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A late Holocene lake sediment sequence from Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, with palaeoclimatic implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2004

Svante Björck ,
Hannelore Håkansson ,
Rolf Zale ,
Wibjörn Karlén  and
Bodil Liedberg Jönsson
Svante Björck
Affiliation:
Department of Quatenary Geology, Lund University, Tornav. 13, S-223 63 Lund, Sweden
Hannelore Håkansson
Affiliation:
Department of Quatenary Geology, Lund University, Tornav. 13, S-223 63 Lund, Sweden
Rolf Zale
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Wibjörn Karlén
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Geography, University of Stockholm, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Bodil Liedberg Jönsson
Affiliation:
Department of Quatenary Geology, Lund University, Tornav. 13, S-223 63 Lund, Sweden
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Abstract

Analysis of a 1.5 m thick sediment sequence from Midge Lake, Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, shows that the lake and its catchment have undergone significant changes during the last 4000 years. Radiocarbon dating (AMS), sediment lithology, and microfossil analyses indicate that the lake was deglaciated over 4000 14C years ago. Distinct peaks in accumulation rates of sediment, Pediastrum algae, pollen and spores, as well as changes in the diatom assemblage, suggest significant environmental changes between ca 3200 and 2700 y BP. These changes are interpreted as reflecting a milder and more humid, maritime climate. The increased humidity can explain independent observations of glacier growth during this period. The combined data also indicate that between ca 1500 and 500 y BP the area might have experienced more continental conditions with slightly colder and drier climate than today. Since the 14C dates from the Midge Lake sediments are regarded as reliable and the sediment sequence is rich in tephra layers this sediment sequence will be critical for a forthcoming tephra chronology of the region.

Keywords

Antarctica14C chronologylake sedimentsmicrofossil stratigraphypalaeoclimatologypalaeoecology
Type
Papers—Earth Sciences and Glaciology
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , March 1991 , pp. 61 - 72
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1991

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