean temperature, insolation duration, and sum of precipitation) were used for the analysis. The tree-ring width of B. ermanii was negatively correlated with the December and January temperatures and with the January precipitation prior to the growth. However, why high temperatures and heavy snow in winter had negative effects on the growth of B. ermanii is unknown. The tree-ring width was positively correlated with summer temperatures during June–August of the current year. The tree-ring width was also positively correlated with the insolation duration in July of the current year. In contrast, the tree-ring width was negatively correlated with summer precipitation during July–September of the current year. However, these negative correlations of summer precipitation do not seem to be independent of temperature and insolation duration, i.e., substantial precipitation reduces the insolation duration and temperature. Therefore, it is suggested that significant insolation duration and high temperature due to less precipitation in summer of the current year increase the radial growth of B. ermanii at the timberline. The results were also compared with those of our previous study conducted at the lower altitudinal limit of B. ermanii (approximately 1,600 m a.s.l.) on Mount Norikura. This study suggests that the climatic factors that increase the radial growth of B. ermanii differ between its upper and lower altitudinal limits.     

巢湖碳氮地球化学沉积记录揭示全新世以来的环境演化

通过对巢湖湖泊沉积物的总有机碳（TOC）、总氮（TN）、有机碳同位素（δ¹³C_org）、氮同位素（δ¹⁵N）和粒度参数的研究,重建了全新世以来湖泊初级生产力的变化,从而揭示了巢湖地区全新世环境变化历史。早全新世时期（10100-8200 cal a BP）,较高的TOC和TN、在波动中逐渐升高的δ¹³C_org值以及高δ¹⁵N值、高黏土（<4 μm）含量指示了较高的湖泊初级生产力,反映气候温暖较湿;中全新世时期（8200-4200 cal a BP）,TOC、TN、δ¹³C_org值和黏土（<4 μm）含量总体上较高但呈波动降低趋势,粉砂（4-64 μm）含量升高,δ¹⁵N值总体较低但变化幅度较大,指示初级生产力由较高水平开始逐渐降低,气候由温暖湿润逐渐向凉干方向发展;7300-5800 cal a BP和4300-3800 cal a BP的低δ¹⁵N和高TN值可能受到固氮蓝藻的影响,分别对应着7500-7000 cal a BP和4200-4000 cal a BP气候事件时期夏季风强度的减弱;晚全新世前期（4200-2000 cal a BP）,TOC、TN、δ¹³C_org值、黏土（<4 μm）含量的低值和较高的δ¹⁵N值、高粉砂（4-64 μm）含量代表初级生产力继续降低,气候环境进一步向冷干转变。全新世以来湖泊初级生产力的逐渐下降反映了季风的逐步减弱,而逐渐减少的30°N夏季太阳辐射是驱动季风减弱的主要因素。晚全新世后期（2000 cal a BP至今）,各环境代用指标的变化表现出不同于全新世环境演化趋势的异常,说明湖泊环境及沉积物受人类活动的影响加剧。     

A Vegetation, Climate and Environment Reconstruction Based on Palynological Analyses of High Arctic Tundra Peat Cores (5000–6000 years BP) from Svalbard

As a reference for ongoing studies reconstructing past vegetation, climate and environment, pollen spectra in tundra peat profiles from Svalbard, were investigated. The base of tundra peat cores collected from Ny Ålesund, Stuphallet, Blomstrand and Isdammen has been ¹⁴C dated to 350–490 BP, 5710 BP, 4670 BP and 700–900 BP, respectively. The Stuphallet and Blomstrand (Brøggerhalvøya) peat profiles were composed of a peat developed in a nutrient enriched and wet tundra environment of steep birdcliffs. Pollen concentrations were low, Brassicaceae pollen dominated the whole profile. In contrast, the Ny Ålesund and Isdammen profiles contained high pollen concentrations and suggest a nutrient-poor, dry tundra environment. Pollen of the polar willow, Salix polaris, occurred commonly throughout all four peat profiles. In the relatively high resolution (10 years per peat core sample) analysis of the Ny Ålesund core, starting before or at the beginning of the Little Ice Age (LIA, 16th-mid 19th century), dominance of Saxifraga oppositifolia indicates a cold and dry climate, followed by a decline of Saxifraga oppositifolia and gradual increase of Salix polaris after the LIA, which indicates a moist and milder climate.     

Late- and post-glacial vegetation and climate history of the south-western Taymyr Peninsula, central Siberia, as revealed by pollen analysis of a core from Lake Lama

On the Taymyr Peninsula and Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, Central Siberia, a joint German/Russian multidisciplinary research project focuses on the Late Quaternary history of climate and environment. Within the scope of this project, palynological studies were carried out on a 10.8-m core from Lama Lake, situated in the south-west of the research area. The core, which did not reach the base of the lacustrine sediments, reveals the vegetation and climate history of the last 17 000 years and demonstrates that this area was not glaciated during that time. The Pleistocene/Holocene transition is, as elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, characterized by increased temperatures during the Bølling, Allerød and Preboreal with interruptions during the Older (post-Bølling) and Younger Dryas events. The Holocene climate optimum at Lama Lake probably occurred within the Boreal period, when dense larch forests developed. The Atlantic period was characterized by warm conditions that favoured the establishment of larch-spruce forests, though a climatic deterioration is also recorded. During the Subboreal, spruce fluctuated in importance, on the basis of which it is suggested that there were two cool periods with an intervening warm period. Since 3000 B.P., the climate has become considerably cooler and forests have degenerated. During the last 1000 years, unfavourable climate conditions have resulted in a forest tundra and widespread tundra communities developing in the Lama Lake region.This paper is dedicated to Hans-Jürgen Beug on the occasion of his 65th birthday.