Late Pleistocene (MIS 3–4) climate inferred from micromammal communities and δ 18 O of rodents from Les Pradelles, France

• Published in: Quaternary Research
• Main Authors: Royer, Aurélien, Lécuyer, Christophe, Montuire, Sophie, Escarguel, Gilles, Fourel, François, Mann, Alan, Maureille, Bruno
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2013
• Subjects: Dicrostonyx torquatus; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2013.03.007; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S003358941300029X?httpAccept=text/xml; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S003358941300029X?httpAccept=text/plain; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400002295

The middle Paleolithic stratigraphic sequence of Les Pradelles (Charente, France) spans from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 until the middle of MIS 3. Micromammal remains are present in all the stratigraphic levels, offering a rare opportunity to address the questions of both environmental and climatic fluctuations throughout this period. Climate modes were studied through the taphonomy, biodiversity and oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate (δ 18 O p ) from 66 samples of rodent tooth enamel. The δ 18 O p values from the lower sedimentary levels provide summer mean air temperatures of 19 ± 2°C (level 2/1) and of 16 ± 2°C (levels 2A, 2B and 4A). Within the middle of sequence (level 4B), a paleobiodiversity change can be identified with an increase of Dicrostonyx torquatus , which is associated with the largest amplitude in δ 18 O p values and the highest maximal δ 18 O p values. At the top of the sequence (level 5-2), a biodiversity change is observed with the increase of Microtus arvalis , but without any change in δ 18 O p values. The association of cold rodent species with unexpected high and large amplitudes in the δ 18 O p values of their teeth, possibly indicative of aridity, suggests their deposition during a Heinrich event.