Holocene Vegetation, Climate, and Carbon History on Western Kodiak Island, Alaska

At Phalarope Pond, western Kodiak Island, a multidisciplinary study using pollen and spores, macrofossils, stable isotopes, and carbon accumulation provides the Holocene vegetation and climate history following the deglaciation that began over 16,000 cal years ago (yr BP). Following a cold and dry Y...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in Earth Science
Main Authors: Dorothy M. Peteet, Jonathan E. Nichols, Daniel H. Mann
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019
Subjects:
Kodiak Island
Holocene
pollen
macrofossils
isotopes
carbon sequestration
Science
Q
Kodiak
Tundra
Alaska
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00061
https://doaj.org/article/7328b4345aec4e45897b8ce1da5b3a25
Description
Summary:At Phalarope Pond, western Kodiak Island, a multidisciplinary study using pollen and spores, macrofossils, stable isotopes, and carbon accumulation provides the Holocene vegetation and climate history following the deglaciation that began over 16,000 cal years ago (yr BP). Following a cold and dry Younger Dryas, a warm and wet early Holocene was characterized by abundant ferns in a sedge tundra environment with maximum carbon accumulation, similar to high latitude peatlands globally. About 8,700 cal yr BP sedge and ferns declined and climate remained warm as drier conditions prevailed, limiting carbon sequestration. The abrupt shift in D/H isotopes of about 60% indicates a shift to cooler conditions or a more distal moisture source. Neoglaciation beginning about 3,700 cal yr BP is evident from increases in Artemisia, Empetrum and Betula, signifying cooler conditions, while Alnus declines, paralleling regional trends.

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