Late Holocene climate change in central Sweden inferred from lacustrine stable isotope data - Sofia Andersson; Gunhild Rosqvist; Melanie j. leng; Stefan Wastegård; Maarten Blaauw (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Stable isotopes (δ 18 O and δ 13 C) of lacustrine carbonates ( Chara spp. algae and Pisidium spp. molluscs) from a lake sedimentary sequence in central Sweden were analysed to infer changes in lake hydrology and climate during the late Holocene. Results from analysis of lake water isotopes (δ 18 O and δ 2 H) show that Lake Blektjärnen water isotope composition is responsive to the balance between evaporation and input water ( E / I ratio). A high E / I ratio results from a dry and probably warmer climate, decreasing the relative importance of precipitation input. Under such conditions evaporation and atmospheric equilibration probably enrich lake water in 18 O and 13 C, respectively, which is reflected in the isotopic composition of the carbonates in the lake. From the relatively positive Chara δ 18 O values we infer that conditions were dry and warm between 4400 and 4000 cal. a BP, whereas more negative values indicate that conditions were wetter and probably cooler between 4000 and 3000 cal. a BP. A drier climate is inferred from more positive values between 2500 and 1000 cal. a BP. However, a successive depletion after ca. 1750 cal. a BP, also detected in several other δ 18 O records (carbonate and diatom), suggest increasingly wetter conditions in Scandinavia after that time, which is probably related to increased strength of the zonal flow. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vegetation responses to climatic variability in the Swiss Southern Alps during the Misox event at the early–mid Holocene transition - Verushka Valsecchi; Willy Tinner (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Sedimentary pollen, charcoal and plant macrofossil analyses with high resolution and precision suggest a strong shift in vegetation composition during the early to mid‐Holocene transition in the upper mountain belt. At Piano mire (1439 m above sea level (a.s.l.), Ticino, Switzerland) forests were dominated by Abies alba during the early Holocene (prior to ca. 8000 cal. a BP). Abrupt collapses of A. alba at ca. 7800–7400 cal. a BP enabled the expansion of the light‐demanding pioneer Betula . Afterwards A. alba populations regained their previous abundance in the forests. Within the dating uncertainties of our record we assume that a unique combination of wet and cold years between 8400 and 7500 cal. a BP led to repeated lethal disadvantages for Abies . Our record of Abies oscillations is in good biostratigraphic agreement with the record that has been used to define the Misox cold event (Pian di Signano, 1540 m a.s.l.), which has been previously correlated with the 8200 cal. a BP event. Given the age estimates of the Abies collapses in our well‐dated record, our results suggest that additional efforts are needed to understand the linkage between the Misox and the 8200 cal. a BP event. They imply a high sensitivity of mountain vegetation far below the tree line (∼800 m) to Holocene climatic changes of about 2°C in annual air temperature. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Quaternary fluvial aggradation and incision in the monsoon‐dominated Alaknanda valley, Central Himalaya, Uttrakhand, India - Navin juyal; Yaspal Sundriyal; Naresh rana; Shipra chaudhary; Ashok k. Singhvi (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The present study aims to explain the spatial and temporal variability in phases of aggradation/incision in response to changes in climate and seismicity during the late Quaternary in the Alaknanda River valley (a major tributary of the river Ganges or Ganga). Geomorphology, stratigraphy and optical dating of the fluvial sediment reveal that the oldest fluvial landforms preserved in the south of the Main Central Thrust are debris flow terraces developed during the early part of pluvial Marine Isotopic Stage 3. Following this, a period of accelerated incision/erosion owing to an increase in uplift rate and more intense rainfall occurred. In the Lesser Himalaya, three phases of valley fill aggradation around 26 ± 3 ka, 18 ± 2 ka and 15 ± 1 ka and 8 ± 1 ka occurred in response to changes in monsoon intensity and sediment flux. The last phase was regionally extensive and corresponds to a strengthening of the early Holocene Indian Summer Monsoon. A gradual decline in the monsoon strength after 8 ± 1 ka resulted in reduced fluvial discharge and lower sediment transport capacity of the Alaknanda River, leading to valley fill incision and the development of terraces. The study suggests that fluvial dynamics in the Alaknanda valley were modulated by monsoon variability and the role of tectonics was subordinate, limited to providing accommodation space and post‐deposition modification of the fluvial landforms. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Beryllium‐10 surface exposure dating of glacial successions in the Central Alaska Range - Jason M. Dortch; Lewis A. Owen; Marc W. Caffee; Dewen Li; Thomas V. Lowell (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Glacial landforms and outwash terraces in the Nenana River valley, Reindeer Hills and Monahan Flat in the central Alaska Range were dated with 60 10 Be exposure ages to determine the timing of Late Pleistocene glaciation. In the Nenana River valley, glaciation occurred at 104–180 ka (Lignite Creek glaciation), ca. 55 ka (Healy glaciation), and ca. 16 ka (Carlo Creek phase); glaciers retreated in the Reindeer Hills and Monahan Flat by ca. 14 ka and ca. 13 ka, respectively. The Carlo Creek moraine is similar in age to at least six other moraines in the Alaska Range, Ahklun Mountains and Brooks Range. The new data suggest that post‐depositional geological processes limit the usefulness of 10 Be methods to the latter part (≤60 ka) of the late Quaternary in central Alaska. Ages on Healy and younger landforms cluster well, with the exception of Riley Creek moraines and Monahan Flat‐west sites, where boulders were likely affected by post‐depositional processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temperature and effective moisture variability in southern Finland during the Holocene quantified with midge‐based calibration models - Tomi P. Luoto; Seija Kultti; Liisa Nevalainen; Kaarina Sarmaja‐Korjonen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Effective moisture and temperature dynamics during the late glacial and Holocene were reconstructed from fossil midge (Diptera: Nematocera) assemblages in Lake Hirvijärvi, southern Finland. Quantitative inferences were performed using midge‐based transfer functions for water depth and mean July air temperature. The aim was to identify major trends in Holocene climate development. The results were generally consistent with patterns found in previous investigations from nearby regions and indicated some distinct differences in palaeoclimate between southern and northern Finland. The results indicate that the region was characterised by a very cold Late Pleistocene, cool and moist but drying early Holocene, warm and moist mid Holocene and cool and moist late Holocene. A progressive trend of increasing lake levels from the early Holocene towards the present was evident. The results of this study provide implications for regional differences in effective moisture between southern and northern Finland during the Holocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene flooding history of the Lower Tagus Valley (Portugal) - Geert‐Jan Vis; Sjoerd J. P. Bohncke; Heike Schneider; Cornelis Kasse; Sander Coenraads‐Nederveen; Koen Zuurbier; Jouke Rozema (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The present paper aims to reconstruct the Lower Tagus Valley flooding history for the last ca. 6500 a, to explore the suitability of pollen‐based local vegetation development in supporting the reconstruction of flooding history, and to explain fluvial activity changes in terms of allogenic (climate, human impact) and autogenic (system intrinsic) processes. The flooding history has been determined by cored sedimentary records located ∼18 km apart in distal, low‐energy backswamps on both sides of the Tagus channel. In these low‐energy backswamps, fine‐grained sediment layers deposited from suspended load of overbank flood water reflect periods with multiple overbank floods. By means of a multi‐proxy approach (sedimentology, magnetic susceptibility, grain size, loss‐on‐ignition, carbonate content and pollen), sedimentary and environmental changes were identified. At both sites, synchronous lithological intervals accumulated, suggesting a common origin for the changes in fluvial activity since ca. 6500 cal. a BP. Based on lithological changes, three phases of high fluvial activity (6500–5500, 4900–3500 and 1000–0 cal. a BP) and two phases of low fluvial activity (5500–4900 and 3500–1000 cal. a BP) were identified. Two periods with dominant allogenic controls on fluvial activity in the Lower Tagus Valley were identified: relative sea level (6500–5500 cal. a BP) and human impact (1000–0 cal. a BP). During the intermediate period, changes in fluvial activity may have been caused by climate (5500–1000 cal. BP), but unambiguous correlations are difficult to make. This is due to the way allogenic controls are translated through the fluvial system, the geomorphological differences between upstream and downstream studies and autogenic processes. The comparison of local vegetation development and flooding phases as reconstructed using sedimentology shows a limited added value of using local palynology as a proxy for fluvial activity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Can 234 U– 230 Th dating be used to date large semi‐arid tufas? Challenges from a study in the Naukluft Mountains, Namibia - Abigail E.C. Stone; Heather A. Viles; Louise Thomas; Peter Van Calsteren (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The large, extensive tufa deposits of the semi‐arid Naukluft Mountains, Namibia are potentially important palaeoenvironmental indicators in an area with few proxy records. Tufas are reliable indicators of increased moisture availability, and have been shown to be amenable to 234 U– 230 Th dating, although two challenges are detrital contamination and open‐system behaviour. Densely cemented tufa facies are good candidates for dating, minimising these problems. We report attempts to date five densely‐cemented units, which are only found rarely within the Naukluft deposits. We applied a detailed methodology using multiple subsample analysis, measurement of insoluble residues, application of ‘isochron’ mixing lines, and attempted open‐systems modelling, alongside observations of micromorphology and cathodoluminescence in order to assess the validity of any obtained dates. Surprisingly, densely cemented tufas were found not always to be suitable for dating. Two units contained detrital contamination, which could not be corrected for using a single leachate correction or ‘isochron’ methods. Two units contained ‘excess 230 Th’. This could result under a closed‐system if initial ( 234 U/ 238 U) was sufficiently high. Alternatively this may be the result of open‐system behaviour, and loss of uranium, or incorporation of initial unsupported 230 Th, which render samples unsuitable for 234 U– 230 Th dating. Micromorphological appearance and cathodoluminescence behaviour are used to explore these possibilities. This study exemplifies the need for careful sample selection, and highlights the importance of analysing multiple subsamples from any tufa sample. The detailed methodology applied proves to be a powerful tool for identifying the range of problems that can be encountered when selecting suitable candidate samples for successful dating. It also shows that semi‐arid tufa sequences may contain very little material suitable for dating. A reliable age of c 80 ka was obtained for a banded unit within a large fluvial barrage, with less reliable dates suggesting tufa deposition during times since >350 ka through to the late Holocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quaternary tephra marker beds and their potential for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction on Chatham Island, east of New Zealand, southwest Pacific Ocean - Katherine A. Holt; R. Clel Wallace; Vincent E. Neall; Barry P. Kohn; David J. Lowe (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Tephras provide one of the most reliable methods of time control and synchronisation within Quaternary sequences. We report on the identification of two widespread rhyolitic tephras – the Kawakawa and Rangitawa tephras – preserved in extensive peat deposits on Chatham Island ∼900 km east of New Zealand. The tephras, both products of supereruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone, occur as pale, fine‐ash dominated layers typically 10–150 mm thick. Mineralogically they are dominated by rhyolitic glass, together with subordinate amounts of quartz, feldspar, hypersthene, hornblende, Fe–Ti oxides and zircon. Phlogopite/biotite was identified additionally in Rangitawa Tephra. Ages for each tephra were obtained via mineralogical and major element glass composition‐based correlation with well‐dated equivalent deposits on mainland New Zealand, and we also obtained a new zircon fission‐track age for Rangitawa Tephra (350 ± 50 ka) on Chatham Island. Both tephras were erupted at critical times for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions in the New Zealand region: the Kawakawa at ca. 27 cal. ka, near the beginning of the ‘extended’ LGM early in marine isotope stage (MIS) 2; and the Rangitawa at ca. 350 ka near the end of MIS 10. The time constraints provided by the tephras demonstrate that Chatham Island peats contain long‐distance pollen derived from mainland New Zealand, which provides a reliable proxy for identifying glacial–interglacial climate conditions, in this case during the MIS 11–10 and MIS 2–1 cycles. The two tephras thus provide important chronostratigraphic tie‐points that facilitate correlation and synchronisation not only across the Quaternary deposits of the Chatham Islands group but also with climatically significant terrestrial and marine records in the wider New Zealand region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comment: Holocene palaeoceanographic changes in Barrow Strait, Canadian Arctic: foraminiferal evidence. T. R. Gregory, C. W. Smart, M. B. Hart, G. MassÉ, L. L. Vare and S. T. Belt (2010). Journal of Quaternary Science 25 : 903–910 - Mark F.A. Furze; Anna J. Pieńkowski; John H. England (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Paleolimnology - Santiago Giralt; Blas L. Valero‐Garcés (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Reconstructing Holocene palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography in Ìsafjarðardjúp, northwest Iceland, from two fjord records overprinted by relative sea‐level and local hydrographic changes - Ursula Quillmann; Anne Jennings; John Andrews (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
We reconstruct palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography of the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord system from two cores – one from the inner fjord and one near the fjord mouth – while separating the potential overprinting of relative sea‐level (RSL) and local fjord hydrographic changes on these records. The inner fjord core (B997‐339) reflects local fjord hydrography; the outer fjord core (MD99‐2266) reflects the regional oceanic signal. Glacial marine conditions ended at ca. 10 200 cal. a BP, indicated by both ice‐rafted debris records. The other proxy records show spatial and temporal variability within the fjord system. At the inner fjord site (B997‐339) foraminiferal assemblages and the δ 18 O record indicate lowered RSL between ca. 10 600 and 8900 cal. a BP and document the onset of fjord water overturning at ca. 8900 cal. a BP, which obscured the climate record. At the fjord mouth (MD99‐2266) mass accumulation rates suggest lowered RSL between ca. 10 200 and 5500 cal. a BP and local freshwater and/or reduced salinities of the Irminger Current water masses affected the δ 18 O signal between ca. 10 200 and 7900 cal. a BP. At MD99‐2266, foraminiferal fauna record the Holocene Thermal Maximum between ca. 8000 and 5700 cal. a BP and the onset of modern oceanic circulation at ca. 7000 cal. a BP. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reply to Comment: Holocene palaeoceanographic changes in Barrow Strait, Canadian Arctic: foraminiferal evidence. T. R. Gregory, C. W. Smart, M. B. Hart, G. Massé, L. L. Vare and S. T. Belt (2010). Journal of Quaternary Science 25 : 903–910 - Thomas R. Gregory; Christopher W. Smart; Malcolm B. Hart; Guillaume Massé; Lindsay L. Vare; Simon T. Belt (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Resolving the Holocene alluvial record in southeastern Australia using luminescence and radiocarbon techniques - Michael D. Cheetham; Annabelle F. Keene; Wayne D. Erskine; Richard T. Bush; Kathryn Fitzsimmons; Geraldine E. Jacobsen; Stewart J. Fallon (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A previous assessment of radiocarbon ( 14 C) dates from alluvial units in southeastern Australia revealed a gap in the geochronological record that coincides with the Holocene climatic optimum. This gap in the alluvial record can be further refined using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The chronology of Holocene river terraces on Widden Brook, a sandy alluvial stream in southeastern Australia, was established using 14 C and OSL techniques. Combined use of these independent techniques allows for a more rigorous assessment of the alluvial record. The robust chronology, consisting of 38 14 C and 11 OSL samples, permitted identification of significant depositional variation within the catchment, resulting from localised geomorphic processes. The three terrace sequences identified yielded distinct chronologies, suggesting alluvial deposition at different times. The sequences exhibited a continuous chronology, which indicated continuous deposition throughout the Holocene. The chronology of terrace sequences within this catchment suggests that terrace formation can be attributed to localised geomorphic processes rather than climatic forcing. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Did the Indo‐Asian summer monsoon decrease during the Holocene following insolation? - Manish Tiwari; Rengaswamy Ramesh; Ravi Bhushan; Madavalm S. Sheshshayee; Bammidipati L. K. Somayajulu; A. J. Timothy Jull; George S. Burr (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A few studies from the western Arabian Sea indicate that the Indian summer (or southwest) monsoon (ISM), after attaining its maximum intensity at ca. 9 ka, declined during the Holocene, as did insolation. In contrast, earlier and later observations from both the eastern and the western Arabian Sea do not support this inference. Analysis of multiple proxies of productivity in a new sediment core from the western Arabian Sea fails to confirm the earlier, single‐proxy (e.g. abundance of Globigerina bulloides ) based, inference of the Holocene weakening of ISM, following insolation. The reason for the observed decreasing trend in foraminiferal abundance – the basis for the earlier inference – could be the favouring of silicate rather than carbonate productivity by the increased ISM wind strength. Although ISM exhibits several multi‐millennial scale fluctuations, there is no evidence from several multi‐proxy data to conclude that it declined during the Holocene; this is consistent with the phase lag analysis of longer time series of monsoon proxies. Thus, on sub‐Milankovitch timescales, ISM did not follow insolation, highlighting the importance of internal feedbacks. A comparison with East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) records suggests that both ISM and EASM varied in unison, implying common forcing factors on such longer timescales. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Formation of the Upper Pleistocene terraces of Lake Van (Turkey) - Catherine Kuzucuoğlu; Aurélien Christol; Damase Mouralis; Ali‐Fuat Doğu; Ebru Akköprü; Monique Fort; Daniel Brunstein; Halil Zorer; Michel Fontugne; Mustafa Karabiyikoğlu; Stéphane Scaillet; Jean‐Louis Reyss; et al. (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Sedimentological and geomorphological studies of terraces around Lake Van (1647 m) provided a preliminary framework for lake‐level variations. The elevations of terraces and past lake level were measured with a differential global positioning system. A chronology is developed using 234 U/ 230 Th dating of travertines, 39 Ar/ 40 Ar dating of pyroclastites and 14 C dating of organic matter. Facies and stratigraphic correlations identify four transgressions (C1′, C1″, C2′ and C2″), each followed by a regression which ended with low lake levels that caused river incision and terrace formation. Evidence of the oldest transgression (C1′) is found in the uppermost reaches of valleys up to 1755 m, an altitude higher than the present lake threshold (1736 m). This C1′ transgression may be related to pyroclastic flows which dammed an outlet located in the western part of the lake basin and which is dated to before 105 ka. After 100 ka, a second transgression (C1″) reached 1730/1735 m, possibly related to a younger ignimbrite flow, in association with high water inflow (warm and/or wetter conditions). The two younger transgressions reached 1700–1705 m. The first one (C2′) is dated to 26–24.5 cal. ka BP and the second one (C2″) to 21–20 cal. ka BP. Available data suggest that the long‐term lake‐level changes responded mainly to climate oscillations. Additional events such as river captures caused by volcanic falls filling valleys, tectonism, erosion and karstic diversion may have impacted these long‐term lake‐level changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Geochemical evidence (C, N and Pb isotopes) of recent anthropogenic impact in south‐central Chile from two environmentally distinct lake sediment records - Nathalie Fagel; Sebastien Bertrand; Nadine Mattielli; Delphine Gilson; Luis Chirinos; Gilles Lepoint; Roberto Urrutia (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
In this paper, we compare the elemental and isotopic (C, N, Pb) geochemistry of lake sediments from two contrasted environments in south‐central Chile. The first lake, Laguna Chica de San Pedro (LCSP), is situated in the urbanised area of the Biobio Region (36°S). The second lake, Lago Puyehue (40° S), is located 400 km to the southeast of LCSP and within an Andean national park. Our aim is to identify environmental impacts associated with increasing industrial activities and land degradation during the last 150 a. In LCSP, shifts in C/N atomic ratios, δ 13 C and δ 15 N from 1915–1937 to the late 1980s are attributed to successive land degradation episodes in the lake watershed. Based on a Pb isotopic mixing model, we estimate that up to 20% of lead in LCSP sediments is supplied from urban atmospheric pollution. By contrast, human impact in the watershed of Lago Puyehue is very limited. We observe no change in organic geochemistry during the last 150 a and lead contamination remains lower than 5%, even during the last decades. Although contamination levels are much higher in LCSP than in Lago Puyehue, a peak in anthropogenic Pb is recorded during the same period (1974–1976) at both sites. This maximum contamination level is consistent with increased industrial activity in the vicinity of Concepción. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tephrochronology of recent events in the Andean Range (northern Patagonia): spatial distribution and provenance of lacustrine ash layers in the Nahuel Huapi National Park - Romina Daga; Sergio Ribeiro Guevara; M. Lidia Sánchez; María Arribére (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Tephrochronology is a powerful tool for dating sedimentary sequences, especially in Patagonia, where a large number of active volcanoes have produced frequent historical eruptions. Short lacustrine sedimentary sequences were extracted from the lakes Moreno Oeste and Tonček (Nahuel Huapi National Park). Seventeen volcanic ash layers were identified in both cores, 210 Pb and 137 Cs were used for dating techniques, and historical volcanic records were employed for correlation. White pumice and glass shards from the tephras were characterised by measuring major and trace element contents by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Two volcanic sources – the Cordón Caulle and the Calbuco volcanoes – were recognised as the prevailing systems that impacted the area in the past 800–1000 a. The Calbuco volcano was mainly responsible for the nine tephras identified in the Lake Tonček sequence. Four of these nine tephras also contained material from the Cordón Caulle complex, and could be interpreted as composite tephras or possible reworked ones. The Calbuco volcano showed predominant influences in the Lake Moreno Oeste sequence. Six of the eight tephras identified in such a sequence were from the Calbuco volcano, and three of these six contained material from the Cordón Caulle complex. The other two were from the Cordón Caulle complex, with contributions from the Calbuco volcano in one of them. These findings show that the high frequency of volcanic events in the study region demands an accurate characterisation of the products generated by each source, as well as an evaluation of their spatial distribution, to obtain a consistent framework for dating recent environmental changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

New evidence on the sequence of deglacial warming in the tropical Indian Ocean - P. Divakar Naidu; Pawan Govil (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The transition from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene was an internal of climate variability that was characterised by large spatial and temporal variations. Here we show that deglaciation warming in the northern Indian Ocean was initiated ca. 19 ka, which is contemporary with deglaciation warming in the Antarctica and Southern Ocean. A gradual warming occurred during the glacial/Holocene transition in the northern Indian Ocean, unlike the two‐step warming seen in Greenland and the North Atlantic. Synchronous deglacial warming ca. 19 ka in Antarctica and the northern Indian Ocean suggests a strong connection in the propagation of climate signals between Antarctica and the Indian Ocean, probably through the Indonesian Throughflow and/or Subantarctic Mode Water. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identification of arid phases during the last 50 cal. ka BP from the Fuentillejo maar‐lacustrine record (Campo de Calatrava Volcanic Field, Spain) - Juana Vegas; Blanca Ruiz‐Zapata; José E. Ortiz; Luis Galán; Trinidad Torres; Ángel García‐Cortés; María J. Gil‐García; Alfredo Pérez‐González; José L. Gallardo‐Millán (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Geochemical (element analysis, molecular analysis of organic compounds), physical, palynological, mineralogical and sedimentary facies analysis were performed to characterise the sedimentary record in Fuentillejo maar‐lake in the Central Spanish Volcanic Field of Campo de Calatrava, in order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic processes which controlled vegetation patterns and deposition of different sedimentary facies. The upper 20 m of core FUENT‐1 show variations in clastic input, water chemistry, vegetation and organic fraction sources in the lake throughout the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. The temporal framework provided by 14 C accelerator mass spectrometry dating allows assigning the sequence to the last 50 cal. ka BP. Arid phases identified in the FUENT‐1 sequence are correlated to Heinrich events (HE) and to stadials of the Dansgaard/Oeschger (D/O) cycles. Siliciclastic facies with high magnetic susceptibility values, high Juniperus pollen content, a low Paq index (aquatic macrophysics proxy index), a decrease in the relative percentage of the n ‐C 27 and an increase in the n ‐C 31 alkanes are indicative of arid and colder climatic events related to HE 2, HE 1 and the Younger Dryas (YD). Similar short cold and arid phases during the Holocene were identified at 9.2–8.6, 7.5–7 and 5.5–5 cal. ka BP. In dolomite–mud facies, the pollen data show an increase in the herbs component, mainly – Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia and Ephedra – steppe taxa; a low Paq index, a decrease in the relative percentage of the n ‐C 27 alkane and an increase in the n ‐C 31 alkane are also observed. This facies was probably the result of lower lake levels and more saline–alkaline conditions, which can be interpreted as linked to arid–warm periods. These warm and arid phases were more frequent during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the interstadials of MIS 2. HE 4, HE 2, HE 1 and the YD in core FUENT‐1 were immediately followed by increases of warm steppe pollen assemblages that document rapid warming similar to the D/O cycles but do not imply increasing humidity in the area. Fuentillejo hydrology is controlled by changes in the atmospheric and oceanic systems that operated on the North Atlantic region at millennial scale during the last 50 cal. ka BP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lake‐level changes in central Patagonia (Argentina): crossing environmental thresholds for Lateglacial and Holocene human occupation - Daniel Ariztegui; Adrian Gilli; Flavio S. Anselmetti; Rafael A. Goñi; Juan B. Belardi; Silvana Espinosa (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The role and extent of climate as a cause of the expansion and decline of human cultures is still debatable. It is clear, however, that human–environment interactions are enhanced and interplay more closely in climatically sensitive areas such as around hydrologically closed basins. Lago Cardiel is located at 49° S in the very arid rain shadow east of the Andes, providing an exceptionally receptive system to changes in hydrological balance. Results of a geophysical survey combined with sedimentological and geochemical studies provide a continuous Lateglacial–Holocene record of substantial water‐level changes. These variations, combined with archaeological results from the catchment area, offer a unique possibility to explore the pattern of peopling within this remote area of the globe and its possible relation to climate change. Human occupation in Patagonia is well documented towards the Andes throughout the entire Holocene. Archaeological data from the Lago Cardiel basin, however, show an apparent lack of human activity during the first part of this period, which coincides with well‐constrained high lake levels. Our results show an intriguing coincidence between low lake level and increasing human occupation, suggesting that the Lago Cardiel basin has focused human use during intervals with relatively lower effective moisture such as during the Late Pleistocene, but its evidence may have been submerged. This interpretation is confirmed by archaeological remains from Lago Strobel, another perennial lake with a comparable catchment located in the same climatic region and thus sharing the same climatic history as Lago Cardiel. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The last deglaciation in the Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain) - Ana Moreno; Blas L. Valero‐Garcés; Montserrat Jiménez‐Sánchez; María José Domínguez‐Cuesta; M. Pilar Mata; Ana Navas; Penélope González‐Sampériz; Heather Stoll; Pedro Farias; Mario Morellón; J. Pablo Corella; Mayte Rico (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A sedimentological and geochemical study of the Lago Enol sequence (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain), together with detailed geomorphological mapping, provides a first record of glacier evolution and climate change over the last 40 ka in the Picos de Europa National Park. The Enol glacier retreated from its maximum extent prior to 40 ka BP as demonstrated by the onset of proglacial lacustrine sedimentation in two glaciated depressions: the Comella hollow to the north (before 40 ka BP) and the Lago Enol (before 38 ka BP). These results support previous evidence that the maximum extent of southern European glaciers occurred earlier than in northern Europe. Alternation of homogeneous and laminated proglacial sediments during the glacier retreat illustrate a dynamic glacial evolution during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (40–26 ka BP). A slight warming is detected at 26 ka ago with the change from proglacial sediments (in a lake located in contact to the glacier) to glaciolacustrine sedimentation (in a non‐contact or distal lake). Finally, the onset of organic‐rich sediments took place at 18 ka ago. This last transition occurred in two phases, similarly to the North Atlantic Last Termination, suggesting a link between North Atlantic Deep Water formation oscillations and palaeohydrological variability in the Cantabrian Mountains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene climatic fluctuations and positioning of the Southern Hemisphere westerlies in Tierra del Fuego (54° S), Patagonia - Nicolas Waldmann; Daniel Ariztegui; Flavio S. Anselmetti; James A. Austin; Christopher M. Moy; Charles Stern; Cristina Recasens; Robert B. Dunbar (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Recent advances in the chronology and the palaeoclimatic understanding of Antarctic ice core records point towards a larger heterogeneity of latitudinal climate fluctuations than previously thought. Thus, realistic palaeoclimate reconstructions rely in the development of a tight array of well‐constrained records with a dense latitudinal coverage. Climatic records from southernmost South America are critical cornerstones to link these Antarctic palaeoclimatic archives with their South American counterparts. At 54° S on the Island of Tierra del Fuego, Lago Fagnano is located in one of the most substantially and extensively glaciated regions of southernmost South America during the Late Pleistocene. This elongated lake is the largest (∼110 km long) and non‐ice covered lake at high southern latitudes. A multi‐proxy study of selected cores allows the characterisation of a Holocene sedimentary record. Detailed petrophysical, sedimentological and geochemical studies of a complete lacustrine laminated sequence reveal variations in major and trace elements, as well as organic content, suggesting high variability in environmental conditions. Comparison of these results with other regional records allows the identification of major known late Holocene climatic intervals and the proposal for a time for the onset of the Southern Westerlies in Tierra del Fuego. These results improve our understanding of the forcing mechanisms behind climate change in southernmost Patagonia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reply: Were last glacial climate events simultaneous between Greenland and France? A quantitative comparison using non‐tuned chronologies - Maarten Blaauw; Barbara Wohlfarth (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Indian summer monsoon during the last two millennia - David M. Anderson; Corinne K. Baulcomb; Alice K. Duvivier; Anil K. Gupta (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The monsoon is a large‐scale feature of the tropical atmospheric circulation, affecting people and economies in the world's most densely populated regions. Future trends due to natural variability and human‐induced climate changes are uncertain. Palaeoclimate records can improve our understanding of monsoon dynamics and thereby reduce this uncertainty. Palaeoclimate records have revealed a dramatic decrease in the Asian summer monsoon since the early Holocene maximum 9 ka BP. Here we focus on the last 2 ka, where some records indicate an increasing trend in the summer monsoon. Analysing Globigerina bulloides upwelling records from the Arabian Sea, we find the weakest monsoon occurred 1500 a BP, with an increasing trend towards the present. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 40 ka record of temperature and permafrost conditions in northwestern Europe from noble gases in the Ledo‐Paniselian Aquifer (Belgium) - Petra Corinne Blaser; Rolf Kipfer; Heinz Hugo Loosli; Kristine Walraevens; Marc van Camp; Werner Aeschbach‐Hertig (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The Ledo‐Paniselian Aquifer in Belgium offers unique opportunities to study periglacial groundwater recharge during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), as it was located close to the southern boundary of the ice sheets at that time. Groundwater residence times determined by 14 C and 4 He reveal a sequence of Holocene and Pleistocene groundwaters and a gap between about 14 and 21 ka, indicating permafrost conditions which inhibited groundwater recharge. In this paper, a dataset of noble gas measurements is used to study the climatic evolution of the region. The derived recharge temperatures indicate that soil temperatures in the periods just before and after the recharge gap were only slightly above freezing, supporting the hypothesis that permafrost caused the recharge gap. The inferred glacial cooling of 9.5°C is the largest found so far by the noble gas method. Yet, compared to other palaeoclimate reconstructions for the region, recharge temperatures deduced from noble gases for the cold periods tend to be rather high. Most likely, this is due to soil temperatures being several degrees higher than air temperatures during periods with extended snow cover. Thus the noble‐gas‐derived glacial cooling of 9.5°C is only a lower limit of the maximum cooling during the LGM. Some samples younger than the recharge gap are affected by degassing, possibly related to gas production during recharge in part of the recharge area, especially during times of melting permafrost. The findings of this study, such as the occurrence of a recharge gap and degassing related to permafrost and its melting, are significant for groundwater dynamics and geochemistry in periglacial areas. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comment: Were last glacial climate events simultaneous between Greenland and France? A quantitative comparison using non‐tuned chronologies. M. Blaauw, B. Wohlfarth, J. A. Christen, L. Ampel, D. Veres, K. Hughen, F. Preusser and A. Svensson (2009) - William E. N. Austin; Peter M. Abbott (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Ice stream influence on West Greenland Ice Sheet dynamics during the Last Glacial Maximum - David H. Roberts; Antony J. Long; Bethan J. Davies; Matthew J. R. Simpson; Christoph Schnabel (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This paper investigates the processes governing bedrock bedform evolution in ice sheet and ice stream areas in central West Greenland, and explores the evidence for a cross‐shelf ice stream at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). To the east of Sisimiut the formation of streamlined bedforms with high elongation ratios and high bedform density has been controlled by geological structure and topography in slow‐flowing ice sheet areas. At the coast, the effects of regional flow convergence, caused by coastal fjord orientation, routed ice into the Sisimiut/Itilleq area where it formed an ice stream onset zone. This funnelled ice into an offshore trough (Holsteinsborg Dyb), resulting in a southwesterly regional ice flow direction and the formation of a topographically routed ice stream (Holsteinsborg Isbrae). To the south of this, striae and bedform evidence show that local valley glaciers initially flowed east to west across the coast, but were later redirected by the Itilleq Fjord ice which turned southwestward due to diffluent flow and deflection by Holsteinsborg Isbrae. Roches moutonnées in this area have low elongation ratios and high bedform density, but do not provide unequivocal support for ice streaming, as they are a product of both bedrock structure and changes in ice flow direction, rather than enhanced flow velocities. Cosmogenic surface exposure ages limit maximum ice sheet surface elevation to ca. 755–810 m above sea level in this region. Such ice thickness enabled Holsteinsborg Isbrae to reach the mid/outer continental shelf during the LGM, and to contribute to the formation of a trough mouth fan and the Outer Hellefisk moraines. Initial deglaciation across this region was driven by rising sea level and increasing air temperatures prior to the Bølling Interstadial at ca. 14.5 cal. ka BP. Between 12 and 10 cal. ka BP both increased air and ocean temperatures post the Younger Dryas, and peak sea‐level rise up to the marine limit, caused accelerated thinning and marginal retreat through calving, although dating evidence suggests ice streams remained along the inner shelf/coast boundary until at least ca. 10 cal. ka BP, their longevity maintained by increased ice thickness and ice discharge. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 15 000‐year record of climate change in northern New Mexico, USA, inferred from isotopic and elemental contents of bog sediments - Luz M. Cisneros‐Dozal; Jeffrey M. Heikoop; Julianna Fessenden; R. Scott Anderson; Philip A. Meyers; Craig D. Allen; Marcey Hess; Toti Larson; George Perkins; Michael Rearick (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Elemental (C, N, Pb) and isotopic ( δ 13 C, δ 15 N) measurements of cored sediment from a small bog in northern New Mexico reveal changes in climate during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Abrupt increases in Pb concentration and δ 13 C values ca. 14 420 cal. YBP indicate significant runoff to the shallow lake that existed at that time. Weathering and transport of local volcanic rocks resulted in the delivery of Pb‐bearing minerals to the basin, while a 13 C‐enriched terrestrial vegetation source increased the δ 13 C values of the sedimentary material. Wet conditions developed over a 300 a period and lasted for a few hundred years. The Younger Dryas period (ca. 12 700–11 500 cal. YBP) caused a reduction in terrestrial productivity reflected in decreasing C/N values, δ 15 N values consistently greater than 0‰ and low organic content. By contrast, aquatic productivity increased during the second half of this period, evidenced by increasing δ 13 C values at the time of highest abundance of algae. Dry conditions ca. 8 000–6 000 cal. YBP were characterised by low organic carbon content and high Pb concentrations, the latter suggesting enhanced erosion and aeolian transport of volcanic rock. The range in δ 13 C, δ 15 N and C/N values in the sedimentary record fall within the range of modern plants, except during the periods of runoff and drought. The sedimentary record provides evidence of natural climate variability in northern New Mexico, including short‐ (multi‐centennial) and long‐(millennial) term episodes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Timing and style of Late Pleistocene glaciation in the Queer Shan, northern Hengduan Mountains in the eastern Tibetan Plateau - Liubing Xu; Xianjiao Ou; Zhongping Lai; Shangzhe Zhou; Jie Wang; Yingchun Fu (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Glacial landforms and sediments provide evidence for the existence of two Late Pleistocene major glacial advances in the Queer Shan, northern Hengduan Mountains in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. In the current study, optically stimulated luminescence and electron spin resonance dating results reveal that the two glacial advances occurred during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in MIS 2, respectively. Geomorphic evidence shows that the glacial advance during MIS 3 was more extensive than that in MIS 2. This glacial advance is synchronous with other glaciated areas in the Himalaya and Tibet, but contrasts with global ice volumes that reached their maximum extent during the LGM. Glaciers in the Queer Shan are of the summer accumulation type and are mainly fed by precipitation from the south Asian monsoon. Palaeoclimate proxies show that during MIS 3 the south Asian monsoon strengthened and extended further north into the Tibetan Plateau to supply more precipitation as snow at high altitudes. This in turn led to positive glacier mass balances and caused glaciers to advance. However, during the LGM, despite cooler temperature than in MIS 3, the weakened south Asian monsoon and the associated reduced precipitation were not as favourable for glacier expansion as in MIS 3. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High‐resolution diatom δ 18 O records, from the last 150 years, reflecting changes in amount of winter precipitation in two sub‐Arctic high‐altitude lakes in the Swedish Scandes - Christina E. Jonsson; Gunhild C. Rosqvist; Melanie J. Leng; Christian Bigler; Jonas Bergman; Päivi Kaislahti Tillman; Hilary J. Sloane (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Waters from high‐altitude alpine lakes are mainly recharged by meteoric water. Because of seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature and relatively short hydraulic residence times, most high‐altitude lakes have lake water isotopic compositions ( δ 18 O lake ) that fluctuate due to seasonality in water balance processes. Input from snowmelt, in particular, has a significant role in determining lake water δ 18 O. Here we compare two high‐resolution δ 18 O diatom records from lake sediments in the Swedish Scandes with instrumental data from the last century obtained from nearby meteorological stations. The time period AD 1900–1990 is characterised by an increase in winter precipitation and high winter/summer precipitation ratios and this is recorded in δ 18 O diatom as decreasing trends. Lowest δ 18 O diatom values and highest amount of winter precipitation are found around AD 1990 when the winter North Atlantic Oscillation index was above +2. We conclude that for the last 150 a the main factor affecting the δ 18 O diatom signal in these sub‐Arctic high‐altitude lakes with short residence times has been changes in amount of winter precipitation and that δ 18 O diatom derived from high‐altitude lakes in the Swedish Scandes can be used as a winter precipitation proxy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A record of Holocene environmental and ecological changes from Wildwood Lake, Long Island, New York - W. Wyatt Oswald; David R. Foster; Elaine D. Doughty; Dana Macdonald (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Analyses of pollen, charcoal and organic content in a lake sediment core from Wildwood Lake, Long Island, New York, provide insights into the ecological and environmental history of this region. The early Holocene interval of the record (ca. 9800–8800 cal. a BP) indicates the presence of Pinus rigida – Quercus ilicifolia woodlands with high fire activity. A layer of sandy sediment dating to 9200 cal. a BP may reflect a brief period of reduced water depth, consistent with widespread evidence for cold, dry conditions at that time. Two other sandy layers, bracketed by 14 C dates, represent a sedimentary hiatus from ca. 8800 to 4500 cal. a BP. This discontinuity may reflect the removal of some sediment during brief periods of reduced water depth at 5300 and 4600 cal. a BP. In the upper portion of the record ( Quercus – Fagus – Carya forests and increasing abundance of Pinus rigida , perhaps due to reduced summer precipitation. Elevated percentages of herbaceous taxa in the uppermost sediments represent European agricultural activities. However, unlike charcoal records from southern New England, fire activity does not increase dramatically with European settlement. These findings indicate that present‐day Pinus rigida – Quercus ilicifolia woodlands on eastern Long Island are not a legacy of recent, anthropogenic disturbances. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene laminated sediments from the southern Gulf of California: geochemical, mineral magnetic and microfossil study - Ligia Pérez‐Cruz; Jaime Urrutia‐Fucugauchi (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Geochemical, magnetic mineral analyses and microfossils (radiolarians) are used to characterise a Holocene laminated sequence from the Alfonso Basin, northern Bay of La Paz, southern Gulf of California. In most cases, dark and light laminae show similar bulk chemical compositions and magnetic mineral properties. However, dark laminae contain relatively more terrigenous elements (Al, Si, Fe, K and Mg) supporting a pluvial origin related to the volcanic siliceous tuffs around the Bay of La Paz. In light laminae, calcium content is higher, representing biogenic input. The magnetic signal is dominated by low coercivity, fine‐grained low‐titanium titanomagnetites and magnetite. Hysteresis ratio parameters in domain state plots show that samples fall in the pseudo‐single domain field, indicating mixtures of single‐ and multi‐domain particles. Variations in hysteresis saturation magnetisation parameters for dark and light laminae reflect changes in relative mineral concentration. Results indicate a dominant volcanic source for magnetic minerals into the basin, associated with variable pluvial and/or aeolian transport. Low radiolarian abundance in dark laminae seems to be associated with larger penetration and longer residence time of oligotrophic subtropical waters into the bay that occurred during El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. Light laminae are the result of episodic pulses of high productivity. We suggest that dark/light laminae result from oceanographic and climatic cyclic processes, with main terrigenous input variation possibly associated with ENSO forcing of pluvial influx, and/or latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The laminated sequence of the Alfonso Basin formed a non‐annual depositional system, in contrast to the varved sediments characteristic of the central Gulf of California basins. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The position and context of Middle Palaeolithic industries from the Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, UK - Beccy Scott; Nick Ashton; Kirsty E. H. Penkman; Richard C. Preece; Mark White (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The late Middle Pleistocene sites in the Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, UK, have yielded archaeological assemblages critical to understanding the early Middle Palaeolithic of northwestern Europe. Despite a long history of research, the nature and context of these assemblages are still poorly understood. This paper clarifies the stratigraphic, environmental and archaeological records at Ebbsfleet. These reflect a cold–warm–cold sequence of climatic events, preserved within part of the Taplow/Mucking Formation of the Thames (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8/7/6). Levallois artefacts are shown to be restricted to the lower part of the Ebbsfleet Channel sequence (Phases I and II) and are assigned to late MIS 8/early MIS 7. This material is associated with fauna indicative of open environments during both cool and temperate conditions. Handaxe assemblages are recorded from higher up the sequence (Phases III–V), but have been redeposited from higher terrace units nearby. No primary context archaeology is apparent during these later phases of aggradation. This may indicate that humans abandoned the site once available raw material became inaccessible, and may also reflect a decline in human presence in Britain during the latter part of MIS 7. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Early Holocene climate change and human occupation along the semiarid coast of north‐central Chile - Antonio Maldonado; Cesar Méndez; Paula Ugalde; Donald Jackson; Roxana Seguel; Claudio Latorre (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The brief, terminal Pleistocene archaeological site at Santa Julia (SJ, 31° 50′ S; 71° 45′ W) is the only one with fluted projectile preforms and megafauna consumption known from the Chilean semiarid coastline. Here, we present the climatic history at SJ during the early Holocene reconstructed from pollen and charcoal analyses spanning 13.2–8.6 ka (=10 3 calibrated 14 C yr BP). Elevated charcoal concentrations confirm human activity by 13.2 ka. Human occupation decreased in intensity and charcoal practically disappears from the record after 10.6 ka, followed by wetland expansion at SJ between 10.5 and 9.5 ka. Local dominance of coastal shrubland reveals that dry phases occurred between >11.2–10.5 and 9.5–9.0 ka. Overall, these findings imply that by modulating available resources at both local and landscape levels climate change may have played an important role in explaining the peopling of semiarid coastal Chile. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tracing growing degree‐day changes in the cuticle morphology of Betula nana leaves: a new micro‐phenological palaeo‐proxy - Friederike Wagner‐Cremer; Walter Finsinger; Anders Moberg (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Changing growing‐season properties in the northern latitudes are among the most obvious consequences of ongoing global change. Available techniques including satellite monitoring and phenological observations enable the detection of changes over the last few decades to centuries, but the full range of natural variability is still difficult to capture. Here we introduce a new approach to reconstruct growing season properties, by studying imprints of prolonged growing season on epidermal cell growth in Betula nana . A high correlation between cell expansion determined in annually collected B. nana leaves and subfossil leaf fragments collected from recent peat sections in northern Scandinavia, and climatic indices such as budburst date, growing‐season degree‐days and May–September mean temperatures, enable the establishment of a new micro‐phenological proxy for growing season characteristics. The applicability of the epidermal cell undulation index (UI) is tested by comparison with historical instrumental records of growing‐season degree‐days for the last 200 a. The results demonstrate the potential of the new leaf‐morphology‐based technique to reconstruct and quantify past changes in growing degree‐days beyond instrumental data series. Applied to abundant B. nana leaf remains from peat and lake sediments, the UI may enable a reconstruction of growing degree‐days throughout the Holocene and other parts of the late Quaternary. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Climatic implications of cirque distribution in the Romanian Carpathians: palaeowind directions during glacial periods - Marcel Mîndrescu; Ian S. Evans; Nicholas J. Cox (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The many glacial cirques in the mountains of Romania indicate the distribution of former glacier sources, related to former climates as well as to topography. In the Transylvanian Alps (Southern Carpathians) cirque floors rise eastward at 0.714 m km −1 , and cirque aspects tend ENE, confirming the importance of winds from some westerly direction. There is a contrast between two neighbouring ranges: the Făgăraş, where the favoured aspect of cirques is ENE, and the Iezer, where the tendency is stronger and to NNE. This can be explained by the Iezer Mountains being sheltered by the Făgăraş, which implies precipitation‐bearing winds from north of west at times of mountain glaciation. Palaeoglaciation levels also suggest winds from north of west, which is consistent with aeolian evidence from Pleistocene dunes, yardangs and loess features in the plains of Hungary and southwestern Romania. In northern Romania (including Ukrainian Maramureş) the influence of west winds was important, but sufficient only to give a northeastward tendency in cirque aspects. This gave stronger asymmetry than in the Transylvanian Alps, as the northward (solar radiation incidence) tendency in these marginally glaciated mountains was less diluted by wind effects. Cirque floors in northern Romania are lower also in northeast‐facing cirques. In general, cirque aspects result from several factors and the mean tendency is not downwind, but is displaced from poleward by wind and by minor effects. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Does the Agulhas Current amplify global temperatures during super‐interglacials? - Chris S.M. Turney; Richard T. Jones (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Future projections of climate suggest our planet is moving into a ‘super‐interglacial’. Here we report a global synthesis of ice, marine and terrestrial data from a recent palaeoclimate equivalent, the Last Interglacial (ca. 130–116 ka ago). Our analysis suggests global temperatures were on average ∼1.5°C higher than today (relative to the AD 1961–1990 period). Intriguingly, we identify several Indian Ocean Last Interglacial sequences that suggest persistent early warming, consistent with leakage of warm, saline waters from the Agulhas Current into the Atlantic, intensifying meridional ocean circulation and increasing global temperatures. This mechanism may have played a significant positive feedback role during super‐interglacials and could become increasingly important in the future. These results provide an important insight into a future 2°C climate stabilisation scenario. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dating of raised marine and lacustrine deposits in east Greenland using beryllium‐10 depth profiles and implications for estimates of subglacial erosion - Brent M. Goehring; Meredith A. Kelly; Joerg M. Schaefer; Robert C. Finkel; Thomas V. Lowell (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Here we combine 10 Be depth profile techniques applied to late glacial ice‐contact marine and lacustrine deltas, as well as boulder exposure dating of associated features in the Scoresby Sound region, east Greenland, to determine both the surface age and the magnitude of cosmogenic nuclide inheritance. Boulder ages from an ice‐contact delta in northern Scoresby Sund show scatter typical of polar regions and yield an average age of 12.8 ± 0.5 ka – about 2 ka older than both our average profile surface age of 10.9 ± 0.7 ka from three depth profiles and a radiocarbon‐based estimate. On the other hand, boulder exposure ages from a set of moraines in southern Scoresby Sund show excellent internal consistency for polar regions and yield an average age of 11.6 ± 0.2 ka. The profile surface age from a corresponding ice‐contact delta is 8.1 ± 0.9 ka, while a second delta yields an age of 10.0 ± 0.4 ka. Measured 10 Be inheritance concentrations from all depth profiles are internally consistent and are between 10% and 20% of the surface concentrations, suggesting a regional cosmogenic inheritance signal for the Scoresby Sound landscape. Based on the profile inheritance concentrations, we explore the first‐order catchment‐averaged bedrock erosion under the Greenland ice sheet, yielding estimates of total erosion during the last glacial cycle of the order of 2–30 m. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hunter‐gatherer response to late Holocene climatic variability in northern and central Australia - Alan N. Williams; Sean Ulm; Ian D. Goodwin; Mike Smith (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Sum probability analysis of 1275 radiometric ages from 608 archaeological sites across northern and central Australia demonstrates a changing archaeological signature that can be closely correlated with climate variability over the last 2 ka. Results reveal a marked increase in archaeological records across northern and central Australia over the last 2 ka, with notable declines in western and northern Australia between ca. AD 700 and 1000 and post‐AD 1500 – two periods broadly coeval with the Medieval Climatic Anomaly and the Little Ice Age as they have been documented in the Asia–Pacific region. Latitudinal and longitudinal analysis of the dataset suggests the increase in archaeological footprint was continent wide, while the declines were greatest from 9 to 20° S, 110 to 135° E and 143 to 150° E. The change in the archaeological data suggests that, combined with an increase in population over the late Holocene, a disruption or reorganisation of pre‐European resource systems occurred across Australia between ca. AD 700 and 1000 and post‐AD 1500. These archaeological responses can be broadly correlated with transitions of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) mean state on a multi‐decadal to centennial timescale. The latter involve a shift towards the La Niña‐like mean state with wetter conditions in the Australian region between AD 700 and 1150. A transition period in ENSO mean state occurred across Australia during AD 1150–1300, with persistent El Niño‐like and drier conditions to ca. AD 1500, and increasing ENSO variability post‐AD 1500 to the present. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene palaeoceanographic changes in Barrow Strait, Canadian Arctic: foraminiferal evidence - Thomas R. Gregory; Christopher W. Smart; Malcolm B. Hart; Guillaume Massé; Lindsay L. Vare; Simon T. Belt (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Holocene changes in the benthic and planktic foraminiferal fauna (>63 µm) from a marine sediment core (ARC‐3 Canadian Arctic Archipelago, 74° 16.050′ N, 91° 06.380′ W, water depth 347 m) show that significant environmental and palaeoceanographic variations occurred during the last 10 ka. Foraminiferal assemblages are restricted to the ca. 4.5–10 ka interval as younger samples are mostly barren of foraminifera due to intense carbonate dissolution after ca. 4.5 ka. Foraminiferal assemblages in the ca. 4.5–10 ka interval are dominated by the benthic species Islandiella helenae and Cassidulina reniforme (57% of total), with Elphidium clavatum , Cibicides lobatulus and Buccella frigida also being common in this interval. The dominance of these species indicates a seasonal sea ice regime which is consistent with the occurrence of the sea ice diatom‐derived organic geochemical biomarker IP 25 throughout the core. The abundances of C. reniforme and E. clavatum decline upcore; consistent with more frequent mixing of the Barrow Strait water column during the early Holocene. It is likely that the influence of CO 2 ‐rich Arctic surface water masses have caused an increase in bottom water corrosivity after ca. 8.5 ka, and dissolution has been further enhanced by sea ice‐related processes after ca. 6 ka, concomitant with increased IP 25 fluxes. Dissolution is strongest when IP 25 fluxes are highest, suggesting a link between the sea ice and benthic systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Establishing rates of karst landscape evolution in the Tropics: a context for the formation of archaeological sites in western Flores, Indonesia - Kira E. Westaway; Thomas Sutikna; Michael J. Morwood; Jian‐Xin Zhao (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Tropical landscapes evolve at a rapid rate, creating stepped alluvial terraces, dense basin and cone topographies and multilevel cave systems. An understanding of the rate of landscape evolution is crucial for understanding how landscapes respond to tectonic instability and for reconstructing landscapes that have changed over archaeological timescales. The rate of landscape incision as a proxy for karst landscape evolution in Indonesia, a key region in the path of human dispersal, has been established using the rate of karstification – by estimating a chronology for stages of cave development using thermal ionisation mass spectrometry U‐series dating on flowstones, and the rate of downcutting – by establishing a chronology for a series of alluvial terraces using red thermoluminescence dating. Using these techniques we have determined that the estimated rate of karstification (113 ± 26 mm ka −1 ) is slower than the average rate of downcutting (305 ± 24 mm ka −1 ), and the combined rate of landscape incision (217 ± 18 mm ka −1 ) is slower than the known rate of tectonic uplift for this region derived from raised coral terraces (450 ± 50 mm ka −1 ). This suggests that rivers are quicker to respond to tectonic instability, but both cave and river systems display a slower rate of incision and karstification than uplift. Correlations between these components of the landscape system reveal a strong, interacting relationship where defined phases of uplift are reflected in the pattern of karstification and cycles of downcutting. An understanding of this relationship has been pivotal in reconstructing the formation and geomorphic history of archaeological caves such as Liang Bua. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Climatic changes since the last deglaciation inferred from a lacustrine sedimentary sequence in the eastern Nanling Mountains, south China - Wei Zhong; Jibin Xue; Yanming Zheng; Jun Ouyang; Qiaohong Ma; Ying Cai; Xiaohong Tang (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Two sediment cores recovered from Dahu Swamp, which is located in eastern Nanling Mountains in south China, were selected for investigation of palaeoclimatic changes. Multi‐proxy records of the two cores including lithological variation, organic carbon isotope ratio, dry bulk density, organic matter content, magnetic susceptibility, humification degree, median grain size and geochemical proxies reveal that during the last deglaciation three drier phases correspond to the Oldest, Older and Younger Dryas cooling events, and the intercalated two wetter phases synchronise with the Bølling and Allerød warming events. The Holocene Optimum, which was resulted from a strengthening of the East Asian (EA) summer monsoon, occurred in the early and mid Holocene (ca. 10–6 cal. ka BP). In the mid and late Holocene (ca. 6–3 cal. ka BP), a prevailing dry climate suggested a weakening of the EA summer monsoon. The general trend of Holocene climatic changes in this study agrees with the 25° N summer solar insolation, suggesting that orbitally induced insolation may have played an important role in the Holocene climate in the study region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Understanding geomorphic responses to environmental change: a 19 000‐year case study from semi‐arid central Texas, USA - Claire Boulter; Mark D. Bateman; Charles D. Frederick (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Understanding the impact of past climatic changes on landscape stability is crucial in order to predict and mitigate the effects of future changes. However, in arid and semi‐arid environments, reconstructions are often hampered by a poor understanding of the relationship between sediment deposition and climate. We present here data from central Texas, a region that is sensitive to environmental change but has received relatively little attention. The study integrates a chronology of 29 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from six sedimentary sites in a range of depositional contexts with a 19 000 a climate record derived from pollen extracted from the adjacent Boriack Bog. By comparing the two records, we aimed to assess the relationship between climate change and geomorphic activity. Data show that extensive aeolian and colluvial deposition occurred during the mid to late Holocene, with sedimentation generally increasing during more arid phases. However, a number of depositional events on slopes were associated with moister episodes, and sediment was also deposited in a summit setting immediately after phases of increased precipitation. Linkages between climate change and geomorphic response were therefore complex, being controlled by both sediment supply and transport energy. The climatic fluctuations identified in the Boriack Bog record highlight the sensitivity of central Texas to environmental change, while disparities in conditions recorded between it and other palaeoenvironmental sites in the southern USA emphasise the need for further work in order to enhance understanding of landscape sedimentary response to climate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Response of testate amoeba assemblages to environmental and climatic changes during the Lateglacial–Holocene transition at Lake Lautrey (Jura Mountains, eastern France) - Adeline A. J. Wall; Michel Magny; Edward A. D. Mitchell; Boris Vannière; Daniel Gilbert (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
We tested the response of lacustrine testate amoebae (thecamoebians) to climate and environmental changes for the Lateglacial–Holocene transition. The palaeoenvironmental history of the study site (Lake Lautrey, Jura Mountains, eastern France) was previously established based on high‐resolution multi‐proxy studies of the same core. The present study is characterised by a high taxonomic resolution (54 taxa), inclusion of small species (down to 25 µm) and high total counts (>500 individuals per sample on average). Changes in the composition of testate amoeba assemblages (dominant species and assemblage structure), as well as in the accumulation rate (tests cm −2 a −1 ), corresponded to major climatic phases (i.e. Oldest Dryas, Bølling–Allerød Interstadial, Younger Dryas, Preboreal) as well as changes in organic matter inputs. Furthermore, decreases in the accumulation rate characterised minor short‐lived cooling events, such as Older Dryas event or Gerzensee oscillation. However, the Preboreal oscillation, which was well registered by other proxies at Lake Lautrey, could not be recognised in the testate amoeba record. This work demonstrates that lacustrine testate amoebae can be used for palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological reconstructions. Nevertheless, a better understanding of the relation between climate, organic matter and lacustrine testate amoebae requires further high‐resolution studies based on multi‐proxy approaches and the development of appropriate modern analogues. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 70 ka record of explosive eruptions from the TALDICE ice core (Talos Dome, East Antarctic plateau) - Biancamaria Narcisi; Jean Robert Petit; Jérôme Chappellaz (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The new Antarctic TALDICE ice core (72° 49′ S, 159° 11′ E, 1620 m depth), containing abundant primary tephras, provides the opportunity to elucidate the late Quaternary volcanic history of the south polar region, as well as to broaden the East Antarctic tephrostratigraphic framework. Here grain size and glass compositional data for representative tephra layers from the last 70 ka core section are used for source identification. Results point to origin of layers from centres of the Melbourne Volcanic Province (McMurdo Volcanic Group), located ∼250 km from the coring site. Occurrence of tephra layers within the ice core record suggests that explosive activity in the identified source was not constant over the considered period, with a minimum of activity between 20 and 35 ka, and increased activity back to 65 ka. In addition to palaeovolcanic implications, the TALDICE tephra layers offer prospects for firm correlations between diverse widely separated palaeoarchives and for accurate dating of the Antarctic climatic record. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reply: Defending and testing hypotheses: a response to John Shaw's paper ‘In defence of the meltwater (megaflood) hypothesis for the formation of subglacial bedform fields’ - John Shaw (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Late glacial to Holocene planktic foraminifera bioevents and climatic record in the South Adriatic Sea - Giuseppe Siani; Martine Paterne; Christophe Colin (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Quantitative analyses of planktic foraminifera, sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs), oxygen isotope and radiocarbon dating from a deep‐sea core recovered in the South Adriatic Sea have been used to reconstruct a subcentennial climatic and biochronological record since the late glacial (the last 24 cal. ka BP). The identification and relative abundance of 25 species of planktic foraminifera along the core have provided a continuous record of the faunal changes over this time interval. These results have permitted the establishment of 10 biozones in the South Adriatic Sea based on the appearance and/or disappearance of the main specific taxa, from peaks of abundance and/or by modification in marine conditions. The robust chronology of the South Adriatic core allowed correlation of SST estimates to the GISP2 ice core record, indicating that the main climate changes recorded in Greenland ice cores over the last 24 ka are recorded and globally synchronous with those observed in the South Adriatic Sea. This finding further allows comparison of the planktic foraminifera record with the event stratigraphic scheme proposed by the INTIMATE group in order to better identify the relationship between past climatic changes and the response of microfaunal assemblages in the South Adriatic. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Last glacial ice‐rafted debris off southwestern Europe: the role of the British–Irish Ice Sheet - Grant R. Bigg; Richard C. Levine; Chris D. Clark; Sarah L. Greenwood; Haflidi Haflidason; Anna L. C. Hughes; Atlé Nygård; Hans Petter Sejrup (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Ice‐rafted debris (IRD) seeded into the ocean from Northern Hemisphere ice sheets is found in ocean cores along the southwestern European margin through the last glacial period. It is known that the origin of this IRD, especially off Iberia, can vary between North America and western Europe during short‐lived episodes of greatly enhanced iceberg flux, known as Heinrich events, although in most Heinrich events the IRD has a North American source. During the longer times of much lower IRD fluxes between Heinrich events, use of an intermediate complexity climate model, coupled to an iceberg dynamic and thermodynamic model, shows that background levels of IRD most likely originate from western Europe, particularly the British–Irish Ice Sheet. Combining modelling with palaeoceanographic evidence supports reconstructions of a short‐lived, but substantial, Celtic and Irish Sea Ice Stream around 23 ka. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reply to Comment: A Last Glacial Maximum pollen record from Bodmin Moor showing a possible cryptic northern refugium in southwest England. (Kelly et al. , 2010) - Ann Kelly; Dan J. Charman; Rewi M. Newnham (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Widespread dispersal of Icelandic tephra: how does the Eyjafjöll eruption of 2010 compare to past Icelandic events? - Siwan M. Davies; Gudrun Larsen; Stefan Wastegård; Chris S. M. Turney; Valerie A. Hall; Lisa Coyle; Thor Thordarson (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The Eyjafjöll AD 2010 eruption is an extraordinary event in that it led to widespread and unprecedented disruption to air travel over Europe – a region generally considered to be free from the hazards associated with volcanic eruptions. Following the onset of the eruption, satellite imagery demonstrated the rapid transportation of ash by westerly winds over mainland Europe, eventually expanding to large swathes of the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern seaboard of Canada. This small‐to‐intermediate size eruption and the dispersal pattern observed are not particularly unusual for Icelandic eruptions within a longer‐term perspective. Indeed, the Eyjafjöll eruption is a relatively modest eruption in comparison to some of the 20 most voluminous eruptions that have deposited cryptotephra in sedimentary archives in mainland Europe, such as the mid Younger Dryas Vedde Ash and the mid Holocene Hekla 4 tephra. The 2010 eruption, however, highlights the critical role that weather patterns play in the distribution of a relatively small amount of ash and also highlights the spatially complex dispersal trajectories of tephra in the atmosphere. Whether or not the preservation of the Eyjafjöll 2010 tephra in European proxy archives will correspond to the extensive distributions mapped in the atmosphere remains to be seen. The Eyjafjöll 2010 event highlights our increased vulnerability to natural hazards rather than the unparalleled explosivity of the event. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Defending and testing hypotheses: a response to John Shaw's paper ‘In defence of the meltwater (megaflood) hypothesis for the formation of subglacial bedform fields’ - David J. A. Evans (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Revised age estimate of the Mjáuvøtn tephra A on the Faroe Islands based on Bayesian modelling of 14 C dates from two lake sequences - Jesper Olsen; Esther Ruth Gudmundsdóttir; Svante Björck; Bent V. Odgaard; Jan Heinemeier (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Tephra horizons are potentially perfect time markers for dating and cross‐correlation among diverse Holocene palaeoenvironmental records such as ice cores and marine and terrestrial sequences, but we need to trust their age. Here we present a new age estimate of the Holocene Mjáuvøtn tephra A using accelerator mass spectrometry 14 C dates from two lakes on the Faroe Islands. With Bayesian age modelling it is dated to 6668–6533 cal. a BP (68.2% confidence interval) – significantly older and better constrained than the previous age. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comment: A Last Glacial Maximum pollen record from Bodmin Moor showing a possible cryptic northern refugium in southwest England. (Kelly et al. , 2010) - James Scourse (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Middle to Late Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental evolution of the southeastern Alpine Valeriano Creek succession (northeastern Italy) - Giovanni Monegato; Sally E. Lowick; Cesare Ravazzi; Roberta Banino; Marta Donegana; Frank Preusser (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The Middle–Late Pleistocene alluvial and lacustrine succession of Valeriano Creek (southeastern Alpine foothills, 190 m a.s.l.) documents the environmental evolution of the piedmont plain before the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The sedimentary record was investigated by multidisciplinary stratigraphical and sedimentological studies coupled with petrographic and palaeobotanical analysis. A chronology has been provided by luminescence, radiocarbon dating and pollen biochronology. The succession developed at the valley mouth of a small catchment and is confined in the piedmont plain by the alluvial fans of major rivers. The oldest deposits were formed during a cold phase during the late Middle Pleistocene. This part of the piedmont plain was generally stable until Termination II, when it was trenched more than 15 m deep by watercourses. The infilling succession of the trench, mostly by low‐energy alluvial sediments interbedded with mire and peat deposits, documents, for the first time on the southern side of the Alps, the relationships between fluvial activity, vegetation and climate change at the foothills piedmont plain during late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. The stadial–interstadial climate forcing implies a local reorganisation of fluvial dynamics and of forest composition, although substantial plant cover persisted even during cooler stadials. In accordance with coeval alluvial and speleothem records from the northern side of the Alps, this environmental evolution supports a very restricted Alpine glaciation of the main fluvial catchments of the southeastern Alps during MIS 5a–d. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improved age constraint for pre‐ and post‐Anglian temperate‐stage deposits in north Norfolk, UK, from analysis of serine decomposition in Bithynia opercula - Rob Westaway (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The ‘new glacial stratigraphy’ (NGS) of Britain postulates that deposits hitherto assigned to the Anglian glaciation in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12 represent MIS 16, 12, 10 and 6. This controversial idea can be tested at Sidestrand in north Norfolk, where fossiliferous temperate‐stage deposits underlie the oldest and overlie the youngest of the glacial deposits. Previous work has considered biostratigraphy and amino acid dating of these temperate‐stage deposits, but did not achieve tight age constraint using the amino acid evidence alone. The total hydrolysable amino acid fraction in intra‐crystalline protein from Bithynia tentaculata opercula has previously been analysed for concentrations of serine and alanine. Statistical screening of these data gives alanine/serine ratios of 4.572 ± 0.114 for the Sidestrand Hall Member (beneath the glacial deposits) and 3.564 ± 0.091 for the Sidestrand Cliff Formation (overlying the glacial deposits). These ratios imply ages of MIS 13a and 11c, respectively, indicating the latest Cromerian and early Hoxnian interglacials and invalidating the NGS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fluvial response to Holocene climate change in low‐order streams of central Mexico - Aleksander Borejsza; Charles D. Frederick (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Alluvial sequences constitute a recognised source of information on past environmental change, but one that has scarcely been tapped in central Mexico. This paper reviews what is currently known about the Holocene alluvial stratigraphy of the region, focusing on the interplay between climate and the pace and style of sedimentation in the incised headwater reaches of stream networks. The records obtained in five different drainage basins – four in the state of Tlaxcala and one in Guanajuato – are presented and compared to published reconstructions of climate change. A near‐synchronous incision of all stream networks occurred close to 10 200 14 C a BP in response to an increase in precipitation and stream discharge. A spell of very humid but markedly seasonal conditions ensued, resulting in the formation of wet meadows along streams and the accumulation of thick fine‐textured valley fills dominated by cumulic soil A horizons. After 9100 14 C a BP a transition to a warmer and more arid climate provoked the thinning of vegetation cover on slopes, accelerated runoff and increased sediment delivery to streams. The aggradation of coarser‐textured valley fills poor in organic matter set in. It ceased or slowed down significantly after a few millennia as the studied stream reaches achieved a near‐graded condition adjusted to the relatively stable climate. Arid mid Holocene conditions are also reflected in the abundant precipitation of secondary carbonates in Guanajuato. At 3100 14 C a BP higher precipitation caused more frequent flooding and a resumption of aggradation. Shortly after that date sedentary farmers colonised Tlaxcala. Agriculture altered runoff and sediment delivery to streams and accelerated cut‐and‐fill cycles on a scale that masked the impact of any climatic fluctuations. Guanajuato was colonised later and its alluvial record suggests the persistence of a humid climate at least until 1000 14 C a BP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A multiproxy record of late Holocene natural and anthropogenic environmental change from the Sphagnum peat bog Dürres Maar, Germany: implications for quantitative climate reconstructions based on pollen - Norbert Kühl; Robert Moschen; Stefanie Wagner; Simon Brewer; Odile Peyron (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Pollen data are well established for quantitative climate reconstructions over long timescales, including the Holocene and older interglacials. However, anthropogenically induced environmental change in central Europe was strong during the last 4 ka, challenging quantitative reconstructions of this time period. Here we present quantitative climate reconstructions based on pollen analyses and evaluate them with the peat humification record and the stable carbon isotopes of Sphagnum plant material ( δ 13 C cellulose ). All analyses were carried out on the same 7.5 m long, largely ombrotrophic peat bog section from Dürres Maar. Three different methods were used for the quantitative climate reconstructions on the basis of the pollen data: (1) a probabilistic indicator taxa approach (the ‘pdf method’); (2) a modern analogue technique based on pollen taxa from modern surface samples (cMAT); and (3) a modern analogue technique expanded by plant functional types (pMAT). At Dürres Maar the peat humification is only affected by peat cutting during the Roman period and the Middle Ages. The stable carbon isotopes are seemingly unaffected by human impact. Thus both proxies provide independent data to evaluate the reconstructions on the basis of pollen data. The quantitative climate reconstructions on the basis of the individual methods are in general relatively similar. Nevertheless, distinct differences between the individual approaches are also apparent, which could be attributed to taxa that reflect human impact on a local to regional scale. While the pdf method appears to be relatively robust to all observed anthropogenically induced vegetation changes, it potentially underestimates climate variability. This method is therefore expected to be independent of local site characteristics and to provide robust quantitative estimates of climatic trends rather than of climatic variability of small amplitude. This is of value for palaeoclimate reconstructions of older interglacials, for which neither multiple sites nor independent climate proxies are available for comparison. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Clay mineralogy and geochemistry and their palaeoclimatic interpretation of the Pleistocene deposits in the Xuancheng section, southern China - Hanlie Hong; Yansheng Gu; Rongbiao Li; Kexin Zhang; Zhaohui Li (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A red soil profile in Xuancheng, Anhui province, southern China, in the middle to lower reaches of the Yangtze River, was investigated using X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence spectrometer, and scanning electron microscopy. The mobile components K 2 O and Na 2 O and trace elements Ba and Sr of the Xuancheng section exhibit a general trend of decrease downward along the red soil profile, together with an increase downward of chemical index of alteration (CIA) values, suggesting more intense depletion in the lower portion than in the upper portion. The major components SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 , as well as SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 /Fe 2 O 3 ratios, show notable fluctuations along the soil profile, indicating intense climatic oscillations in the area during the Pleistocene age. The clay mineral assemblage of the Xuancheng section can be generally subdivided into three groups, suggesting a general trend of three stages of climate changes. The lower portion of ∼10.4–6.3 m depth has a lower illite content and higher abundance of kaolinite and illite–smectite (I/S) clays, indicating that a warm and wet climate prevailed over the episode of ca. 600–350 ka BP. A decrease in abundance of kaolinite and I/S clays and increase in illite content at a depth of ∼6.3–2.2 m probably indicate a transition stage of climate change from warm/humid to cool/dry in the period ca. 350–80 ka BP. The higher illite content and lower abundance of kaolinite and I/S clays in the upper portion of ∼2.2–0 m depth suggest that a relatively cool and dry climate dominated since ca. 80 ka BP. Based on changes in clay mineralogy and chemical indices of the sediments, seven warm/cold fluctuations were determined in the area since the Middle Pleistocene. Climate changes documented in the Xuancheng section are in agreement with the δ 18 O records of sediments from the equatorial Pacific Core V28‐238 and the loess–palaeosol sequences in the Loess Plateau of northwestern China. Correlated to the episode of S4 and S5 soil units in the Loess Plateau, the period of ca. 600–350 ka BP in the Xuancheng area was dominated by the particularly strong East Asia summer monsoon, as indicated by its most abundant kaolinite and I/S clays. Fluctuations in clay mineralogy along the Xuancheng soil profile were mainly controlled by both the East Asia summer and winter monsoons in response to the global changes in the Middle–Late Pleistocene. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Flood frequencies reveal Holocene rapid climate changes (Lower Moulouya River, northeastern Morocco) - Christoph Zielhofer; Jens Bussmann; Hanoun Ibouhouten; Katrin Fenech (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Current high‐resolution palaeoenvironmental records reveal short‐term Holocene coolings. One of these major Holocene rapid climate changes occurred between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP. The sensitivity of river systems vis‐à‐vis slight and short‐term Holocene climatic variations is a subject of controversy in the scientific community. In this paper, we present a 4.0 to 1.4 cal ka BP palaeoflood record from the Lower Moulouya River (northeastern Morocco) to demonstrate the high sensitivity of semiarid rivers in the southwestern Mediterranean towards Holocene environmental changes. The Lower Moulouya flood deposits are characterised by thick, well‐stratified, predominantly clayey to silty overbank fine sediments. These cohesive sediments show evidence of excellent preservation conditions against fluvial erosion and contain a continuous record of mid to late Holocene flood sequences. The Moulouya palaeoflood record can be interpreted in the context of regional and global high‐resolution proxy data, revealing a strong coupling with Holocene rapid climate changes. The centennial‐scale Moulouya palaeohydrological history will be discussed with palaeoenvironmental data from the same record (palaeomagnetics, sedimentary charcoal record, anthracological analyses, snail analyses) to generate new ideas about the mid to late Holocene hydrological cycle in the southwestern Mediterranean. The deduced features of pronounced Lower Moulouya flooding and the decreased fire recurrence during Holocene cooling remain somewhat inconsistent with the interpretation of other palaeohydrological and paleaoecological records from the southwestern Mediterranean. However, enhanced Lower Moulouya flood frequencies between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP agree with increased floodplain aggradation in other major river systems of Mediterranean North Africa. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Holocene tephrostratigraphic record of Lake Shkodra (Albania and Montenegro) - Roberto Sulpizio; Aurelien Van Welden; Benoit Caron; Giovanni Zanchetta (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Two cores were recovered in the southeastern part of Lake Shkodra (Montenegro and Albania) and sampled for identification of tephra layers. The first core (SK13, 7.8 m long) was recovered from a water depth of 7 m, while the second core (SK19, 5.8 m long) was recovered close to the present‐day shoreline (water depth of 2 m). Magnetic susceptibility investigations show generally low values with some peaks that in some cases are related to tephra layers. Naked‐eye inspection of the cores allowed the identification of four tephra layers in core SK13 and five tephra layers in core SK19. Major element analyses on glass shards and mineral phases allowed correlation of the tephra layers between the two cores, and their attribution to six different Holocene explosive eruptions of southern Italy volcanoes. Two tephra layers have under‐saturated composition of glass shards (foiditic and phonolitic) and were correlated to the AD 472 and the Avellino (ca. 3.9 cal. ka BP) eruptions of Somma‐Vesuvius. One tephra layer has benmoreitic composition and was correlated to the FL eruption of Mount Etna (ca. 3.4 cal. ka BP). The other three tephra layers have trachytic composition and were correlated to Astroni (ca. 4.2 cal. ka BP), Agnano Monte Spina (ca. 4.5 cal. ka BP) and Agnano Pomici Principali (ca. 12.3 cal. ka BP) eruptions of Campi Flegrei. The ages of tephra layers are in broad agreement with eight 14 C accelerator mass spectrometric measurements carried out on plant remains and charcoal from the lake sediments at different depths along the two cores. The recognition of distal tephra layers from Italian volcanoes allowed the physical link of the Holocene archive of Lake Shkodra to other archives located in the central Mediterranean area and the Balkans (i.e. Lake Ohrid). Five of the recognised tephra layers were recognised for the first time in the Balkans area, and this has relevance for volcanic hazard assessment and for ash dispersal forecasting in case of renewed explosive activity from some of the southern Italy volcanoes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pollen‐inferred palaeoclimate reconstruction in the Alps during the Lateglacial and the early Holocene: how to estimate the effect of elevation and local parameters - Elena Ortu; Fernand David; Odile Peyron (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The modern analogue technique (MAT) was applied to six pollen sequences from the Belledonne Massif (northwestern French Alps) to estimate the effect of altitude and local parameters on pollen‐based climate reconstruction during the Lateglacial and the early Holocene. The six sites (Le Vivier (345 m a.s.l.), Les Etelles (700 m a.s.l.), La Coche (980 m a.s.l.), Montendry (1330 m a.s.l.), Le Grand Leyat (1660 m a.s.l.), La Gouille (1800 m a.s.l.)) are located in different vegetation belts (mixed deciduous woods, conifer woods, alpine pastures with maple). The main vegetation changes in the past are recorded at each site. The evolution of four climate parameters (coldest month temperature, warmest month temperature, mean annual temperature, annual precipitation) was quantitatively inferred from pollen data using MAT. The curves obtained were compared to the Les Etelles site, which was the least affected by non‐local pollen transport. The results show consistent trends for the climate parameters reconstructed at the different sites. However, the reconstruction does not indicate a decrease in temperature values related to the increasing elevation. Difficulties in reconstructing the altitudinal variations of climate parameters from pollen data during the periods studied are discussed and perspectives for improvement are considered. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Imaging glacial sediment inclusions in 3‐D using ground‐penetrating radar at Kongsvegen, Svalbard - Tavi Murray; Adam D. Booth (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The quiescent‐phase surge‐type glacier, Kongsvegen, flows confluent with the continuously fast‐flowing Kronebreen in northwestern Spitsbergen. The lower regions of Kongsvegen overlie glaciomarine sediments, which have been incorporated into the ice during multiple surge events. The resulting englacial structures are exposed at the surface and on a cliff section. These structures have variously been interpreted as thrusts, formed by compression, or sediment‐filled crevasses, formed by extension. We collected a grid of closely spaced ground‐penetrating radar profiles in the area adjacent to the cliff section. Several structures were imaged in 3‐D, including a strong subhorizontal basal reflector, which was underlain by a second, weaker subhorizontal reflector. The basal reflector was occasionally reverse faulted, suggesting compression. Clear englacial features extended upwards from it, dipping up‐glacier at angles of

Absolute pollen productivity and pollen–vegetation relationships in northern Finland - Shinya Sugita; Sheila Hicks; Henna Sormunen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Pollen productivity is one of the most critical parameters for pollen–vegetation relationships, and thus for vegetation reconstruction, in either pollen percentages or pollen accumulation rates. We obtain absolute pollen productivity of three major tree types in northern Finland: pine ( Pinus sylvestris ), spruce ( Picea abies ) and birch ( Betula pubescens ssp. pubescens and B. pubescens ssp. czerepanovii treated as one taxon). Long‐term monitoring records of pollen traps from 15 sites (duration: 5–23 years) and tree volume estimates within a 14 km radius of each trap were compared to estimate pollen productivity (grains m −3 a −1 ) of these trees using a regression method. The slope of the linear relationship between pollen loading and distance‐weighted plant abundance represents pollen productivity. Estimated productivities of pollen (×10 8 grains m −3 a −1 ) for pine, spruce and birch are 128.7 (SE 31.5), 341.9 (SE 81.3) and 411.4 (SE 307.7), respectively. The birch estimate ( P > 0.05) is not as good as the others and should be used with caution. Pollen productivities of pine, spruce and birch in northern Finland are, in general, comparable to those of congeneric species in other regions of Europe and Japan. Although the year‐to‐year variations are significant, our volume‐based estimates of pollen productivity for pine and spruce will be essential for quantitative reconstruction of vegetation in the region. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reconstruction of the variability of the southwest monsoon during the past 3 ka, from the continental margin of the southeastern Arabian Sea - Onkar S. Chauhan; Elke Vogelsang; Nathani Basavaiah; U. Syed Abdul Kader (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
From temporal variation in δ 18 O in Globigerinoides ruber and G. sacculifer and geochemical indices of weathering/erosion (chemical index of alteration, Al and Ti), we infer rapid southwest monsoon (SWM) deterioration with dwindling fluvial and detrital fluxes at ca. 450–650, 1000 and 1800–2200 cal. a BP during the late Holocene. We have evaluated the role of solar influx (reconstructed) and high‐latitude climate variability (archived in GRIP and GISP‐2 cores) on SWM precipitation. Broadly, our δ 18 O climate reconstruction is concordant with GRIP and GISP‐2, and supports a teleconnection through atmospheric connection between the SWM and the North Atlantic climate – albeit temporal extents of the Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period from high latitude are not entirely coeval. Moreover, there is a humid climate and enhanced precipitation during the terminal stages of the Little Ice Age. The medieval warming (ca. AD 800–1300) is not synchronous either, and is punctuated by an arid event centred at 1000 a BP. Although the delineation of the specific influence of solar influx on SWM precipitation is elusive, we surmise that SWM precipitation is a complex phenomenon and local orography along southwestern India may have a role on the entrapment of moisture from the southwest trade winds, when these hit land. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fire and vegetation history on Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands, and long‐term environmental change in southern California - R. Scott Anderson; Scott Starratt; Renata M. Brunner Jass; Nicholas Pinter (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The long‐term history of vegetation and fire was investigated at two locations – Soledad Pond (275 m; from ca. 12 000 cal. a BP) and Abalone Rocks Marsh (0 m; from ca. 7000 cal. a BP) – on Santa Rosa Island, situated off the coast of southern California. A coastal conifer forest covered highlands of Santa Rosa during the last glacial, but by ca. 11 800 cal. a BP Pinus stands, coastal sage scrub and grassland replaced the forest as the climate warmed. The early Holocene became increasingly drier, particularly after ca. 9150 cal. a BP, as the pond dried frequently, and coastal sage scrub covered the nearby hillslopes. By ca. 6900 cal. a BP grasslands recovered at both sites. Pollen of wetland plants became prominent at Soledad Pond after ca. 4500 cal. a BP, and at Abalone Rocks Marsh after ca. 3465 cal. a BP. Diatoms suggest freshening of the Abalone Rocks Marsh somewhat later, probably by additional runoff from the highlands. Introduction of non‐native species by ranchers occurred subsequent to AD 1850. Charcoal influx is high early in the record, but declines during the early Holocene when minimal biomass suggests extended drought. A general increase occurs after ca. 7000 cal. a BP, and especially after ca. 4500 cal. a BP. The Holocene pattern closely resembles population levels constructed from the archaeological record, and suggests a potential influence by humans on the fire regime of the islands, particularly during the late Holocene. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mapping the human record in the British early Palaeolithic: evidence from the Solent River system - Nick Ashton; Rob Hosfield (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The lithic record from the Solent River and its tributaries is re‐examined in the light of recent interpretations about the changing demography of Britain during the Lower and early Middle Palaeolithic. Existing models of the terrace stratigraphies in the Solent and its tributary areas are reviewed and the corresponding archaeological record (specifically handaxes) for each terrace is assessed to provide models for the relative changes in human occupation through time. The Bournemouth area is studied in detail to examine the effects of quarrying and urbanisation on collection history and on the biases it introduces to the record. In addition, the effects of reworking of artefacts from higher into lower terraces are assessed, and shown to be a significant problem. Although there is very little absolute dating available for the Solent area, a cautious interpretation of the results from these analyses would suggest a pre‐Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12 date for the first appearance of humans, a peak in population between MIS 12 and 10, and a decline in population during MIS 9 and 8. Owing to poor contextual data and small sample sizes, it is not clear when Levallois technology was introduced. This record is compared and contrasted to that from the Thames Valley. It is suggested that changes in the palaeogeography of Britain, in particular land connections to the continent, might have contributed to differences in the archaeological records from the Solent and Thames regions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Drainage pathways beneath ice sheets and their implications for ice sheet form and flow: the example of the British Ice Sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum - Geoffrey Boulton (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The drainage system beneath ice sheets is poorly understood, even though it is a major determinant of their basal boundary condition, with implications for their form, flow and stability, and particularly of the ice streams that are crucial dynamic components. Understanding can be enhanced by evidence from the beds of former ice sheets. Glaciological principles are applied to geological evidence in the Vale of York that demonstrate occupancy by a major ice stream of the British ice sheet, with deduced gravitational shear stresses in the range 4–24 kPa, compared with a typical glacier shear stress of about 80–100 kPa, and horizontal velocities in the terminal zone in the range of 400–950 ma 1 . It is shown that the ice stream was in an almost buoyant state, with effective pressures in the range 50–100 kPa for a range of ice pressures between 2000 and 5000 kPa. Similar deductions are made for other ice streams on the southern flank of the British ice sheet. The esker system in the area of the ice stream represents locations of subglacial drainage tunnels that are suggested to be the key drainage elements in ice sheets where excess surface water penetrates to the bed. A theory of channel‐groundwater coupling which self‐organises in response to the rate of water recharge and the transmissivity of the subglacial bed is applied to the sub‐ice stream esker system. When matched to local geological evidence, the theory predicts the distribution of basal water pressures, the rate of recharge of surface water to the glacier bed, local shear stresses, the areal pattern of sedimentary processes including bed deformation, and their seasonal fluctuations. Predictions of the annual recharge rate of 950 mm are consistent with the modern values of modern mean annual rainfall in the Ouse (Vale of York) catchment of 906mm. The calculated mean annual discharge of the four major subglacial rivers in 55 m 3 s −1 , compared with a mean flow of the modern Ouse of 49 m 3 s −1 . A transient analysis shows the response time of water pressures in the underlying aquifer to changes in surface recharge to be of the order 10–100 days, suggesting the possibility of instabilities at the ice‐bed interface. It is not possible, however, to determine whether the Vale of York ice stream was characterized by stable or instable (surging) flow. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Annually resolved events of Younger Dryas glaciation in Lochaber (Glen Roy and Glen Spean), western Scottish Highlands - Adrian P. Palmer; James Rose; J. John Lowe; Alison MacLeod (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This paper presents the results of micromorphological analysis of laminated sediments that accumulated in ice‐dammed lakes in Lochaber (Glen Roy and vicinity) during the Younger Dryas (Loch Lomond) Stadial. These lakes were responsible for the formation of the famous ‘Parallel Roads of Glen Roy’ (Agassiz, 1840 ), prominent shorelines cut into the valley sides of Glen Roy and adjacent valleys. Annually deposited (varved) layers, which can be distinguished from other rhythmites by micromorphological examination, have enabled the construction of a varve chronology which underpins the glacial history of the region, the duration of the lake stands and rates of ice margin advance and retreat. The lake system existed for a total of 515 a. During a rise in lake levels, the lowermost (260 m), middle (325 m) and highest (350 m) lakes existed for minimal periods of 191, 112 and 116 a, respectively, and the fall of lake levels from 350 m to 260 m took 95 years. Ice advance rates of between 13.4 and 41.9 m a −1 are inferred, while ice retreat is estimated to have been ∼38.5 m a −1 . A provisional correlation between the Lochaber varve and GRIP ice core records suggests that the lakes started to form at ca. 12 165 a BP, in turn implying that the Loch Lomond Readvance limits in this area were not achieved until late in the Younger Dryas interval, a conclusion which does not accord with that based on numerical model simulations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Quaternary of the British Isles and adjoining seas - James Rose; Peter Coxon (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This Special Issue of the Journal of Quaternary Science contains a set of 13 papers based on presentations at the Annual Discussion Meeting of the Quaternary Research Association held in London in January 2008. This Special Issue is concerned with four main themes: long‐term landscape signatures, river landscapes and responses to climate change, glacial landscapes and Lateglacial landscapes. The papers include substantial new data on the terrestrial and offshore Quaternary of the British Isles and provide a benchmark for aspects of current thinking on this topic. This volume is published in parallel with other special issues based on the 2008 QRA Discussion Meeting. These consist of The Quaternary Geology of the British Isles edited by David Bridgland and Nick Golledge in the Proceedings of the Geologists ' Association and Climate variability of the British Isles and surrounding seas edited by Dan Charman and Danny McCarroll in Quaternary Science Reviews . Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The record from British Quaternary river systems within the context of global fluvial archives - David R. Bridgland (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Data amassed in the past decade on Quaternary fluvial archives has allowed comparison across widely separated regions of the world. Meanwhile there has been a new impetus for research on British sequences, as a result particularly of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF). In this context, the key British records (from the Thames, Severn–Avon, Trent, Wash system and Solent) are described briefly, with emphasis on the latest information. In the case of the Trent, sedimentary evidence, discovered during ALSF‐funded work, appears to confirm the existence of a Middle Pleistocene ‘Trent–Ancaster’ River. In the case of the Solent, independent projects that sought to improve the age constraint for the sequence have produced complimentary results; the first used luminescence dating, whereas the second made use of Palaeolithic evidence to calibrate numerical incision/uplift modelling. The overarching message is that the British fluvial archive can be readily understood within a global context; it typifies records from areas with relatively young crust that has been uplifting during the Quaternary and, being in the temperate latitudes and close to the Atlantic margin, it reflects strong climatic forcing. The combination of rich faunal and Palaeolithic artefact contents means that certain British records are of international significance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Quaternary of the British Isles: factors forcing environmental change - James Rose (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This paper considers the processes that have controlled cool temperate latitude terrestrial environments over the last ca 3 Ma, with particular reference to the British Isles. A scheme is proposed that is based on the processes that act on the land over any given period of time and are the product of climate modulated by rock type (the resisting agent) and relief (determined by tectonics and antecedent relief‐forming factors). Climate is generalised in terms of the range and rates of climate change determined by orbital forcing. During precession cycles climate change was small and insolation levels were forced by chemically and biologically driven processes. The period of obliquity cycles is characterised by patterns of climate change in which physical processes became effective and high‐magnitude fluvial and slope processes were reinforced by periglaciation and glaciation in susceptible regions. Eccentricity cycles include climate extremes of longer duration, and glaciation and periglaciation were the major contributors to landscape change, sediment transfer and sediment mixing. These climate‐forced processes produce distinctive landform, sediment and soil assemblages characteristic of particular episodes of Quaternary time. The lags between the successive systems are identified. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The construction of a palaeodischarge time series for use in a study of fluvial system development of the Middle to Late Pleistocene Upper Thames - Chris Stemerdink; Darrel Maddy; David R. Bridgland; Antonie Veldkamp (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Recently many studies have attempted to model fluvial system development over a variety of geographical and temporal scales. It is generally recognised that one of the main problems, especially in studies over longer timescales (>100 ka), is the reconstruction of a robust palaeodischarge time series. Over such extended timescales discharge can only be reconstructed using proxy data, i.e. either field‐based (sediment) palaeodischarge estimates or transformation of reconstructed palaeoclimate data series (e.g. ice core data), with only the latter method allowing the reconstruction of a continuous time series. In this study of the Upper Thames catchment, UK, we have developed a new palaeodischarge time series. A sea surface temperature record (ODP 980) from the North Atlantic (off the west coast of Ireland) is used as a proxy for precipitation across the Upper Thames catchment. A vegetation filter, based on pollen data, is then applied to this precipitation record in order to create a runoff model. Finally, this runoff model is transformed to a discharge model via the use of a climate change function which attempts to reflect probable changes in the frequency and magnitude of discharge events. Using our new palaeodischarge model, we present output from the FLUVER2 model of longitudinal profile development for the Middle to Late Pleistocene Upper Thames Valley. This model simulates the possible timing and magnitude of sediment aggradation/degradation events on the floodplain as well as the timing of floodplain abandonment due to tectonic uplift, resulting in terrace formation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Extent and timing of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in Britain and Ireland: a review - Richard C. Chiverrell; Geoffrey S. P. Thomas (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 is defined here as the period either of maximum global ice volume or in which major ice sheets reached their maximum extent. Both definitions lack clarity as there is no reason to suppose that maximum volumes or limits were reached simultaneously at either all ice sheets or around the margins of individual ice sheets. Here we review the traditional terrestrial limits of the BIIS (British‐Irish Ice Sheet), examine developments in understanding the offshore record, and attempt a redefinition of the extent and timing of the MIS 2 maximum. As a working chronological model the build‐up of the BIIS is assigned to after 35–32 ka, the maximum to the period 27–21 ka and a more limited readvance after 19 ka. As marginal oscillations, driven by ice sheet dynamics, appear to have characterised much of the advance, and especially the retreat of the BIIS, caution should be exercised in assigning climatic significance to the many identified ice limits or still‐stands. While much of the terrestrial limit in Britain remains relatively unaltered, significant revision is required offshore around Britain and Ireland, to portray an extensive ice advance to the shelf edge and a period when the BIIS was conjoined with the adjacent Fenno‐Scandinavian Ice Sheet. Although there appears to be a broad synchrony between the BIIS and other major ice sheets, local controls have produced some variation in the timing of advance to and retreat from maximum limits for particular ice streams or lobes, but much of the offshore limit remains very poorly age constrained. Consequently, a key objective in future research should be to improve and refine the chronological control for all portions of the maximum margin of the BIIS and its subsequent retreat stages. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reconstruction of a Lateglacial (Younger Dryas) mountain ice field in Sutherland, northwestern Scotland, and its palaeoclimatic implications - Sven Lukas; Tom Bradwell (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Quaternary geomorphological and geological mapping of a large area (∼1800 km 2 ) in the northwestern Scottish Highlands has led to the reconstruction of a coherent mountain ice field approximately 45 km long and 30 km wide at its maximum extent. This West Sutherland ice field covered an area of ∼350 km 2 and had a mean equilibrium‐line altitude of 334 m, assuming that the outlet glaciers all reached their maxima simultaneously. Numerical dating strongly suggests a Younger Dryas (12.9–11.7 ka) age of the mapped limits of this mountain ice field. This study also shows that the area of northwestern Scotland covered by Younger Dryas glaciers was five times larger than previously thought. Palaeo‐temperature estimates, obtained from chironomid and beetle assemblages elsewhere, have been used to reconstruct palaeo‐precipitation during the Younger Dryas for west Sutherland. Using a previously published global empirical dataset, annual precipitation of 2344 ± 248 mm a −1 at sea level is inferred from our new palaeo‐glacier reconstruction, suggesting slightly wetter conditions compared to the present day. These figures are in good agreement with those reconstructed for other parts of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, and this may indicate a marked W–E palaeo‐precipitation gradient during the Younger Dryas. This paper goes on to discuss the wider validity of palaeo‐climatic reconstructions from inferred palaeo‐glacier geometries and presents a number of possible Scottish Lateglacial climate scenarios which warrant further testing. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cenozoic uplift of southwest England - Rob Westaway (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The uplift history of southwest England is inferred using a composite dataset including marine and fluvial terraces and karstic data. The estimated post‐Mid‐Pliocene uplift increases eastward from ∼130 m in west Cornwall and ∼135 m in south Devon to ∼150 m in the Hampshire Basin. The post‐Early‐Pleistocene uplift likewise increases eastward, from ∼55 m in west Cornwall to ∼60 m in south Devon and ∼80 m in Hampshire. Landscape and thermochronological evidence also indicates Eocene uplift, caused by the British Tertiary Igneous Province magmatism; this component tapers eastward from ∼300 m in west Cornwall to ∼50 m in south Devon, with subsidence in east Devon. This uplift accompanied magmatic underplating; the mafic layer added to the basal crust thins eastward from ∼6 km in west Cornwall to ∼2 km in south Devon, evidently tapering to zero farther east. The laterally variable crustal properties caused by this variation in underplating have affected the post‐Mid‐Pliocene uplift; the study region is thus intermediate, in terms of crustal strength and landscape evolution, between central‐southern England, with no underplating, and Ireland, where ∼10 km thick underplating has resulted in extreme Late Cenozoic landscape stability. The Eocene mantle‐plume‐related uplift is distinct from the post‐Mid‐Pliocene phase which, the modelling indicates, has been driven by surface processes and, thus, by climate change. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Glaciation of Scotland during the Younger Dryas stadial: a review - Nicholas R. Golledge (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Considerable research effort in recent years has refined our knowledge of the landforms and sedimentary sequences generated by glaciers of the last cold episode in Scotland, the Younger Dryas, and the chronology of their formation. These recent advances have benefited from new technologies such as high‐resolution digital terrain models, numerical ice sheet simulations and cosmic ray surface exposure dating. This review presents a summary of recent Younger Dryas research in Scotland, particularly focusing on studies from the last two decades. The findings of these investigations are compared with those of earlier workers and, critically, are appraised in terms of their relevance to five key aspects of Younger Dryas glaciation: growth of the ice cap, its geometry, dynamics, mode of decay and likely stadial climate. Minor differences aside, the consensus view appears to favour a relatively thick but areally restricted central ice cap surrounded by satellite ice fields. At its centre, the ice cap was probably thickest during the first 500 years of the stadial, after which it most likely thinned as the climate became increasingly arid. Outlet glaciers were dynamic only in marginal areas, where they produced abundant moraine sequences during deglaciation, but throughout much of the stadial central areas of the ice cap effected only minimal landscape modification. Deglaciation took place by active retreat under a rapidly warming climate. Overall, the stadial was dominated by much colder and drier conditions than present, and probably experienced greater intra‐annual temperature ranges. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages from the ‘Parallel Roads’ of Glen Roy, Scotland - Derek Fabel; David Small; Maria Miguens‐Rodriguez; Stewart P. H. T. Freeman (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The ‘Parallel Roads’ of Glen Roy, Scotland, are the shorelines of former ice‐dammed lakes created by the last glaciers to occupy the area. We use surface exposure dating with cosmic ray‐produced 10 Be in quartz to provide the first numerical age control on the timing of formation of one of one of these shorelines and depositional features in Glen Roy. Four bedrock samples from the surface of the 325 m ‘Parallel Road’ yielded a mean formation age of ca. 11.5–11.9 ka. This age range confirms the long‐held view that the ‘Parallel Roads’ are Loch Lomond Stadial (ca. 12.9–11.5 ka) features. The age range reflects variation in currently available cosmogenic nuclide scaling schemes and the related 10 Be production rates. Two samples from the surface of the Turret fan indicate that the 260 m lake drained before ca. 10.7–11.0 ka, while two samples from the Brunachan fan suggest that subaerial sedimentation occurred after ca. 9.7–9.9 ka. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Amino acid geochronology: its impact on our understanding of the Quaternary stratigraphy of the British Isles - Kirsty Penkman (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This review aims to act as a brief primer to amino acid racemization and protein breakdown, as well as to document the major applications and results of amino acid dating on British Quaternary sediments. Amino acid results from fossil shells have had far‐reaching effects in developing our current understanding of British Quaternary stratigraphy and its links to continental Europe and the marine record. To appreciate the potential for amino acid geochronology, the technique's limitations and recent developments are discussed, as well as the future of the field. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Extent and deglacial chronology of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet: implications of exposure dating using cosmogenic isotopes - Colin K. Ballantyne (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Over 160 10 Be and 36 Cl exposure ages pertaining to the extent and chronology of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) are critically reviewed. Despite uncertainties inherent in the use of exposure ages, this approach has demonstrated that at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ca. 26–21 ka) the BIIS extended over all low ground in Scotland and all (or almost all) of Ireland, consistent with recent models depicting extension of the last BIIS to the Atlantic shelf edge. All exposure ages obtained for high‐level sites above trimlines on the mountains of northwestern Scotland and Ireland pre‐date the LGM. This finding confirms that high plateaux in these areas escaped significant glacial erosion, probably under a protective cover of cold‐based glacier ice that remained frozen to the underlying substrate. In terms of deglaciation chronology, the southern Irish Sea basin was probably deglaciated by 19–18 ka, with extensive deglaciation of low ground in Ireland and northeastern Scotland prior to ca. 14.5 ka. Ice cover on low ground in northwestern Scotland apparently persisted after 14.0 ka, suggesting survival of ice in favourable locations during the Lateglacial Interstade (ca. 14.5–12.9 ka). Attempts to date readvances have had mixed success. The Wester Ross Readvance in northwestern Scotland was initially dated to ca. 16.3 ka, but more recent research implies a much younger age (ca. 14.0–13.5 ka). Exposure ages indicating a prolonged stillstand during ice sheet retreat in the Cairngorms at ca. 14.5–14.0 ka conflict with ages obtained on postglacial rockslides and basal radiocarbon dates, which indicate deglaciation before ca. 15.5–15.0 ka. Exposure dating has been successfully employed to confirm a Loch Lomond Stadial (ca. 12.9–11.5 ka) age for moraines in several mountain areas, and to constrain the minimum altitude of the ice cap that extended over the Western Grampians at that time. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

British Ice Sheet dynamics inferred from North Atlantic ice‐rafted debris records spanning the last 175 000 years - Fiona D. Hibbert; William E. N. Austin; Melanie J. Leng; Robert W. Gatliff (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Sediment core MD04‐2822 from the Rockall Trough, northeast Atlantic, provides lithological evidence for the expansion of the British Ice Sheet (BIS) onto the Hebridean margin during both the penultimate (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6/Wolstonian/Saalian) and last glaciation (Devensian/Weichselian). A composite chronology is constructed using: (i) the benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope record, matched to an orbitally tuned stacked record of global ice volume (SPECMAP); (ii) the synchronisation of the planktonic foraminiferal ( Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral)) and ITRAX XRF Ca records to the Greenland ice core (NGRIP) back to ca. 123 ka; and (iii) the synchronisation of the same N. pachyderma (sinistral)) and ITRAX XRF Ca records to the atmospheric methane record of the Antarctic ice core (EPICA Dome C) beyond 123 ka. The first offshore evidence for the expansion of the last BIS within MIS 4 is presented, suggesting extensive glaciation of northwestern Britain during the Devensian/Weichselian as early as 70 ka. The proximity of this long sediment core to the glaciated margin of northwestern Scotland makes it ideal to capture the ice‐rafted debris (IRD) signal of the BIS for the last 175 ka, via a continuous flux record of IRD. British Geological Survey © NERC 2009. All rights reserved.

Cross‐cutting moraines reveal evidence for North Atlantic influence on glaciers in the tropical Andes - Jacqueline A. Smith; Donald T. Rodbell (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Surface exposure dating of boulders on an exceptionally well‐preserved sequence of moraines in the Peruvian Andes reveals the most detailed record of glaciation heretofore recognised in the region. The high degree of moraine preservation resulted from dramatic changes in the flow path of piedmont palaeoglaciers at the southern end of the Cordillera Blanca (10° 00′ S, 77° 16′ W), which, in turn, generated a series of cross‐cutting moraines. Sixty 10 Be surface exposure ages indicate at least four episodes of palaeoglacier stabilisation (>65, ca. 65, ca. 32 and ca. 18–15 ka) and several minor advances or stillstands on the western side of the Nevado Jeulla Rajo massif. The absence of ages close to the global Last Glacial Maximum (ca. 21 ka) suggests that if an advance culminated at that time any resulting moraines were subsequently overridden. The timing of expanded ice cover in the central Peruvian Andes correlates broadly with the timing of massive iceberg discharge (Heinrich) events in the North Atlantic Ocean, suggesting a possible causal connection between southward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone during Heinrich events and a resultant increase in precipitation in the tropical Andes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A tephrostratigraphic record for the last glacial–interglacial cycle from Lake Ohrid, Albania and Macedonia - Hendrik Vogel; Giovanni Zanchetta; Roberto Sulpizio; Bernd Wagner; Norbert Nowaczyk (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Here we present a tephrostratigraphic record (core Co1202) recovered from the northeastern part of Lake Ohrid (Republics of Macedonia and Albania) reaching back to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6. Overall ten horizons (OT0702‐1 to OT0702‐10) containing volcanic tephra have been recognised throughout the 14.94 m long sediment succession. Four tephra layers were visible at macroscopic inspection (OT0702‐4, OT0702‐6, OT0702‐8 and OT0702‐9), while the remaining six are cryptotephras (OT0702‐1, OT0702‐2, OT0702‐3, OT0702‐5, OT0702‐7 and OT0702‐10) identified from peaks in K, Zr and Sr intensities, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and washing and sieving of the sediments. Glass shards of tephra layers and cryptotephras were analysed with respect to their major element composition, and correlated to explosive eruptions of Italian volcanoes. The stratigraphy and the major element composition of tephra layers and cryptotephras allowed the correlation of OT0702‐1 to AD 472 or AD 512 eruptions of Somma‐Vesuvius, OT0702‐2 to the FL eruption of Mount Etna, OT0702‐3 to the Mercato from Somma‐Vesuvius, OT0702‐4 to SMP1‐e/Y‐3 eruption from the Campi Flegrei caldera, OT0702‐5 to the Codola eruption (Somma‐Vesuvius or Campi Flegrei), OT0702‐6 to the Campanian Ignimbrite/Y‐5 from the Campi Flegrei caldera, OT0702‐7 to the Green Tuff/Y‐6 eruption from Pantelleria Island, OT0702‐8 to the X‐5 eruption probably originating from the Campi Flegrei caldera, OT0702‐9 to the X‐6 eruption of generic Campanian origin, and OT0702‐10 to the P‐11 eruption from Pantelleria Island. The fairly well‐known ages of these tephra layers and parent eruptions provide new data on the dispersal and deposition of these tephras and, furthermore, allow the establishment of a chronological framework for core Co1202 for a first interpretation of major sedimentological changes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Millennial‐scale precipitation changes over Central Africa during the late Quaternary and Holocene: evidence in sediments from the Gulf of Guinea - Achakie C. Itambi; Tilo von Dobeneck; Adesina T. Adegbie (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
We combine environmental magnetism, geochemical measurements and colour reflectance to study two late Quaternary sediment cores: GeoB 4905‐4 at 2° 30′ N off Cameroon and GeoB 4906‐3 at 0° 44′ N off Gabon. This area is suitable for investigating precipitation changes over Central and West Africa because of its potential to record input of aeolian and fluvial sediments. Three magnetozones representing low and high degree of alteration of the primary rock magnetic signals were identified. The magnetic signature is dominated by fine‐grained magnetite, while residual haematite prevails in the reduced intervals, showing increase in concentration and fine grain size at wet intervals. Our records also show millennial‐scale changes in climate during the last glacial and interglacial cycles. At the northern location, the past 5.5 ka are marked by high‐frequency oscillations of Ti and colour reflectance, which suggests aeolian input and hence aridity. The southern location remains under the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and thus did not register aeolian signals. The millennial‐scale climatic signals indicate that drier and/or colder conditions persisted during the late Holocene and are synchronous with the 900 a climatic cycles observed in Northern Hemisphere ice core records. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fire, climate and the origins of agriculture: micro‐charcoal records of biomass burning during the last glacial–interglacial transition in Southwest Asia - Rebecca Turner; Neil Roberts; Warren J. Eastwood; Emma Jenkins; Arlene Rosen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This study investigates changes in climate, vegetation, wildfire and human activity in Southwest Asia during the transition to Neolithic agriculture between ca. 16 and ca. 9 ka. In order to trace the fire history of this region, we use microscopic charcoal from lake sediment sequences, and present two new records: one from south central Turkey (Akgöl) and the other from the southern Levant (Hula). These are interpreted primarily as the result of regional‐scale fire events, with the exception of a single large event ca. 13 ka at Akgöl, which phytolith analysis shows was the result of burning of the local marsh vegetation. Comparison between these and other regional micro‐charcoal, stable isotope and pollen records shows that wildfires were least frequent when the climate was cold and dry (glacial, Lateglacial Stadial) and the vegetation dominated by chenopod– Artemisia steppe, and that they became more frequent and/or bigger at times of warmer, wetter but seasonally dry climate (Lateglacial Interstadial, early Holocene). Warmer and wetter climates caused an increase in biomass availability, with woody matter appearing to provide the main fuel source in sites from the Levant, while grass fires predominated in the interior uplands of Anatolia. Southwest Asia's grasslands reached their greatest extent during the early Holocene, and they were maintained by dry‐season burning that helped to delay the spread of woodland by up to 3 ka, at the same time as Neolithic settlement became established across this grass parkland landscape. Although climatic changes appear to have acted as the principal ‘pacemaker’ for fire activity through the last glacial–interglacial climatic transition (LGIT), human actions may have amplified shifts in biomass burning. Fire regimes therefore changed markedly during this time period, and both influenced, and were influenced by, the cultural‐economic transition from hunter‐foraging to agriculture and village life. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum - Claus‐Dieter Hillenbrand; James A. Smith; Gerhard Kuhn; Oliver Esper; Rainer Gersonde; Rob D. Larter; Barbara Maher; Steven G. Moreton; Tracy M. Shimmield; Monika Korte (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Reliable dating of glaciomarine sediments deposited on the Antarctic shelf since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is challenging because of the rarity of calcareous (micro‐) fossils and the recycling of fossil organic matter. Consequently, radiocarbon ( 14 C) ages of the acid‐insoluble organic fraction (AIO) of the sediments bear uncertainties that are difficult to quantify. Here we present the results of three different methods to date a sedimentary unit consisting of diatomaceous ooze and diatomaceous mud that was deposited following the last deglaciation at five core sites on the inner shelf in the western Amundsen Sea (West Antarctica). In three cores conventional 14 C dating of the AIO in bulk samples yielded age reversals down‐core, but at all sites the AIO 14 C ages obtained from diatomaceous ooze within the diatom‐rich unit yielded similar uncorrected 14 C ages between 13 517 ± 56 and 11 543 ± 47 years before present (a BP). Correction of these ages by subtracting the core‐top ages, which probably reflect present‐day deposition (as indicated by 210 Pb dating of the sediment surface at one core site), yielded ages between ca. 10 500 and 8400 cal. a BP. Correction of the AIO ages of the diatomaceous ooze by only subtracting the marine reservoir effect (MRE) of 1300 a indicated deposition of the diatom‐rich sediments between 14 100 and 11 900 cal. a BP. Most of these ages are consistent with age constraints between 13.0 and 8.0 ka for the diatom‐rich unit, which we obtained by correlating the relative palaeomagnetic intensity (RPI) records of three of the sediment cores with global and regional reference curves. As a third dating technique we applied conventional radiocarbon dating of the AIO included in acid‐cleaned diatom hard parts extracted from the diatomaceous ooze. This method yielded uncorrected 14 C ages of only 5111 ± 38 and 5106 ± 38 a BP, respectively. We reject these young ages, because they are likely to be overprinted by the adsorption of modern atmospheric carbon dioxide onto the surfaces of the diatom hard parts prior to sample graphitisation and combustion for 14 C dating. The deposition of the diatom‐rich unit in the western Amundsen Sea suggests deglaciation of the inner shelf before ca. 13 ka BP. The deposition of diatomaceous oozes elsewhere on the Antarctic shelf around the same time, however, seems to be coincidental rather than directly related. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene bipolar climate seesaw: possible subtle evidence from the deep North East Atlantic Ocean? - Mark A. Maslin; Christopher W. Smart (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The occurrence of a millennial‐scale bipolar climate seesaw has been documented in detail for the last glacial period and Termination. There is, however, debate whether it occurs during interglacials and if it does what influence it could have on future climate. We present here new evidence from a North East Atlantic Ocean deep‐sea core which supports the hypothesis for a Holocene bipolar climate seesaw. BENGAL Site 13078#16, from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, is 4844 m deep and situated at the North Atlantic Deep Water and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) interface. Planktic foraminiferal fragment accumulation rate data at this site is an indicator of coarse carbonate dissolution, which is highly sensitive to the incursion of under‐saturated AABW. Five dissolution peaks have been identified, which seem to occur approximately 500 a after each of the North Atlantic 'Bond' ice rafting pulses, suggesting a subsequent subtle shallowing of AABW. This indicates a possible lagged climatic link between North East Atlantic surface water conditions and AABW production in the Southern Ocean during the Holocene. This provides the first tentative evidence that there was a Holocene bipolar climate seesaw and that the deep ocean was involved. This study also suggests that extremely sensitive locations need to be sought as the Holocene bipolar climate seesaw seems to be very subtle compared with its glacial counterparts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In defence of the meltwater (megaflood) hypothesis for the formation of subglacial bedform fields - John Shaw (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Characteristics of large‐scale fluting and hummocky terrain on the Canadian Prairies test glacial and meltwater hypotheses for landform genesis. These tests defend the meltwater model. Neither sedimentary nor glaciotectonic processes can fully explain such erosional landforms. Province‐scale flow paths, which mark palaeo‐ice streams and subglacial flood routes, contain large‐scale fluting with flanking hummock terrain. Antecedent relief causes these paths to differ from other flood landscapes such as the Scablands. Proponents of the glacial hypothesis use an invalid analogy between Icelandic and Prairie landsystems. They suggest that groove‐ploughing formed large‐scale fluting, and that ice pushing created hummocky terrain. However, landform location, form, and extent, surface lags, truncated architecture, and landform associations favour the meltwater hypothesis. A simple thought experiment and clear understanding of the principle of least number of assumptions answer the criticisms that meltwater forms cannot cross‐cut and that the meltwater hypothesis disregards proper hypothesis testing. An example of cross‐cutting erosional marks supports this theory. No narrow tract of smoothed terrain with fluting terminates at the glacially thrust Neutral Hills, negating an important point in the glacial hypothesis. While neither the glacial hypothesis nor postglacial winnowing explain boulder and cobble lags with percussion marks, meltwater processes explain them well. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Last Glacial Maximum pollen record from Bodmin Moor showing a possible cryptic northern refugium in southwest England - Ann Kelly; Dan J. Charman; Rewi M. Newnham (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A late Devensian palynological record is presented from Dozmary Pool (Bodmin Moor, southwest England), beyond the southern limit of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) British Ice Sheet. The pollen assemblages indicate predominantly herbaceous tundra–steppe communities but also include elevated levels (typically 10–20%) of conifer tree pollen ( Picea , Pinus , Abies ) and lower but persistent percentages of broadleaf tree pollen during the LGM. This record is seemingly at odds with the orthodox view of an entirely treeless tundra–steppe environment for this region and elimination of tree species from the British Isles during glacial maxima. Long‐distance pollen transport seems an unlikely explanation for the tree pollen considering distance to the nearest known refugia, except possibly for Pinus . Reworking of the tree pollen, often invoked in these circumstances, remains a possible alternative, especially given the abundance of these trees in the region during early Devensian interstadials. However, this explanation has been challenged by studies reporting plant macrofossil and faunal evidence for survival of temperate biota during glacial maxima and from climate modelling work that suggests some trees could have survived the glacial extremes in areas well beyond the recorded glacial refugia. Assuming reworking was not a major factor, the Dozmary Pool pollen record is consistent with the ‘cryptic northern refugia hypothesis’ that invokes survival of trees in small, scattered populations under locally favourable conditions during glacial maxima. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A major ice drainage pathway of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet: the Tyne Gap, northern England - Stephen J. Livingstone; Colm Ó Cofaigh; David J. A. Evans (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The Tyne Gap is a wide pass, situated between the Scottish Southern Uplands and the English Pennines that connects western and eastern England. It was a major ice flow drainage pathway of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet. This study presents new glacial geomorphological and sedimentological data from the Tyne Gap region that has allowed detailed reconstructions of palaeo‐ice flow dynamics during the Late Devensian (Marine Isotope Stage 2). Mapped lineations reveal a complex palimpsest pattern which shows that ice flow was subject to multiple switches in direction. These are summarised into three major ice flow phases. Stage I was characterised by convergent Lake District and Scottish ice that flowed east through the Tyne Gap, as a topographically controlled ice stream. This ice stream was identified from glacial geomorphological evidence in the form of convergent bedforms, streamlined subglacial bedforms and evidence for deformable bed conditions; stage II involved northerly migration of the Solway Firth ice divide back into the Southern Uplands, causing the easterly flow of ice to be weakened, and resulting in southeasterly flow of ice down the North Tyne Valley; and stage III was characterised by strong drawdown of ice into the Irish Sea Ice Basin, thus starving the Tyne Gap of ice and causing progressive ice sheet retreat westwards back across the watershed, prior to ice stagnation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Glacial forest refugium in Howard Valley, South Island, New Zealand - Maureen J. Marra; Glenn D. Thackray (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Fossils of forest habitat beetles and leaves of Nothofagus menziesii provide evidence of a forest refugium at times between ca. 34 000 and ca. 18 500 cal. a BP at an upland site in Howard Valley, located adjacent to glaciated valleys in South Island, New Zealand. The stratigraphy of the glacial‐aged terrace sequence of organic‐rich silts and fluvial sand/gravels indicates that soil development occurred episodically for around 15 000 a. Fifty‐four beetle taxa represent seven habitat types: forest, forest or scrub, riparian and aquatic, litter, grass/tussock, marshland and moss habitats. Leaf and beetle fossils indicate that forest dominated by N. menziesii persisted at the site for most of the time period represented, and tree line taxa such as Taenarthrus sp. 1 (Carabidae) and Podocarpus sp. (Podocarpaceae) indicate that the site may represent the upper tree limit for full‐glacial time. The finding of forest at this elevated site adds to the growing fossil evidence for multiple forest refugia in New Zealand during the last glaciation and is consistent with the pollen records, which have consistently indicated the presence of forest species during the last glaciations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Magnetic characterisation and correlation of a Younger Dryas tephra in North Atlantic marine sediments - Clare Peters; William E. N. Austin; John Walden; Fiona D. Hibbert (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
A technique for identifying non‐visible basaltic tephra‐rich horizons of Younger Dryas (YD)/Greenland Stadial (GS) 1 age in northeast Atlantic sediments using rapid, non‐destructive magnetic measurements is presented. Three high‐resolution marine sediment cores have been studied in an E–W transect across the Hebridean margin: St Kilda Basin (MD95‐2007), Barra Fan (MD95‐2006) and Rockall Trough (MD04‐2822). Magnetic susceptibilities and remanent magnetisations were measured at contiguous 1 cm resolution on bulk sediments. In all three cores, an interval with higher proportions of hard magnetic minerals coincides with a clearly defined peak in basaltic tephra shard (>250 µm) counts, which can be constrained to the early part of the YD/GS1 based on faunal climate proxies. Electron microprobe analyses of the magnetically distinct basaltic tephra interval, in all three cores, displays the same major element geochemistry as published for the Vedde basaltic (I Tab. 1), i.e. sourced from the Icelandic volcano Katla. The identification of transitional alkalic basaltic tephras within marine sediments could potentially be facilitated by magnetic analysis as a useful chronostratigraphic screening tool. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Were last glacial climate events simultaneous between Greenland and France? A quantitative comparison using non‐tuned chronologies - Maarten Blaauw; Barbara Wohlfarth; J. Andrés Christen; Linda Ampel; Daniel Veres; Konrad A. Hughen; Frank Preusser; Anders Svensson (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Several large abrupt climate fluctuations during the last glacial have been recorded in Greenland ice cores and archives from other regions. Often these Dansgaard–Oeschger events are assumed to have been synchronous over wide areas, and then used as tie‐points to link chronologies between the proxy archives. However, it has not yet been tested independently whether or not these events were indeed synchronous over large areas. Here, we compare Dansgaard–Oeschger‐type events in a well‐dated record from southeastern France with those in Greenland ice cores. Instead of assuming simultaneous climate events between both archives, we keep their age models independent. Even these well‐dated archives possess large chronological uncertainties that prevent us from inferring synchronous climate events at decadal to multi‐centennial time scales. If possible, comparisons between proxy archives should be based on independent, non‐tuned time‐scales. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Is X‐ray core scanning non‐destructive? Assessing the implications for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sediments - Femke Davids; Helen M. Roberts; Geoffrey A. T. Duller (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating is widely used to date clastic deposits, including those collected by coring. X‐ray scanning of cores has become popular because of the rapidly acquired, high‐resolution information it gives about optical, radiographic and elemental variations. Additionally, X‐ray scanning is widely viewed as a non‐destructive method. However, such instruments use an intense X‐ray beam that irradiates the split core to enable both X‐radiographic and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. This irradiation will influence the optically stimulated luminescence signal in the sediments. This study determines the radiation dose delivered to sediments in a core during an X‐ray scan, and assesses the implications for studies wishing to combine X‐ray scanning and OSL dating. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Consistent grain size distribution of pedogenic maghemite of surface soils and Miocene loessic soils on the Chinese Loess Plateau - Junsheng Nie; Yougui Song; John W. King; Ramon Egli (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
There is agreement that ultrafine maghemite grains (

Editorial - Antony Long (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)

Geochemistry and extractable Fe and Al in cold‐temperature soils of northwestern Siberia - William C. Mahaney; Volli Kalm; Ronald G. V. Hancock; Fred Michel; Barbara Kapran (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The concentrations of major, minor and trace elements in three Cryosols from northwestern Siberia were analysed to determine profiles of geochemical uniformity, element mobility and the release and build‐up of extractable Fe and Al. The scope of this study involves weathering processes over all or part of the Lateglacial to the Holocene Epoch ( d ) relative to total Fe increases in the Ah + Bw horizons compared with the lower horizons, where oxidation is weaker. Low total Fe reflects reworked felsic deltaic and shallow marine deposits from the Permian to the early Tertiary, thereafter emplaced by episodic flooding of glacial meltwater from the Arctic Urals and/or the Kara Sea Ice Sheet. Organically complexed Al (Al p ), uniformly low in all soils, nevertheless shows trends indicating some downward movement, a rather unique occurrence in Arctic tundra soils. As indicated by the slow increase of oxihydrites, it may not be realistic to estimate the age of a profile by its physical characteristics. However, it appears possible to determine broad age ranges from the isotopic composition of water in soils. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Science versus myth: was there a connection between the Marmara Sea and Lake Sapanca? - Alper Gürbüz; Suzanne A. G. Leroy (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The existence of an alternative strait between the Black and Marmara Seas, east of today's İstanbul Strait, on the route of İzmit Gulf–Lake Sapanca–Lower Sakarya Valley, was already claimed at the end of the 19th century and has also been considered in several recent studies. Firstly, in historical documents over the last 2500 years, some natural and artificial waterways between the Marmara Sea and Lake Sapanca have been reported. Secondly, according to the present geomorphological research between the İzmit Gulf and Lake Sapanca, the gutter‐like morphology, which was formed by the tectonics of the North Anatolian Fault in the centre of the plain, is suggested as a suitable geomorphic feature for a possible waterway between the gulf and the lake. Thirdly, the İzmit Plain that lies between the İzmit Gulf and Lake Sapanca is studied in this paper through its sedimentology. The facies associations of the basin‐fill deposits are examined here through the lithological descriptions and fossil assemblages in nine cores drilled in the plain. All these data suggest that the shoreline in the Quaternary did not lie much further landward from its current position, that the inner part of the plain was covered by a lagoon/coastal‐swamp environment and that a connection may have existed at an unknown time (perhaps for the last time during the Middle/Late Pleistocene) with perhaps only partial reuse during the last millennia in the course of catastrophic seismic movements and consecutive floods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lateglacial and Holocene variation in aeolian sediment flux over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau recorded by laminated sediments of a saline meromictic lake - Steffen Mischke; Chengjun Zhang; Anko Börner; Ulrike Herzschuh (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Predominantly laminated lake sediments from a saline closed‐basin lake on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated using a multi‐proxy approach ( 14 C‐accelerator mass spectrometry dating, smear‐slide analysis, loss on ignition, grain size, X‐ray diffraction, elemental concentration, ostracod assemblages, stable isotopes of ostracod shells) to trace the regional environmental and climatic history in the Lateglacial and Holocene. Before about 15 cal. ka BP, small saline water bodies probably filled the basin under unstable cold and harsh environmental conditions. Soon after about 14.9 cal. ka BP, a relatively deep saline lake was established, probably as a result of runoff from melting snow, ice and frozen ground in the lake's catchment. Large changes in flux of aeolian material to the lake were recorded during this initial period of formation of Lake Kuhai. Highest lake levels, a low sediment accumulation rate and less saline conditions were maintained between about 12.8 and 7.1 cal. ka BP when the aeolian influx diminished significantly. After about 7.1 cal. ka BP, the aeolian influx remained at a moderate level apart from a strongly increased dust delivery to the lake between about 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP and a minor short‐lived period of slightly enhanced aeolian influx at about 2.7 cal. ka BP. The strongly enhanced dust input to the lake between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP represented the largest influx of aeolian material to Lake Kuhai during the entire Holocene. However, evidence for climatic deterioration during this period is not seen at most other palaeoclimate sites on the Tibetan Plateau, but instead a significant increase in aridity has been recorded at numerous sites in the northern foreland of the Tibetan Plateau and on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The large dust input to Lake Kuhai between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP probably did not result from a severe climate deterioration on the Tibetan Plateau itself, but from the pronounced aridity in its northern and eastern foreland. In contrast, the increase in dust influx about 2.7 cal. ka BP seems to correspond to a brief warming spell recorded at other sites on the Tibetan Plateau too. A slight increase in lake level and decrease in salinity after about 0.6 cal. ka BP suggests a slightly higher effective moisture during the final lake stage, accompanied by a somewhat larger dust influx. This apparent contradiction possibly results from enhanced human activities on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the last 600 years. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A long‐term vegetation history of the Mojave–Colorado desert ecotone at Joshua Tree National Park - Camille A. Holmgren; Julio L. Betancourt; Kate A. Rylander (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Thirty‐eight dated packrat middens were collected from upper desert (930–1357 m) elevations within Joshua Tree National Park near the ecotone between the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert, providing a 30 ka record of vegetation change with remarkably even coverage for the last 15 ka. This record indicates that vegetation was relatively stable, which may reflect the lack of invasion by extralocal species during the late glacial and the early establishment and persistence of many desert scrub elements. Many of the species found in the modern vegetation assemblages were present by the early Holocene, as indicated by increasing Sørenson's Similarity Index values. C 4 grasses and summer‐flowering annuals arrived later at Joshua Tree National Park in the early Holocene, suggesting a delayed onset of warm‐season monsoonal precipitation compared to other Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert localities to the east, where summer rains and C 4 grasses persisted through the last glacial–interglacial cycle. This would suggest that contemporary flow of monsoonal moisture into eastern California is secondary to the core processes of the North American Monsoon, which remained intact throughout the late Quaternary. In the Holocene, northward displacement of the jet stream, in both summer and winter, allowed migration of the subtropical ridge as far north as southern Idaho and the advection of monsoonal moisture both westward into eastern California and northward into the southern Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Postglacial chironomid assemblage succession in northernmost Ungava Peninsula, Canada - Émilie Saulnier‐Talbot; Reinhard Pienitz (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Sediment cores spanning the postglacial period were recovered from two coastal freshwater basins located 300 km apart in northernmost Ungava (Nunavik, Canada). A basal date from the sequence recovered near Wakeham Bay suggests that the region was ice‐free by as early as 9600 cal. a BP. The initial development of both investigated lacustrine ecosystems was characterised by chironomid assemblages strongly dominated by the Subtribe Tanytarsina. These early postglacial assemblages showed greatly reduced diversity but much greater abundance than during subsequent periods of lake evolution. An abrupt and distinct turnover in sedimentary chironomid assemblage composition and productivity, marked by a switch to a dominance of Orthocladiinae, occurred around 6 ka BP. This turnover likely corresponds with a significant disturbance in the regional environment, which could be linked to the final disappearance of the last remnants of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. These findings, based on the first palaeolimnological investigations undertaken in northernmost Ungava, provide new insights into lateglacial and postglacial faunal recolonisation patterns in aquatic ecosystems of the eastern Canadian Arctic. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene relative sea‐level changes in Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK - Jason T. Jordan; David E. Smith; Sue Dawson; Alastair G. Dawson (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Evidence for relative sea‐level changes during the middle and late Holocene is examined from two locations on the Atlantic coast of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, using morphological mapping and survey, stratigraphical, grain size and diatom analysis, and radiocarbon dating. The earliest event identified is a marine flood, which occurred after 7982–8348 cal. a (7370 ± 80 14 C a) BP, when the sea crossed a threshold lying at −0.08 m Ordnance Datum Newlyn (OD) (−2.17 m mean high water springs (MHWS)) before withdrawing. This could have been due to a storm or to the Holocene Storegga Slide tsunami. By 6407–6122 cal. a (5500 ± 60 14 C a) BP, relative sea levels had begun to fall from a sandflat surface with an indicated MHWS level of between 0.08 and −1.96 m (−2.01 to −4.05 m). This fall reached between −0.30 and −2.35 m (−2.39 to −4.44 m) after 5841–5050 cal. a (4760 ± 130 14 C a) BP, but was succeeded by a relative sea‐level rise which reached between 0.54 and −1.57 m (−1.55 to −3.66 m) by 5450–4861 cal. a (4500 ± 100 14 C a) BP. This rise continued, possibly with an interruption, until a second sandflat surface was reached between 2.34 and −0.26 m (0.25 to −2.35 m) between 2952–3375 cal. a (3000 ± 80 14 C a) and 1948–2325 cal. a (2130 ± 70 14 C a) BP, before present levels were reached. The regressive episode from the earliest sandflat is correlated with the abandonment of the Main Postglacial Shoreline. It is maintained that the fluctuations in relative sea level recorded can be correlated with similar events elsewhere on the periphery of the glacio‐isostatic centre and may therefore reflect secular changes in nearshore sea surface levels. Despite published evidence from trim lines of differential ice sheet loading across the area, no evidence of variations in uplift between the locations concerned could be found. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of detrital carbonate on stable oxygen and carbon isotope data from varved sediments of the interglacial Piànico palaeolake (Southern Alps, Italy) - Clara Mangili; Achim Brauer; Birgit Plessen; Peter Dulski; Andrea Moscariello; Rudolf Naumann (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Contamination with detrital matter is a well‐known bias in δ 18 O records from lake carbonates but quantitative information of this effect is yet lacking. Therefore, we developed a new methodological approach combining isotope analyses with microfacies, X‐ray diffraction and micro‐X‐ray fluorescence data and applied this in a case study for the Piànico interglacial lake record in order to provide a quantitative estimate of the effect of detrital carbonate on stable δ 18 O and δ 13 C data. The Piànico record contains a long series of distinct and well‐preserved calcite varves and is correlated to Marine Isotope Stage 11. Intercalated in the varve sequence are detrital layers triggered by surface erosion events. These detrital layers are mainly composed of dolomite, thus reflecting the mineralogical signature of the catchment. Microfacies analyses of a 9350 varve year interval allows the identification of detrital layers down to sub‐millimetre scale and a precise selection of three different types of samples for isotope analyses: (1) pure endogenic calcite varves (five varves per sample) without detrital contamination; (2) individual detrital layers; and (3) ‘mixed’ samples including five calcite varves and up to four thin detrital layers. Detrital samples show the isotopic signature of the catchment dolomite and are up to 5.7‰ enriched in δ 18 O values with respect to endogenic calcite samples. In mixed samples, the degree of isotopic enrichment is directly related to the amount of detrital contamination; δ 18 O of bulk carbonates is significantly biased when the detrital component amounts to more than 5% of the sample. It is also shown that samples containing detrital material have an influence on the calculation of the covariance between δ 13 C and δ 18 O. Covariance is high ( r = 0.76) when the correlation coefficient is calculated on the base of all samples, but absent ( r = −0.43) when samples containing detrital dolomite are excluded. It has been demonstrated that microfacies analysis is a quick tool to avoid or reduce detrital contamination in bulk carbonate samples during sample selection. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Location, location, location: changes in the diversity of animal resources exploited by Tardiglacial humans in northern Spain - Pablo Turrero; Eva García‐Vázquez; Miguel Arbizu; Gema E. Adán (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Prey diversity of Homo sapiens in north Iberia exhibited shifts associated with climate warming after the Last Glacial Maximum, as deduced from animal remains obtained from Upper Palaeolithic caves in Asturias (northern Spain). Significant association of prey diversity and river proximity was found during adverse climate conditions, indicating opportunistic predation. A high increase of prey diversity was found when small animals (including fish) were taken into account in archaeological records, highlighting the importance of this type of prey in Palaeolithic diets. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Holocene alpine glaciation inferred from lacustrine sediments on northeastern Baffin Island, Arctic Canada - Elizabeth K. Thomas; Jason Szymanski; Jason P. Briner (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
With accelerated melting of alpine glaciers, understanding the future state of the cryosphere is critical. Because the observational record of glacier response to climate change is short, palaeo‐records of glacier change are needed. Using proglacial lake sediments, which contain continuous and datable records of past glacier activity, we investigate Holocene glacier fluctuations on northeastern Baffin Island. Basal radiocarbon ages from three lakes constrain Laurentide Ice Sheet retreat by ca. 10.5 ka. High sedimentation rates (0.03 cm a −1 ) and continuous minerogenic sedimentation throughout the Holocene in proglacial lakes, in contrast to organic‐rich sediments and low sedimentation rates (0.005 cm a −1 ) in neighbouring non‐glacial lakes, suggest that glaciers may have persisted in proglacial lake catchments since regional deglaciation. The presence of varves and relatively high magnetic susceptibility from 10 to 6 ka and since 2 ka in one proglacial lake suggest minimum Holocene glacier extent ca. 6–2 ka. Moraine evidence and proglacial and threshold lake sediments indicate that the maximum Holocene glacier extent occurred during the Little Ice Age. The finding that glaciers likely persisted through the Holocene is surprising, given that regional proxy records reveal summer temperatures several degrees warmer than today, and may be due to shorter ablation seasons and greater accumulation‐season precipitation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A near‐annual palaeohydrological study based on testate amoebae from a sub‐alpine mire: surface wetness and the role of climate during the instrumental period - Mariusz Lamentowicz; Willem Van Der Knaap; Łukasz Lamentowicz; Jacqueline F. N. Van Leeuwen; Edward A. D. Mitchell; Tomasz Goslar; Christian Kamenik (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
We present the first testate amoeba‐based palaeohydrological reconstruction from the Swiss Alps, and the first depth to the water table (DWT) calibration dataset for this region. Compared to existing models, our new calibration dataset performs well (RMSEP = 4.88), despite the length of the water table gradient covered (53 cm). The present‐day topography and vegetation of the study mire Mauntschas suggest that it is partly ombrotrophic (large Sphagnum fuscum hummocks, one of which was the coring site) but mostly under the minerotrophic influence of springs in the mire and runoff from the surrounding area. Ombrotrophic Sphagnum fuscum hummocks developed at the sampling site only during the last 50 years, when testate amoebae indicate a shift towards dry and/or acid conditions. Prior to AD 1950 the water table was much higher, suggesting that the influence of the mineral‐rich water prevented the development of ombrotrophic hummocks. The reconstructed DWT correlated with Pinus cembra pollen accumulation rates, suggesting that testate amoebae living on the mire and P. cembra growing outside of it partly respond to the same factor(s). Finally, temperature trends from the nearby meteorological station paralleled trends in reconstructed DWT. However, contrary to other studies made on raised bogs of northwestern Europe, the highest correlation was observed for winter temperature, despite the fact that testate amoebae would more logically respond to moisture conditions during the growing season. The observed correlation with winter temperature might reflect a control of winter severity on surface moisture during at least the first part of the growing season, through snow melt and soil frost phenomena influencing run‐off. More ecohydrological work on sub‐alpine mires is needed to understand the relationships between climate, testate amoebae and peatland development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Formal ratification of the Quaternary System/Period and the Pleistocene Series/Epoch with a base at 2.58 Ma - Philip L. Gibbard; Martin J. Head; Michael J. C. Walker (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
In June 2009, the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) formally ratified a proposal by the International Commission on Stratigraphy to lower the base of the Quaternary System/Period to the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Gelasian Stage/Age at Monte San Nicola, Sicily, Italy. The Gelasian until then had been the uppermost stage of the Pliocene Series/Epoch. The base of the Gelasian corresponds to Marine Isotope Stage 103, and has an astronomically tuned age of 2.58 Ma. A proposal that the base of the Pleistocene Series/Epoch be lowered to coincide with that of the Quaternary (the Gelasian GSSP) was also accepted by the IUGS Executive Committee. The GSSP at Vrica, Calabria, Italy, which had hitherto defined the basal boundary of both the Quaternary and the Pleistocene, remains available as the base of the Calabrian Stage/Age (now the second stage of the revised Pleistocene). In ratifying these proposals, the IUGS has acknowledged the distinctive qualities of the Quaternary by reaffirming it as a full system/period, correctly complied with the hierarchical requirements of the geological timescale by lowering the base of the Pleistocene to that of the Quaternary, and fully respected the historical and widespread current usage of both the terms ‘Quaternary’ and ‘Pleistocene’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Antarctic palaeo record and its role in improving predictions of future Antarctic Ice Sheet change - Michael J. Bentley (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
This paper reviews the ways in which the palaeo record of Antarctic Ice Sheet change can be used to improve understanding of contemporary ice sheet behaviour, and thus enhance predictions of future sea‐level change. The main areas where the palaeo ice sheet record can contribute are understanding long‐term ice sheet trajectory; providing data against which ice sheet models can be tested; to identify and understand the range and types of natural ice sheet behaviour; to balance the global water budget; to correct contemporary glaciological measurements of mass change; and to understand the relationship between polar ecosystems and the ice sheet. I review each in turn and argue that research priorities include understanding past West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse and its timing; a focus on the palaeo record of rapid retreat events and how these unfolded in the geological past; improving the number and range of ice sheet reconstructions, particularly through the Holocene; continuing to investigate the potential for using sediments and landforms to parameterise basal conditions in ice sheet models; and understanding past East Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics, particularly the evidence for partial deglaciation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reconstructing ENSO: the influence of method, proxy data, climate forcing and teleconnections - Rob Wilson; Edward Cook; Rosanne D'Arrigo; Nadja Riedwyl; Michael N. Evans; Alexander Tudhope; Rob Allan (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
In this study we compare three newly developed independent NINO3.4 sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions using data from (1) the central Pacific (corals), (2) the TexMex region of the USA (tree rings) and (3) other regions in the Tropics (corals and an ice core) which are teleconnected with central Pacific SSTs in the 20th century. Although these three reconstructions are strongly calibrated and well verified, inter‐proxy comparison shows a significant weakening in inter‐proxy coherence in the 19th century. This breakdown in common signal could be related to insufficient data, dating errors in some of the proxy records or a breakdown in El Niño–Southern Oscillation's (ENSO's) influence on other regions. However, spectral analysis indicates that each reconstruction portrays ENSO‐like spectral properties. Superposed epoch analysis also shows that each reconstruction shows a generally consistent ‘El Niño‐like’ response to major volcanic events in the following year, while during years T + 4 to T + 7 ‘La Niña‐like’ conditions prevail. These results suggest that each of the series expresses ENSO‐like ‘behaviour’, but this ‘behaviour’ does not appear to be spatially or temporally consistent. This result may reflect published observations that there appear to be distinct ‘types’ of ENSO variability depending on location within the tropical Pacific. Future work must address potential dating issues within some proxies (i.e. sampling of multiple coral heads for one location) as well as assessing the time stability of local climate relationships with central Pacific SSTs. More emphasis is needed on sampling new and extending old coral proxy records from the crucial central and eastern tropical Pacific region. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and © Crown Copyright 2009.

IPCC and palaeoclimate – an evolving story? - Chris J. Caseldine; Chris Turney; Antony J. Long (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The introductory comments to the Special Issue: IPCC and palaeoclimate, concentrate on considering how the role of palaeoclimate research has evolved over the two decades of IPCC Reports. There have been significant changes in the nature and prominence of palaeoclimate research examined with the Fourth Assessment Report (FAR) representing a major step in giving such research a high profile. The implications of this for future palaeoclimate research are briefly reviewed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The sea‐level conundrum: case studies from palaeo‐archives (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Uncertainties in sea‐level projections for the 21st century have focused ice sheet modelling efforts to include the processes that are thought to be contributing to the recently observed rapid changes at ice sheet margins. This effort is still in its infancy, however, leaving us unable to make reliable predictions of ice sheet responses to a warming climate if such glacier accelerations were to increase in size and frequency. The geological record, however, has long identified examples of nonlinear ice sheet response to climate forcing (Shackleton NJ, Opdyke ND. 1973. Oxygen isotope and paleomagnetic stratigraphy of equatorial Pacific core V28–239, late Pliocene to latest Pleistocene. Geological Society of America Memoirs 145 : 449–464; Fairbanks RG. 1989. A 17,000 year glacio‐eustatic sea level record: influence of glacial melting rates on the Younger Dryas event and deep ocean circulation. Nature 342 : 637–642; Bard E, Hamelin B, Arnold M, Montaggioni L, Cabioch G, Faure G, Rougerie F. 1996. Sea level record from Tahiti corals and the timing of deglacial meltwater discharge. Nature 382 : 241–244), thus suggesting an alternative strategy for constraining the rate and magnitude of sea‐level change that we might expect by the end of this century. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The bigger picture: towards integrating palaeoclimate and environmental data with a history of societal change - C. J. Caseldine; C. Turney (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
Recent technological and methodological advances in palaeoclimate and environmental reconstruction are increasingly allowing comparisons to historical and archaeological records of societal change. A major motivation of this work is to explore the interactions between natural and human systems on annual to millennial timescales to provide potential insights into future change. Research on this topic has shown that ancient societies in different regions of the world experienced and responded to a range of Holocene climatic and environmental changes with varying degrees of success. However, for the palaeo record to be fully exploited in this regard, it is clear that future work should focus on developing datasets that are more directly integrated with archaeological and historical evidence. Here we consider a range of issues related to achieving this aim and argue that increased interdisciplinarity through collaboration with human and social science colleagues will be critical. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Megadroughts in North America: placing IPCC projections of hydroclimatic change in a long‐term palaeoclimate context - Edward R. Cook; Richard Seager; Richard R. Heim; Russell S. Vose; Celine Herweijer; Connie Woodhouse (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
IPCC Assessment Report 4 model projections suggest that the subtropical dry zones of the world will both dry and expand poleward in the future due to greenhouse warming. The US Southwest is particularly vulnerable in this regard and model projections indicate a progressive drying there out to the end of the 21st century. At the same time, the USA has been in a state of drought over much of the West for about 10 years now. While severe, this turn of the century drought has not yet clearly exceeded the severity of two exceptional droughts in the 20th century. So while the coincidence between the turn of the century drought and projected drying in the Southwest is cause for concern, it is premature to claim that the model projections are correct. At the same time, great new insights into past drought variability over North America have been made through the development of the North American Drought Atlas from tree rings. Analyses of this drought atlas have revealed past megadroughts of unprecedented duration in the West, largely in the Medieval period about 1000 years ago. A vastly improved Living Blended Drought Atlas (LBDA) for North America now under development reveals these megadroughts in far greater detail. The LBDA indicates the occurrence of the same Medieval megadroughts in the West and similar‐scale megadroughts in the agriculturally and commercially important Mississippi Valley. Possible causes of these megadroughts and their implications for the future are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enhancing the relevance of palaeoclimate model/data comparisons for assessments of future climate change - Gavin A. Schmidt (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
I discuss the role of model/data comparisons for past climate changes and use of such comparisons for enhancing credibility in future projections. I outline a framework in which data synthesis combined with suitable modelling targets should be able to reduce uncertainty in both. By focusing on areas that the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report (IPCC AR4) highlighted as being particularly uncertain in future projections, or where current models produce a very wide range of responses, the relevance of palaeoclimate data could be greatly enhanced. Specific targets include: the long‐term behaviour of El Niño events and the potential response to volcanic and solar forcing; the variability of subtropical rainfall and the extent of the Hadley Circulation and their response to orbital and high‐latitude forcing; ice sheet responses on sub‐millennial timescales; multidecadal changes in the North Atlantic ocean circulation and, certainly, overall climate sensitivity. In each case, I highlight data synthesis steps and modelling approaches necessary for reducing the uncertainty. In particular, I stress the need for coordinated model simulation archives that are conformal to those used in simulations of the 20th century and beyond and the consistency of models used for past and future climate simulations. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sea‐level changes since the Last Glacial Maximum: an appraisal of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report - Roland Gehrels (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) stated that global sea level rose by about 120 m between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and 3–2 ka and did not rise again until the late 19th century. A review of relevant literature demonstrates that the rise may have been larger (by 10–15 m), that the timing of stabilisation is poorly constrained (within the last 7 ka BP), and that the onset of modern rates of sea‐level rise is not synchronous and uniform across the globe. The LGM lowstand as defined in the AR4 is based on the ‘classic’ Barbados sea‐level history, but the sea‐level curve from this island may not be an accurate ‘eustatic’ approximation if glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) processes were significant, as suggested by various authors. The Barbados sea‐level curve revealed the existence of meltwater pulse (MWP) 1a at around 14 000 cal. a BP. Questions about the source and causal mechanism of MWP 1a are still being explored by field scientists and GIA modellers. These problems have direct relevance for contemporary measurements of ice mass changes, because space geodetic measurements rely on information provided by GIA models to separate land motion from ice mass changes. Global patterns of Holocene sea‐level change are controlled by regional sea‐level variability, not only through isostatic and tectonic processes, but also through steric effects, longer‐wavelength gravitational changes produced by changing ice–ocean mass flux and hemispheric‐scale perturbations in the Earth's rotation. ‘Eustasy’ is therefore merely a concept, not a measurable quantity. Constraining the late Holocene ice melt contribution to global sea‐level rise and determining regional sea‐level rise patterns in the 18th and 19th centuries are important future tasks for sea‐level scientists; these will establish the baseline contributions to 20th‐ and 21st‐century sea‐level rise and will help to determine the causes of modern rates of sea‐level rise. Constraining historical sea‐level accelerations and short‐term ice‐mass flux will aid models of ice‐sheet dynamics and help to reduce current uncertainties in future sea‐level predictions. The AR4 shows that regional sea‐level variability is clearly present in sea‐level change patterns for the past 50 a and an important challenge for the next IPCC assessment is to incorporate this variability into regional future sea‐level rise scenarios. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Some Holocene palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental perspectives on Arctic/Subarctic climate warming and the IPCC 4th Assessment Report - Glen M. MacDonald (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The IPCC 4th Assessment Report (FAR) is considered in light of Holocene palaeo‐records of Arctic and Subarctic land temperatures and the response of the boreal forest–tundra boundary to past and present warming. The palaeo‐records appear to support and amplify some of the conclusions in FAR and raise questions about others. Comparison of the FAR estimates for late 21st‐century warming with Arctic and Subarctic palaeoclimatic records suggests that anticipated future warming will be unprecedented compared to earlier Holocene warming including the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) and subsequent Medieval Warm Period (MWP). Annual warming and winter warming will likely be greater than during earlier periods in the Holocene, but summer temperatures projected by FAR may approximate or not far exceed the summer warming of the HTM. The geographically synchronous pattern of 21st‐century warming projected by FAR will differ from the observed geographic variability in the timing of the HTM, particularly in the western Arctic. Further palaeo‐record syntheses are required to fully delineate the similarities and differences between the HTM and the projected conditions of the 21st century. In addition, palaeo‐records suggest that the Arctic and Subarctic climate may be sensitive to relatively small changes in solar irradiance and understanding the potential effects of natural variations in irradiance on the future climate of the Arctic and Subarctic remains a question deserving further research. FAR mapped estimates of a significant northward displacement of boreal forest and woodland due to warming imply that boreal forest or woodland will displace tundra as far north as the Arctic coastline by AD 2100. In Eurasia the estimated AD 2100 location of the tree line appears to approximate the HTM location. In North America an advance of forest to the coastline on the north slope of Alaska, central Canada and northern Quebec would far outdistance the relatively limited northward advances of boreal forest during the HTM. However, rates of tree species advance and subsequent forest development based on palaeo‐records and currently observed tree line advances raise questions about the likelihood that northward migration and subsequent increases in the population sizes of boreal tree species could occur rapidly enough to establish continuous forest and woodland as far north as the Arctic coastlines of Eurasia and North America by AD 2100. Determining potential rates of northward advance of the northern forests requires further ecological and palaeoecological investigations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

New constraints on the age of the last ice sheet glaciation in NW England using optically stimulated luminescence dating - Matt W. Telfer; Peter Wilson; Tom C. Lord; Peter J. Vincent (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) has been used to date silts, interpreted as either primary or colluviated loess, deposited in karstic depressions at three sites on the Carboniferous limestone of NW England. Two of the ages presented here constrain the onset of the last (Late Devensian) ice in this region to later than ca. 27 ± 2 ka, and the other two date initial deglaciation prior to ca. 19 ± 2 ka in the Morecambe Bay area and ca. 17 ± 2 ka in the karst of the Yorkshire Dales. While these ages are broadly consistent with existing estimates from lacustrine and speleothem evidence, they offer the tightest constraints yet published on the presence of the last ice sheet from northern England. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The evolution of the guild of large Carnivora of the British Isles during the Middle and Late Pleistocene - Alan Turner (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Recent refinements to the dating of a number of Middle and Late Pleistocene localities and fossil mammal assemblages from the British Isles, and their correlation with Marine Isotope Stages (MIS), permit a more detailed assessment of the evolution of the guild of larger Carnivora. By around 0.4–0.5 Ma (MIS 13–11) or just after, the more archaic elements of the guild, such as the sabretoothed cat Homotherium latidens , the medium‐sized pantherine Panthera gombaszoegensis and the large dog Canis lycaonoides , had disappeared and had been replaced, or were being replaced, by extant species such as lion ( Panthera leo ), spotted hyaena ( Crocuta crocuta ) and the wolf ( Canis lupus ), although claims for a last‐glaciation appearance – or reappearance – of Homotherium require assessment. During MIS 5a this guild seems to have been temporarily replaced by a more restricted one of wolf in conjunction with a very large brown bear ( Ursus arctos ), together with a reduced prey fauna of bison and reindeer. Final extinction of Crocuta and lion in these islands took place towards the end of MIS 3, arguably prior to the Last Glacial Maximum. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Surface exposure dating of Late Pleistocene glaciations at the Dedegöl Mountains (Lake Beyşehir, SW Turkey) - Conradin Zahno; Naki Akçar; Vural Yavuz; Peter W. Kubik; Christian Schlüchter (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Situated on the interior side of the western central Taurus Mountains of SW Anatolia, the Muslu Valley in the Dedegöl Mountains (Mt Dipoyraz: 37° 37′ 07″ N, 31° 19′ 42″ E, 2992 m above sea level (a.s.l.)) represents the lower part of a formerly glaciated valley system of ∼7.5 km in length. Surface exposure ages with cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al date a glacier expansion out of the Muslu Valley 24.3 ± 1.8 ka ago (1 σ confidence interval) and give evidence for pronounced glacier advances prior to the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 21 ± 2 ka). Deglaciation commenced no later than 17.7 ± 1.4 ka ago. Superimposed climatic oscillations are indicated by glacier fluctuations dated around 19.8 ± 1.6 ka and again 13.9 ± 2.3 ka prior to the first major amelioration of climate. The Late Pleistocene glacier chronology from the western central Taurus Mountains, published lake level fluctuation data of palaeolake Konya and Lake Beyşehir, and nearby pollen data on the central Anatolian plateau reveal a conspicuous time correlation of palaeoenvironmental change. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Multi‐component stable isotope records from Late Weichselian and early Holocene lake sediments at Imiołki, Poland: palaeoclimatic and methodological implications - Karina Apolinarska; Dan Hammarlund (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Late Weichselian and early Holocene climatic and environmental changes are inferred from stable carbon and oxygen isotope records obtained on bulk and biogenic carbonates from the sediment sequence of Lake Lednica, western Poland. Along with sediment and pollen stratigraphic data, a wide range of carbonate components occurring in the sediments was analysed for δ 13 C and δ 18 O, including shells of several gastropod species and the bivalve genus Pisidium , carapaces of the ostracod subfamily Candoninae and oogonia of the aquatic macrophyte genus Chara . The development of catchment soils and the onset of authigenic carbonate production in response to the climatic amelioration during the Late Weichselian are clearly reflected by rising carbonate content, distinct isotopic shifts in bulk carbonates and decreasing δ 13 C values of bulk organic matter in the sediments. The GI‐1/GS‐1 (the Bølling–Allerød Interstadial complex/Younger Dryas Stadial) and the GS‐1/Preboreal transitions are marked by significant shifts in δ 18 O values of 2–3‰, as well as by distinct changes in carbonate content, indicative of a decrease and a subsequent increase in mean annual temperature. Corresponding δ 13 C records reflect primarily changes in aquatic productivity, with favourable conditions for phytoplankton and macrophytes during GI‐1 and the Preboreal resulting in persistent 13 C enrichment. The Younger Dryas Stadial is characterised by depletions in 13 C and 18 O, with indications of a climatic tripartition. Consistent offsets in δ 13 C and δ 18 O between records obtained on specific carbonate components reflect vital effects in combination with seasonal characteristics and habitat preferences of the respective carbonate‐precipitating biota. Largely parallel first‐order variations in δ 13 C and δ 18 O of the different carbonate components demonstrate that individual isotope records may provide important palaeoclimatic information, although more detailed reconstructions can be obtained from multi‐component analysis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

First radiocarbon dates on woolly mammoth ( Mammuthus primigenius ) from northern Germany - Robert S. Sommer; Norbert Benecke (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A major gap in the radiocarbon chronology of woolly mammoth in Europe results from an absence of dated records from the Late Weichselian moraine regions of the Northern European Lowlands. In the past many fossil mammoth remains were discovered in the province of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania in northeastern Germany. Seven finds, which were well preserved, were radiocarbon dated by accelerator mass spectrometry. The dates, ranging from 44.8 to 23.9 14 C ka BP (50–28 cal. ka BP), can be correlated with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 of the late Quaternary, and indicate that mammoth was able to colonise this region during a period of rapid environmental changes. The new radiocarbon evidence fits well into the known colonisation pattern of woolly mammoth and shows a continuous distribution in the Late Weichselian moraine areas of northern Germany before the expansion of the Scandinavian ice sheet. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantitative reconstruction of palaeoclimate from pollen profiles in northeastern Japan and the timing of a cold reversal event during the Last Termination - Akihiro Yoshida; Sadako Takeuti (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
We reconstructed quantified palaeoclimate changes within two Japanese pollen profiles spanning the Last Termination (LT; 18–10 cal. ka) in an attempt to better understand past monsoon activity. The reconstructed winter climate at the Tashiro mire, which is strongly influenced by the Siberian air mass, showed a weak and a short‐lived cooling event at 11.8–10.6 cal. ka. This event spans part of the Younger Dryas (YD) cooling event in the North Atlantic region, suggesting the latter influenced the Siberian high‐pressure system. In contrast, the summer climate at the Komado mire, which is more influenced by the Pacific air mass, experienced a strong and a prolonged cooling event at 15.5–13.0 cal. ka. The latter event is broadly synchronous with the Antarctica Cold Reversal (ACR) event, and suggests that the Pacific high‐pressure system weakened during this period. The pattern of climate change across East Asia shows that the YD event did not extend beyond the East Asian monsoon front, while the ACR event strongly affected the Pacific high‐pressure system during the LT. We suggest the East Asian monsoon front is an important geo‐climatic boundary between YD‐like and ACR‐like deglacial climate changes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A multi‐proxy palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic record within full glacial lacustrine deposits, western Tennessee, USA - David A. Grimley; Daniel Larsen; Samantha W. Kaplan; Catherine H. Yansa; B. Brandon Curry; Eric A. Oches (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The Fulton Section, along the Mississippi River in western Tennessee, USA, is a 1 km continuous exposure (∼20 m vertically) of Quaternary fluvial and lacustrine deposits, inset within Eocene sediments and buried by thick loess. Fossiliferous slackwater lake sediments record maximum aggradation during the last two major glaciations, with deposition between ca. 190–140 ka and 24– 18 14 C ka BP, based on amino acid and radiocarbon chronology, respectively. During the onset of full glacial conditions (ca. 24–22 14 C ka BP), a relatively permanent shallow lake environment is indicated by ostracods, aquatic molluscs, and both pollen and macrofossils of aquatic plants. By 21.8 14 C ka BP, increasing emergent plants, amphibious gastropods ( Pomatiopsis ) and heavier δ 18 O compositions suggest marsh‐like conditions in a periodically drying lake. The surrounding uplands consisted of Picea – Pinus woodlands mixed with cool‐temperate hardwoods (e.g. Quercus , Populus , Carya ), grasses and herbs. More open conditions ensued ca. 20 14 C ka BP, with loess and slopewash gradually infilling the former lake by 18 14 C ka BP. Modern analogue analyses of ostracods and palaeontological evidence imply a full glacial climate similar to today's mixed‐boreal zone in central Minnesota, USA, about 9°C cooler in mean annual temperature than present‐day western Tennessee. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Orbital‐ and millennial‐scale fluctuations in late Quaternary marine pollen records from the Japan Sea - Ken Ikehara; Hideaki Oshima (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Quaternary surface water conditions within the Japan Sea change with eustatic sea‐level changes and fluctuations in the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM), influencing regional climate and vegetation through the delivery of heat and moisture. Our marine pollen data suggest overall cooling from the Last Interglacial (ca. 125 ka) to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a cold climate during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, gradual warming from 12 ka and rapid warming after 10 ka. These stages are concordant with published palaeoceanographic changes in the Japan Sea. During mid MIS 5 to MIS 3, marine sediments in the Japan Sea are characterised by fine alternations of dark‐ and light‐coloured layers that formed under the influence of fluctuations in the EASM, possibly correlated with Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. During the deposition of dark layers, high levels of precipitation are inferred from the abundance of Cryptomeria . In contrast, a cool and dry climate is interpreted for the light layers, based on an abundance of subarctic conifer pollen. The palaeoclimate of the Japan Sea region appears to have been influenced by orbital‐scale changes in global climate and millennial‐scale fluctuations in the EASM. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The last 100 000 years' palaeoenvironmental changes inferred from the diatom assemblages of core MD012404 from the Okinawa Trough, East China Sea - Yuan‐Pin Chang; Wei‐Lung Wang; Min‐Te Chen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The diatom assemblage records preserved in a sedimentary core MD012404 retrieved from the Okinawa Trough in the East China Sea (ECS) imply palaeoenvironmental changes of the last 100 ka. Our statistical analyses of diatom species abundance data indicate that the assemblages dominate open ocean and warm water, coastal water and freshwater masses in the ECS. These proxy species were used to infer the long‐term variation in surface hydrological conditions and palaeoclimate. Cycles of ca. 23 ka observed in the relative abundance of the tychopelagic species Paralia sulcata indicate that the increases in precipitation driven by solar insolation might have controlled the diatom assemblages in the ECS. The diatom records also indicate relatively low abundances of tropical, tychopelagic and freshwater species during millennial‐scale cold events such as the Younger Dryas and Heinrich events, which have been well expressed in the high‐latitude Northern Hemisphere climate. The floral patterns are interpreted as synchronous cooling and more saline sea surface conditions in the ECS caused by the enhanced Asian winter monsoon during the Northern Hemisphere cold events. The higher abundances of tropical species during deglaciation and the Holocene might have been linked to gradual increases in the inflow of the Kuroshio into the Okinawa Trough. The records also suggest a temporary reduction in tropical species from 5 to 3 ka, corresponding to the Pulleniatina Minimum Event during which the warm‐water planktic foraminifer Pulleniatina obliquiloculata was rare. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Episodic coastal dune development in the Taean Peninsula and Anmyeon Island, Korea, during the mid to late Holocene - Keun Bae Yu; George A. Brook; Hosahng Rhew; Young Ho Shin; Sung Hwan Kim; Fong Z. Brook (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The episodic nature of coastal dune development has been widely identified in many dune areas over the world. What causes such episodicity is still hotly debated. Sea‐level change, climatic change and human impact have widely been reported as the main forcings, though there is no agreement yet upon which factors are critical. This research provides some evidence that sea‐level fluctuation and climatic factors controlled the episodic dune building together, based upon optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dune ages on the west coast of Korea. The newly obtained and published OSL dune ages on the west coast of the Taean Peninsula and Anmyeon Island, Korea, indicate the six main periods of dune building: 5.5, 4.3, 1.5, 1.3, 1.1 and 0.7 ka. They correlate with evidence of colder climate in East Asia that imply stronger dune‐forming winds during the winter under the influence of a more intense Siberian High. They also correlate with periods of higher sea level over the present one with fluctuations. Thus, episodic dune activity along the west coast of the Korean Peninsula during the mid to late Holocene appears to be linked to stronger winter winds capable of moving sand from the beach to the foredune ridges with short‐term fluctuations during the high stands. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Luminescence dating indicates radiocarbon age underestimation in late Pleistocene fluvial deposits from eastern England - Rebecca M. Briant; Mark D. Bateman (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Robust geochronological control is crucial for interpreting and correlating the environmental record from fragmentary terrestrial sequences from the last glacial period. Traditional terrestrial stratigraphies are typically reliant on radiocarbon dating, although estimates of antiquity for samples older than 40 ka may be unreliable. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sediments is an alternative for dating the whole of the last glacial period and also provides the opportunity to independently test radiocarbon based chronologies. This paper presents a set of nine directly comparable paired OSL and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon ages from multiple sites within Devensian fluvial sediments in lowland Britain and shows that it is possible to obtain robust OSL age estimates throughout this time period. The two techniques agree well for ages younger than ca. 29 14 C ka BP (ca. 35 cal. ka BP) but disagree beyond ca. 35 14 C ka BP (ca. 40 cal. ka BP). This is thought to be due to radiocarbon ages on older organic material having been contaminated by low levels of modern carbon. It is therefore suggested that all conventionally pre‐treated radiocarbon ages greater than 35 14 C ka BP should be treated with extreme caution. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Response of mid‐latitude North Pacific surface temperatures to orbital forcing and linkage to the East Asian summer monsoon and tropical ocean–atmosphere interactions - Masanobu Yamamoto (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
We present a palaeoceanographic perspective of the North Pacific during the last two glacial cycles based on U‐derived palaeotemperature records of IMAGES Core MD01‐2421 off the coast of central Japan and cores from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1014 and 1016 off the coast of California. The sea surface temperature (SST) differences between ODP Sites 1014 and 1016 (ΔSST northeastern Pacific (NEP) = SST ODP1014 – SST ODP1016 ) indicate the intensity of the California Current. Comparison of ΔSST NEP and the SST from Core MD01‐2421 revealed anti‐phase variation; high ΔSST NEP (indicating weakening of the California Current) corresponded to low SST at the Japan margin (indicating the southward displacement of the north‐western Pacific subarctic boundary and weakening of the Kuroshio Extension), and vice versa. This finding suggests that the intensity of the North Pacific subtropical gyre circulation has varied in response to precessional forcing and that this response has been linked with changes in tropical ocean–atmosphere interactions. In the precessional cycle, the SST variation derived from Core MD01‐2421 lags ca. 2.5–4 ka behind the variations shown by Hulu and Sanbao stalagmite δ 18 O records and by the pollen temperature index from Core MD01‐2421, suggesting out‐of‐phase variations of the North Pacific subtropical gyre circulation and the East Asian summer monsoon. These findings indicate that the behaviour of interactions between tropical ocean–atmosphere dynamics and the East Asian summer monsoon may have varied in response to the precessional cycle. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Early Pleistocene evolution of the Japan Sea Intermediate Water - Akihisa Kitamura (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The Early Pleistocene fossil record of the Japan Sea reveals that the planktonic foraminifer Globorotalia inflata succeeded in expanding its range from the East China Sea to the Japan Sea during interglacial stages of the Early Pleistocene; however, the species is only found in surface sediment samples from the southwestern‐most part of the sea. Based on the ecology of G . inflata and the water mass structure of the Japan Sea, it appears that its geographical distribution is mainly controlled by the low temperature of the intermediate water, which is caused by the cool‐water mass of Japan Sea Proper Water. The temporal and spatial patterns of G . inflata occurrence indicate that the intermediate water at 200 m depth during interglacial stages between 1.46 and 1.3 Ma was warmest during the Quaternary. This warm intermediate water probably resulted from the influence of the low‐salinity nature of the Tsushima Current due to the large inflow of East China Sea Coastal Water. After 1.3 Ma, the intermediate water at 200 m depth became cooler in a step‐wise manner. This cooling can be explained by an intensification of thermohaline circulation in the Japan Sea associated with strengthening of the East Asian winter monsoon and an increase in salinity due to enlargement of the southern strait. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Pleistocene stratigraphy and palaeoceanographic implications in northern Bering Sea slope sediments: evidence from the radiolarian species Cycladophora davisiana - Takuya Itaki; Masao Uchida; Sunghan Kim; Hye‐Son Shin; Ryuji Tada; Boo‐Keun Khim (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A high‐resolution abundance curve of the radiolarian species, Cycladophora davisiana , was obtained from a Late Pleistocene sediment core, PC‐23A, which was obtained from the northern slope of the Bering Sea. The abundance pattern of this species was high during the glacial period and low during the Holocene. This general stratigraphic pattern was correlated with a previously reported pattern for the subarctic Pacific Ocean. However, planktonic foraminifera‐based accelerator mass spectrometry 14 C dating revealed that a significant peak in the C. davisiana curve during the glacial period correlates to 15.5 ka, which is younger than that previously estimated as being the Last Glacial Maximum. The higher abundance of this species implies that there was well‐ventilated water with a large amount of organic matter in the intermediate‐water layer. An unusually high propagation of C. davisiana during the earliest Holocene period, Bølling–Allerød (B‐A) and Dansgaad–Oescheger interstadial event # 12, was most likely related to a significant increase in the amount of organic matter released into the intermediate‐water depths by a brine pump system via ventilation. In addition, centennial‐scale variations in the abundance of C. davisiana during the B‐A period suggest that the intermediate‐water ventilation was sensitively affected by brine rejection during sea ice formation as well as large‐scale atmospheric circulations such as the Arctic Oscillation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enhanced marine productivity in the Kuroshio region off Shikoku during the last glacial period inferred from the accumulation and carbon isotopes of sedimentary organic matter - Minoru Ikehara; Daisaku Akita; Ayuri Matsuda (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
We obtained marine primary production records from cores MD01‐2422 and KH06‐3‐PC8 in the modern Kuroshio flow region in the western North Pacific for the last 35 ka. The organic carbon content of marine sediments is commonly used as a proxy for export production from the surface ocean. Most sedimentary organic carbon was derived from marine organisms, because carbon isotopes of organic matter ( δ 13 C org ) in sediments were approximately −21‰, which is close to the typical marine δ 13 C org value. The quantities of marine and terrestrial organic matter were reconstructed from the mass balance of δ 13 C org in bulk total organic carbon. The accumulation of marine organic carbon, and presumably marine production, was enhanced during the latter half of the last glacial period in the subtropical gyre in the western North Pacific. Terrestrial organic matter varied synchronously with marine organic carbon changes, suggesting that both increased in late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2. We conclude that in addition to aeolian dust supplied by the East Asia monsoon, the lateral transport of nutrients from the East China Sea to the subtropical gyre as a result of a sea‐level rise at the last deglaciation played an essential role in enhancing palaeoproductivity during the last glacial period. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gigantism of the Australian Diprotodon Owen 1838 (Marsupialia, Diprotodontoidea) through the Pleistocene - Gilbert J. Price; Katarzyna J. Piper (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Diprotodon Owen, was one of the first fossil mammals described from Australia and has the distinction of being the largest ever marsupial. However, until recently its taxonomy was unclear and knowledge of its continental distribution, palaeoecology and evolution was poorly known. This paper describes cranial elements from an unusually small‐bodied Diprotodon from the Early Pleistocene Nelson Bay Formation, Portland, Australia. It is intermediate in size between the smaller‐bodied Pliocene ancestor, Euryzygoma dunense de Vis 1895 and the larger‐bodied Late Pleistocene D. optatum Owen, . However, it is morphologically inseparable from Late Pleistocene Diprotodon and is here referred to as D. ?optatum . A temporal morphocline most parsimoniously explains the medium body size of the Nelson Bay taxon; thus we provide the first evidence of a transitional form within Diprotodon . The cause(s) of gigantism of the E. dunense – D. ?optatum – D. optatum lineage through the late Cainozoic is unclear but most likely involved the physiological response to changes in the physical and/or biotic environment. Although the size changes within the lineage may have been initially advantageous, they were most likely disadvantageous when the optimum body size was obtained. Our results suggest that Diprotodon was at its largest ever body size during the Late Pleistocene – the time period that coincided with its extinction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palaeoceanography of the western Pacific and marginal seas - Tadamichi Oba; Ken Ikehara; Chris Turney (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Validation of wiggle matching using a multi‐proxy approach and its palaeoclimatic significance - Mark P. Bokhorst; Jef Vandenberghe (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Research into global, millennial‐scale climate oscillations during the last glacial requires wiggle matching. One method for adequate wiggle matching is based on the dating of the climate proxy records. Luminescence dating methods are needed for estimates of last glacial ages in terrestrial records. However, such dating methods are not accurate enough for millennial‐scale wiggle matching. It is shown that a multi‐proxy comparison of two sections that are situated close to each other may considerably improve the accuracy of wiggle matching. The method is tested by an application on two loess sections of last glacial age in Vojvodina, Serbia. The climate proxies include magnetic susceptibility, leachate Ba/Sr and grain size. Firstly, single proxy‐wiggle matches between both sections are analysed successively with the same and with different proxies. Secondly, a multi‐proxy wiggle match based on all three proxies of the two sections is presented and compared to the single‐proxy tests. In such a procedure, it becomes clear which wiggles are mainly determined by local conditions and which have a more extended significance. It is concluded that a multi‐proxy approach results in the best and the most unique wiggle matches. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reconstruction of the East China Sea palaeoenvironment at 16 ka by comparison of fossil and modern Faviidae corals from the Ryukyus, southwestern Japan - Mari Mishima; Hodaka Kawahata; Atsushi Suzuki; Mayuri Inoue; Takashi Okai; Akio Omura (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
We conducted paired measurements of the Sr/Ca ratio and oxygen and carbon stable isotopes of a fossil Faviidae coral specimen (MYK90), age 16 ka, collected from near Miyako Island, the Ryukyus, southwestern Japan. Our study aimed to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment in the East China Sea at 16 ka by comparing the fossil sample with modern Faviidae corals. Our data with annual or longer time resolution may be very suitable for palaeoceanographic reconstruction, although no general calibration method for Faviidae corals has been reported. Our calibration showed that the annual mean sea surface temperature was approximately 5°C lower and sea surface salinity (SSS) at the study site was locally higher at 16 ka than at present. Even though the mouths of the Yellow and Changjiang rivers were east of their present locations because sea level was much lower, our results suggest that the influence of the terrestrial water discharge may not have extended to Miyako Island. Weak summer monsoon activity during the last glacial, which decreased summer precipitation over the Asian continent, and an enhanced winter monsoon, which may have led to more evaporation, likely contributed to the inferred high SSS at the study site. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Recognition and palaeoclimatic implications of late Quaternary niche glaciation in eastern Lesotho - Stephanie C. Mills; Stefan W. Grab; Simon J. Carr (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Geomorphic evidence of former glaciation in the high Drakensberg of southern Africa has proven controversial, with conflicting glacial and non‐glacial interpretations suggested for many landforms. This paper presents new geomorphological, sedimentological and micromorphological data, and glacier mass‐balance modelling for a site in the Leqooa Valley, eastern Lesotho, preserving what are considered to be moraines of a former niche glacier that existed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The geomorphology and macro‐sedimentology of the deposits display characteristics of both active and passive transport by glacial processes. However, micromorphological analyses indicate a more complex history of glacial deposition and subsequent reworking by mass movement processes. The application of a glacier reconstruction technique to determine whether this site could have supported a glacier indicates a reconstructed glacier equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of 3136 m a.s.l. and palaeoglacier mass balance characteristics comparable with modern analogues, reflecting viable, if marginal glaciation. Radiocarbon dates obtained from organic sediment within the moraines indicate that these are of LGM age. The reconstructed palaeoclimatic conditions during the LGM suggest that snow accumulation in the Drakensberg was significantly higher than considered by other studies, and has substantial relevance for tuning regional climate models for southern Africa during the last glacial cycle. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lateglacial to Holocene relative sea‐level changes in the Bjarkarlundur area near Reykhólar, North West Iceland - Jerry M. Lloyd; Hreggviður Norðdahl; Michael J. Bentley; Anthony J. Newton; Owen Tucker; Yongqiang Zong (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
This paper presents results from seven isolation basins to investigate the relative sea‐level history from the Lateglacial and the mid to late Holocene from the Bjarkarlundur area near Reykhólar on the Reykjanes peninsula in North West Iceland. Results presented help to constrain the timing and rate of relative sea‐level (RSL) change since deglaciation and also the timing of deglaciation itself in the Bjarkarlundur area. The marine limit is estimated to be approximately 80 m above sea level based on an isolation basin with sill altitude at 79.1 m. The maximum age of this marine limit and, hence, local deglaciation is estimated at 12.2 14 C ka BP. Relative sea level then fell rapidly during the late Bölling–early Alleröd at a rate of approximately −35 mm 14 C a −1 to below 50 m by 11.4 14 C ka BP. After this the rate of RSL fall decreased significantly during the late Alleröd and Younger Dryas Chronozones (averaging −6 mm 14 C a −1 between 11.4 and 9.7 14 C ka BP). Based on isolation basins with sill altitudes of 51.1 and 41.1 m, our data constrain any possible fluctuation in RSL produced by regrowth of ice during the Younger Dryas to below 10 m. After 9.7 14 C ka BP the rate of RSL fall increased significantly to approximately −23 mm 14 C a −1 to at least 9.0 14 C ka BP. If eustatic sea‐level rise is taken into account and the calibrated timescale is used, actual crustal uplift rates are estimated at +56 and +46 mm cal. a −1 during Lateglacial and early Holocene times, respectively. During the mid to late Holocene RSL then rose to at least 1 m above present‐day levels, gradually falling to the present‐day level from 3.1 14 C ka BP. These results demonstrate the potential of isolation basin data for investigating the timing and rate of RSL change in Iceland. This can add important well‐constrained information on RSL when combined with data from raised beaches. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Holocene volcanic history of Gran Canaria island: implications for volcanic hazards - Alejandro Rodriguez‐Gonzalez; Jose L. Fernandez‐Turiel; Francisco J. Perez‐Torrado; Alex Hansen; Meritxell Aulinas; Juan C. Carracedo; Domingo Gimeno; Hervé Guillou; Raphaël Paris; Martine Paterne (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Previous published data, combined with our results of 13 new radiocarbon ages and extensive geological fieldwork, indicate that during the past 11 ka 24 monogenetic basaltic eruptions occurred in the north sector of Gran Canaria. These eruptions can be grouped into three periods of eruptive activity: 1900–3200 14 C a BP; 5700–6000 14 C a BP; and an older period represented by only one eruption, El Draguillo, dated at 10 610 ± 190 14 C a BP. Archaeological studies have shown that the more recent eruptions affected prehistoric human settlements on the island. Field studies demonstrate that the eruptions typically built strombolian cones (30–250 m in height) and associated relatively long lava flows (100–10 350 m in length); a few eruptions also produced tephra fall deposits. The total erupted volume of these eruptions is about 0.388 km 3 (46.1% as tephra fall, 41.8% as cinder cone deposits and 12.1% as lava flows). The relatively low eruption rate (∼0.04 km 3 ka −1 ) during the past 11 ka is consistent with Gran Canaria's stage of evolution in the regional volcano‐tectonic setting of the Canary Archipelago. The results of our study were used to construct a volcanic hazards map that clearly delimits two sectors in the NE sector of Gran Canaria, where potential future eruptions would pose a substantial risk for densely populated areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palaeoglaciation of Bayan Har Shan, northeastern Tibetan Plateau: glacial geology indicates maximum extents limited to ice cap and ice field scales - Jakob Heyman; Arjen P. Stroeven; Helena Alexanderson; Clas Hättestrand; Jon Harbor; Yingkui Li; Marc W. Caffee; Liping Zhou; Daniel Veres; Feng Liu; Martin Machiedo (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Key locations within an extensive area of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, centred on Bayan Har Shan, have been mapped to distinguish glacial from non‐glacial deposits. Prior work suggests palaeo‐glaciers ranging from valley glaciers and local ice caps in the highest mountains to a regional or even plateau‐scale ice sheet. New field data show that glacial deposits are abundant in high mountain areas in association with large‐scale glacial landforms. In addition, glacial deposits are present in several locations outside areas with distinct glacial erosional landforms, indicating that the most extensive palaeo‐glaciers had little geomorphological impact on the landscape towards their margins. The glacial geological record does indicate extensive maximum glaciation, with local ice caps covering entire elevated mountain areas. However, absence of glacial traces in intervening lower‐lying plateau areas suggests that local ice caps did not merge to form a regional ice sheet on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau around Bayan Har Shan. No evidence exists for past ice sheet glaciation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Inactive and relict rock glaciers of the Deboullie Lakes Ecological Reserve, northern Maine, USA - Aaron E. Putnam; David E. Putnam (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Lobate talus slopes in the Deboullie Lakes Ecological Reserve (DLER) of northern Maine exhibit parabolic profiles characteristic of inactive and relict talus‐derived rock glaciers. Vegetated rock glacier surfaces suggest that the landforms are no longer active, and lobes comprising two DLER rock glaciers document periods of past growth. Observations of perennial subsurface ice are supported by datalogger temperature measurements, indicating that sporadic permafrost exists throughout the DLER. We compare the DLER rock glaciers, along with similar features elsewhere in New England and adjacent Québec, to the modern alpine permafrost distribution. Results indicate that a mean annual temperature cooling of ∼6°C is required to promote active rock glacier growth. Ages of plant remains recovered from the basal sediments of a local pond constrain deglaciation to before 11 320 14 C a BP, and core stratigraphy and organic content reveal that a periglacial environment persisted during the early postglacial era. Thus, we hypothesise that the DLER rock glaciers were active during Lateglacial time despite the lack of glacier activity in the region. We take this to suggest that north‐eastern US rock glaciers formed in response to mean annual temperatures skewed towards the frigid winters of the Younger Dryas chronozone. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Testing an approach to OSL dating of Late Devensian glaciofluvial sediments of the British Isles - I. M. Thrasher; B. Mauz; R. C. Chiverrell; A. Lang; G. S. P. Thomas (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
In the British and Irish Isles, the understanding of expansion and retreat of the last ice sheet in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 has been hindered by a lack of chronological control for the timing of its maximum extent and subsequent retreat stages. In this research, a suite of lithofacies from a former distal ice marginal sandur at Orrisdale, Isle of Man, were identified and selected for optically stimulated luminescence dating. Different‐size fractions of quartz grains were extracted from selected lithofacies types with the aim of identifying which depositional environments and grain size fractions are best suited for optical dating. Tests have been undertaken to identify the luminescence properties of this quartz, including preheat dose recovery and constant‐wave optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) decay curve fitting. Equivalent dose distributions for all samples were wide and positively skewed, indicative of heterogeneous bleaching. A comprehensive statistically based decision‐making protocol has been defined in order to find the appropriate statistical model for burial dose estimation. Ages in the range of 17–14 ka have been obtained which agree with the expected geologically constrained chronology. The Orrisdale Formation is contemporaneous with Heinrich Event 1 and the Killard Point Stadial identified in eastern Ireland ca. 16.4 ka. The suggested approach for OSL dating of glaciofluvial sediments has the potential for much wider application to high latitude or temperate areas where there is an abundance of such sediments and where improved chronological control is much needed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Quaternary landscapes in Central Australia: sedimentary history and palaeoecology of Puritjarra rock shelter - M. A. Smith (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Puritjarra rock shelter provides a long record of late Quaternary vegetation in the Australian arid zone. Analysis of the sedimentary history of this rock shelter is combined with reanalysis of charcoal and phytolith records to provide a first‐order picture of changing landscapes in western Central Australia. These show a landscape responding to increasing aridity from 45 ka with deflation of clay‐rich red palaeosols (

Seeking a Holocene drift ice proxy: non‐clay mineral variations from the SW to N‐central Iceland shelf: trends, regime shifts, and periodicities - John T. Andrews (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Quantitative X‐ray diffraction analysis of the −2 a −1 ) at MD99‐2269 off N Iceland. The multi‐taper method indicated that there are three significant frequencies at the 95% confidence level with periods of ca. 2500, 445 and 304 a. Regime shift analysis pinpoints intervals when there was a statistically significant shift in the average Q&K weight %, and identifies four IRD‐rich events separated by intervals with lower inputs. There is some association between peaks of IRD input, less dense surface waters (from δ 18 O data on planktonic foraminifera) and intervals of moraine building. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chronology of late Pleistocene Pampa loess from the Córdoba area in Argentina - Manfred Frechen; Britta Seifert; Jorge A. Sanabria; Graciela L. Argüello (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
In Argentina, loess/palaeosol sequences were studied from the two sections at Monte Ralo and Corralito, located near to the city of Córdoba in the east of the Pampean ranges. Infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating techniques were applied to set up a more reliable chronological framework for the Upper Pleistocene loess record. IRSL ages increase with depth and are stratigraphically consistent. The oldest loess exposed correlates at least to the penultimate glaciation. The luminescence dating study gives evidence for humid climate conditions with soil formation during the last interglacial period and the middle pleniglacial correlating to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 and 3, respectively. Three extended periods of soil formation are recorded in the loess/palaeosol sequences at the Corralito section. These buried soils most likely correlate with the last interglacial and early last glacial period. During the Middle Pleniglacial, two palaeosols are intercalated in the loess successions. In the Córdoba area, the periods of increased loess accumulation and deposition of loessic sediments correlate with more arid and glacial periods during the Early Pleniglacial, the Middle Pleniglacial and the Late Glacial. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Pleistocene and Holocene glaciation of the Fish Lake valley, northeastern Alaska Range, Alaska - Nicolás E. Young; Jason P. Briner; Darrell S. Kaufman (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
We reconstructed a chronology of glaciation spanning from the Late Pleistocene through the late Holocene for Fish Lake valley in the north‐eastern Alaska Range using 10 Be surface exposure dating and lichenometry. After it attained its maximum late Wisconsin extent, the Fish Lake valley glacier began to retreat ca. 16.5 ka, and then experienced a readvance or standstill at 11.6 ± 0.3 ka. Evidence of the earliest Holocene glacial activity in the valley is a moraine immediately in front of Little Ice Age (LIA) moraines and is dated to 3.3–3.0 ka. A subsequent advance culminated at ca. AD 610–900 and several LIA moraine crests date to AD 1290, 1640, 1860 and 1910. Our results indicate that 10 Be dating from high‐elevation sites can be used to help constrain late Holocene glacial histories in Alaska, even when other dating techniques are unavailable. Close agreement between 10 Be and lichenometric ages reveal that 10 Be ages on late Holocene moraines may be as accurate as other dating methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Varve counting reveals high resolution radiocarbon reservoir age variations in palaeolake Lisan - Sushma Prasad; J. F. W. Negendank; Mordechai Stein (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The laminated lacustrine sediments deposited in the last glacial Lake Lisan represent annual deposits of primary aragonite and silty detritus that reflect the annual supply of bicarbonate‐bearing freshwater to the lake. A varve‐counting curve was constructed for the time interval of ca. 17.4–22 cal. ka BP based on aragonite U/Th, and atmospheric radiocarbon ages of organic debris recovered from the studied section. Radiocarbon in the primary (evaporitic) aragonite comprises both atmospheric and old carbon (reflecting the reservoir age). The aragonite reservoir ages were determined by comparing the aragonite radiocarbon dates to the varve counting curve, and are found to lie in the range 1900–600 a and display a continuous decline. This opens the possibility for high (annual) resolution monitoring of the reservoir age, similar in quality to tree ring counting, during the upper part of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2. Our work also demonstrates that a ‘uniform’ reservoir age correction is inappropriate when determining the chronology of short‐term climate events in lacustrine environments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid Lateglacial tree population dynamics and ecosystem changes in the eastern Baltic region - Maija Heikkilä; Sonia L. Fontana; Heikki Seppä (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A growing body of evidence implies that the concept of 'treeless tundra' in eastern and northern Europe fails to explain the rapidity of Lateglacial and postglacial tree population dynamics of the region, yet the knowledge of the geographic locations and shifting of tree populations is fragmentary. Pollen, stomata and plant macrofossil stratigraphies from Lake Kurjanovas in the poorly studied eastern Baltic region provide improved knowledge of ranges of north‐eastern European trees during the Lateglacial and subsequent plant population responses to the abrupt climatic changes of the Lateglacial/Holocene transition. The results prove the Lateglacial presence of tree populations ( Betula , Pinus and Picea ) in the eastern Baltic region. Particularly relevant is the stomatal and plant macrofossil evidence showing the local presence of reproductive Picea populations during the Younger Dryas stadial at 12 900–11 700 cal. a BP, occurring along with Dryas octopetala and arctic herbs, indicating semi‐open vegetation. The spread of Pinus – Betula forest at ca. 14 400 cal. a BP, the rise of Picea at ca. 12 800 cal. a BP and the re‐establishment of Pinus – Betula forest at ca. 11 700 cal. a BP within a span of centuries further suggest strikingly rapid, climate‐driven ecosystem changes rather than gradual plant succession on a newly deglaciated land. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Quaternary landscape development along the Rancho Marino coastal range front (south‐central Pacific Coast Ranges, California, USA) - Martin Stokes; Antonio F. García (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Late Quaternary landscape development along the Rancho Marino coastal range front in the central‐southern Pacific Coast Ranges of California has been documented using field mapping, surveying, sedimentary facies analysis and a luminescence age determination. Late Quaternary sediments along the base of the range front form a single composite marine terrace buried by alluvial fans. Marine terrace sediments overlie two palaeoshore platforms at 5 m and 0 m altitude. Correlation with the nearby Cayucos and San Simeon sites links platform and marine terrace development to the 125 ka and 105 ka sea‐level highstands. Uplift rate estimates based on the 125 ka shoreline angle are 0.01–0.09 m ka −1 (mean 0.04 m ka −1 ), and suggest an increase in regional uplift along the coast towards the NW where the San Simeon fault zone intersects the coastline. Furthermore, such low rates suggest that pre‐125 ka uplift was responsible for most of the relief generation at Rancho Marino. The coastal range front landscape development is, thus, primarily controlled by post 125 ka climatic and sea‐level changes. Post 125 ka sea‐level lowering expanded the range front piedmont area to a width of 7.5 km by the 18 ka Last Glacial Maximum lowstand. This sea‐level lowering created space for alluvial fan building along the range front. A 45 ± 3 ka optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age provides a basal age for alluvial fan building or marks the time by which distal alluvial fan sedimentation has reached 300 m from the range front slope. Fan sedimentation is related to climatic change, with increased sediment supply to the range front occurring during (1) glacial period cold stage maxima and/or (2) the Late Pleistocene–Holocene transition, when respective increases in precipitation and/or storminess resulted in hillslope erosion. Sea‐level rise after the 18 ka lowstand resulted in range front erosion, with elevated localised erosion linked to the higher relief and steeper slopes in the SE. This study demonstrates that late Quaternary coastal range front landscape development is driven by interplay of tectonics, climatic and sea‐level change. In areas of low tectonic activity, climatic and sea‐level changes dominate coastal landscape development. When the sea‐level controlled shoreline is in close proximity to the coastal range front, localised patterns of sedimentation and erosion are passively influenced by the pre‐125 ka topography. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role of climate variability and fire in early and mid Holocene forest dynamics of southern Sweden - Annica Greisman; Marie‐José Gaillard (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The objective of this study was to investigate the possible links between regional climate, fire and vegetation at the small spatial scale during the early and mid Holocene in southern Sweden using pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal records from a small bog. The fire history was compared with climate reconstructions inferred from various proxy records in the study region. High fire activity is related to dry and warm climate around 8550, 7600, 5500–5100 and 4500 cal. a BC. Low fire activity ca. 6500–6000 and 4750 BC may correspond to the widespread ‘8.2 k event’ (ca. 6200 BC) recorded across the North Atlantic region, and a later, brief period of increased precipitation, respectively. The decrease in broadleaved trees culminating ca. 6500–6000 BC correlates with the ‘8.2 k event’. A long mid Holocene period with low fire activity (ca. 4350–1000 BC) agrees with the pattern emerging for Europe from the global charcoal database, and may correspond to generally wetter and cooler conditions. High fire activity ca. 8550 BC probably triggered the local establishment of Corylus . Warmer and drier conditions (and high fire activity) ca. 7600 BC might have favoured the establishment of Alnus , Quercus and Tilia . The fire‐adapted Pinus maintained important populations throughout the early and mid Holocene. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nature's clocks. How scientists measure the age of almost everything. D. Macdougall. Publisher: University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 2008 (271 pp.) ISBN 978‐0‐520‐24975‐2 - Mike Walker (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

The British lower palaeolithic. Stones in contention. J. McNabb. Publisher: Routledge, London, 2007 (420 pp.) ISBN:0‐415‐42728‐9. The first Africans: African archaeology from the earliest toolmakers to most recent foragers. L. Barham and P. Mitchell. Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008 (601 pp.) ISBN: 978‐0‐521‐61265‐4 - Beccy Scott (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Luminescence dating: Guidelines on using luminescence dating in archaeology. G. A. T. Duller. Publisher: English Heritage, Swindon, 2008 (43 pp.) Free of charge. Product Code: 51431 - Peter Hoare (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Snails. Archaeology and landscape change. P. Davies. Publisher: Oxbow Books, Oxford, 2008 (199 pp.) ISBN: 978‐1‐84217‐317‐6 - Richard Preece (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Earth surface processes, landforms and sediment deposits. J. S. Bridge and R. V. Demicco. Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008 (815 pp.) ISBN: 978‐0‐521‐85780‐2 - Colin Ballantyne (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Biostratigraphic and aminostratigraphic constraints on the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in north Norfolk, UK - Richard C. Preece; Simon A. Parfitt; G. Russell Coope; Kirsty E. H. Penkman; Philippe Ponel; John E. Whittaker (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Considerable debate surrounds the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in East Anglia following some recent stratigraphical reinterpretations. Resolution of the stratigraphy here is important since it not only concerns the glacial history of the region but also has a bearing on our understanding of the earliest human occupation of north‐western Europe. The orthodox consensus that all the tills were emplaced during the Anglian (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12) has recently been challenged by a view assigning each major till to a different glacial stage, before, during and after MIS 12. Between Trimingham and Sidestrand on the north Norfolk coast, datable organic sediments occur immediately below and above the glacial succession. The oldest glacial deposit (Happisburgh Till) directly overlies the ‘Sidestrand Unio ‐bed’, here defined as the Sidestrand Hall Member of the Cromer Forest‐bed Formation. Dating of these sediments therefore has a bearing on the maximum age of the glacial sequence. This paper reviews the palaeobotany and describes the faunal assemblages recovered from the Sidestrand Unio ‐bed, which accumulated in a fluvial environment in a fully temperate climate with regional deciduous woodland. There are indications from the ostracods for weakly brackish conditions. Significant differences are apparent between the Sidestrand assemblages and those from West Runton, the type site of the Cromerian Stage. These differences do not result from contrasting facies or taphonomy but reflect warmer palaeotemperatures at Sidestrand and a much younger age. This conclusion is suggested by the higher proportion of thermophiles at Sidestrand and the occurrence of a water vole with unrooted molars ( Arvicola ) rather than its ancestor Mimomys savini with rooted molars. Amino acid racemisation data also indicate that Sidestrand is significantly younger than West Runton. These data further highlight the stratigraphical complexity of the ‘Cromerian Complex’ and support the conventional view that the Happisburgh Till was emplaced during the Anglian rather than the recently advanced view that it dates from MIS 16. Moreover, new evidence from the Trimingham lake bed (Sidestrand Cliff Formation) above the youngest glacial outwash sediments (Briton's Lane Formation) indicates that they also accumulated during a Middle Pleistocene interglacial – probably MIS 11. All of this evidence is consistent with a short chronology placing the glacial deposits within MIS 12, rather than invoking multiple episodes of glaciation envisaged in the ‘new glacial stratigraphy’ during MIS 16, 12, 10 and 6. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Environmental change in northern Belize since the latest Pleistocene - Sarah Metcalfe; Ann Breen; Malcolm Murray; Peter Furley; Anthony Fallick; Angus McKenzie (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Cores from the New River Lagoon in Belize have been analysed using a range of palaeolimnological proxies to reconstruct change since the latest Pleistocene. The combination of diatom and stable isotope analyses (supported by mineralogical and major element data) indicate that the New River Lagoon has been a freshwater system throughout the period of record. For most of this time the lagoon has been hydrologically open, but there are indications that it may have become closed in the latest Pleistocene or very early Holocene. This may have been associated with a drier climate and lower sea level. Mid‐Holocene records are consistent with those from elsewhere in the region, indicating a stable and moist climate. The late Holocene was marked by greater variability, but there is no clear evidence of any drying in the late Classic coincident with the Maya ‘collapse’ ca. AD 900. Our results indicate that the continuity of occupation at the Maya site of Lamanai on the shores of the New River Lagoon is consistent with continued access to freshwater during periods of regional climatic variability. The importance of conditions at individual sites when considering both system response and human vulnerability to climate change is emphasised. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role of small‐scale fold and fault development in seismogenic zones: example of the western Huércal‐Overa Basin (eastern Betic Cordillera, Spain) - Antonio Pedrera; Jesús Galindo‐Zaldívar; Antonio Ruiz‐Bustos; José Rodríguez‐Fernández; Ana Ruiz‐Constán (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The NW–SE shortening between the African and the Eurasian plates is accommodated in the eastern Betic Cordillera along a broad area that includes large N‐vergent folds and kilometric NE–SW sinistral faults with related seismicity. We have selected the best exposed small‐scale tectonic structures located in the western Huércal‐Overa Basin (Betic Cordillera) to discuss the seismotectonic implications of such structures usually developed in seismogenic zones. Subvertical ESE–WNW pure dextral faults and E–W to ENE–ESW dextral‐reverse faults and folds deform the Quaternary sediments. The La Molata structure is the most impressive example, including dextral ESE–WNW Neogene faults, active southward‐dipping reverse faults and associated ENE–WSW folds. A molar M1 assigned to Mimomys savini allows for precise dating of the folded sediments (0.95–0.83 Ma). Strain rates calculated across this structure give ∼0.006 mm a −1 horizontal shortening from the Middle Pleistocene up until now. The widespread active deformations on small‐scale structures contribute to elastic energy dissipation around the large seismogenic zones of the eastern Betics, decreasing the seismic hazard of major fault zones. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A record of Lateglacial and early Holocene environmental and ecological change from southwestern Connecticut, USA - W. Wyatt Oswald; David R. Foster; Elaine D. Doughty; Edward K. Faison (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Analyses of a sediment core from Highstead Swamp in southwestern Connecticut, USA, reveal Lateglacial and early Holocene ecological and hydrological changes. Lateglacial pollen assemblages are dominated by Picea and Pinus subg. Pinus , and the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) cold interval is evidenced by higher abundance of Abies and Alnus viridis subsp. crispa . As climate warmed at the end of the YD, Picea and Abies declined and Pinus strobus became the dominant upland tree species. A shift from lacustrine sediment to organic peat at the YD–Holocene boundary suggests that the lake that existed in the basin during the Lateglacial interval developed into a swamp in response to reduced effective moisture. A change in wetland vegetation from Myrica gale to Alnus incana subsp. rugosa and Sphagnum is consistent with this interpretation of environmental changes at the beginning of the Holocene. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A continuous Holocene beetle record from the site Stavsåkra, southern Sweden: implications for the last 10 600 years of forest and land use history - Fredrik Olsson; Geoffrey Lemdahl (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Beetle remains from a small bog in southern Sweden contribute information concerning the forest history of the study area. The study shows that beetles are valuable indicators of woodland structures such as openness, field vegetation, presence of dead wood and disturbance factors such as climate change, fire regimes, grazing and land use. The early Holocene, ca. 8600–6450 cal. BC, was characterised by open, pine‐dominated woodlands maintained by fire and grazing disturbances. The changes in the wetland fauna, between 8600 and 7500 cal. BC, correlate well with low lake levels in southern Sweden. During the mid Holocene, ca. 6450–2400 cal. BC, the woodlands were relatively dense, with few openings in the canopy. Around 4200 cal. BC, there was a shift to a dominance of deciduous trees. Fire and grazing pressures were particularly low. Numbers of aquatic and hygrophilic beetles indicate dry conditions between ca. 5000 and 3000 cal. BC. During the late Holocene, ca. 2400 cal. BC to present, the woodlands opened up mainly through increased land use. The main disturbance factors were fire and grazing. The beetles indicate the formation of heather‐dominated heathland around 800 cal. BC. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article was published online on 23 December 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (5 August 2009).

Climate extremes and society. H. F. Diaz and R. J. Murnane (eds). Publisher : Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008 (340 pp.) ISBN 978‐0‐521‐87028‐3 - John Grattan (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Finding time for the old stone age. A history of palaeolithic archaeology and quaternary geology in Britain, 1860–1960. A. O'Connor. Publisher: Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008(423 pp.) ISBN: 978‐0‐19‐921547‐8 - Richard Preece (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)

Climates of the past: evidence from natural and documentary archives - Iain Robertson; Cynthia A. Froyd; Mary Gagen; Sheila Hicks (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
This special issue of the Journal of Quaternary Science contains a set of 12 papers based upon a thematic session aimed at reconstructing climate of the last 1000 years from multi‐proxy archives, held at the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) XVII Congress in Cairns, Australia. New techniques are presented to enable the extraction of proxy climatic data from natural and documentary archives with the aim of preserving environmental information across all temporal scales. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pinus and Betula pollen accumulation rates from the northern boreal forest as a record of interannual variation in July temperature - Mari Kuoppamaa; Antti Huusko; Sheila Hicks (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Fossil Pinus and Betula pollen accumulation rates (PARs, grains cm −2 a −1 ) from a peat profile in Nellim, northern Finland, were compared to a 20‐year annually resolved record of monitored pollen deposition data of both taxa from 2.5 km away, in order to determine the boundaries in the fossil pollen record. The smoothing inherent in the fossil PAR data is about 5 years compared with the annually monitored PARs but, while year‐to‐year variation in PARs is lost, the overall trend is retained. The fossil PARs were then calibrated with the appropriately smoothed temperature record for northern Finland. Betula pollen accumulation rates are much lower in the fossil record compared to the monitored ones. The correlation between fossil Betula PARs and July mean temperatures is much higher than the correlation between fossil Pinus PARs and temperature, probably because the subspecies Betula pubescens ssp. pubescens is at its northern limit in the area. The temperature signal in this dataset was disturbed during the period when the forests in the area were heavily cut and when regenerating trees were reaching maturity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Summer temperature variations in Lapland during the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age relative to natural instability of thermohaline circulation on multi‐decadal and multi‐centennial scales - Samuli Helama; Mauri Timonen; Jari Holopainen; Maxim G. Ogurtsov; Kari Mielikäinen; Matti Eronen; Markus Lindholm; Jouko Meriläinen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
New tree ring‐based analysis for climate variability at a regional scale is presented for high latitudes of Europe. Our absolutely dated temperature reconstruction seeks to characterise the summer temperatures since AD 750. The warmest and coolest reconstructed 250‐year periods occurred at AD 931–1180 and AD 1601–1850, respectively. These periods share significant temporal overlap with the general hemispheric climate variability due to the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA). Further, we detect a multi‐decadal (ca. 50‐ to 60‐year) rhythm, attributable to instability of the North Atlantic Deep Water, in the regional climate during the MWP but not during the LIA. Intensified formation of the North Atlantic Deep Water further appeared coincident to the initiation and continuation of MWP, the mid‐LIA transient warmth occurring during the period AD 1391–1440, and to recent warming. Our results support the view that the internal climate variability (i.e. thermohaline circulation) could have played a role in the earlier start of the MWP in several proxy reconstructions compared to the externally forced model simulations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Conifer pollen abundance provides a proxy for summer temperature: evidence from the latitudinal forest limit in Finland - Antti Huusko; Sheila Hicks (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A 23‐year record of pollen deposition (pollen accumulation rates: PARs) indicates that pollen production of the two most common northern boreal conifers – pine and spruce – varies dramatically from year to year and that high and low pollen years show consistency over the whole of northern Lapland. Testing for a calibration between the annual PARs of these two trees and a whole range of meteorological parameters reveals that the highest correlation is between pollen quantity and summer temperature centred around July of the year before pollen emission. Critical mean July temperature limits for the flowering of Pinus and Picea are 12°C and 13°C, respectively. This strong and region‐wide relationship suggests that fossil Pinus and Picea PARs could be used as a proxy for summer temperature. Results are illustrated as maps showing the relationship between forest limits and July temperature and between PARs and the correlation coefficient with July temperature. It is noticeable, however, that although the climate signal is strong at the forest limit of the taxon in question, it is often weaker in the centre of its ecological range. This has implications when interpreting fossil pollen records. Temperature calibrations will vary spatially as the position of the forest limit changes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 1000‐year record of dry conditions in the eastern Canadian prairies reconstructed from oxygen and carbon isotope measurements on Lake Winnipeg sediment organics - William Mark Buhay; Shawna Simpson; Harvey Thorleifson; Mike Lewis; John King; Alice Telka; Paul Wilkinson; Jeff Babb; Sandra Timsic; Dan Bailey (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A short sediment core (162 cm), covering the period AD 920–1999, was sampled from the south basin of Lake Winnipeg for a suite of multi‐proxy analyses leading towards a detailed characterisation of the recent millennial lake environment and hydroclimate of southern Manitoba, Canada. Information on the frequency and duration of major dry periods in southern Manitoba, in light of the changes that are likely to occur as a result of an increasingly warming atmosphere, is of specific interest in this study. Intervals of relatively enriched lake sediment cellulose oxygen isotope values ( δ 18 O cellulose ) were found to occur from AD 1180 to 1230 (error range: AD 1104–1231 to 1160–1280), 1610–1640 (error range: AD 1571–1634 to 1603–1662), 1670–1720 (error range: AD 1643–1697 to 1692–1738) and 1750–1780 (error range: AD 1724–1766 to 1756–1794). Regional water balance, inferred from calculated Lake Winnipeg water oxygen isotope values ( δ 18 O inf‐lw ), suggest that the ratio of lake evaporation to catchment input may have been 25–40% higher during these isotopically distinct periods. Associated with the enriched δ 18 O cellulose intervals are some depleted carbon isotope values associated with more abundantly preserved sediment organic matter ( δ 13 C OM ). These suggest reduced microbial oxidation of terrestrially derived organic matter and/or subdued lake productivity during periods of minimised input of nutrients from the catchment area. With reference to other corroborating evidence, it is suggested that the AD 1180–1230, 1610–1640, 1670–1720 and 1750–1780 intervals represent four distinctly drier periods (droughts) in southern Manitoba, Canada. Additionally, lower‐magnitude and duration dry periods may have also occurred from 1320 to 1340 (error range: AD 1257–1363), 1530–1540 (error range: AD 1490–1565 to 1498–1572) and 1570–1580 (error range: AD 1531–1599 to 1539–1606). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An overview of distal tephrochronology in northern Europe during the last 1000 years - Stefan Wastegård; Siwan M. Davies (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Several tephra layers from the last millennium have been identified in distal peat and lake sediment sequences in northern Europe, forming a framework of volcanic events of great value for palaeoenvironmental investigations. Most of the tephras within this framework have an origin in Iceland, but distal layers from Jan Mayen have also been identified. The predominant transport pathway, in an easterly–southeasterly direction, has led to the deposition of these tephras in a number of terrestrial deposits in northern Europe. Ash from silicic eruptions (>63% SiO 2 ) dominate at these sites, even though many of the documentary records in distal areas report tephra fall from several basaltic eruptions. Here we provide an overview of the distribution, shard concentration and geochemistry of these tephras to highlight the most important isochrones for addressing key dating issues. In particular, three horizons – Hekla‐1 (AD 1104), Öræfajökull (AD 1362) and Askja (AD 1875) – are found at a number of different locations in northern Europe and as such are valuable tie‐points for improving and validating chronological models and for synchronisation of records spanning the last 1000 years. In addition, we present new data identifying tephra from the Grímsvötn volcanic system within the Lomonosovfonna ice cap on Svalbard, demonstrating that some tephras have been transported 2000 km to as far north as 79° N along a northeasterly trajectory. This discovery highlights the potential for utilising tephrochronology as a correlation tool for palaeoarchives located in more northerly areas and the complex nature of fall‐out from different eruptions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A thousand‐year record of temperature variations for Germany and Central Europe based on documentary data - Rüdiger Glaser; Dirk Riemann (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
This paper presents a temperature reconstruction of the past 1000 years for Central Europe, based on chronological records. The advantages and limitations of this hermeneutic, text‐based approach are discussed and the statistic methodology is introduced. Historical documents represent direct observation of weather and atmospheric conditions with highest temporal resolution available and precise dating. A major advantage of these extensive data is that they allow the reconstruction of large numbers of variables such as winter temperature, precipitation, pressure patterns or climate extremes as well as floods or storms. Within this hermeneutic climatological research approach, even human impacts and social dimensions of climate development can be examined. In order to quantify the historical information, statistical methods are applied, based on an index approach. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pollen/climate calibration based on a near‐annual peat sequence from the Swiss Alps - Christian Kamenik; Willem O. Van der Knaap; Jacqueline F. N. Van Leeuwen; Tomasz Goslar (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The objective of this study was to develop a high‐resolution pollen‐based climate inference model (using ‘calibration in time’) for the mire Mauntschas (SE Swiss Alps, 1818 m above sea level). We focused on 11 types of pollen and spores (referred to as pollen for simplicity) for which we produced 150 year (a) time series of accumulation rates and percentages. Dating of these series was based on 29 14 C dates from pure Sphagnum , spheroidal carbonaceous particles, larch bud moth events, and an age–depth model that took into account probabilities of calibrated 14 C ages, the degree of curvature of the age–depth line and changes in concentrations of all major pollen types. Time resolution was 1–5 a. We first smoothed the series using a 3 a triangular filter, thus removing time‐resolution dependent changes in variability, and minimising effects of potential dating uncertainties. Using redundancy analysis, we then studied the simultaneous response of the selected pollen to 288 different combinations of monthly temperature or precipitation data measured at Sils Maria (1798 m above sea level), located 9 km from Mauntschas. From AD 1954 to 2002, mean May–August air temperature from the same year explained most (18.1%) of the variation in pollen accumulation rates. The amount of explained variation dropped to 9.9% after detrending all data with a 50 a high‐pass filter, which possibly removed non‐climatic trends. Temperature explained more variation among PAR than among pollen percentages; however, during the verification period (AD 1864–1953) the former were potentially affected by dating uncertainties and could not be used. For developing a pollen‐based temperature inference model, we tested ordinary least squares regression, time series regression, ridge regression, principal components regression, and partial least squares regression. During the well‐dated calibration period (AD 1954–2002), ordinary least squares regression based on percentages of six pollen types turned out to be the most parsimonious model, having a cross‐validated root mean square error of prediction of 0.23°C for mean April–November temperature. A comparison of reconstructed with measured temperature from Sils Maria during the verification period showed that the model best reflected long‐term (at least decadal‐scale) temperature changes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A multicentury perspective on the summer North Atlantic Oscillation (SNAO) and drought in the eastern Atlantic Region - Hans W. Linderholm; Chris K. Folland; Alexander Walther (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The summer North Atlantic Oscillation (SNAO) is strongly associated with July–August climate variability over Europe, especially in northern regions. This association includes drought, where a positive SNAO corresponds to dry conditions over much of northern Europe and wet conditions in southern Europe, but the SNAO/climate association is weaker and less homogeneous in the south. Here we use a dendroclimatological reconstruction of the SNAO for the last 550 a to investigate the SNAO/drought relationship in the past. An association between the SNAO and a regional summer drought index from Sweden suggests that the northern European drought relationship holds back to 1700. In the last 550 a, the relationship between SNAO and drought in the Mediterranean region as a whole is weak, but over the Eastern Mediterranean the relationship is clearer and statistically significant ( P

Comparative analysis between a proxy‐based climate reconstruction and GCM‐based simulation of temperatures over the last millennium in China - Ming Tan; Xuemei Shao; Jian Liu; Binggui Cai (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The application of general circulation models (GCMs) could improve our understanding of climate forcing. Furthermore, longer climate records spanning a wider range of climate states could help in assessing the skill of the models for simulating climates different from the present. We first attempt to find a way to combine proxy records which are affected by different seasonal temperatures, and then present a large‐scale temperature reconstruction over the last millennium for China by combining the Beijing stalagmite layer series and the Qilian tree ring sequence to compare with the GCM‐based ECHO‐G simulated millennial temperature record for China. The correlation coefficient between the simulated and the reconstructed temperature records is 0.61 based on a 31‐year running mean (exceeding P V ‐like low‐frequency variation shown both by the combined proxy record and the simulated series is the major long‐term pattern in the last millennial temperature in China, suggesting that solar irradiance as well as greenhouse gases could explain much of the low‐frequency variations in the climate. However, there still exist high‐frequency discrepancies between the two time series, which may be due to (1) the overestimated climatic effect of volcanoes within the GCM and/or (2) proxies which are not sensitive enough to respond to the volcanic eruptions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palaeoceanography and climate changes off North Iceland during the last millennium: comparison of foraminifera, diatoms and ice‐rafted debris with instrumental and documentary data - Karen Luise Knudsen; Jón Eiríksson; Hui Jiang; Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Planktonic and benthic foraminifera data, as well as ice‐rafted debris data, from a 210 Pb‐dated multicore (B05‐2006‐MC04) covering the last ca. 130 a on the North Icelandic shelf (∼450 m water depth) are compared with instrumental data and with the Sea Ice Index for the area. There is indication of a strong connection between atmospheric and oceanic changes. A pronounced rise in the sea surface temperature is documented by the proxy data to occur at AD 1910, which is shortly before the rise in the air temperature in the region at ca. AD 1920 but coinciding with the first rise in instrumentally measured annual sea surface temperature. The Great Salinity Anomaly in the 1960s and early 1970s is, however, not clearly expressed in the environmental proxies. There has been a mean sedimentation rate of about 300 cm ka −1 at the core site, based on a tephrochronological age model for the core MD99‐2275. The foraminifera and diatom assemblages show increased influence of Atlantic water masses during the time interval ca. AD 800–1300 (the so‐called Medieval Warm Period or Medieval Climatic Anomaly), whereas the interval ca. AD 1300–1910 (encompassing the Little Ice Age) was characterised by decreased sea surface temperatures due to intensified influence of Arctic waters of the East Icelandic Current. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Free‐shape 14 C age–depth modelling of an intensively dated modern peat profile - Tomasz Goslar; Willem O. Van Der Knaap; Christian Kamenik; Jacqueline F. N. Van Leeuwen (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The paper presents a new algorithm for finding the best‐fit age–depth model of a peat profile dated with 14 C. This algorithm of free‐shape modelling is useful when the age–depth curve is wiggly and difficult to approximate by a simple mathematical function. The performance of the free‐shape algorithm is illustrated with the example of the MA2 peat profile from Mauntschas mire, using 29 radiocarbon dates spanning the last 1300 a, and where the age–depth curve revealed a relatively complicated shape. The best‐fit age–depth model searched for is a curve maximising the ‘Fit quality’, defined as a combination of fit of 14 C dates to the radiocarbon calibration curve, general smoothness of the age–depth line, and similarity of relative changes in the modelled sediment accumulation rates to those suggested by independent data. The algorithm of free‐shape age–depth modelling searched for a reasonable equilibrium or compromise between the conditions above. Uncertainty of the free‐shape model was assessed with a Monte Carlo Markov chain built from large number of age–depth lines accepted with probabilities dependent on the ‘fit quality’ defined as above. Parallel fluctuations in concentrations of most pollen taxa in MA2 strongly suggest a complicated shape of the age–depth curve, which is supported in the upper part of the profile by the record of spheroidal carbonaceous particles, and in some levels also by the 14 C dates. A modification of total pollen concentrations was therefore used as a quantitative indicator of relative changes of the peat accumulation rate. The use of pollen concentrations improved the fit of the 14 C dates in several cases. Application of the final age–depth model to the pollen data resulted in a diagram of pollen accumulation which allows interpretation in ecological terms, whereas age–depth models that did not use pollen concentrations led to problematic and confusing results. The obtained age–depth model is therefore accepted as a good approximation of the actual conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stability of climate signal in carbon and oxygen isotope records and ring width from Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) in Finland - Emmi Hilasvuori; Frank Berninger; Eloni Sonninen; Heikki Tuomenvirta; Högne Jungner (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Four hundred year long records of carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratios and ring width were measured from Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) from sites in Northern and Eastern Finland. Responses of isotope ratios to temperature and precipitation were analysed for the 20th century. Carbon isotope ratios responded strongly to summer temperature at both sites, whereas an influence of precipitation on the record was observed only at the site in Eastern Finland. Oxygen isotope ratios were less responsive to climatic variation than carbon at the high‐frequency level. To shed light on the role of the possible divergence problem during last decades the climate responses were studied separately in the first and in the second half of the 20th century. The responses to temperature were stable in the north but in Eastern Finland the significant period of summer occurred earlier during the later half of the century. Relationships between records were studied during the 400 a period. All proxies correlated positively with each other, although temporal changes occurred. Common forcing, discovered in Northern Finland between carbon isotope and ring width records, was weaker in the earlier period studied. Three climate reconstructions were created: temperature reconstruction for Northern Finland and temperature and precipitation reconstructions for Eastern Finland. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Late Pleistocene clastic deposits in the Romito Cave, southern Italy: a proxy record of environmental changes and human presence - Massimiliano Ghinassi; Andrè C. Colonese; Zelia Di Giuseppe; Lisa Govoni; Domenico Lo Vetro; Giulia Malavasi; Fabio Martini; Silvia Ricciardi; Benedetto Sala (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Clastic sediments deposited in caves and rock shelters bear peculiar sedimentological characteristics and have seldom been considered as a high‐resolution proxy record of climatic or environmental changes. The Romito Cave has its entrance at 275 m above sea level, about 25 km from the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, southern Italy. New archaeological excavation performed since 2000 has revealed a sedimentary succession spanning the record of Gravettian to Late Epigravettian cultures (Late Pleistocene). The present study focuses on the lower part (2.5 m thick) of the succession, where three main unconformity‐bounded stratigraphic units have been recognised (labelled RM1–3). Each unit consists of water‐lain deposits indicating high‐ to low‐competence flow, capped with anthropogenic deposits. The gradual deactivation and reactivation of the water drainage between 23 475 ± 190 and 16 250 ± 500 cal. a BP is correlated with regional precipitation changes due to the onset of dry climatic conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the deactivation of cave drainage after the deposition of unit RM3, around 15 400 ± 500 cal. a BP, deviates from the regional hydrological trend of progressively increasing water discharges and is attributed to the drainage cut‐off by probable cave wall collapses. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reinterpreting Rotherslade, Gower Peninsula: implications for Last Glacial ice limits and Quaternary stratigraphy of the British Isles - John F. Hiemstra; Kenneth F. Rijsdijk; Richard A. Shakesby; Danny McCarroll (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Rotherslade on the Gower Peninsula in south Wales has been viewed as a key site for the reconstruction of Quaternary depositional environments in the British Isles. Since the early 20th century, and certainly since the 1980s, the accepted view has been that Rotherslade is the most westerly location on the south Gower coast where there is in situ basal till exposed and that, logically, this location marks the position of the LGM ice limit. However, reinvestigation of the sediments and their architecture, and analysis of clast fabrics and thin sections of critical sedimentary units, show that none of the exposed sediments has properties diagnostic of subglacial deposition or deformation. We postulate here that LGM ice terminated at the western side of Swansea Bay, a few kilometres to the north‐east of Rotherslade, and propose that the sedimentary sequence comprises Early to Middle Devensian periglacial sediments, overlain by a complex of Late Devensian, ice‐proximal outwash fan deposits, an assemblage of paraglacial debris and, finally, periglacial mass movement deposits. The proposed repositioning of the Late Devensian ice limit and the associated new subaerial interpretation of the sediments suggest that a reassessment of sedimentary sequences (Hunts Bay, Western Slade) and landforms (Paviland Moraine) farther west on Gower, which have attained similar stratigraphical status, is now warranted. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Postglacial vegetation and climate dynamics in the Seymour‐Belize Inlet Complex, central coastal British Columbia, Canada: palynological evidence from Tiny Lake - Jennifer M. Galloway; Christine T. Doherty; R. Timothy Patterson; Helen M. Roe (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
A pollen‐based study from Tiny Lake in the Seymour‐Belize Inlet Complex of central coastal British Columbia, Canada, permits an evaluation of the dynamic response of coastal temperate rainforests to postglacial climate change. Open Pinus parklands grew at the site during the early Lateglacial when the climate was cool and dry, but more humid conditions in the later phases of the Lateglacial permitted mesophytic conifers to colonise the region. Early Holocene conditions were warmer than present and a successional mosaic of Tsuga heterophylla and Alnus occurred at Tiny Lake. Climate cooling and moistening at 8740 ± 70 14 C a BP initiated the development of closed, late successional T. heterophylla –Cupressaceae forests, which achieved modern character after 6860 ± 50 14 C a BP, when a temperate and very wet climate became established. The onset of early Holocene climate cooling and moistening at Tiny Lake may have preceded change at more southern locations, including within the Seymour‐Belize Inlet Complex, on a meso‐ to synoptic scale. This would suggest that an early Holocene intensification of the Aleutian Low pressure system was an important influence on forest dynamics in the Seymour‐Belize Inlet Complex and that the study region was located near the southern extent of immediate influence of this semi‐permanent air mass. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bacterial ancient DNA as an indicator of human presence in the past: its correlation with palynological and archaeological data - Jacek Madeja; Agnieszka Wacnik; Agata Zyga; Elzbieta Stankiewicz; Ewa Wypasek; Witold Guminski; Krystyna Harmata (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Palynological investigation is one of the most important tools for reconstructing past vegetation. Some plants have proved to be relatively sensitive indicators of human activity, but most of them are not specific. In this paper we propose a method which can be used for the verification of phases of anthropogenic impact on vegetation distinguished in pollen diagrams. In this work we adopted the existing molecular methods for tracking bacterial ancient DNA of Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides‐Prevotella (known as human‐ and cow‐specific genetic markers) in palynologically and archaeologically associated sediments. This method can be helpful in determining local human presence, especially in those time periods when pollen analysis has not always been very discriminating (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic) and at sites without archaeological evidence. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lateglacial and Holocene cosmogenic surface exposure age glacial chronology and geomorphological evidence for the presence of cold‐based glaciers at Nevado Sajama, Bolivia - Colby A. Smith; Thomas V. Lowell; Marc W. Caffee (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Comparisons of palaeo‐equilibrium line altitudes between the Western and Eastern Cordilleras in the Central Andes are commonly based on the assumption that the tall outermost moraines visible in remotely sensed images of the Western Cordillera date to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). However, field investigation and geomorphic mapping at Nevado Sajama, Bolivia, indicates the tall moraines are relic features with shorter moraines overlying and in some cases extending beyond them. 36 Cl exposure ages from the shorter moraines suggest that they date to Lateglacial times ca. 16.9–10.2 ka. Although Lateglacial deposits have been found throughout the Central Andes, the extent of these deposits relative to LGM deposits varies both between the Western and Eastern Cordilleras and north‐to‐south along the Western Cordillera. In the Western Cordillera in the zone of easterly winds, the Lateglacial appears to be the most extensive glacial advance of the last glacial cycle. Geomorphic evidence also suggests that some Lateglacial moraines were deposited by cold‐based ice, a previously unreported finding in the tropical Andes. Retreat from other glacial features occurred at about 7.0–4.4 ka and 4.7–3.3 ka. These are the first directly dated Holocene glacial deposits in the Western Cordillera of Bolivia, and their presence suggests that the mid Holocene may not have been as warm and dry as previously thought. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Luminescence dating of sand–loess sequences and response of Mu Us and Otindag sand fields (north China) to climatic changes - Yali Zhou; Huayu Lu; Jiafu Zhang; Joseph A. Mason; Liping Zhou (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The sand–loess transition zone in north China is sensitive to climate change, and is an ideal place to investigate past environmental changes. However, past climate change at millennial–centennial timescales in this region has not been well reconstructed because of limited numerical dating. Alternations of sandy loam soils with aeolian sand layers in the Mu Us and Otindag sand fields, which lie along the sand–loess transition zone, indicate multiple intervals of dune activity and stability. This change is probably a response to variations of the East Asian monsoon climate during the late Quaternary. The single aliquot regeneration (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol, which has been successfully applied to aeolian deposits worldwide, is applied to these two sand fields in this study. The OSL ages provide reliable constraints for reconstruction of past climate changes at suborbital timescale. Sections in both sand fields contain aeolian sand beds recording millennial‐scale episodes of dry climate and widespread dune activation, including episodes at about the same time as Heinrich Event 5 and the Younger Dryas in the North Atlantic region. These results demonstrate the potential of aeolian sediments in semi‐arid north China to record millennial‐scale climatic events, and also suggest that dry–wet climate variation at the desert margin in China may be linked to climatic change elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, through atmospheric circulation. This article was published online on 27 November 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (16 December 2008). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Marine Isotope Stage 7–6 transition age for beach sediments at Morston, north Norfolk, UK: implications for Pleistocene chronology, stratigraphy and tectonics - P. G. Hoare; S. J. Gale; R. A. J. Robinson; E. R. Connell; N. R. Larkin (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Optically stimulated luminescence age estimates for the Pleistocene beach at Morston, north Norfolk, UK, obtained by the single‐aliquot regenerative‐dose protocol, indicate a Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 7–6 transition date. The view that the beach is of Ipswichian (MIS 5e) age, held virtually unanimously for the last 75 years, may now be discarded. The extant beach sequence lies up to ∼5 m OD, yet global models suggest that MIS 7–6 sea levels were typically substantially below that of today. The explanation may lie with poorly understood regional tectonic movements. The MIS 7–6 date helps to constrain the ages of glacial deposits that bracket the beach sediments at Morston. The underlying Marly Drift till cannot be younger than MIS 8; this may also be true for the complex assemblage of glaciogenic landforms and sediments, including the Blakeney esker, in the adjacent lower Glaven valley. The well‐established Late Devensian (MIS 2) age of the Hunstanton Till is not compromised by the date of the Morston beach. There is no indication of a proposed Briton's Lane glaciation during MIS 6 times. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Climate change and human occupation in the northernmost Chilean Altiplano over the last ca. 11 500 cal. a BP - Ana Moreno; Calogero M. Santoro; Claudio Latorre (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
This interdisciplinary study represents an approximation towards understanding how regional human cultural systems may have been affected by climate change in the northernmost Chilean Altiplano (>3600 m) over the last ca. 11 500 cal a BP. We compare the archaeological record from Hakenasa cave with the lake record from Lago Chungará sediment cores, located 50 km to the south. By integrating both of these archives in conjunction with regional palaeoclimate and archaeological data, we provide new evidence for the role of changing environmental and climatic conditions in human settlement patterns. The first human occupation of the entire Altiplano occurs at Hakenasa and is dated to 9980 ± 40 14 C a BP (11 265–11 619 cal. a BP), and took place under wetter regional climate conditions. An archaeologically sterile deposit occurs at Hakenasa between 7870 and 6890 cal. a BP. Constituted by sands and gravels, these sediments are interpreted as a flood event. This time period is synchronous with alternating short dry and wet events recorded in the Lake Chungará sedimentary sequence. Human activity resumes and increases in importance at Hakenasa by ca. 6000 cal. a BP. This corresponds to wetter conditions indicated by the Chungará record. Even though the lake record indicates intense volcanic activity over the last 6000 cal. a BP, this had little or no impact on the human population present at Hakenasa. This study shows that even in this extreme environment human settlement patterns do not always respond in a linear fashion to environmental change. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Holocene relative sea level rise and the Neoglacial history of the Greenland ice sheet - Antony J. Long; Sarah A. Woodroffe; Sue Dawson; David H. Roberts; Charlotte L. Bryant (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
In West Greenland, early and mid Holocene relative sea level (RSL) fall was replaced by late Holocene RSL rise during the Neoglacial, after 4–3 cal. ka BP (thousand calibrated years before present). Here we present the results of an isolation basin RSL study completed near to the coastal town of Sisimiut, in central West Greenland. RSL fell from 14 m above sea level at 5.7 cal. ka BP to reach a lowstand of −4.0 m at 2.3–1.2 cal. ka BP, before rising by an equivalent amount to present. Differences in the timing and magnitude of the RSL lowstand between this and other sites in West and South Greenland record the varied interplay of local and non‐Greenland RSL processes, notably the reloading of the Earth's crust caused by a Neoglacial expansion of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) and the subsidence associated with the collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet forebulge. This means that the timing of the sea level lowstand cannot be used to infer directly when the GIS advanced during the Neoglacial. The rise in Late Holocene RSL is contrary to recently reported bedrock uplift in the Sisimiut area, based on repeat GPS surveys. This indicates that a belt of peripheral subsidence around the current ice sheet margin was more extensive in the late Holocene, and that there has been a switch from subsidence to uplift at some point in the last thousand years or so. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A high‐resolution pollen and geochemical analysis of late Holocene human impact and vegetation history in southern Cumbria, England - Paul M. V. Coombes; Richard C. Chiverrell; Keith E. Barber (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The historic era, which in Cumbria begins with the Roman invasion of AD 71, is a frequently neglected period in palaeoecological research, but its study can bring benefits in improving knowledge of landscape history and in understanding the significance and limitations of palaeoecological records. Pollen and geochemical data are presented for late Holocene records from Deer Dyke and Hulleter Mosses in southern Cumbria. The records show initially low levels of anthropogenic impact, followed by a phase of forest clearance and mixed agriculture from the 7th to 11th centuries AD. The timing of these clearances suggests that they were initially Anglo‐Saxon in origin, rather than Norse. Further clearances in the 16th century AD are interpreted as a response to monastic dissolution and late Tudor population pressures; the landscapes reached their contemporary form following extensive clearances in the 17th century AD. Silicon and titanium concentrations at Deer Dyke Moss were used to reconstruct past levels of atmospheric dust loading, which is broadly related to soil erosion. Geochemical influx was found to peak during periods of landscape transition rather than from established land use. This relationship with pollen data is thought to reflect the predominantly low levels of anthropogenic impact in the region, which changes as substantial woodland clearances during the 16th century AD and continuous land use pressure since then have greatly increased the supply of airborne dust. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Recognising subtidal foraminiferal assemblages: implications for quantitative sea‐level reconstructions using a foraminifera‐based transfer function - Sarah A. Woodroffe (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Microfossil‐based transfer function models are increasingly used to provide decimeter‐scale sea‐level change reconstructions. In this paper I demonstrate that in the tropical location of northern Australia problems arise in selecting the appropriate elevation range for the modern training set used to calibrate fossil calcareous foraminiferal assemblages. Most calcareous foraminiferal species found in cores occur in both modern intertidal and shallow subtidal environments. A lack of independent measures to indicate whether fossil assemblages come from intertidal environments forces use of a training set that includes intertidal and subtidal environments. This results in decreased precision compared to using a training set solely from intertidal environments. The widely used method of assessing model fit to fossil assemblages (modern analogue technique) often fails to discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable reconstructions. It is important to investigate a number of different measures including modern analogue technique, canonical correspondence analysis and changing bootstrapped sample specific transfer function errors to fully understand the level of similarity between modern and fossil foraminiferal samples, to judge the reliability of transfer function‐predicted sea‐level reconstructions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late Quaternary vegetation and fire history in the northernmost Nothofagus forest region: Mallín Vaca Lauquen, Neuquén Province, Argentina - Vera Markgraf; Cathy Whitlock; R. Scott Anderson; Adriana García (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The last 16 000 cal. a of vegetation, fire and limnological history are described from the steppe‐forest ecotone in the northernmost Nothofagus forest region east of the Andes (Mallín Vaca Lauquen, Neuquén Province, Argentina, latitude 36° 51.336′ S, longitude 71° 02.538′ W). Between 16 000 and 14 800 cal. a BP, scrub steppe with substantial open ground expanded in formerly glaciated valleys, whereas Nothofagus – Prumnopitys andina woodland covered mountain slopes. The site was a relatively deep and unproductive small lake at this time. After 14 800 cal. a BP, both steppe and woodland vegetation became denser, indicating increased moisture and temperatures, although not to present levels. The lake was still relatively deep and dystrophic, but became more alkaline by 10 000 cal. a BP. Between 8900 and 5500 cal. a BP, conditions were markedly drier than before; a Cyperaceae marsh developed and disturbance taxa increased. After 5500 cal. a BP, moisture increased but varied greatly, as evidenced by fluctuating water levels and high fire activity from 5500 to 4400 cal. a BP and from 2300 to 1000 cal. a BP. Human activity, in terms of forest clearance and livestock grazing, is documented in the uppermost levels. The evidence of high environmental variability in the middle and late Holocene is consistent with the onset or strengthening of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, but differences in the timing of fire activity among sites on the west and east sides of the Andes suggest that fuel conditions were important in determining the local occurrence of fire. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Morphodynamic evolution of the Orb River (Languedoc, France): evidence of eustatic, tectonic and climatic controls - Jean‐Pierre Larue (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
This study aims to reconstruct the Cenozoic and Pleistocene morphodynamic evolution of the Orb, a Mediterranean river which crosses all the structural units of the south Massif Central border. A geomorphological and sedimentological analysis of detrital deposits was carried out as a basis for correlating the different formations and reconstructing the palaeodrainage. Heavy minerals were used to reconstruct the main sedimentary palaeochannels since the Messinian. The successive Orb longitudinal profiles show anomalies which can be caused by structure and by interactions between fluvial dynamics and tectonics. Evidence of volcanic heavy minerals on the Faugères Mountains and in the Upper Pliocene deposits of the Languedocian piedmont demonstrates that a north–south flow took place during the Upper Pliocene. Nevertheless, a palaeo‐Orb existed at the place of the present course when the basaltic lava flows were spreading, but headward erosion did not reach them until the Upper Pleistocene, because the Orb middle and high terraces do not contain volcanic minerals sourced from the Escandorgue. The successive Orb longitudinal profiles show that headward erosion due to Pleistocene low sea levels does not reach beyond Béziers and that a tectonic hinge has functioned near the shoreline. The non‐lithologic knickpoints are explained by the Montagne Noire and Avant‐Monts uplift up until the Pleistocene. A progressive continental uplift is necessary to explain the Orb terraces staircase in the Béziers district, and the fluctuations of incision from upstream to downstream are due to laterally differential movements, which are isostatic effects of thick regressive deposits on the Gulf of Lion shelf during the cold periods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coversand and Pleistocene palaeosols in the Landes region, southwestern France - Pascal Bertran; Giselle Allenet; Thierry Gé; Filipa Naughton; Philippe Poirier; Maria F. Sanchez Goñi (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
New sections in the coversand of the Landes region, southwestern France, show at least two main depositional phases corresponding to the Upper Pleniglacial and the Lateglacial, which are separated by palaeosols. The lower palaeosol, a gleyic to histic cryosol overlying a net of sand wedges and dated to ca. 23 14 C ka BP, testifies to a short occurrence of permafrost. Impeded drainage due to the frozen subsoil is assumed to be the main factor involved in lowered aeolian transport and soil formation. Pollen analysis indicates a shrub tundra‐type environment. The overlying coversand unit is associated with small transverse ridges or sheet‐like deposits, and corresponds to the maximal extension of the sands, Upper Pleniglacial in age. An incipient podzol developed on the dunes under a boreal pine forest, and has been dated to 11.5–12 14 C ka BP, i.e. to the Allerød period. This has been buried by the second coversand unit during the Younger Dryas, typified by abundant denivation features and root imprints. Although preliminary, the chronology of sand deposition in the Landes region appears thus to be roughly similar to that found for the other European coversands, showing that all were the result of similar western European climatic changes, i.e. repeated episodes of increasing aridity related to the Upper Pleniglacial and the Younger Dryas episode. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Marine geophysical evidence for former expansion and flow of the Greenland Ice Sheet across the north‐east Greenland continental shelf - Jeffrey Evans; Colm Ó Cofaigh; Julian A. Dowdeswell; Peter Wadhams (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
High‐resolution swath bathymetry and TOPAS sub‐bottom profiler acoustic data from the inner and middle continental shelf of north‐east Greenland record the presence of streamlined mega‐scale glacial lineations and other subglacial landforms that are formed in the surface of a continuous soft sediment layer. The best‐developed lineations are found in Westwind Trough, a bathymetric trough connecting Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden Gletscher and Zachariae Isstrøm to the continental shelf edge. The geomorphological and stratigraphical data indicate that the Greenland Ice Sheet covered the inner‐middle shelf in north‐east Greenland during the most recent ice advance of the Late Weichselian glaciation. Earlier sedimentological and chronological studies indicated that the last major delivery of glacigenic sediment to the shelf and Fram Strait was prior to the Holocene during Marine Isotope Stage 2, supporting our assertion that the subglacial landforms and ice sheet expansion in north‐east Greenland occurred during the Late Weichselian. Glacimarine sediment gravity flow deposits found on the north‐east Greenland continental slope imply that the ice sheet extended beyond the middle continental shelf, and supplied subglacial sediment direct to the shelf edge with subsequent remobilisation downslope. These marine geophysical data indicate that the flow of the Late Weichselian Greenland Ice Sheet through Westwind Trough was in the form of a fast‐flowing palaeo‐ice stream, and that it provides the first direct geomorphological evidence for the former presence of ice streams on the Greenland continental shelf. The presence of streamlined subglacially derived landforms and till layers on the shallow AWI Bank and Northwind Shoal indicates that ice sheet flow was not only channelled through the cross‐shelf bathymetric troughs but also occurred across the shallow intra‐trough regions of north‐east Greenland. Collectively these data record for the first time that ice streams were an important glacio‐dynamic feature that drained interior basins of the Late Weichselian Greenland Ice Sheet across the adjacent continental margin, and that the ice sheet was far more extensive in north‐east Greenland during the Last Glacial Maximum than the previous terrestrial–glacial reconstructions showed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Determining the spatial and temporal patterns of climate changes in China's western interior during the last 15 ka from lacustrine oxygen isotope records - Shi‐Yong Yu; Richard D. Ricketts; Steven M. Colman (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
China's western interior is a climatologically complex region, where climatic conditions are primarily controlled by the westerly jet stream and the Asian monsoon system. Observations reveal that the δ 18 O signatures of these atmospheric elements as expressed in their meteoric waters are different, and these differences are reflected in the lacustrine systems that are ultimately fed by the meteoric waters. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition of 17 lacustrine δ 18 O records from this area clearly reveals the spatial and temporal structures of climate changes during the last 15 ka. The first EOF mode, dominated by sites in the NW sector, captures the temperature effect on the variability of the δ 18 O dataset. We interpret the variations through time in the amplitude of this mode to be indicative of changes in summer air temperature. The second EOF mode, heavily weighted by sites in the SE sector, reveals the ‘amount effect’ on δ 18 O, and thus its amplitude time series indicates changes in the intensity of the Asian summer monsoon. Our EOF‐based reconstructions of regional climate are generally consistent with the δ 18 O records of ice cores, cave speleothems and marine carbonates. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preliminary 10 Be chronology for the last deglaciation of the western margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet - Vincent Rinterknecht; Yuri Gorokhovich; Joerg Schaefer; Marc Caffee (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The now acknowledged thinning of the Greenland Ice Sheet raises concerns about its potential contribution to future sea level rise. In order to appreciate the full extent of its contribution to sea level rise, reconstruction of the ice sheet's most recent last deglaciation could provide key information on the timing and the height of the ice sheet at a time of rapid climate readjustment. We measured 10 Be concentrations in 12 samples collected along longitudinal and altitudinal transects from Sisimiut to within 10 km of the Isunguata Sermia Glacier ice margin on the western coast of Greenland. Along the longitudinal transect, we collected three perched boulders and two bedrocks. In addition, we sampled seven perched boulders along a vertical transect in a valley within 10 km of the Isunguata Sermia Glacier ice margin. Our pilot dataset constrains the height of the ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) between 500 m and 840 m (including the 120 m relative sea level depression at the time of the LGM, 21 ka BP). From the transect we estimate the thinning of the ice sheet at the end of the deglaciation between 12.3 ± 1.5 10 Be ka ( n = 2) and 8.3 ± 1.2 10 Be ka ( n = 3) to be ∼6 cm a −1 over this time period. Direct dating of the retreat of the western margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet has the potential to better constrain the retreat rate of the ice margin, the thickness of the former ice sheet as well as its response to climate change. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modern Sphagnum δ 13 C signatures follow a surface moisture gradient in two boreal peat bogs, James Bay lowlands, Québec - Julie Loisel; Michelle Garneau; Jean‐François Hélie (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Carbon isotopic composition of Sphagnum macrofossils can potentially be used as a palaeohydrological tool for peat‐based climatic studies since a relationship between Sphagnum δ 13 C values and peatland surface moisture has been presented in previous studies. In order to verify this hypothesis, modern Sphagnum δ 13 C values were measured along a moisture (microtopographic) gradient in two boreal peat bogs. Isotopic measurements were performed on bulk material of S. fuscum , S. magellanicum , S. capillifolium and S. pulchrum . Isotopic variations found within and between Sphagnum species along the microtopographic gradient were compared using analysis of variance. A significant positive correlation ( P Sphagnum δ 13 C values and their position along the surface moisture gradient. Results show that 13 C‐depleted values are related to low water table depths (WTD), while 13 C‐enriched values correspond to a water table that is close to the peat surface. Although the mechanisms underlying carbon fractionation processes in mosses are not well understood, we demonstrate that water resistance to CO 2 diffusion is an important fractionation process that is observed in bulk Sphagnum δ 13 C measurements, since drier and wetter samples exhibit consistent and very different isotopic signatures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Possible solar control on primary production along the Indian west coast on decadal to centennial timescale - Siby Kurian; Rajesh Agnihotri; D. V. Borole; S. Wajih A. Naqvi; Ana M. Ferreira; Carlos Vale (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Using multiple geochemical proxies including specific biomarkers (dinosterol, phytol, stigmasterol and β ‐sitosterol) measured in a high‐sedimentation rate core collected from the inner shelf (depth ∼45 m) off Goa (India), we reconstruct surface productivity, which is mainly controlled by the monsoon upwelling in this region, during the last ca. 700 a. Surface productivity appears to have varied in tandem with the Konkan–Goa rainfall and sunspot activity during the instrumental period (last 250 a). The productivity proxies also covary with the total solar irradiance reconstructed for the period beyond the instrumental era, within the considerable uncertainty of the age model. This suggests that solar forcing may control coastal upwelling intensity and biological productivity in the eastern Arabian Sea on decadal to centennial timescales. During the late Anthropocene (last ca. 50 a), steep increases in all four biomarkers indicate greatly enhanced productivity in response to high solar irradiance as well as anthropogenic inputs of nutrients. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Seafloor glacial features reveal the extent and decay of the last British Ice Sheet, east of Scotland - Alastair G. C. Graham; Lidia Lonergan; Martyn S. Stoker (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Three‐dimensional (3D) seismic datasets, 2D seismic reflection profiles and shallow cores provide insights into the geometry and composition of glacial features on the continental shelf, offshore eastern Scotland (58° N, 1–2° W). The relic features are related to the activity of the last British Ice Sheet (BIS) in the Outer Moray Firth. A landsystem assemblage consisting of four types of subglacial and ice marginal morphology is mapped at the seafloor. The assemblage comprises: (i) large seabed banks (interpreted as end moraines), coeval with the Bosies Bank moraine; (ii) morainic ridges (hummocky, push and end moraine) formed beneath, and at the margins of the ice sheet; (iii) an incised valley (a subglacial meltwater channel), recording meltwater drainage beneath former ice sheets; and (iv) elongate ridges and grooves (subglacial bedforms) overprinted by transverse ridges (grounding line moraines). The bedforms suggest that fast‐flowing grounded ice advanced eastward of the previously proposed terminus of the offshore Late Weichselian BIS, increasing the size and extent of the ice sheet beyond traditional limits. Complex moraine formation at the margins of less active ice characterised subsequent retreat, with periodic stillstands and readvances. Observations are consistent with interpretations of a dynamic and oscillating ice margin during BIS deglaciation, and with an extensive ice sheet in the North Sea basin at the Last Glacial Maximum. Final ice margin retreat was rapid, manifested in stagnant ice topography, which aided preservation of the landsystem record. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radiocarbon dating of charcoal from tropical sequences: results from the Niah Great Cave, Sarawak, and their broader implications - Thomas F. G. Higham; Huw Barton; Chris S. M. Turney; Graeme Barker; Christopher Bronk Ramsey; Fiona Brock (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Subsamples of charcoal from a number of different excavation contexts at the early modern human ( Homo sapiens ) site of Niah Great Cave (Malaysia) were accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14 C dated. Samples were prepared using one of a number of different methods: untreated (control); acid–base–acid (ABA); and acid–base–wet oxidation with stepped combustion (ABOX‐SC) after Bird et al . ( 1999 ). The results show that for material younger than ∼25 ka BP there is little difference between the two chemical pretreatment methods and the control. For charcoal beyond ∼25 ka BP, however, there are differences of up to 4000 a, with ABOX‐SC ages being consistently older. This is argued to be a more effective pretreatment method for decontaminating charcoal samples prior to radiocarbon dating. For radiocarbon dating charcoals greater than ∼25 ka BP, the ABOX‐SC pretreatment and combustion approach appears to be the most rigorous method for developing a robust chronological framework for tropical sequences and should be more widely applied in contexts where the material being dated is likely to be ancient. The new chronology developed for Niah Cave based on this technique suggests that the earliest human evidence dates back to at least 45 ka BP and may extend significantly earlier than this based on the recent discovery of lithics 50 cm below the earliest dated charcoal. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Morpho‐sedimentary records at the Brahmaputra River exit, NE Himalaya: climate–tectonic interplay during the Late Pleistocene–Holocene - Pradeep Srivastava; Surendra S. Bhakuni; Khayingshing Luirei; Dileep K. Misra (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Morphological and sedimentary records at the exit of Brahmaputra River at Pasighat in the NE Himalaya inform about the climate–tectonic interplay during the past ca. 15 ka. The geomorphology of the area comprises (1) fan terrace T 3 , (2) a high‐angle fan (3) terrace T 2 , (4) terrace T 1 and (5) a low‐angle fan. Geomorphic consideration suggests that the fan terrace T 3 and high‐angle fans are the oldest units and were coeval. The low‐angle fan is the youngest geomorphic unit. Sedimentological studies and optically stimulated luminescence chronology suggest that (i) fan terrace T 3 formed between 13 and 10.5 ka and comprised multiple events of debris flows separated by the aggradation as channel bars in a braided river environment; (ii) the high‐angle fan formed during 15–10 ka and comprises channel bar aggradation in braided river conditions; (iii) terrace T 2 formed during 10–8 ka due to aggradation in a braided channel environment with lesser events of debris flows; (iv) terrace T 1 formed during

Subfossil Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) along a latitudinal gradient in Finland: development of a new temperature inference model - Tomi P. Luoto (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Numerical techniques were used to study chironomid distribution and abundance in lakes from a 1000 km transect in Finland, with special interest on the effect of local summer air temperatures on chironomid assemblages. The final aim of the study was to develop a chironomid‐based palaeotemperature inference model. The dataset consisted of 82 lakes (of which 77 were used in the model after deletion of outliers), with catchments spanning from boreal coniferous forests to mountain birch woodland and tundra vegetation. Numerical analysis showed that the mean July air temperature was the most significant variable explaining the distribution and abundance of chironomids in Finnish lakes. Weighted‐averaging partial least squares techniques were used to develop a palaeotemperature inference model for mean July air temperature reconstructions. The model performance statistics were favourable, with cross‐validated coefficient of determination ( r 2 ) of 0.78, root mean squared error of prediction of 0.721°C and maximum bias of 0.794°C. Based on these values, the transfer function is a valid means of performing quantitative palaeotemperature estimates in downcore studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coccolithophores as palaeoecological indicators for shifts of the ITCZ in the Cariaco Basin during the late Quaternary - Kenneth N. J. M. Mertens; Matt Lynn; Mylene Aycard; Hui‐Ling Lin; Stephen Louwye (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Coccoliths were studied from the ODP Hole 1002C and core PL07‐39PC in the Cariaco Basin. Increases in Emiliania huxleyi are synchronous with decreases of Gephyrocapsa oceanica and vice versa. A new index (GEX) based on the relative abundances of these two taxa is proposed, and correlates with various other proxies. It is shown that GEX can serve as upwelling proxy. This confirms that the Intertropical Convergence Zone shifted north during the Bølling/Allerød, south during the Younger Dryas and back north during the Preboreal. The upwelling proxy shows few discrepancies with the terrigenous record. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Field experiments on bioturbation in salt marshes (Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, DE, USA): implications for sea‐level studies - Eduardo Leorri; Ronald E. Martin; Benjamin P. Horton (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
The suitability of marsh sites for sea‐level studies was examined based on field experiments along a transect from low to high marsh. Bead distributions were determined both seasonally and after 7 years. Seasonal sediment mixing was greatest in the low marsh and in the late spring and early summer, when biological activity is greatest. However, after an initial interval of relatively intense reworking, the bead concentrations reached an approximate equilibrium profile characteristic of each marsh environment as reflected by the profiles obtained after 7 years. Mixed‐layer thickness is greatest (>10 cm) in the intermediate and low marsh, and burial rates are rapid (3.7–11.1 mm yr −1 ). Moreover, burial rates are comparable to or even surpass longer‐term (30 to >150 yr) radiotracer‐derived sediment accumulation rates and rates of local and regional sea‐level rise (∼4 mm yr −1 ). Therefore, sediment accumulation rates appear to reflect primarily sediment resuspension/redeposition within the system due to bioturbation. Thus, bioturbation may be critical to the ability of marshes to keep pace with sea level, while seemingly precluding the use of low marsh for high‐resolution sea‐level studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

First evidence for episodic flooding events in the arid interior of central Saudi Arabia over the last 60 ka - Sue J. McLaren; Farhan Al‐Juaidi; Mark D. Bateman; Andrew C. Millington (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Although evidence for Quaternary environmental changes in the Arabian Peninsula is now growing, research has mostly been conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in the Sultanate of Oman. There have been virtually no recent studies in Saudi Arabia, especially in the central region such as around Al‐Quwaiayh. In this area there are a series of outwash plains developed along the eastern edge of the Arabian Shield that formed in the late Quaternary. Four sedimentary sections, which are representative of the deposits that have accumulated, have been studied and five luminescence ages obtained. These are the first luminescence ages acquired from Quaternary sediments in central Saudi Arabia. The preserved fluvial deposits in the study area have formed during humid events at ca. 54 ka, ca. 39 ka and ca. 0.8 ka. In more recent times aeolian sands have been encroaching on to the distal parts of the outwash plains. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exposure dating and reinterpretation of coarse debris accumulations (‘rock glaciers’) in the Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland - Colin K. Ballantyne; Christoph Schnabel; Sheng Xu (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2009)
Relict rock glaciers have considerable potential for contributing to palaeoclimatic reconstruction, but this potential is often undermined by lack of dating control and problems of interpretation. Here we reinvestigate and date four proposed ‘rock glaciers’ in the Cairngorm Mountains and show that the morphology of only one of these appears consistent with that of a true rock glacier produced by creep of underlying ice or ice‐rich sediment. All four features comprise rockslide or rock avalanche runout debris, and the possibility that all four represent unmodified runout accumulations cannot be discounted. Surface exposure dating of the four debris accumulations using cosmogenic 10 Be produced uncertainty‐weighted mean ages of 15.4 ± 0.8 ka, 16.2 ± 1.0 ka, 12.1 ± 0.6 ka and 12.7 ± 0.8 ka. All four ages imply emplacement under cold stadial conditions, two prior to the Windermere Interstade of ca. 14.5–12.9 cal. ka BP and two during the Loch Lomond Stade of ca. 12.9–11.5 cal. ka BP. The above ages indicate that paraglacial rock‐slope failure on granite rockwalls occurred within a few millennia after deglaciation. The mean exposure ages obtained for runout debris at two sites – Strath Nethy (16.2 ± 1.0 ka) and Lairig Ghru (15.4 ± 0.8 ka) – are consistent with basal radiocarbon ages from Loch Etteridge, 22 km to the southwest (mean = 15.6 ± 0.3 cal. ka BP) and imply widespread deglaciation of the Cairngorms and adjacent valleys before 15 ka and possibly 16 ka. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.