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Harris lines (HLs) are radiographically visible transverse lines of thickened bone that develop from temporary growth cessation during early life. Often attributed to physiological stress during development, HLs are frequently observed in the long bones of adolescents and become less visible over time due to bone remodeling. In recent years, the validity of HL as a sign of stress has been called into question and the methods used in studying HL through X‐ray analysis scrutinized. In this study, 80 individuals from the Middle Holocene Cis‐Baikal region of Siberia, from the Early Neolithic (EN; 7560–6660 HPD cal. BP) and Late Neolithic (LN; 6060–4970 HPD cal. BP), were studied for the presence and severity of HL. Radiographic analysis employed both the traditional clinical anteroposterior (A–P) orientation and a potentially improved mediolateral (M–L) orientation. EN groups in the Cis‐Baikal are known to have experienced higher levels than their LN counterparts; thus, if HL reflect stress experiences, we expected to see more HL in the EN population compared with the LN population. We also expected more visible HL in the M–L orientation due to the suggested improvement in capturing more lines compared with the A–P orientation. While the results support the use of M–L orientation during X‐ray capture of HL, there was not a higher number of HL in the EN population as expected. Instead, no significant differences were found in HL severity between the EN and LN populations, and age‐at‐death resulted in a greater effect on HL counts regardless of mortuary site. The results from this study align not with known stress data from the Middle Holocene Cis‐Baikal populations but rather with data pertaining to known growth patterns. We therefore advocate against the use of HL as a sign of physiological stress and instead suggest HL as a reflection of bone growth trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, a primary region for freshwater lakes in China, have undergone significant transformations throughout the Holocene. These changes, driven by factors such as sea-level rise, climate change, and human activities, have led to the progressive elevation of water levels in this area. As a result, a floodplain has emerged, characterized by the formation of numerous shallow lakes along the river course. However, the pattern of water-level changes in the main channel of the Yangtze River during the Holocene remains unclear. This gap in knowledge poses challenges for understanding sediment transport dynamics, the interactions between the river and its adjacent lakes, and the prevention and control of flood disasters in the Yangtze River basin. To shed light on these issues, our study compiled data on the surface elevation and water depth of 81 lakes in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin. Additionally, we analyzed historical water-level records from the 1900s to the 1970s at eight gauging stations from Shashi to Jiangyin along the river's main stream. Our findings reveal that, particularly along the Jingjiang section, the basal elevation of most lakes is lower than the Yangtze River's water level during the dry season. Conversely, the water level of the main stream exceeds that of both the floodplain and the lakes enclosed by the Jingjiang embankment. In the tidal reach, especially within the Taihu Lake basin, the basal elevation of lakes typically falls below sea level. Meanwhile, lakes located along the section from Chenglingji to Wuhu exhibit basal elevations that correspond with the Yangtze River's annual average and dry season water levels. Given the widespread presence of lakes along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, our study introduces a new proxy for reconstructing the mean water level of the mid-lower Yangtze River in the Holocene. By analyzing sediments from Nanyi Lake and Chenyao Lake in the lower Yangtze River, we attempted to reconstruct the water level of the Yangtze River's main channel since 8 ka BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical and ethnographic sources depict use of portable braced shaft weapons, or pikes, in megafauna hunting and defense during Late Holocene millennia in North and South America, Africa, Eurasia and Southeast Asia. Given the predominance of megafauna in Late Pleistocene North America during the centuries when Clovis points appeared and spread across much of the continent (13,050–12,650 cal BP), braced weapons may have been used in hunting of megaherbivores and defense against megacarnivores. Drawing from historical examples of pike use against lions, jaguars, boars, grizzlies, carabao and warhorses we consider the possibility of a fluted lithic pike. Associated osseous rods have been problematic as Clovis foreshafts due to the bevel angle and the apparent weakness of the splint haft when great strength is needed for deep penetration in megafauna hunting. However our review of Late Holocene pike use in megafauna encounters indicates the sharp tip becomes less important after hide or armor has been pierced because compression is sustained. Thus, foreshaft collapse after hide entry may not limit but rather increase the efficacy of the braced weapon. We conduct preliminary static experiments to model a fluted pike that adjusts during compression such that haft collapse and point detachment (when point jams on impact with bone) preserve the fluted biface, beveled rod and wooden mainshaft tip. In addition to Clovis point attributes and association with osseous rods, potential archaeological correlates of Clovis pike use include the high frequency of Clovis point isolates and concentrations of complete points with unbutchered mammoth remains at sites such as Naco in Arizona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backing is a procedure for retouching a stone tool edge to an angle of or near 90°. Archaeologists have recorded backed lithic specimens in the Pleistocene and Holocene around the world. One prominent hypothesis for the occurrence of backing is that it increases a stone tool's adhesion relative to what it would have otherwise been with unmodified, sharp edges. We conducted a highly controlled semi‐static tensile test in which we assessed lithic specimens that possessed both a backed and a non‐backed edge, opposing each other. We hafted each specimen's backed and non‐backed edges to wood, and the bi‐hafted stone implement was then pulled apart using an Universal Instron Materials Tester, allowing for a direct ‘head‐to‐head’ comparison of the two edge types’ adhesive properties. Our tensile test results suggested no significant difference between backed and non‐backed edges in terms of adhesion, which does not support the hypothesis that backing increases a lithic specimen's adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil identification practices have a profound effect on our interpretation of the past because these identifications form the basis for downstream analyses. Therefore, well-supported fossil identifications are necessary for examining the impact of past environmental changes on populations and communities. Here we apply an apomorphic identification framework in a case study identifying fossil lizard remains from Hall's Cave, a late Quaternary fossil site located in Central Texas, USA. We present images and descriptions of a broad comparative sample of North American lizard cranial elements and compile new and previously reported apomorphic characters for identifying fossil lizards. Our fossil identifications from Hall's Cave resulted in a minimum of 11 lizard taxa, including five lizard taxa previously unknown from the site. Most of the identified fossil lizard taxa inhabit the area around Hall's Cave today, but we reinforce the presence of an extirpated species complex of horned lizard. A main goal of this work is to establish a procedure for making well-supported fossil lizard identifications across North America. The data from this study will assist researchers endeavoring to identify fossil lizards, increasing the potential for novel discoveries related to North American lizards and facilitating more holistic views of ancient faunal assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The term "Holocene temperature conundrum" refers to the inconsistencies between proxy-based reconstructions and transient model simulations, and it challenges our understanding of global temperature evolution during the Holocene. Climate reconstructions indicate a cooling trend following the Holocene Thermal Maximum, while model simulations indicate a consistent warming trend due to ice-sheet retreat and rising greenhouse gas concentrations. Various factors, such as seasonal biases and overlooked feedback processes, have been proposed as potential causes for this discrepancy. In this study, we examined the impact of vegetation-climate feedback on the temperature anomaly patterns in East Asia during the mid-Holocene (∼6 ka). By utilizing the fully coupled Earth system model EC-Earth and performing simulations with and without coupled dynamic vegetation, our objective was to isolate the influence of vegetation changes on regional temperature patterns. Our findings reveal that vegetation-climate feedback contributed to warming across most of East Asia, resulting in spatially diverse temperature changes during the mid-Holocene and significantly improved model-data agreement. These results highlight the crucial role of vegetation-climate feedback in addressing the Holocene temperature conundrum and emphasize its importance for simulating accurate climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeolian concentration of iron-titanium oxides (black sand) is a common phenomenon on coasts around the world but associated aeolian detrital gold is relatively rare. In contrast, Holocene and active dunes at Waipapa beach on the coast of the southern South Island of New Zealand host aeolian black sand layers with locally abundant finely particulate (<200 µm) gold and platinum, some of which have been mined historically. Aeolian concentration of black sand, gold and platinum is driven by strong prevailing westerly winds (gusts >100 km/h) on annual or decadal time scales. Holocene fluvial recycling of aeolian sands has been important in upgrading the black sand, gold, and platinum contents. Surf concentration of black sand on the beach is minor and merely feeds the aeolian system, and this differs from other beach gold deposits around the world, which are surf-dominated. Most of the Waipapa beach gold (>90%) has flaky morphology with abundant superficial transport-related deformation reflective of fluvial transport, probably down the nearby Mataura River (∼200 km transport) between Miocene and Holocene. Minor distinctive wind-sculpted toroidal gold, and the platinum, arrived from the west (∼300 km transport) via the Waiau River and Foveaux Strait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into ancient pigment practices among the Goya‐Malabrigo societies in the Upper Delta of the Paraná River during the Late Holocene. Utilising Raman microspectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction, we analysed 33 samples from six archaeological sites and four natural outcrops. Our discoveries uncovered hematite in red pigments across diverse materials (potsherds, shells, human bones, and sediments), anatase adorning ceramics with whitish tones, and charcoal creating darker shades. These findings not only contribute to the understanding of the mineral composition of ancient colours used by Indigenous people in domestic and funerary contexts but also set the first stage for forthcoming provenance research, integrating multiple archaeometric techniques to unravel the origins of these compelling pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently in NW Europe little is known about the human response to the extensive cold reversal at the end of the Pleistocene, the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,850 till ca. 11,650 cal BP), mainly due to the poor chronological resolution of the archaeological sites belonging to the Ahrensburgian Culture. Here we present a series of 33 radiocarbon dates performed on the seminal cave site of Remouchamps, situated in the Belgian Meuse basin. Combined with a revision of the available radiocarbon evidence along the southern North Sea basin (Belgium, southern Netherlands, western Germany), it is suggested that the first half of the Younger Dryas, characterized as extremely cold and wet, faced a significant population reduction. Repopulation started around the middle of the Younger Dryas, from ca. 12,200 cal BP onward, probably in response to a slight climatic improvement leading to somewhat warmer summers. This might be considered a prelude to the subsequent population boost of the Early Holocene (Mesolithic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study on Holocene ostracods (subfamilies Cytherurinae and Paracytherideinae) was carried out in 500 bottom sediments samples recovered along the Brazilian continental shelf from Rio Grande do Sul (33º45’S/52ºW) to Espírito Santo (19º35’S/40ºW) states. New species belonging to the subfamily Cytherurinae are here identifi ed and described as follows: Eucytherura rara sp. nov., E. trifi da sp. nov., E. castellata sp. nov., and Semicytherura reticulocostata sp. nov. Three other species are kept in open nomenclature due to scarcity of material for study: Semicytherura sp. 1, Semicytherura sp. 2 and Hemingwayella sp., the last one representing the subfamily Paracytherideinae. The zoogeographical and stratigraphical analyses revealed that most of the species identifi ed do not exceed the latitude 19º30.1’S with the southernmost record at 33º52’S; some of these species extending to the Uruguayan and Argentinian shelves. Exceptions are the species Semicytherura parallelocostata and Semicytherura sp. 2 that reach the northeast and equatorial Brazilian continental shelves at latitudes 10º32’S and 00º08’S, respectively. Two of the studied species have a fossil record in the Pelotas Basin (Brazil): Hemicytherura auriculata (Miocene and Pleistocene) and Semicytherura rugosoreticulata (Holocene). Hemicytherura lapillata has been recorded in a Holocene outcrop in Bahia Blanca (Argentina). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Radiolarians are an important group of marine planktonic protists. The polycystines (Phylum Radiozoa, Class Polycystina) are a group of radiolarians whose skeletons are made of opal (amorphous silica) and form the basis for their taxonomic classification. There are few recent studies of radiolarians in Costa Rica. Objective. This research seeks to create the first taxonomic guide of radiolarians present in Holocene sediments (from 11 000 years ago to the present) of the Costa Rican Pacific seabed. Methods. Between late 2018 and early 2019, two oceanic expeditions: Rock Hits and Costa Rica Deep-Sea Connections, respectively, collected 13 sediment cores from the Costa Rican Pacific seabed. Using a modified methodology created for these investigation, 64 samples were obtained from which radiolarian remains were extracted for taxonomic analysis. Obtained radiolarians were mounted for taxonomic analysis using optical and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy. Results. A total of 119 species of Polycystina were identified, distributed among 15 families belonging to the orders Collodaria (one family and eight species), Spumellaria (seven families and 62 species), and Nassellaria (seven families and 49 species). Conclusion. This study identifies several taxa (119) like those reported in studies conducted near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, but less than half of those reported from the Eastern Equatorial Pacific (EEP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biostratigraphic study was undertaken on a shallow borehole drilled to 90 meters in the easternmost Orinoco Delta, Venezuela. Twenty-eight samples were analyzed for palynomorphs and foraminifera. Palynomorphs were recovered in all except one sample consisting of 178 entities. Foraminifera assemblages of low diversity were recovered in 17 of the 28 samples. The analysis provides some insight into the vegetation, climate, and depositional history allowing comparisons with other Late Pleistocene to Holocene studies in the northern South America region. The Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene transition is marked by an unconformity, where the vegetation changes from a diverse flora of Mauritia flexuosa, grasses (Poaceae), ferns, and mangroves (Rhizophora, Avicennia) to one dominated by Rhizophora around 10,000 years BP. This transition also contains reworked palynomorphs and abundant black wood (inertinite), indicative of erosion and oxidation. The absence of foraminifera suggests an exposed continental shelf and lowering of sea level. The Early Holocene mangrove flora is replaced by vegetation dominated by Mauritia flexuosa, with Symphonia globuliflora, grasses, and ferns. The palynological signature for the upper 42 m of the section compares favorably with a previous study of the Holocene in the Orinoco Delta. Radiocarbon dating indicates there is an unconformity or condensed section at the vegetation change, representing as much as 5500 ± years. Foraminifera indicate an open shelf environment immediately above this horizon followed by a significant shallowing to nearshore transitional environments near the top of the section. Local climate and/or human influence may have been a factor in the abundance of Mauritia flexuosa as suggested by other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatio-temporal assessment of phylogenetic diversity gradients during the Holocene (past 12,000 years) provides an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of species co-occurrence patterns under environmental fluctuations. Using two robust metrics of phylogenetic dispersion (PD) and 99 fossil pollen sequences containing 6557 samples/assemblages, we analyse spatio-temporal variation in PD of angiosperms and its relationship with Holocene climate in central Asia. Overall, PD throughout the Holocene decreases linearly with increasing latitude, except for a rise in mean nearest taxon distance from ca. 25 to 35° N. This indicates that phylogenetically divergent taxa decrease progressively with increasing latitude, leaving more phylogenetically closely related taxa in the assemblages, thereby increasing phylogenetic relatedness among the co-occurring taxa. The latitudinal gradient of PD has not been consistent during the Holocene, and this temporal variation is concordant with the Holocene climate dynamics. In general, profound temporal changes in the latitudinal PD toward higher latitudes implies that the major environmental changes during the Holocene have driven considerable spatio-temporal changes in the phylogenetic assembly of high-latitude angiosperm assemblages. Our results suggest that environmental filtering and the tendency of taxa and lineages to retain ancestral ecological features and geographic distributions (phylogenetic niche conservatism) are the main mechanisms underlying the phylogenetic assembly of angiosperms along the climate-latitudinal gradient. Ongoing environmental changes may pose future profound phylogenetic changes in high-latitude plant assemblages, which are adapted to harsh environmental conditions, and therefore are phylogenetically less dispersed (more conservative or clustered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of comprehensive (microprobe, paleomagnetic and magnetic) studies on peats from the Tyapka peat section (Russian Far East). Radiocarbon dating placed the start of peat formation at ∼11.7 ky B.P. The principle carriers of magnetization were found to be magnetite, to a lesser extent hematite and, possibly, greigite. The relative paleointensity values obtained through calculations are in good agreement with the literature data. Intervals with negative inclinations of the magnetization vector were identified in peats, which most likely correspond to geomagnetic excursions in the Holocene. The research constrained the duration of the geomagnetic excursions, as well as the geomagnetic field intensity behavior not typical for such variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the ASTC1 sediment core from the south Aegean Sea region offers critical insights into the complex interplay of geological and climatic factors over the Holocene period. The data reveals fluctuating climatic conditions during the last 8.7 ka as seen through the elemental concentrations obtained by XRF core scanning combined with a qualitative mineral analysis within a robust chronological framework. Short-term fluctuations in both Ti/Al and Zr/Si ratios suggest brief oscillations of increased aridity which partially coincide with the Holocene "Rapid Climate Change" events (RCCs). Among them, the most pronounced in our record are those centered between 8.5–8 ka, 3–2.5 ka (Greek Dark Ages), and 0.6–0.3 ka (Little Ice Age). The arid and humid events identified in the sediment record align with major archaeological periods in Greece, suggesting a potential influence of climatic conditions on the development and decline of civilizations in the region. Moreover, a general arid trend as of 6 ka toward the present was evidenced in our record and aligns with other high-resolution climatic data from the Northern Hemisphere, suggesting climatic teleconnections. Spectral analysis of the ASTC1 record reveals cyclical climate patterns with periodicities of approximately 2500, 1200, and 550 years, which coincide with the Bond and Hallstatt cycles. The phase relation of these cycles in our record, the Greenland ice record, and the North Atlantic Drift ice indices show that colder conditions in the higher latitudes are expressed as events of enhanced aridity in our record and generally in the lower latitudinal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of studying bottom sediments taken from the high-mountain lake Sagan-Nur located on the Oka plateau (East Sayan Mountains), which is insufficiently studied, are presented. The lake is freshwater and has a glacial origin. Comprehensive investigations of the mineral composition of the lake sediments accumulated over the past ~8600 cal. years have been carried out for the first time. The research methods include X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy, laser granulometry, SiO2 bio determination, AMS, and 210Pb dating. The mineral composition of the bottom sediments is dominated by layered silicates, quartz, and plagioclase; furthermore, the X-ray amorphous component consisting of biogenic silica and organic matter is present. The method of mathematical modeling of their complex XRD patterns is used for correct identification of the layered silicates. It is established that the layered silicate assemblage is stable and is represented by muscovite, chlorite, illite, mixed-layer illite–smectite and chlorite–smectite, and kaolinite. At the same time, the structural characteristics and quantitative ratios of these minerals in the deposits changed significantly in response to changes in the natural environment of the region, which reveals the potential of a number of phyllosilicates (illite, mixed-layer minerals) as indicators of the paleoclimate in the bottom sediments of freshwater basins. The results of studying the sediment composition and, especially, the precision mineralogical–crystallochemical analysis of layered silicates have made it possible to reconstruct the paleolandscapes and climatic conditions of sediment accumulation and to assign them to the respective Holocene sub-stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphostructural analysis of the stream network in the southern part of the Far East has been carried out. It has been established that the latest vertical movements in the region were manifested against the background of an older, partially eroded relief. Three stages of relief development are identified, reflecting neotectonic activity in the region: (a) pre–Oligocene, characterized by a more intense uplift of the Bureya Ridge, and less intense, the Sikhote-Alin Ridge; (b) Oligocene–Pliocene, characterized by the most intense vertical movements in the region during the period from the Late Eocene to the Holocene; and (c) the Pleistocene and the Holocene, during which a modern erosion-denudation relief was formed and no vertical movements of significant amplitude occurred. A map of the total amplitude of vertical neotectonic movements is constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of agriculture in the farming-pastoral zone of northern China remains in dispute. The central region of the Inner Mongolia Plateau is located in the core area of the farming-pastoral zone; thus, it is a critical region for exploring the origin of the dryland farming system in northern China. This study selected the Yumin Site and Banan Site, which belong to the Yumin Culture-the beginning of Neolithic culture in Inner Mongolia-as the research objects. Based on the quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating on the sedimentary sections from the Yumin site (YM) and Banan site (BN1 and BN2), the Holocene chronology framework of each section was established. After that, by identifying carbonized grains in the Yumin site and the multi-proxy analysis of each section, we investigated the relationship between the origin of agriculture and climate change in this region. The results revealed that the timing of the origin of agriculture recorded in the Yumin site lagged behind the timing of a significant increase of precipitation during the early Holocene but coincided with the timing of a significant increase of vegetation around 8.4 ka. This phenomenon was further confirmed by the published high-resolution paleoenvironmental records from the surrounding area of the Yumin Culture. We propose that with the gradual amelioration of hydrothermal conditions since the beginning of the Holocene, the regional ecosystem had been improved, resulting in the gradual conversion of the land surface from infertile sand to organic-rich soil, providing an appropriate environmental foundation for the origin of dryland farming in northern China around 8.4 ka. This study highlighted that the "accumulative environmental effects" during the early Holocene played a vital role in the origin of agriculture in northern China and provided a reference for agricultural management in the context of future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical glaciers have retreated over recent decades, but whether the magnitude of this retreat exceeds the bounds of Holocene fluctuations is unclear. We measured cosmogenic beryllium-10 and carbon-14 concentrations in recently exposed bedrock at the margin of four glaciers spanning the tropical Andes to reconstruct their past extents relative to today. Nuclide concentrations are near zero in almost all samples, suggesting that these locations were never exposed during the Holocene. Our data imply that many glaciers in the tropics are probably now smaller than they have been in at least 11,700 years, making the tropics the first large region where this milestone has been documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed the evidential belief function model (EBF) to evaluate the potential for land subsidence in the primary aquifer of Bardaskan. Through field visits, we recorded GPS coordinates for 174 land subsidence points. Factors considered in assessing land subsidence potential included well density, groundwater extraction rate, geological characteristics, proximity to faults, vegetation cover, distance from the river, slope, and land use. To develop and validate the model, 70% of the recorded points were randomly selected for training and implementation, while the remaining 30% were reserved for model validation. The number and percentage of land subsidence points in the different classes of the corresponding layers were determined by integrating the training points with influential variables maps such as distance from the river, distance from the fault, land use, and extraction volume. The EBF model rate was calculated for different layer classes. For modeling, all rates of the EBF model in each cell were summated, and the ‎potential of land subsidence was calculated.‎ Finally, the map of land subsidence potential based on the EBF model was determined with GIS. The results showed that most of the subsidence points were located in alluvial sediment of the Holocene period, in areas with high groundwater harvesting, a distance of at least 3000 m from a river, a distance of at least 6000 m from a fault, low‐density rangelands, slopes of at least 0%–2%, and farmlands and gardens. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the EBF model showed that it could accurately predict land subsidence in 87.5% of cases using 30% of the validation data. This suggests that the model can be used for practical applications. Recommendations for Resource Managers: Most of the occurred subsidence points in the Bardaskan aquifer were located in the alluvial sediment of the Holocene period.Subsidence points were closely related to high groundwater harvesting, distance from a river and fault, low‐density rangelands, slopes, and farmlands and gardens.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated to be 87.5%, indicating that the evidential belief function model accurately predicts land subsidence in the studied area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "4.2 ka event" is a commonly described abrupt climate excursion that occurred about 4200 years ago. However, the extent to which this event is coherent across regional and larger scales is unclear. To objectively assess climate excursions in the Holocene we compile 1142 paleoclimate datasets that span all continents and oceans and include a wide variety of archive and proxy types. We analyze these data to determine the timing, significance and spatial imprint of climate excursions using an objective method that quantifies local, regional and global significance. Site-level excursions in temperature and hydroclimate are common throughout the Holocene, but significant global-scale excursions are rare. The most prominent excursion occurred 8200 years ago, when cold and dry conditions formed a large, significant excursion centered in the North Atlantic. We find additional significant excursions between 1600 and 1000 years ago, which agree with tree-ring data and annual-scale paleoclimate reconstructions, adding confidence and context to our findings. In contrast, although some datasets show significant climate excursions 4200 years ago, they do not occur in large, coherent spatial regions. Consequently, like most other periods in the Holocene, the "4.2 ka event" is not a globally significant climate excursion. A study of more than 1000 paleoclimate datasets reveals that the "4.2 ka event" is not a globally significant climate excursion, unlike the prominent 8.2 ka event. In the Holocene, site-level excursions are common, but global-scale events are rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake sediments are ideal archives to evaluate the interactions between climatically driven environmental responses and human activity on seasonal to multi‐decadal timescales. This study focuses on the unique sediments of Diss Mere, the only lake in England providing an annually laminated (varved) record for most of the Holocene. We combine microfacies analysis with X‐ray core scanning data to explore the influence of natural and human‐led changes on sediment deposition over the past 10 200 years and evaluate the sensitivity of the lake sediments to climate variability through time. Variability of titanium (Ti), calcium (Ca) and silica (Si) explain most of the lithological changes observed in the sediment and we identify three stages with low (10 290–2070 cal a bp), intermediate (2070–1040 cal a bp) and intensified (1040 cal a bp – present) human influence. During the first stage, where varved sediments are preserved, Ti is low due to the minimal detrital input into the lake. Ca and Si during this stage reveal high‐amplitude variability responding to seasonal changes in sediment deposition. The termination of varved sediment preservation and increases in sedimentation rates coincide with a major rise in Ti after this first stage, marking the intensification of human activity around the lake. Ca is used here as an indicator of temperature‐included calcite precipitation, and the long‐term variability of the Ca profile resembles Holocene temperature evolution. This continues during periods of intensified human activity, suggesting that the Diss Mere sediments remain sensitive to climate through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended inventory of 82 well‐dated European calcareous tufas is used to discuss the timing and amplitude of their onset, maximum and decline; in particular differences from east to west and between the Mediterranean area and the rest of Europe. Eastern deposits start to develop and reach their maximum slightly earlier than western tufas. Strong east–west differences in the timing and intensity of the climatic improvement during the first half of the Holocene explain the earlier development of eastern tufas compared with the west. The strongest differences are observed between Mediterranean deposits and other European tufas both in their development and decline, whether all or only fluvial deposits are considered, reflecting the important decoupling between Mediterranean and mid‐latitude climate records. During the Late Holocene, the earlier and more pronounced tufa decline observed in European mid‐latitudes is likely to result from more intense and rapid deforestation compared with the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted large-depth Ground-Penetrating Radar investigations of the seismogenic Casamicciola fault system at the volcanic island of Ischia, with the aim of constraining the source characteristics of this active and capable fault system. On 21 August 2017, a shallow (hypocentral depth of 1.2 km), moderate (Md = 4.0) earthquake hit the island, causing severe damage and two fatalities. This was the first damaging earthquake recorded on the volcanic island of Ischia from the beginning of the instrumental era. Our survey was performed using the Loza low-frequency (15–25 MHz) GPR system calibrated by TDEM results. The data highlighted variations in the electromagnetic signal due to the presence of contacts, i.e., faults down to a depth larger than 100 m below the surface. These signal variations match with the position of the synthetic and antithetic active fault system bordering the Casamicciola Holocene graben. Our study highlights the importance of employing large-depth Ground-Penetrating Radar geophysical techniques for investigating active fault systems not only in their shallower parts, but also down to a few hundred meters' depth, providing a contribution to the knowledge of seismic hazard studies on the island of Ischia and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 424 years, the Littoral Fault Zone (LFZ), located offshore of the South China coast, has experienced four destructive earthquakes (M ≥ 7). These events have resulted in an approximately 700 km seismic gap centered on the Greater Bay Area of China, home to over 70 million people. Despite previous studies on deeper crustal structures and geodynamic processes, the shallow structural architecture and recent tectonic activity of the LFZ within the seismic gap remain poorly understood due to limited offshore geophysical investigations. Here, we present new offshore geophysical data to explore the shallow crustal architecture and Holocene activity of the LFZ within this seismic gap. Multichannel seismic data reveal that the LFZ comprises a high-angle listric main normal fault along with several secondary normal faults. The main fault trends northeast and dips southeast in the shallow crustal architecture, serving as the basin-controlling fault in the north of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, with accumulated displacements ranging from 1.5 to 1.8 km. Furthermore, analysis of single-channel seismic data, and 14C dating results from the borehole, indicate that the most recent movement of the main fault occurred within the last ~10,000 years, with minimum vertical offsets of 1.2 m. Based on these findings, we emphasize the LFZ's potential to generate a significant earthquake, estimated at Mw 7.0–7.5, within the inferred seismic gap. Our study highlights the potential earthquake hazard posed by the LFZ to the Greater Bay Area of China, while also providing valuable insights for the assessment of active submarine faults worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 230Th‐238U crystallization ages and trace element compositions for zircons spanning the late Pleistocene to Holocene rhyolite eruptive record at South Sister volcano in the central Oregon Cascade Range. Most zircon ages are between 100 and 20 ka, with very few in secular equilibrium (>350 ka). The weighted mean of zircon ages for the two oldest South Sister rhyolites, 31.5 ± 2.1 and 39.1 ± 2.4 ka, are significantly younger than the associated 40Ar/39Ar ages, 47.4 ± 9.7 and 51.4 ± 9.7 ka. We propose that these 40Ar/39Ar dates, performed on plagioclase separates, are compromised by a subtle amount of excess Ar and therefore the younger weighted mean zircon ages yield more reliable eruption ages. These results imply that the interval of rhyolite eruption at South Sister during the late Pleistocene was both shorter and more productive than previously thought and that eruption at South Sister initiated after Middle Sister. Compositionally, zircons from the Pleistocene rhyolites are broadly similar and show down‐temperature zircon and plagioclase crystallization trends. However, we argue that destabilized amphibole and titanite in a common mush also exert leverage on the Pleistocene zircon trace element compositions. Divergence in the Eu/Eu* ratio between the Pleistocene and Holocene lavas implies chemically distinct magma reservoirs originating from the Pleistocene rhyolite eruptive sequence and the Holocene eruptive sequence. This work suggests a higher flux of rhyolite volcanism than previously thought and characterizes magmatic storage distinctions between the Pleistocene and Holocene rhyolites, aiding in the assessment of future eruptive hazards at South Sister volcano. Key Points: Zircon ages shift inferred eruption ages for two South Sister rhyolites over 10 kyr youngerCrystallization of zircon and plagioclase as well as destabilized amphibole and titanite leveraged melt compositions of Pleistocene magmasCompositional distinctions between the Pleistocene and Holocene lavas suggest distinct melt sources for both eruption sequences [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive paleoecological study of permafrost peat deposits from three locations in the middle reaches of the Yuribei River in the subzone of modern subarctic shrub tundra of the Yamal Peninsula has been performed. Based on the results of palynological and carpological methods and of radiocarbon dating, the changes in regional and local vegetation and climatic conditions of Central Yamal in the Late Glacial and the Postglacial periods are reconstructed. It is found that shrubby tundra with Betula nana was widespread in this area under climatic conditions close to modern ones in the Younger Dryas about 12.6–11.7 cal ka BP. The penetration of tree species (Betula sect. Betula, Picea obovata, and Larix sibirica) and accompanying boreal herbaceous plants began due to more favorable climatic conditions during the Early Holocene warming about 10.2–9.7 cal ka BP. The most favorable conditions for the growth of birch tree, larch, and spruce existed in Central Yamal in the Early and the Middle Holocene in the range of 10.2–4.4 cal ka BP. At that time, open woodlands or even closed forests were common, and the climate was much warmer than the modern one. Forest vegetation degraded and open landscapes with tundra communities were formed at the end of the Middle Holocene (4.5–4.4 cal ka BP). The climatic conditions became similar to modern ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deltas and coastal plains worldwide developed under the influence of relative sea level rise (RSLR) during the Holocene. In the Netherlands, Holocene RSLR results from both regional sea-level rise and regional subsidence patterns, mainly caused by glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA: Scandinavian forebulge collapse) and longer-term North Sea Basin tectono-sedimentary subsidence. Past coastal and inland water levels are preserved in geological indicators marking the gradual drowning of an area, for example basal peats. Such geological water-level indicators have been used in the Netherlands for varying types of research. However, uniform overviews of these data exist only for smaller local subsets and not for the entire Netherlands. In this paper we present a data set of 712 Holocene water-level indicators from the Dutch coastal plain that are relevant for studying RSLR and regional subsidence, compiled in HOLSEA workbook format. This format was expanded to allow for registering basal-peat type geological indicators, documenting Dutch-setting specific parameters and accompanying uncertainties, to assess indicative meaning, and to appropriately correct the raw vertical positions of the indicators. Overall, our new, internally consistent, expanded documentation provided for the water-level indicators encourages users to choose the information relevant for their research and report RSLR uncertainties transparently. From the indicators, 59 % was collected in 1950–2000, mainly in academic studies and survey mapping campaigns; 37 % was collected in 2000–2020 in academic studies and archaeological surveying projects, 4 % was newly collected (this study), the latter mainly in previously under sampled central and northern Netherlands regions. Prominent regional differences exist in the vertical position and abundance of the indicators. Older indicators in our data set are mostly located in the deeper seaward area of the Netherlands. These indicators correspond well with previous transgression reconstructions, that are partly based on the same data. The younger, landwards set of indicators in the Rhine-Meuse central and Flevoland regions corresponds with the transgression phase reaching further inland, from 8000 cal. BP onwards. Northern indicators of Middle Holocene age (8–5 ka cal. BP), in general lie 2–3 meters lower compared to those in the south. For younger data this difference is less, showing spatial and temporal variation in RSLR throughout the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qicheng city wall is located in Puyang, Henan Province, China, and it is an important archaeological site from the Neolithic period in the North China Plain region. A trench across the northwest corner of the city wall revealed an 11 m thick sediment sequence, closely associated with human activities, which provides valuable records for the dating and environmental evolution of the site. In this study, we have applied field geological investigation, grain size analysis, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, and radiocarbon (14C) dating to reveal the history and changes in the site. The ancient city wall was built on the sedimentary sequence (U1) of the high terrace of the Ancient Yellow River. The upper 11 m thick sedimentary sequence (U2) recorded early moat sedimentation (U2 L) and was followed by three cycles of paleosol-flooding deposits (U2 U). The quartz OSL signals of the U2 silts are extremely bright, indicating high sensitivity. Partial bleaching was observed as well. The quartz OSL single-grain SAR dating results are consistent with that of charcoal 14C dating and are closer to the 'true' burial ages of the sediments than those obtained with multiple grains. By using a Bayesian statistical model, a chronological framework for the U2 sedimentary sequence was established. The earliest construction date of the Qicheng city wall is dating to 2100–1300 BC, during the late Longshan period, which is consistent with archaeological evidence (Li et al., 2015). The Qicheng city was not significantly affected by paleo-flooding prior to 870–960 AD, but experiences frequent flooding thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palaeofauna of the Quaternary is mostly known from the mammals' record, while the herpetofauna is less represented. In the same way, in northeastern Argentina reptile fossils records are scarce, usually represented by preliminary communications. This paper focuses on the study of herpetofauna remains from the Isla El Disparito archaeological site. The faunal materials collected at the site revealed an increase in taxonomic diversity related to the Quaternary herpetofauna in the IED site, with over 50% of the bone remains represented by anurans and at least six recognized squamates taxa. The purpose of this study is to properly identify these new records of herpetofauna remains from northeastern Argentina during the Holocene as well as to provide a dichotomous key of postcranial remains for identifying extant squamates taxa in other Quaternary sites from Argentina. The identified squamate assemblage includes the lizard Ophiodes sp., the snake families Typhlopidae, Dipsadidae, Viperidae and undetermined colubroids, along with anuran bone remains (Anura indet. and ?Hylidae). Additionally, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the herpetological assemblage in Argentina, providing insights into the composition of South American squamates during the Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological bird remains from the Oregon coast provide important insight into local environments and the interactions between birds and people on the North American Pacific Coast. We contribute to this discussion with an analysis of bird remains from the Late Holocene Par‐Tee site (35CLT20) in Seaside, Oregon. We sampled the Par‐Tee avifaunal assemblage to near‐redundancy, generating the largest sample from a single site on the Oregon Coast to date (N = 7204). The Par‐Tee assemblage is dominated by nearshore or estuarine birds including scoters (Melanitta spp.) and Common Murres (Uria aalge), as well as pelagic Sooty Shearwaters (Ardenna grisea). Because of the large size of the sample, we identified unique species such as the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus), which are currently endangered and face conservation challenges. Although the Par‐Tee avifaunal assemblage is diverse, site residents appear to have focused on acquiring the most accessible species in the nearshore habitat complemented by opportunistic pelagic hunting and/or scavenging of beached birds. Most birds appear to have been processed for dietary consumption, with possible preferential use of larger‐winged birds for tool manufacture. These findings underscore the value and challenges of using legacy collections for evaluating past human–environmental interactions in coastal and other aquatic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Madagascar is famous for its exceptional present and past diversity, yet its Holocene small mammal fauna remains poorly documented. In this work we present the first taxonomic study of the Children's Cave rodent and tenrec subfossil assemblages collected by Forsyth Major as early as 1895 near Antsirabe in the Central Highlands. We found five rodent species, three endemic and two non-native, as well as six species of tenrecids. This assemblage represents one of the earliest records of Rattus rattus and Mus musculus in the Central Highlands of Madagascar. It is also the first record of Macrotarsomys bastardi in that region, a species that does not currently occur there, and which may indicate a slight environmental change with more bush and forest at the time of the site formation. We find that the native and invasive subfossil specimens do not differ in size and morphology from modern representatives, except for Macrotarsomys. Some proportional differences in rodent taxa are evident between the two Central Highland subfossil assemblages of Children's Cave and the nearby site of Lavajaza, as well as differences in rodent and tenrecid species composition from other sites in southern parts of Madagascar. Therefore, we are unable to draw any conclusions about the contemporaneity of the Lavajaza and Children's Cave assemblages nor can we attempt to estimate the relative age of the subfossil fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of soil organic matter is important for assessing past climate changes and the response of landscape components to them. Soils of nine soil-sedimentary sequences formed in various landscape and geomorphological conditions of western Transbaikalia have been studied. The time of their formation covers the last 15 kyr. The phases of pedogenesis within genetically different landforms were rather synchronous, which enabled us to suppose that they were caused by regional landscape-climatic changes, which also affected δ13C of soil organic matter. The range of variations in δ13С values is from –20.99 to –27.00‰. Changes in δ13С over time are the most contrasting for sections formed under driest steppe conditions and are the smallest for sections in taiga landscapes with the greatest precipitation. However, in general, the trends of changes in δ13С in different landscape zones over time are similar: the lowest δ13С values are typical for organic matter of Late Glacial paleosols formed 14–15 and 12 kyr BP, as well as for soils of the Late Holocene (3.5–2.0 and 1.0–0.3 kyr BP). Organic matter of soils of the Middle Holocene (9.0–4.0 kyr BP) and of the time interval of 13–14 kyr BP is enriched in 13C. Based on the identified dependence of δ13C in organic matter of modern soils in the region on the amount of precipitation, we have quantitatively reconstructed precipitation during the past growing seasons. The data obtained enable us to estimate the time intervals of 11.7–10.0 and 4.0–1.5 kyr BP as the most optimal for the formation of soils in Western Transbaikalia. An increase in temperatures and a decrease in atmospheric humidity in Transbaikalia and adjacent areas in the Middle Holocene exerted a negative impact on the pedogenesis intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High Latitude fjords can serve as sediment trap, bearing different type of proxies, from geochemical to micropaleontological ones, making them exceptional tools for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. However, some unconventional proxies can be present and can be used to depict a comprehensive and exhaustive interpretation of past changes. Here, studying a sediment core in Edisto Inlet (Ross Sea, Antarctica) we used irregular echinoid spines and ophiuroids (Ophionotus victoriae) ossicles to trace environmental changes throughout the last 3.6 kyrs BP. Irregular echinoids can serve as proxy for the organic matter content, while O. victoriae ossicles can be used as proxy for steady sea-ice cycle along with organic deposition events. O. victoriae release a high number of ossicles, making estimation about the population quite challenging; still, presence data, can be easily collected. By applying Generative Additive Models to the stratigraphical distribution of these data, we detected an environmental phase that was previously unnoticed by other traditional proxies: the Ophiuroid Optimum (2–1.5 kyrs BP). In conclusion, here we demonstrate how echinoderm presence can be used as a valuable source of information, while proving the potential of modelling binary data to detect long-term trend in Holocene stratigraphical records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Svalbard spans large climate gradients, associated with atmospheric circulation patterns and variations in ocean heat content and sea ice cover. Future precipitation increases are projected to peak in the northeast and to mainly occur in winter, but uncertainties underscore the need for reconstructions of long‐term spatial and temporal variations in precipitation amounts and seasonality. We use lipid biomarkers from four sedimentary lake records along a climatic gradient from western to northeastern Svalbard to reconstruct Holocene water cycle changes. We measured the leaf wax hydrogen isotopic composition of long‐chain (terrestrial) and mid‐chain (aquatic) n‐alkanoic acids, reflecting δ2H of precipitation (δ2Hprecip) and lake water (δ2Hlake), respectively. δ2Hprecip values mainly reflect summer precipitation δ2H and evapotranspiration, whereas δ2Hlake values can reflect various precipitation seasonality due to varying lake hydrology. For one lake, we used the difference between δ2Hprecip and δ2Hlake (εprecip‐lake) to infer summer evapotranspiration changes. Relatively 2H‐enriched δ2Hprecip values and higher εprecip‐lake in the Early and Middle Holocene suggest warm summers with higher evapotranspiration, and/or more proximal summer moisture. After c. 6 cal. ka BP, 2H‐depleted δ2Hprecip values and lower εprecip‐lake indicate summer cooling, less evapotranspiration, or more distally derived moisture. Early to Middle Holocene decrease in δ2Hlake values in two northern Spitsbergen lakes reflects an increase in the proportion of winter relative to summer precipitation, associated with regional warming and increased moisture supply, which may be due to increased distal moisture supply and/or reduced sea ice cover. Our northern Svalbard δ2Hlake records suggest great Late Holocene climate variability with periodic winter precipitation increases or decreases in summer precipitation inflow to the lakes. We find that Holocene summer precipitation δ2H values mainly follow changes in summer insolation and temperature, whereas the seasonal distribution of precipitation is sensitive to catchment hydrology, regional ocean surface conditions, and moisture source changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of the last Fennoscandian Ice Sheet (FIS) are relatively well constrained in the Nordic countries. Ice‐sheet dynamics in NW Russia, however, are comparatively less well understood owing to the scale and resolution of existing studies. New large‐scale glacial geomorphological datasets from NW Russia based on high‐resolution remotely sensed imagery allow for an independent reassessment of the extent and dynamics of the FIS during the Younger Dryas and Early Holocene (c. 12.9–10 ka) in NW Russia. The reconstruction provides a more detailed link between geomorphological expressions of palaeoglaciation than previous proposals. Rather than a continuous Younger Dryas ice marginal zone (IMZ) stretching from Finland to northern Norway, the geomorphological signature of NW Russia reveals 14 IMZs that document discrete stationary ice‐margin positions (possibly standstill and/or readvance events) during the overall retreat. The relative age sequence of the IMZs, supported by an updated numerical age database, suggests that they formed time‐transgressively during the Younger Dryas and Early Holocene rather than contemporaneously. Moreover, specific landform assemblages reveal contrasting glacial landsystems in NW Russia: (i) a northern subpolar glacial landsystem; and (ii) a southern temperate glacial landsystem. The model presented herein provides robust empirical constraints for testing and validating numerical ice‐sheet models and understanding ice‐sheet responses to rapid climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a multiproxy approach including the first use of 187Os/188Os, %C37:4 biomarkers, carbonate content, sedimentological grain size, geochemical X‐ray fluorescence and microfossil benthic foraminifera species combined with radiocarbon dating, measured on six cores from across the Skagerrak, in order to study the Lateglacial to Middle Holocene history of the area. A new chronostratigraphic framework is developed based on the appearance of specific benthic foraminifera species along with changes in carbonate/X‐ray fluorescence and grain size data. This allowed the correlation of cores based on a series of radiocarbon dated tie points. Analysing the cores together reveals several events recorded in the Skagerrak including: (i) an increased freshwater input (bracketed between 13.3 and 11.3 cal. ka BP) signified by radiogenic 187Os/188Os values, high %C37:4 values and an increase in sand content; (ii) the Glomma drainage event, signified by a sudden appearance of Valvulineria as well as higher %C37:4; and (iii) the opening of the Danish Straits and English Channel leading to the development of modern‐day conditions and circulation patterns in the Skagerrak, signified by the appearance of Hyalinea balthica and a fall in %C37:4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest living cat species native to the Americas and one of few large American carnivorans to have survived into the Holocene. However, the extent to which jaguar diversity declined during the end-Pleistocene extinction event remains unclear. For example, Pleistocene jaguar fossils from North America are notably larger than the average extant jaguar, leading to hypotheses that jaguars from this continent represent a now-extinct subspecies (Panthera onca augusta) or species (Panthera augusta). Here, we used a hybridization capture approach to recover an ancient mitochondrial genome from a large, late Pleistocene jaguar from Kingston Saltpeter Cave, Georgia, United States, which we sequenced to 26-fold coverage. We then estimated the evolutionary relationship between the ancient jaguar mitogenome and those from other extinct and living large felids, including multiple jaguars sampled across the species' current range. The ancient mitogenome falls within the diversity of living jaguars. All sampled jaguar mitogenomes share a common mitochondrial ancestor ~400 thousand years ago, indicating that the lineage represented by the ancient specimen dispersed into North America from the south at least once during the late Pleistocene. While genomic data from additional and older specimens will continue to improve understanding of Pleistocene jaguar diversity in the Americas, our results suggest that this specimen falls within the variation of extant jaguars despite the relatively larger size and geographic location and does not represent a distinct taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species diversity increases with the temporal grain of samples according to the species–time relationship (STR), impacting palaeoecological analyses because the temporal grain (time averaging) of fossil assemblages varies by several orders of magnitude. We predict a positive relation between total abundance and sample size‐independent diversity (ADR) in fossil assemblages because an increase in time averaging, determined by a decreasing sediment accumulation, should increase abundance and depress species dominance. We demonstrate that, in contrast to negative ADR of non‐averaged living assemblages, the ADR of Holocene fossil assemblages is positive, unconditionally or when conditioned on the energy availability gradient. However, the positive fossil ADR disappears when conditioned on sediment accumulation, demonstrating that ADR is a signature of diversity scaling induced by variable time averaging. Conditioning ADR on sediment accumulation can identify and remove the scaling effect caused by time averaging, providing an avenue for unbiased biodiversity comparisons across space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a diverse Late-Holocene (1889–1743 cal yrs BP) small mammal assemblage (14 species, 204 individuals) resulting from the trophic activity of owls, we reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions of Las Chacritas area, Catamarca Province, northwestern Argentina. Twenty modern and one additional Late-Holocene samples from the region were used as comparative parameters in the paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Through direct comparison with a present-day assemblage from Las Chacritas, and using Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling, spatial and temporal beta diversity (employing the Sorensen dissimilarity index), and the temporal beta diversity index (TBI) including all the small mammal samples, we quantitatively reconstruct the relationships among modern and Late-Holocene assemblages. Direct comparison showed significant differences, with relative abundances changing markedly over time, with several species of the Late-Holocene assemblage absent in the modern sample whereas many species frequent in the modern community absent in the Late-Holocene. NMDS analysis associated the Late-Holocene assemblage with modern samples of western drier environments. Beta diversity was low for presence-absence and moderate for abundance data, with higher contribution of turnover than nestedness, although for abundance data the proportion of nestedness was higher. TBI showed high variation among both Holocene sites and their present-day counterparts, whereas species gains dominated in modern samples. Our results suggest that the habitats surrounding Las Chacritas have modified markedly since the Late-Holocene. Presence of species today frequent in arid environments and absence of forest-dwelling species suggest that open, dry and relatively rocky habitats characterized this area in that interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment of the Gansu-Qinghai region in northwest China exhibits spatial variation, resulting in distinct adaptive strategies among populations in different geographical areas. In this study, we analyzed the diachronic trend and regional variations in caries prevalence among 10 different middle and late-Holocene groups by examining dental caries data to explore the correlation between different adaptation strategies and caries frequency. Frequency data was used to compare dental caries between populations, and the Chi-square test was employed to detect statistical differences. A multidisciplinary approach was employed to investigate the relationship between these changes and the adaptive strategies adopted by the populations in this region. The result shows that there was a gradual increase in caries prevalence over time in eastern Gansu, which corresponded with development of millet farming and social hierarchy. In the Hexi Corridor, caries prevalence exhibited fluctuations attributable to climate variability, human migration, and regime change. The research proposes that changes in adaptive strategies due to various social and environmental factors are reflected in human teeth, while also presenting a novel endeavor of aggregating a large, multisite bioarchaeological dataset in order to investigate the interactions between Holocene populations and palaeoenvironments in northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactions of the different monsoon systems across Southeast Asia create extreme climate phenomena. Central Vietnam, located near the centre of this transitional region, has encountered numerous effects. As a result, its sediments from lakes or speleothems are valuable archives for interpreting past climate variability. However, there is still a lack of high-resolution paleoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions during the Holocene in Vietnam. Our study presents a paleoenvironmental diatom-based record of sediment cores collected from Biển Hồ maar lake (14°03′N, 108°00′E) in the Central Highlands of Vietnam covering nearly the entire Holocene. Based on changes in diatom assemblages in the sediment sequence, we identified two periods of the Early Holocene (~11,700–7800 cal BP) and the Mid- to Late-Holocene (~7800–360 cal BP), which mark a remarkable shift in the environment around Biển Hồ. Alternations of key diatom species during the Early Holocene indicate intensity variations between water-mixing and thermal stratification mechanisms in meso-eutrophic conditions. During the Mid- to Late-Holocene, the complete dominance of Aulacoseira granulata var. granulata implies year-round destratification and intense mixing of the lake water column in a permanently eutrophic environment. Its morphological variability reveals intervals of dry environmental conditions driven by pronounced droughts across the Asian continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endorheic river basins and their terminal lakes are highly sensitive to climate change and human activities. Based on chemical and pollen indicators, lake level, and erosion/accumulation rates of rivers, we explore the phasing of the evolution of the river system in the Hexi Corridor during the Holocene. The results suggest that climate change dominated the evolution of the river system during the early-Mid-Holocene. Entering the historical period, humans began to have an impact on runoff, water resources, and lake evolution, and since 1000 BP, anthropogenic perturbations recorded by regional proxies increased and humans dominated the migrations of river. In addition, we discuss the widespread erosion of rivers in the global endorheic zone and the impact of human activities in this context and found the timing of human influence on river evolution is not the same in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long, J.H.; Hanebuth, T.J.J.; Durica, J.T., and Hawkes, A.D., 2024. Late Holocene stratigraphy and sedimentary facies distribution of an anthropogenically modified delta plain (Santee River Delta, South Carolina, U.S.A.). Journal of Coastal Research, 40(4), 623–646. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. The Santee River of South Carolina has the second largest watershed in the eastern United States and forms the largest river-fed delta along the U.S. east coast. Anthropogenic modifications to the delta plain of the Santee River, and in many coastal environments within the region, have significantly altered the natural configurations of floodplains, channels, and shorelines. This study incorporated historic and modern state-of-the-art data sets and methods to evaluate the sediment distribution within the modern delta plain as well as the record of environmental change throughout the late Holocene as it is preserved within the subsurface stratigraphy. The study incorporated high-resolution seismo-acoustic and bathymetric data, detailed sediment core analysis, accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dating, micropaleontological analysis, and surface sediment samples to define geomorphic zones based on dominant depositional processes related to fluvial discharge, tides, and waves. Tidal- and wave-influenced conditions were established in the delta plain by around 3 kyr BP and continued into historic times, when the construction of rice fields across most of the delta plain fixed channel positions and isolated floodplains from flood-related sedimentation. Sediment distribution in the modern delta plain is significantly influenced by the maintained network of artificial canals and embankments associated with these historic fields. The influence of these modifications can also be seen within the stratigraphy beneath the delta plain, recording local changes in deposition and erosion that resulted from a modification in water circulation and sediment supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the future of education, especially the future changes in education and the people that will occupy the field. What kind of people are we educating for the future? To answer this question, I will analyze the Deleuzo-Guattarian concept of people-yet-to-come by taking into account the new perception and explanation of time and space as well as the context of the Anthropocene. In the empirical part, interviews with experts from non-educational fields are used to discuss time and space in education. Statements about the new features of people in the future reveal the picture of the future of education in the eyes of the experts and its correspondence to theoretical considerations and prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lago Viedma is a proglacial lake into which the Viedma Glacier flows from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This glacier has rapidly lost mass in recent times, and its deglacial history is reflected in the lake's subsurface. New high‐resolution multi‐channel seismic profiles acquired in the northwestern sector of the lake have allowed us to reconstruct the bathymetry of the area and identify several small sub‐basins, which have a maximum depth of 240 m in this sector. Four seismic facies have been recognized, separated by erosional unconformities, reflecting the depositional conditions in this sector of the basin during different Quaternary sedimentation phases. There is a transitional phase from ice‐contacted deposits to subglacial deposits, probably associated with a subglacial fan, and finally a phase of lacustrine sedimentation. In addition, three depositional stages were identified within the lacustrine deposits, indicating a different sedimentary input, and the morphologies observed at the lake bottom suggest the existence of at least ten stagnations of the glacial margin. This study helps to improve the history of the retreat of the Viedma Glacier in this area during the Pleistocene/Holocene and provides a basis for further geophysical measurements aimed at mapping this remote lacustrine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Late Holocene, the majority of lowland river systems in temperate Europe transformed from low‐energy multi‐channel rivers in strongly vegetated marshy floodplains to more open floodplains characterised by single‐channel meandering rivers with overbank deposits. While the general framework of this transformation in floodplain geomorphology, ecology and hydrology (i.e. geoecohydrology) is widely recognised many uncertainties remain as its timing varies significantly, both among different river catchments and within them. To unravel whether the observed differences in floodplain response can be attributed to differences in the timing and nature of the driving forces or to a difference in sensitivity towards them, we compare long‐term and large‐scale reconstructions of the geoecohydrological floodplain dynamics and of the (climatically and anthropogenically driven) land cover change for two contrasting regions: the central Belgian loess belt and the sandy Campine region. By using a combination of cluster analysis, ordination and Ellenberg indicator scores on a large multi‐proxy and multi‐site dataset, we revealed the major trends in the past geoecohydrological evolution of northeastern Belgian floodplains. These trends are probably determined by changes in floodplain wetness, which can in turn be linked to variations in upland forest cover. The Early and Late Holocene floodplain transformations appear synchronous with the respective increases and decreases in upland forest cover in the vicinity of the sites, largely determining the water availability in the river catchments and thereby their local geoecohydrological conditions. Initially, these evolutions were determined by climate, but during the Middle and especially Late Holocene anthropogenic influence became a far more important factor, causing the evolutions in the two studied regions to increasingly diverge. While marshy floodplains with forested margins can still be found in the sandy Campine region today, these have become rare in the central Belgian loess belt due to the combination of a higher level of human impact and greater erodibility of the soils in this area. Despite the strong spatiotemporal variability of the floodplain transformations, we observe a trend towards increasingly rapid floodplain responses to upland land cover changes over the course of the Holocene, probably related to the growing hillslope–floodplain connectivity. We conclude that the (dis)similarities in Holocene geoecohydrological floodplain change can be largely attributed to the (dis)similarities in (climatically or anthropogenically driven) land cover change in the uplands, although the differences in inherent sensitivity of the locations – linked to factors such as soil type and topography – further complicate the already non‐linear impact–response relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioerosion traces are a powerful tool for reconstructing benthic paleo-communities through the geological record. The late Quaternary marine deposits of Patagonia (Argentina) are elongated ridges parallel to the present coast, rich in sand, gravel and shells, the latter being the main substrate for bioerosion traces. However, the ichnological studies in the Quaternary are scarce in high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. This work describes for the first time the bioerosion traces recorded in shells belonging to diverse taxa of mollusc from Quaternary deposits in Puerto Lobos, Southern of San Matias Gulf (Patagonia, Argentina). This study complements the scarce information on bioerosion traces in the Southern Hemisphere. A total of 710 mollusc shells were obtained from four Quaternary beach ridges at Puerto Lobos. As a result, 15 ichnotaxa were recorded for the first time in the site, 13 of them for the first time in the Holocene of San Matías Gulf. Through qualitative analysis, bioerosion patterns were observed in the late Quaternary of Puerto Lobos. The abundance of worm and sponge borings in the Pleistocene could be related to warm and sediment-free waters. On the contrary, the results of the bioerosion study in the Holocene and recent samples were very similar. This could indicate that the same environmental factor controlled both bioerosion patterns. For the Holocene, it was observed that the bioerosion pattern is mainly represented by trace produced by suspension and filter-feeding organisms, such as bryozoans, among others. Together with the increase in ichnodiversity, this could indicate an increase in nutrient availability in the San Matías Gulf associated with upwelling events. Therefore, our results reinforce the hypothesis proposed by previous authors that the upwelling events currently observed in the study area began during the mid-Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global warming, the dynamics of East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) are of great significance for predicting future climate change. The variations of humidity indicated by various climate proxies in Central China are controversial. This study relies on pollen data retrieved from lacustrine sediment at the Anshang site in Anyang archaeological area, Central Plains of China to quantitatively reconstruct the change in PANN (mean annual precipitation). The results show that the region experienced three distinct dry-wet intervals during the ∼8.54 to ∼3.26 cal ka BP: the earlier portion of the mid-Holocene (∼8.5–∼6.0 cal ka BP) witnessed the higher PANN; the latter portion of the mid-Holocene (∼6.0–∼3.6 cal ka BP) enjoyed the highest PANN of the past ∼8500 years with a noticeable cold and dry event occurred around 4.2 cal ka BP; the late Holocene (∼3.6–∼3.2 cal ka BP) experienced the lower PANN. Periodic analysis on pollen-based precipitation further reveals ∼500-year and ∼800-year cycles, matching well with regional climate records. Our regional comparison suggests that the Central Plains of China shared similar climatic controls with the southern region of China during the ∼8.54 to ∼3.26 cal ka BP. Shifts of Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), driven by the ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) conditions and SST (Sea Surface Temperatures) in the western tropical Pacific, regulated the positioning of the EASM-related rain-belt during ∼8.54 to ∼3.26 cal ka BP. This study provides more reliable variations of humidity in the Central Plains under the influence of the EASM, which is helpful to predict future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]