During glacial/interglacial cycles, changes in the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) modified the intermediate and deep-water mass proportions and high latitude productivity in the Atlantic Ocean. These factors influence the distribution and geochemical partitioning of trace metals in the ocean. Mercury is a redox and productivity-sensitive trace metal, making it a

The presence of people in Switzerland in recently deglaciated landscapes after the Last Glacial Maximum represents human utilisation of newly available environments. Understanding these landscapes and the resources available to the people who exploited them is key to understanding not only Late Upper Palaeolithic settlement in Switzerland, but more broadly human behavioural ecology in newly inhabited

Knowledge about the future response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to global climate change, including ice sheet contributions to sea level rise, is important for understanding the impact of climate change on society. Such studies rely in ice sheet model predictions and improved chronological constraints of past ice sheet extents and paleoclimatic trends. Many regions in Greenland are well studied, but

The paleo-synoptic conditions that prevailed during the past ∼80 kyr in northeastern China are inferred from the elemental and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of Lake Sihailongwan Maar sediments. The detrital fraction in the lake sediments is dominated by aeolian input of felsic-rock origin, with little contribution of local volcanic material. Based on the isotopic Sr–Nd composition of the lake core-sediments

Iron (Fe) supplied to the equatorial Pacific are thought to play a critical role in marine biogeochemical cycle and the related air–sea CO2 flux. Previous studies have shown that Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a major Fe contributor for the western equatorial Pacific. However, key issues of this Fe supply including the exact sources, transport processes and distribution range remain unclear, especially

20th century eutrophication and global spread of anoxia is a threat for freshwater ecosystems. Little is known about Holocene anoxia and meromixis events when anthropogenic impacts were weaker and natural ecosystem variability played the dominant role. In this study, we examine the relationship between lake mixing and lake production, climate variability, vegetation cover, catchment erosion and (pre)historic

Almost 2 million square km of Australia’s continental shelf was flooded following the termination of the last glacial maximum, and with it the cultural heritage of the first arrival and coastal occupation of Australia beginning some 65,000 years ago. In order to prospect for this missing cultural record, we must first identify submerged coastal landscapes and landforms that likely provided favourable

The effects of climatic extremes on Alpine ecosystems, such as in the last glacial period, are poorly understood. The recently discovered Nesseltalgraben site is currently the best dated and most complete high-resolution sedimentary sequence in the northern Alps covering the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 around 59-28 calibrated kiloyears before present (ka cal BP). The MIS 3 is a period with frequent

East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) variability is primarily responsible for climate change in East Asia, influencing over a billion lives. The pattern and mechanisms of EASM change during the Holocene are intensely debated. In this study, we produce a high-quality age-depth model for a 11.7 m lacustrine record (CG18B core) from central Chagan Nur (a closed-basin lake located on the southern Mongolia

Oceanic islands remained free of humans until relatively recent times. On contact, humans encountered pristine environments with unique ecosystems and species highly vulnerable to novel impacts. In the course of rendering an island habitable, the new settlers transformed it through fire, deforestation, hunting and introduction of pests and weeds. The result, as described for many oceanic islands globally

The thick sedimentary sequences of the East Asian continental shelves are archives of information on tectonics, sea-level fluctuations, flood plain evolution, and changes in the East Asian monsoon climate. However, long sedimentary sequences with a reliable chronological framework from this setting are scarce. Here, we present an integration of lithostratigraphic, rock magnetic, and magnetostratigraphic

Terrestrial temperature reconstructions from the ice-free margins of Greenland are critical for constraining the sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to past climate change. Numerous investigations have clarified the glacial history of southwest Greenland in recent decades; however, very few local quantitative temperature reconstructions exist as context for changes in the cryosphere. We examine

Reconstructing vegetation changes during a glacial-interglacial cycles in southwest (SW) China is crucial for understanding the amplitude of palaeoclimatic dynamics associated with orbital forcing and evolution of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). However, few studies on the relationship between paleoclimate and ecosystem changes have covered all of the last glacial-interglacial cycle (or any other)

The outer Ross Sea continental shelf has experienced large variations in ice sheet extent over the Pleistocene that are theorized to be largely driven by changes in the westward-flowing Antarctic Slope Current (ASC) at the continental shelf break. This current regulates southward incursions of warm modified Circumpolar Water, and it is thought to have triggered past marine ice sheet retreat. Additionally

The Barents Sea Ice Sheet was part of an interconnected complex of ice sheets, collectively referred to as the Eurasian Ice Sheet, which covered north-westernmost Europe, Russia and the Barents Sea during the Last Glacial Maximum (around 21 ky BP). Due to common geological features, the Barents Sea component of this ice complex is seen as a paleo-analogue for the present-day West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Lake Mungo is a currently dry lake basin in the semi-arid zone of southeastern Australia. The transverse dune system on the downwind side contains a record of human occupation of international importance. It also contains one of the most continuous records of climate change over the last glacial cycle in the Australia desert. In this paper we provide a framework for the interpretation of lake level

By virtue of its location in the southern mid-latitudes, northwestern Patagonia (40°-44°S) offers the opportunity to unravel the mechanisms involved in the initiation and propagation of paleoclimate signals of hemispheric and global significance. Of particular importance is deciphering the evolution of the Southern Westerly Winds (SWW) considering their influence at continental, zonal, hemispheric

Tropical forests are the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems on earth, yet are particularly susceptible to future climatic and human-induced change. Identifying tipping points at which tropical ecosystems will reorganise is therefore an important research goal. Limited research within the seasonally dry tropical forests of south-east Asia means that much uncertainty exists around the resilience

Anatomically Modern Humans are the sole survivor of a group of hominins that inhabited our planet during the last ice age and that included, among others, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo denisova, and Homo erectus. Whether previous hominin extinctions were triggered by external factors, such as abrupt climate change, volcanic eruptions or whether competition and interbreeding played major roles in their

The geologic record of mountain glaciation is one of the most sensitive archives of terrestrial climate change during the late Quaternary Period. Pleistocene glacial deposits are exceptionally well preserved in the Great Basin of North America where they are found in close proximity to shoreline deposits of coeval paleo-lakes, representing a unique opportunity to investigate paleoclimate change using

A remarkable musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) assemblage was recovered at Cowshead Cave (Picos de Europa Mountains, NW Spain). This find is of special paleobiogeographic relevance since it involves the first occurrence of this species in NW Iberia and extends the boundary of its Eurasian distribution range to the SW. Fossils correspond to at least two individuals: one young male about 20 months old, which

The Laguna de Tagua Tagua has yielded two important late Pleistocene archaeological sites, Taguatagua 1 and Taguatagua 2, in which a clear early human exploitation of megafauna has been recorded. Particularly in Taguatagua 1 (TT-1), here re-dated around 12,600 cal yr BP, an abundant small faunal assemblage was also recovered, which had not been previously studied in detail. Here we report the first

A continuous lake-level curve was constructed for Owens Lake, eastern California by integrating lake-core data and shoreline geomorphology with new wind-wave and sediment entrainment modeling of lake-core sedimentology. This effort enabled refinement of the overflow history and development of a better understanding of the effects of regional and global climate variability on lake levels of the paleo-Owens

Hydroclimatic variations in central Asia are widely recognized to be tele-connected with the North Atlantic climate via the mid-latitude Westerlies. However, the long-term hydroclimatic variation and its response to North Atlantic climate changes are not fully understood. Here we report multi-decadal and centennial hydroclimatic variations in central Asia during the late Holocene using high-resolution

This study represents the first integrated approach to the lithic raw materials exploited by the Neanderthals that occupied the Abric Romaní site (NE Iberia). Focusing on chert as the most abundant raw material (>80% of the assemblages), we determine the potential procurement areas and the mobility patterns. Geo-archaeological surveys within a radius of 30 km from the site documented 32 primary locations

To fully understand tsunami hazards along Canada’s Pacific coast we must consider all potential sources including local and region-wide earthquakes, volcanic activity, slope failure events and bolide impacts. Furthermore, as climate changes, future extreme meteorological conditions will exacerbate slope failures on steep and over-steepened slopes, and potentially augment the magnitude and frequency

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) has major climate impacts worldwide, and most profoundly for nations around the Indian Ocean basin. It has been 20 years since the IOD was first formally defined and research since that time has focused primarily on examining IOD dynamics, trends and impacts in observational records and in model simulations. However, considerable uncertainty exists due to the brevity of

The Nd isotopic compositions (εNd) of mixed planktonic foraminifera have been analyzed in two sediment cores collected in the Nile deep-sea fan in order to reconstruct past εNd of the Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW) and to assess the relative contributions of Nile discharge and Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) inflow to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea hydrology, as well as their potential control

The last glacial period (116–11.7 ka BP) was an interval characterized by a sequence of abrupt millennial-scale events well documented in Greenland and Antarctica ice-cores. Throughout this period, Greenland cold stadials were accompanied by warm conditions in the thermocline to intermediate waters of the Atlantic Ocean that may have played a role in both the basal melting of ice shelves and the rapid

Far’ah II is an open-air site in the north western Negev desert (Israel). Previous excavations in the 1970’s revealed a rich, in situ Middle Paleolithic (MP) assemblage composed of flint and limestone artifacts, animal bones and charcoal. Renewed excavation at the site were undertaken in 2017, to re-date it and provide a more accurate constrain to the sites’ age, as well as collect samples for paleoclimatic

Both radial growth and canopy dynamics of trees play a critical role in terrestrial carbon cycle. Yet, it is still not very clear about how climate variability influences radial growth and canopy dynamics. To help bridge the knowledge gap in this field, we combined Tree Ring Width Index (TRWI, radial growth) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, canopy dynamic), to quantify how forests

Ongoing global warming will have a significant impact on terrestrial water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Assessing changes in the hydrology and water resources in inland basins under a warm climate in the recent geological past can provide a valuable context for assessing their current and possible future status. Here we present a record from a rapidly-accumulating sediment core

Turbulent bottom currents significantly influence the formation of cold-water coral mounds and sedimentation processes on continental slopes. Combining records from coral mounds and adjacent slope sediments therefore provide an unprecedented palaeo-archive to understand past variations of intermediate water-mass dynamics. Here, we present coral ages from coral mounds of the Belgica province (Porcupine

Eight stratigraphic transects, 40–140 km long reveal, for the first time on a regional scale, a comprehensive picture of facies architecture of the highly preserved Late Pleistocene-Holocene sedimentary succession from the rapidly subsiding Po Basin. Facies analysis and pollen-based correlation, supported by radiocarbon, electron-spin resonance and optically stimulated luminescence dates, enabled the

Quantifying the contribution of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) to sea-level rise during the last deglaciation is complicated by the limited opportunities to constrain ice-sheet models. The nunatak, Escalade Peak, provides a gauge for past ice surface elevation changes and behaviour throughout the last glacial cycle. Geomorphological mapping, geological evidence and 10Be cosmogenic-nuclide exposure

Given the large number of hominin and archaeological remains the site has yielded, Klasies River has contributed significantly to our understanding of how humans developed and behaved during the Middle Stone Age. Its extensive occupational sequence and the abundance of faunal remains recovered from the deposits also make it an important site in exploring palaeoenvironmental change during the Late Pleistocene

The causes of terrace formation in active orogenic belts have long been studied. Here, we present a synthesis of 147 available papers on the ages of Quaternary terraces within the Tibetan Plateau and along the surrounding orogenic belts. More than 1500 ages were collected to establish a database for exploring the causes of fluvial terrace formation. Because the age data were collected from different

Time-series analyses of satellite images reveal that sea ice extent in the Ross Sea has experienced significant changes over the last 40 years, likely triggered by large-scale atmospheric anomalies. However, resolving how sea ice in the Ross Sea has changed over longer timeframes has until now remained more elusive. Here we used a laminated sediment piston core (14.6 m) collected from the Edisto inlet

The variability and interaction of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and mid-latitude Westerlies have dominated Eurasian hydroclimates over orbital timescales and currently influence over a billion lives in Asia. Despite this, the mechanisms influencing EASM-Westerlies variability are still a matter of considerable debate. This study presents three loess-paleosol sequences in the NE Tibetan Plateau

In the North Sea basin the marine bivalve Macoma balthica first appears within the Early Pleistocene ‘Weybourne Crag’, which forms an important biostratigraphical datum. Here we review the fossil assemblages from sites of this age, prompted by new discoveries from Sidestrand, Norfolk, UK. The molluscan assemblages from this horizon are dominated by intertidal species with some colder/deeper water taxa

Anthropogenic pollen indicators in pollen records are an established tool for reconstructing the history of human impacts on vegetation and landscapes. They are also used to disentangle the influence of human activities and climatic variability on ecosystems. The comprehensive anthropogenic pollen-indicator approach developed by Behre (1981) has been widely used, including beyond its original geographical

Wildfire activity has been increasing in forests of western North America over the past several decades. However, the biogeochemical effects of changing fire regimes are poorly understood. Here, we utilize sediment records from three subalpine lakes in northern Colorado (Hinman, Gold Creek, and Summit) to investigate the biogeochemical consequences of charcoal-inferred fire events over the past ∼2500

The magnitude and frequency of extreme events is projected to increase under future climate change and understanding the major drivers of global climate variability is dependent on the development of detailed records from critical regions. Subtropical Africa is known to have undergone phases of significant change resulting from variations in broad-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns

The bone point (SAM 42160) from >60 ka deposits at Klasies River Main Site, South Africa, is reassessed. We clarify the stratigraphic integrity of SAM 42160 and confirm its Middle Stone Age provenience. We find evidence that indicates the point was hafted and partially coated in an adhesive substance. Internal fractures are consistent with stresses occasioned by high-velocity, longitudinal impact.

The Xiashagou fauna is one of the most abundant and representative faunas in East Asia and can be directly compared to the Olivola fauna of early Late Villafranchian age in Europe. Therefore, it is of great significance for understanding the evolution of the Quaternary faunas and environment of East Asia. We conducted pollen analyses of 163 fossil samples and 1045 surface samples, combining the results

The South China Sea, located at the transition between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, receives every year, mainly during the rain season, enormous amounts of river sediments originating from the erosion/weathering of rocks in the catchment basins. At sea, these sediments are carried by different water masses to their deposition site and they constitute a unique archive for past environmental studies

We provide evidence for a large-scale geomorphic event in Cambodia’s great lake, the Tonlé Sap, during the middle Holocene. The present-day hydrology of the basin is dominated by an annual flood pulse where water from the Mekong River raises the lake level by c. 8 m during the monsoon season. We present new subsurface geophysical data, allied to new and past core studies, which unequivocally show a

For over 30 years, the radiometric chronologies of Newman Rockshelter and Newman Orebody XXIX have been central to archaeological discussions on the Pleistocene Aboriginal occupation of the Hamersley Plateau and greater Pilbara region. Until 2009, these two sites were heralded as having the oldest evidence of human occupation on the plateau, dating to the last glacial maximum (LGM) ∼ 26–20 ka. More

Understanding the dynamics that drove past abrupt climate changes, such as the Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events, depends on combined proxy evidence from disparate archives. To identify leads, lags and synchronicity between different climate system components, independent and robust chronologies are required. Cryptotephrochronology is a key geochronological tool as cryptotephra horizons can act as isochrons

The Middle East, specially the Zagros region, lies in a strategic position as a crossroads between Africa, Europe and eastern Asia. The landscape of this region that prevailed around the Neanderthal and anatomically modern human occupations is not well known. Only a few sites have been studied in detail in this area, often providing only a faunal list. These reveal that Neanderthals and anatomically

At the height of its extent, during strong glacials, the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain (PAP, south coast of South Africa) was the size of Ireland, sometimes doubling the size of the extant Cape Floristic Region (CFR). During strong interglacial climates, the PAP was mostly submerged and its ecosystems destroyed or restricted to small slivers. Scientists have largely ignored the PAP, presumably because it is

The North American Ice Sheet Complex (NAISC; consisting of the Laurentide, Cordilleran and Innuitian ice sheets) was the largest ice mass to repeatedly grow and decay in the Northern Hemisphere during the Quaternary. Understanding its pattern of retreat following the Last Glacial Maximum is critical for studying many facets of the Late Quaternary, including ice sheet behaviour, the evolution of Holocene

Western-Carpathian travertine fens developed on deep-circulation groundwater are highly localised and harbour unique communities that combine rare species of calcareous fens and salt marshes, with many species considered glacial or Early-Holocene relicts. Using a multi-proxy palaeoecological approach, we tested the assumption of naturalness and Holocene continuity of the current plant and mollusc communities

This paper reviews and expands upon stratigraphic and chronologic evidence supporting the interpretation of a strong, early postglacial paleoearthquake in western Quebec-northeastern Ontario, Canada. Event horizon mapping at Dasserat, Dufresnoy and Duparquet lakes, Quebec, coring at Chassignolle and Malartic lakes, Quebec, analysis of varve exposures near both the Twin Falls and Frederick House dams

Arctic hotspots, local areas of high biodiversity, are potential key sites for conservation of Arctic biodiversity. However, there is a need for improved understanding of their long-term resilience. The Arctic hotspot of Ringhorndalen has the highest registered diversity of vascular plants in the Svalbard archipelago, including several remarkable and isolated plant populations located far north of

Terrestrial sedimentary archives that record environmental responses to climate over the last glacial cycle are underrepresented in subtropical Australia. Limited spatial and temporal palaeoenvironmental record coverage across large parts of eastern Australia contribute to uncertainty regarding the relationship between long-term climate change and palaeoecological turnover; including the extinction

A number of studies proposed a close link between the climate changes in the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), the Southern Hemisphere (SH), and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (NH). But the mechanisms is still an open question. Although speleothems δ18O records have displayed excellent values in the reconstruction of paleoclimate change at centennial - millennial to orbital timescales, the significance

Soil carbonates are important paleoclimate archives, but interpretations of their isotopic compositions (δ18O, δ13C, and Δ47) are hampered by uncertainty in the annual timing of their accumulation. Several previous studies have inferred the annual timing of soil carbonate formation by comparing modern air/soil temperatures with temperatures estimated from the clumped isotopic composition (TΔ47) of

A 67-yr-resolution δ18O profile of a230Th-dated stalagmite from Luoshui Cave, central China, is presented to refine the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) history from 336 to 290 kyr BP. The sub-stages of Marine Isotope Stage 9 (MIS 9) are clearly reflected in the Luoshui δ18O record, in line with changes in the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation (NHSI). The concurrency of eight weak monsoon intervals (WMIs)

The timing of neoglacial advances in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is not yet well constrained. Accurate temporal reconstruction of Neoglaciation in the AP is needed to better understand past glacial responses and regional and global teleconnections during the Holocene. Here, we examine all available information about neoglacial advances in the South Shetland Islands (SSI) as well as in the broader