Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Two pollen-based methods of Eemian climate reconstruction employed in the study of the Żabieniec-Jagodne palaeolakes in central Poland

Pidek, Irena Agnieszka ; Poska, Anneli LU ; Hrynowiecka, Anna ; Brzozowicz, Dorota and Żarski, Marcin (2022) In Quaternary International 632. p.21-35
Abstract

The aim of the present study was to estimate the range of climate variability in Central Poland during the Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e). High resolution pollen records are available for all seven RPAZs typical of this interglacial in Central Europe. These pollen records were used to estimate total annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, as well as the mean temperatures of the warmest and the coldest months based on the plant indicator method and the modern analogue technique. The reconstructions indicate that the combination of these two methods provides a much clearer insight into the climate changes of the Eemian optimum. The results confirmed no drastic drop in temperature in the Middle Eemian, with high total precipitation... (More)

The aim of the present study was to estimate the range of climate variability in Central Poland during the Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e). High resolution pollen records are available for all seven RPAZs typical of this interglacial in Central Europe. These pollen records were used to estimate total annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, as well as the mean temperatures of the warmest and the coldest months based on the plant indicator method and the modern analogue technique. The reconstructions indicate that the combination of these two methods provides a much clearer insight into the climate changes of the Eemian optimum. The results confirmed no drastic drop in temperature in the Middle Eemian, with high total precipitation in the hazel phase, and that this was followed by a decrease in temperature in the Late Eemian (fir-spruce and pine phases). A drop in precipitation occurred during the youngest part of the Carpinus phase, while coincided with a marked lowering of the water level in lakes and their transformation into peatbogs. The last part of the Eemian is characterized by decreasing temperature, particularly during the coldest month, rising water levels due to a combination of lower evaporation and higher air humidity, and a transition to glacial conditions. Principal Component Analysis found all investigated sites to follow the same pattern of changes. Mean winter temperature, annual temperature and precipitation were found to have a strong positive correlation with the occurrence of thermophilus temperate broadleaved trees (hazel, linden, and ash) typical for the mid-Eemian optimum. These three factors also have a negative correlation with the presence of cold tolerant boreal trees (birch and pine) and open land taxa characteristic of the beginning and end of the interglacial. Mean July temperature was found to be positively correlated with the occurrence of temperate broadleaved trees (oak, ash and elm) typical for early stages of the Eemian and negatively with that of coniferous trees (fir and spruce) characteristic for later stages of the interglacial.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Central Poland, Climate reconstruction, Eemian, Modern pollen analogues, Pollen
in
Quaternary International
volume
632
pages
21 - 35
publisher
Pergamon Press Ltd.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85117227253
ISSN
1040-6182
DOI
10.1016/j.quaint.2021.09.014
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021
id
4ec1ba4f-d1a2-44ec-b30f-0176efea7397
date added to LUP
2021-10-26 14:57:18
date last changed
2022-10-31 14:56:45
@article{4ec1ba4f-d1a2-44ec-b30f-0176efea7397,
  abstract     = {{<p>The aim of the present study was to estimate the range of climate variability in Central Poland during the Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e). High resolution pollen records are available for all seven RPAZs typical of this interglacial in Central Europe. These pollen records were used to estimate total annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, as well as the mean temperatures of the warmest and the coldest months based on the plant indicator method and the modern analogue technique. The reconstructions indicate that the combination of these two methods provides a much clearer insight into the climate changes of the Eemian optimum. The results confirmed no drastic drop in temperature in the Middle Eemian, with high total precipitation in the hazel phase, and that this was followed by a decrease in temperature in the Late Eemian (fir-spruce and pine phases). A drop in precipitation occurred during the youngest part of the Carpinus phase, while coincided with a marked lowering of the water level in lakes and their transformation into peatbogs. The last part of the Eemian is characterized by decreasing temperature, particularly during the coldest month, rising water levels due to a combination of lower evaporation and higher air humidity, and a transition to glacial conditions. Principal Component Analysis found all investigated sites to follow the same pattern of changes. Mean winter temperature, annual temperature and precipitation were found to have a strong positive correlation with the occurrence of thermophilus temperate broadleaved trees (hazel, linden, and ash) typical for the mid-Eemian optimum. These three factors also have a negative correlation with the presence of cold tolerant boreal trees (birch and pine) and open land taxa characteristic of the beginning and end of the interglacial. Mean July temperature was found to be positively correlated with the occurrence of temperate broadleaved trees (oak, ash and elm) typical for early stages of the Eemian and negatively with that of coniferous trees (fir and spruce) characteristic for later stages of the interglacial.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pidek, Irena Agnieszka and Poska, Anneli and Hrynowiecka, Anna and Brzozowicz, Dorota and Żarski, Marcin}},
  issn         = {{1040-6182}},
  keywords     = {{Central Poland; Climate reconstruction; Eemian; Modern pollen analogues; Pollen}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{21--35}},
  publisher    = {{Pergamon Press Ltd.}},
  series       = {{Quaternary International}},
  title        = {{Two pollen-based methods of Eemian climate reconstruction employed in the study of the Żabieniec-Jagodne palaeolakes in central Poland}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.09.014}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.quaint.2021.09.014}},
  volume       = {{632}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}