Colombian vegetation at the Last Glacial Maximum: a comparison of model‐ and pollen‐based biome reconstructions
Robert Marchant
Arnoud Boom
Hermann Behling
Henry Hooghiemstra
Bert Melief
Bas Van Geel
Thomas Van der Hammen
Michael Wille
Abstract
Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using two methods. A reconstruction of modern biomes shows that, for the majority of the sites, the pollen data accurately reflect the potential vegetation, even though much of the original vegetation has been transformed by agricultural practices. At 18 000 14C yr BP a generally cool and dry environment is reflected in biome assignments of cold mixed forests, cool evergreen forests and cool grassland/shrub, the latter extending to lower altitudes than presently recorded. Differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in moisture sources and the importance of edaphic control on the vegetation. Secondly, biomes at the LGM are also investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3) set to operate at CO2 levels of 200 ppmV and with climatic data from 12 meteorological stations that encompass a range of environments within Colombia. At lower altitudes it is apparent that moisture is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whereas temperature becomes more important at higher altitudes. The combined reconstruction of biome-scale vegetation dynamics in Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls on these to be developed that demonstrates the need to invoke different factors to explain the vegetation change rather than a uniform reduction in temperature or moisture.
Marchant R., Boom A., Behling H., Hooghiemstra H., Melief B., Geel B.V., Hammen T.V.d. and Wille M. (2004) Colombian vegetation at the Last Glacial Maximum: a comparison of model‐ and pollen‐based biome reconstructions. Journal of Quaternary Science 19(7): 721-732. 10.1002/jqs.878
@article{Marchant2004,
Title = {Colombian vegetation at the Last Glacial Maximum: a comparison of model‐ and pollen‐based biome reconstructions},
Author = {Marchant, Robert and Boom, Arnoud and Behling, Hermann and Hooghiemstra, Henry and Melief, Bert and Geel, Bas Van and Hammen, Thomas Van der and Wille, Michael},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Journal of Quaternary Science},
Year = {2004},
Pages = {721-732},
Volume = {19},
Doi = {10.1002/jqs.878},
Abstract = {Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using two methods. A reconstruction of modern biomes shows that, for the majority of the sites, the pollen data accurately reflect the potential vegetation, even though much of the original vegetation has been transformed by agricultural practices. At 18 000 14C yr BP a generally cool and dry environment is reflected in biome assignments of cold mixed forests, cool evergreen forests and cool grassland/shrub, the latter extending to lower altitudes than presently recorded. Differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in moisture sources and the importance of edaphic control on the vegetation. Secondly, biomes at the LGM are also investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3) set to operate at CO2 levels of 200 ppmV and with climatic data from 12 meteorological stations that encompass a range of environments within Colombia. At lower altitudes it is apparent that moisture is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whereas temperature becomes more important at higher altitudes. The combined reconstruction of biome-scale vegetation dynamics in Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls on these to be developed that demonstrates the need to invoke different factors to explain the vegetation change rather than a uniform reduction in temperature or moisture.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Marchant, Robert
AU - Boom, Arnoud
AU - Behling, Hermann
AU - Hooghiemstra, Henry
AU - Melief, Bert
AU - Geel, Bas Van
AU - Hammen, Thomas Van der
AU - Wille, Michael
TI - Colombian vegetation at the Last Glacial Maximum: a comparison of model‐ and pollen‐based biome reconstructions
T2 - Journal of Quaternary Science
PY - 2004
SP - 721-732
VL - 19
DO - 10.1002/jqs.878
AB - Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using two methods. A reconstruction of modern biomes shows that, for the majority of the sites, the pollen data accurately reflect the potential vegetation, even though much of the original vegetation has been transformed by agricultural practices. At 18 000 14C yr BP a generally cool and dry environment is reflected in biome assignments of cold mixed forests, cool evergreen forests and cool grassland/shrub, the latter extending to lower altitudes than presently recorded. Differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in moisture sources and the importance of edaphic control on the vegetation. Secondly, biomes at the LGM are also investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3) set to operate at CO2 levels of 200 ppmV and with climatic data from 12 meteorological stations that encompass a range of environments within Colombia. At lower altitudes it is apparent that moisture is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whereas temperature becomes more important at higher altitudes. The combined reconstruction of biome-scale vegetation dynamics in Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls on these to be developed that demonstrates the need to invoke different factors to explain the vegetation change rather than a uniform reduction in temperature or moisture.
ER -
