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This paper presents an exploratory study on the taxonomic diversity of pre-Hispanic archaeofaunas in the South-Central Andes (SCA; western South America) from the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary to the Late-Holocene. The SCA is a complex of diverse environments and has undergone distinct climate events for the last 13,000 years, such as the occurrence of warmer and drier conditions in the Middle-Holocene. The South-Central Andean area was part of the larger Andes interaction area, which was a primary center for animal and plant domestication and the emergence of agro-pastoralist economies. Since subsistence was key to these processes, the SCA provides a relevant case study on the interactions among environment, foodways and sociocultural evolution. Taxonomic diversity was used here as a proxy for diet breadth. A total of 268 archaeofaunal assemblages were sampled from the zooarchaeological literature. Reviewed variables included the cultural chronology and spatial coordinates of the assemblages, as well as the presence and abundance of taxa at the family rank. Taxonomic diversity covered two dimensions: composition (families present in each assemblage) and structure (quantitative relationships among taxa), which was measured through richness (NTAXA), ubiquity and relative abundance (NISP based rank-order). Despite the uneven distribution of samples, the analyses revealed the following trends: (1) a moderate relationship between NTAXA and distance from coastline for most of the Holocene; (2) a potential decrease in assemblage richness for coastal ecoregions during the Late-Holocene; and (3) a generalized increase in the relative abundance of Camelidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Last Glacial Maximum, after 20 Kya ago, in the Alpine area the environmental and climatic conditions began to change, and humans returned to the valleys. North-eastern Italy – east of Lake Garda – has provided numerous traces of these early recolonisations, but the same cannot be said for the areas to the west of Lake Garda (Lombardy and Piedmont) where only a few faint traces of Late Pleistocene and early Holocene human presence are known. The deeply stratified site at Cividate Camuno (Valle Camonica – Brescia), on the valley floor at an altitude of 275 m asl, is datable to the Late Glacial and early Holocene and is unique in the whole of north-western Italy. At the site were found an inhabited area with a Palaeolithic "hut" and an Early Mesolithic level. The archaeozoological analyses of the Palaeolithic (Late Epigravettian) levels (18.1–15.6 Kya cal BP) show different hunting strategies from those of the early Mesolithic (Sauvetterian) level (10.2–9.6 Kya cal BP), reflecting environmental variation and, hence, changes in locally available prey. The Late Palaeolithic occupation thus represents the first trace of a human presence in the western Alps since the glaciers reached the Po Plain, at least 10.000 years earlier. The members of these human groups were pioneers in an uninhabited and hostile environment who, thanks to their technical knowledge, were able to adapt to such difficult environmental conditions. They hunted ibex, which lived on the valley floor, and the deer that returned to the areas from which the glaciers receded. The Mesolithic occupation provides evidence of the subsequent adaptation of human groups to an environment that had changed thanks to the retreat of the glaciers to higher elevations and, on the valley floors, had left room for the spread of wooded areas that hosted deer, roe deer and wild boar – the favoured prey of these Mesolithic hunters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining operations in the Enmynveem valley, northeastern Siberia, exposed a well-preserved right hind leg of Mammuthus primigenius (woolly mammoth), dated to ca. 37,500 cal yr BP. The leg had a fracture that crosscut the midsections of the tibia and fibula. Additional skeletal and soft tissue remains, including two mummified adults (Berezovka, ca. 47,200 cal yr BP; Bolshoi Lyakhovsky, ca. 37,000 cal yr BP), document the presence of mammoths in interior mountain valleys and across both northern and southern coasts of far northeastern Siberia during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. A mosaic of herb-dominated tundra communities characterized the vegetation of the Enmynveem site during late to middle MIS 3 and MIS 2 (ca. 37,000–17,000 cal yr BP). Shrubs were limited to Salix during the late Pleistocene, whereas Betula also may have been present in sheltered sites during MIS 3. Herb communities remained dominant during the late Pleistocene–Early Holocene transition, although shrub Betula increased during this interval. By ca. 10,200 cal yr BP, the vegetation was Betula–Alnus shrub tundra. Larix and Pinus pumila were established in the valley by ca. 8700 cal yr BP and ca. 5700 cal yr BP, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large stratovolcanoes in the Cascade Range have high equilibrium-line altitudes that support glaciers whose Holocene and latest Pleistocene advances are amenable to dating. Glacier advances produced datable stratigraphic sequences in lateral moraines, which complement dating of end moraines. New mapping of glacial deposits on Mount Rainier using LIDAR and field observations supports a single latest Pleistocene or early Holocene advance. Rainier R tephra overlies deposits from this advance and could be as old as >11.6 ka; the advance could be of Younger Dryas age. Radiocarbon ages on wood interbedded between tills in the lateral moraines of Nisqually, Carbon, and Emmons glaciers and the South Tahoma glacier forefield suggest glacier advances between 200 and 550 CE, correlative with the First Millennium Advance in western Canada, and during the Little Ice Age (LIA) beginning as early as 1300 CE. These results resolve previous contradictory interpretations of Mount Rainier's glacial history and indicate that the original proposal of a single pre-Neoglacial cirque advance is correct, in contrast to a later interpretation of two advances of pre- and post-Younger Dryas age, respectively. Meanwhile, the occurrence of the pre-LIA Burroughs Mountain Advance, interpreted in previous work as occurring 3–2.5 ka, is questionable based on inherently ambiguous interpretations of tephra distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass movements and delta collapses are significant sources of tsunamis in lacustrine environments, impacting human societies enormously. Paleotsunamis studies play an essential role in understanding historical events and their consequences, along with their return periods. This study investigates a paleotsunami induced by a subaqueous mass movement during the Younger Dryas to Early Holocene transition, ca. 11,700 years ago in Lake Aiguebelette (NW Alps, France). Utilizing high‐resolution seismic and bathymetric surveys associated with sedimentological, geochemical, and magnetic analyses, we uncovered a paleotsunami triggered by a seismically induced mass transport deposit. Numerical simulations of mass movement have been conducted using a visco‐plastic Herschel‐Bulkley rheological model and corresponding tsunami wave modeled with dispersive and nondispersive models. Our findings reveal for the first time that dispersive effects may be negligible for subaqueous landslides in a relatively small lake. This research reconstructs a previously unreported paleotsunami event and enhances our understanding of tsunami dynamics in lacustrine environments. Plain Language Summary: This study explores an ancient landslide and its ability to potentially generate a tsunami. This event took place in Lake Aiguebelette, located in the NW Alps, France. By applying advanced underwater mapping techniques and computer modeling, we were able to reconstruct the origins and impact of this underwater prehistoric landslide. Our work revealed that this underwater landslide may have triggered a significant tsunami wave. These findings are crucial as they provide new insights into the dynamics of such geological events in lake environments, enhancing our understanding of their potential impacts and aiding in the preparation for future similar hazards. Key Points: Uncovered a 11,700‐year‐old subaqueous landslide‐induced paleotsunami in Lake Aiguebelette (NW Alps, France)Numerical model is constrained to reproduce the available geological dataFound dispersion effects to be of minimal importance in the modeling of this historical tsunami event [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological evidence supports sporadic seafaring visits to the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus by Epipaleolithic hunter-gatherers over 12,000 years ago, followed by permanent settlements during the early Neolithic. The geographical origins of these early seafarers have so far remained elusive. By systematically analysing all available genomes from the late Pleistocene to early Holocene Near East (c. 14,000–7000 cal BCE), we provide a comprehensive overview of the genetic landscape of the early Neolithic Fertile Crescent and Anatolia and infer the likely origins of three recently published genomes from Kissonerga-Mylouthkia (Cypriot Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B, c. 7600–6800 cal BCE). These appear to derive roughly 80% of their ancestry from Aceramic Neolithic Central Anatolians residing in or near the Konya plain, and the remainder from a genetically basal Levantine population. Based on genome-wide weighted ancestry covariance analysis, we infer that this admixture event took place roughly between 14,000 and 10,000 BCE, coinciding with the transition from the Cypriot late Epipaleolithic to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA). Additionally, we identify strong genetic affinities between the examined Cypro-LPPNB individuals and later northwestern Anatolians and the earliest European Neolithic farmers. Our results inform archaeological evidence on prehistoric demographic processes in the Eastern Mediterranean, providing important insights into early seafaring, maritime connections, and insular settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Salish Sea region, labret adornment with lip plugs signify particular identities, and they are interpreted as emblematic of both membership in horizontal relationships and achieved status for traditional cultures associated with labret wearing on the Northwest Coast (NWC) of North America. Labrets are part of a shared symbolic language in the region, one that we argue facilitated access to beneficial horizontal relationships (e.g., Angelbeck and Grier 2012; Rorabaugh and Shantry 2017). We employ social network analysis (SNA) to examine labrets from 31 dated site components in the Salish Sea region spanning between 3500 and 1500 cal BP. Following this period, the more widely distributed practice of cranial modification as a social marker of status developed in the region. The SNA of labret data shows an elaboration and expansion of antecedent social networks prior to the practice of cranial modification. Understandings of status on the NWC work backward from direct contact with Indigenous societies. Labret wearing begins at the Middle-Late Holocene transition, setting an earlier stage for the horizontal social relationships seen in the ethnohistoric period. These findings are consistent with the practice as signifying restricted group membership based on affinal ties and achieved social status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, East Borneo has become an increasingly important archaeological "hot-spot" in Island Southeast Asia as a result of early dates for rock art ca. 38,000 BP and the greater number of excavated sites that support a much longer period of human occupation. However, the chronology of settlement and adaptation to environmental changes during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition is still poorly known. Here we report on an excavation at the Liang Abu rock shelter which has contexts dating from the Late Pleistocene (12,660 ± 58 uncal. BP) to the present day, indicating a terminus ante quem (TAQ) for human occupation at 23,790 BP. We present the results of an attempt to systematically integrate and compare data from Liang Abu and Kimanis, a geographically close site with a previously published sequence. Particular attention is paid to post-depositional issues in tropical settings and to data compatibility, reuse, and reproducibility, relying on open-source software for data processing (R scripts) and Bayesian chronological modeling. Two Bayesian models are built and compared using the ChronoModel software, which can handle outliers and uncertainty (e.g., freshwater reservoir effect). This first inter-site comparison for Borneo results in a new chronology of human settlement and mainland–coastal interactions in East Borneo and paves the way for future regional synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of cultural dynamics at work at the end of the Final Pleistocene in West Africa suffers from a significant lack of excavated and dated sites, particularly in the Sahelian and Sudanian ecozones. While the Later Stone Age shows varied behavioral developments in different parts of the continent, the chrono-cultural framework of this period remains largely unknown in West Africa. We report on archaeological, geomorphological, and chronological research on two Final Pleistocene Later Stone Age sites in the Falémé Valley, eastern Senegal. Optically stimulated luminescence ages place the site of Toumboura I-2017 between 17 ± 1 and 16 ± 1 ka and the Ravin de Sansandé site between 13 ± 1 ka and 12 ± 1.1 ka. The excavated lithics show typical Later Stone Age industries, characterized by chaînes opératoires of core reduction mainly producing flakes and bladelets as well as blades and laminar flakes. Segments dominate the toolkits but a few backed bladelets and end-scrapers on flake blanks were recognized. Local raw materials were used, with a preference for chert and quartz, as well as greywacke. These Later Stone Age lithic assemblages are the oldest known in Senegal so far and add to the small number of sites known in West Africa for this period, which are mainly located farther south, in sub-tropical ecozones. The Later Stone Age sites of the Falémé Valley are contemporaneous with typical Middle Stone Age technologies in Senegal dated to at least the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Our results thus provide new archaeological evidence highlighting the complex cultural processes at work during the Final Pleistocene in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological systematics, together with spatial and chronological information, are commonly used to infer cultural evolutionary dynamics in the past. For the study of the Palaeolithic, and particularly the European Final Palaeolithic and earliest Mesolithic, proposed changes in material culture are often interpreted as reflecting historical processes, migration, or cultural adaptation to climate change and resource availability. Yet, cultural taxonomic practice is known to be variable across research history and academic traditions, and few large-scale replicable analyses across such traditions have been undertaken. Drawing on recent developments in computational archaeology, we here present a data-driven assessment of the existing Final Palaeolithic/earliest Mesolithic cultural taxonomy in Europe. Our dataset consists of a large expert-sourced compendium of key sites, lithic toolkit composition, blade and bladelet production technology, as well as lithic armatures. The dataset comprises 16 regions and 86 individually named archaeological taxa ('cultures'), covering the period between ca. 15,000 and 11,000 years ago (cal BP). Using these data, we use geometric morphometric and multivariate statistical techniques to explore to what extent the dynamics observed in different lithic data domains (toolkits, technologies, armature shapes) correspond to each other and to the culture-historical relations of taxonomic units implied by traditional naming practice. Our analyses support the widespread conception that some dimensions of material culture became more diverse towards the end of the Pleistocene and the very beginning of the Holocene. At the same time, cultural taxonomic unit coherence and efficacy appear variable, leading us to explore potential biases introduced by regional research traditions, inter-analyst variation, and the role of disjunct macroevolutionary processes. In discussing the implications of these findings for narratives of cultural change and diversification across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, we emphasize the increasing need for cooperative research and systematic archaeological analyses that reach across research traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the responses of the depositional environments of Soda Lake sediments to climatic shifts from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene epoch based on the results of major and trace elements of the North Soda Lake (NSL) NSL1A core. The NSL1A core records the sedimentary evolution of the Soda Lake watershed since at least 25 cal ka BP. Element analyses provide evidence that Soda Lake sediments are mostly derived from marine sequences in the Southern Coast Ranges of California. Variation in proxies for paleoweathering, paleoclimate, paleosalinity, paleoproductivity, paleoredox, and water depth is utilized to reconstruct the evolution of the sedimentary environment. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values indicate low to moderate chemical weathering in the sediment source regions. Paleoredox proxies indicate that the NSL1A core formed in a mainly subreduction environment. The NSL1A core is divided into four zones based on the results of the proxies. Zone 4 (5.0–5.8 m) of the sediment core indicates stable hydroclimatic conditions with low and constant sand and silt content, suggesting a warm and relatively humid environment. Zone 3 (3.35–5.0 m) represents the early half of the Last Glacial Maximum interval and a high lake stand. The elevated sand content suggests postflood events due to the northerly migration of westerly storm tracks. Zone 2 (1.075–3.35 m) reveals nuanced changes, including decreasing salinity, slight increases in wetness, detrital trace metals, and paleoproductivity. These subtle shifts suggest a multifaceted environmental evolution: a trend toward wetter conditions alongside a prolonged shift from cooler to warmer periods. Zone 1 (0.15–1.075 m) spans the Lateglacial to Holocene transition as well as Early and Middle Holocene, marked by significant hydrologic and ecologic variability including rapid warming during the Bølling–Allerød and rapid cooling linked to the Younger Dryas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lieth Moor area, located in the district of Pinneberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is a hotspot of Late Palaeolithic settlement activity. The exceptional abundance of archaeological sites is commonly attributed to the presence of a large palaeolake. However, in the Weichselian Late glacial, there were numerous large lakes in Schleswig-Holstein. Thus, a well-founded explanation for the find concentration in Lieth Moor is still lacking, and forming a research desideratum until today. To improve our understanding of this Late Pleistocene landscape and its appeal to hunter–gatherer groups of that time, we conducted a large-scale archaeogeophysical study focusing on a possible ford of the potential palaeolake. We employed Ground-Penetrating Radar and Electromagnetic Induction measurements, supplemented by existing legacy drill-probing data, to identify and map limnic gyttja (organic lake mud) sediments and their spatial distribution within the area. The findings of our study indicate that during the Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, the Lieth Moor area comprised a cluster of small ponds rather than a continuous lake. These ponds likely interconnected during periods of increased water levels. The presence of dry islands within the region corresponds with archaeological evidence, suggesting that Late Palaeolithic communities visited some of these islands. The absence of the previously postulated palaeolake places the known findings within a completely new palaeoenvironmental context: instead of the previously suspected ford, we assume that the proximity to the Elbe Palaeovalley played a decisive role in the repeated habitation of Lieth Moor. This area, rich in fresh water and fish, along with the dune chain situated to the west, serving as both a vantage point and windbreak, presented an ideal location for awaiting animals migrating along the river Elbe and/or as a resting place within the settlement system of mobile hunter–fisher–gatherer groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we present the first-ever attempt to combine palaeoenvironmental records (n = 17) from dated stratigraphic sequences with Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial modelling of archaeological sites (3 phases; n = 306 sites) in the Ganga Plain. The spatial modelling assesses the distribution of archaeological sites and phases on maps showing changing elevation, geology, geomorphology, biome, and rainfall variability within the Ganga Plain, aiming to evaluate the human-environment relationship during the Late Quaternary Period. The compilation of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition (δ18O and δD values) and pollen-based environment reconstructions for the last ∼100 ka indicates high rainfall conditions during ∼100–75 ka, ∼10–5 ka, and ∼3.6–1.3 ka. Fluctuating rainfall conditions were observed during ∼75–25 ka and ∼18–15 ka, while the period from ∼25 to 18 ka was the weakest monsoon phase, marking the Last Glacial Maximum. Arid conditions were also observed during ∼15–10 ka and ∼5–3.6 ka. The archaeological review suggests the presence of the Acheulian culture, diverse Mesolithic cultures, and the Neolithic phase marked by advanced agriculture and pottery production in the Ganga Plain. The past environmental analyses show changes in settlement areas correlating with rainfall variations. Frequent climate changes and increasing population density during the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene boundary probably forced prehistoric humans to adopt agricultural practices. The distribution of archaeological sites representing different cultural phases on the modern spatial maps of landscape variability (e.g., elevation, rainfall, geomorphology, and geology) reflects an intricate relationship between prehistoric human settlements, monsoonal rainfall, and climate-driven landform processes. Our assessment suggests that the integration of archaeological sites, geological mapping, vegetation analysis, and palaeoclimate records has the potential to provide valuable insights into ancient human-environment interactions. Therefore, we recommend continued interdisciplinary research in these fields to further enhance our knowledge of prehistoric societies and their responses to changing landscapes and climates in the Ganga Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salamanca cave (southern Mendoza province) is in the Andean piedmont, a transitional area in which small mammal communities may have been affected by climatic pulses. The site yields three archaeological components covering from the early to the late-Holocene with a mid-Holocene occupational and sedimentological hiatus. Taphonomic analyses of the small mammal assemblages indicate that barn owls (Tyto furcata) were the main accumulation agent, ensuring accurate palaeoecological inferences. Taxonomic composition of the site shows the dominance of Eligmodontia sp. followed by Thylamys pallidior, Phyllotis cf. P. vaccarum-pehuenche and Ctenomys sp., all of them indicative of shrubland and bare ground habitats. Palaeoclimatic inferences indicate a trend to warmer temperatures from the lower to the upper component with a slight increase in humidity in the middle component. This humid pulse is also supported by post-depositional taphonomic processes. The taxonomic structure and abundance of small mammals do not show deep changes amongst the three archaeological components, following the general trend observed in other archaeological sites from the Pampean region, southern Mendoza province and the arid and semi-arid zones of north Patagonia, in which changes in the taxonomic composition of small mammal communities are almost absent since Pleistocene–Holocene transition to late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological evidence indicates that initial coastal settlement of western South America took place near the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) when sea level was between 40 and 100 m lower than today. Beginning around 15,000 cal BP, and for roughly the next 8,000 years, sea levels rose, eventually covering these formerly exposed and potentially human-occupied landscapes. We use bathymetric data and the reconstructed global mean sea level curve from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene to describe the paleolandscapes associated with the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene coastal occupations at five sites located in far southern Peru. We constructed cross-sections perpendicular to the modern shoreline at the various locales to determine the approximate extent of the exposed land surface and the proximity of the communities at the sites of Quebrada de los Burros, Quebrada Tacahuay, the Ring Site, Kilometer 4 (K4), and Quebrada Miraflores to the ocean and various littoral habitats. Our analysis identifies previously undocumented littoral habitats consisting of large, shallow-water bays, significant rocky headlands, and beach habitats. We propose several methods of future research to identify potentially submerged sites and the marine paleolandscape of the study region. Knowing the paleolandscapes contributes to refining Pacific coast migration and settlement models for South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study seeks to better understand the coupling of social and biophysical systems during the late Pleistocene and Holocene, a period characterized by changing interglacial conditions as well as human population expansion and intensified ecosystem management. The approach consists of a combination of patch-based archaeological survey methods, sediment column sampling for paleoenvironmental data, geospatial analysis, and machine learning for chronological unmixing, allowing the systematic evaluation of the distribution and intensity of prehistoric land use in the study area of eastern Mediterranean Iberia. Occupational and Land Use Intensity maps developed from continuous distributions of surface artifacts as well as a summed probability density curve developed from 14C dates indicate low but steady human presence in the study area during the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic with a marked decrease of human presence across the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary. The Early (and Middle) Neolithic saw the most ubiquitous and intensive occupation of the study area followed by a significant decline during the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic. The charcoal analysis also supports this pattern. Early Neolithic farming strategies may not have been damaging initially during the climatic regime of the Early Holocene but exacerbated the impacts of higher temperatures and summer droughts, with a loss of the most productive farmland, seen at the onset of the Late Neolithic. Similar boom-bust population trends have been documented throughout Europe during these same time spans and may indicate a recursive interaction or "coupling" between global and regional climate events and human land use strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern Brazilian Pleistocene fauna exhibited a rich diversity of large mammalian herbivores, which are now extinct or locally extinct. In this study, we employed stable isotope analysis to investigate the past ecology of these animals. Specifically, we examined the carbonate fraction of bones and teeth and utilized compiled carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios from previous research publications. The δ13C values indicated that most specimens inhabited grassland environments, which aligns with environmental reconstructions based on pollen records of the "Campos" region. The dominant food resource for these herbivores consisted of C 3 photosynthesizers, mainly cool-season grasses. This preference can be attributed to the higher abundance and nutritional quality of cool-season grasses compared with warm-season grasses employing C 4 photosynthesis. The variability in δ18O values within and between taxa may suggest a seasonal climate. Based on these findings, we conclude that the environmental changes during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition were detrimental to the survival of these large herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of diatoms from the sediments of core Gz-1 (Gryazevoe Lake, Magadan oblast) has made it possible to identify the response of diatom communities to environmental changes in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene and to establish the main stages of the transformation of the lake ecosystem. Three diatom zones and four subzones, reflecting the evolution trend of the lake diatom flora during the transition period from the last glacial maximum to the Holocene, are distinguished based on the changes in the concentration of diatom valves in sediments, the ratio of representatives of ecological groups and dominants. This trend is similar to the changes in the lacustrine diatom communities of the Arctic regions noted in the last millennium in terms of the change in taxonomic composition and dominants. The data of diatom studies, lithological and petrophysical characteristics of sediments indicate that the most significant changes in the natural environment occurred at the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary from 12.6 to 11.1 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiproxy analyses are efficient approaches in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions since they contemplate the different responses of various taxonomic groups to external changes. In this study, we analyse changes in molluscs and ostracod palaeocom-munities to reconstruct the environments and their Holocene evolution in the Salado River, Pampa Deprimida of Argentina. We assessed the temporal and spatial variation of the assemblages from the Alberti-Pla, Ruta 30, and Vientos de Mar localities through various analytical techniques, including analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and ordination methods such as non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), and principal component analysis (PCA). Eleven species of gastropods were identified, among which Heleobia parchappii, Biomphalaria peregrina, and Succinea meridionalis stand out for their abundance. Nine species of ostracods were recognised, with Limnocythere cusminskyae, Cypridopsis vidua, Heterocypris similis, and Cyprideis salebrosa being the most important. The changes in the assemblages allowed us to infer the paleoenvironmental evolution in the area. During the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, drier conditions led to ephemeral, marshy freshwater environments with fluctuating water levels and salinities. In the Late Holocene, increased precipitation caused water levels to rise, resulting in more stable and interconnected freshwater environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mountains of the southern Iberian Peninsula are important biodiversity hotspots. They are also home to several relict species that are threatened with extinction in the face of global change. One of the best examples is the Serranía de Ronda, a system of mountainous reliefs located at the western end of the Baetic Cordillera. Its tree cover includes, among other unusual taxa, endemic formations such as the Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) and Portuguese oak (Quercus faginea) forests. However, despite the ecological exceptionality of this mountainous area, little is known about its paleobiogeography. To remedy this, in this research we take a multidisciplinary approach based on the application of several different paleoecological disciplines, of which pedoanthracology is the main methodological tool. Six new soil surveys were performed, which were added to the existing pedoanthracological network, making a total of 43 soil sampling sites. The taxonomic analysis revealed several taxa, such as Abies, Fraxinus, Pinus and Pinus sylvestris -type, which are currently absent in several of the sampled sites. After contextualizing the 36 new radiocarbon dates obtained, the results confirm the antiquity of certain paleoendemic forests in the Serranía de Ronda, and the important role played by certain mountain enclaves as refuges for conifers such as A. pinsapo and Pinus sylvestris- type during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. The dissemination of the results of this research will enable them to be implemented in the different strategies of adaptive management of the most threatened forests of the Serranía de Ronda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent global changes associated with anthropogenic activities are impacting ecological systems globally, giving rise to the Anthropocene. Critical reorganization of biological communities and biodiversity loss are expected to accelerate as anthropogenic global change continues. Long-term records offer context for understanding baseline conditions and those trajectories that are beyond the range of normal fluctuation seen over recent millennia: Are we causing changes that are fundamentally different from changes in the past? Using a rich dataset of late Quaternary pollen records, stored in the open-access and community-curated Neotoma database, we analyzed changes in biodiversity and community composition since the end Pleistocene in North America. We measured taxonomic richness, short-term taxonomic loss and gain, first/last appearances (FAD/ LAD), and abrupt community change. For all analyses, we incorporated age-model uncertainty and accounted for differences in sample size to generate conservative estimates. The most prominent signals of elevated vegetation change were seen during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition and since 200 calendar years before present (cal YBP). During the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, abrupt changes and FADs were elevated, and from 200 to −50 cal YBP, we found increases in short-term taxonomic loss, FADs, LADs, and abrupt changes. Taxonomic richness declined from ~13,000 cal YBP until about 6,000 cal YBP and then increased until the present, reaching levels seen during the end Pleistocene. Regionally, patterns were highly variable. These results show that recent changes associated with anthropogenic impacts are comparable to the landscape changes that took place as we moved from a glacial to interglacial world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the bacteria community composition and the ecological processes structuring these communities in three deep lakes that receive meltwater from the glaciers of Mount Tronador (North-Patagonia, Argentina). Lakes differ in their glacial connectivity and in their turbidity due to glacial particles. Lake Ventisquero Negro is a recently formed proglacial lake and it is still in contact with the glacier. Lakes Mascardi and Frías lost their glacial connectivity during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Total dissolved solid concentration has a significant contribution to the environmental gradient determining the segregation of the three lakes. The newly formed lake Ventisquero Negro conformed a particular bacterial community that seemed to be more related to the microorganisms coming from glacier melting than to the other lakes of the basin. The net relatedness index (NRI) showed that the bacterial community of lake Ventisquero Negro is determined by environmental filtering, while in the other lakes, species interaction would be a more important driver. The co-occurrence network analysis showed an increase in modularity and in the number of modules when comparing Lake Ventisquero Negro with the two large glacier-fed lakes suggesting an increase in heterogeneity. At the same time, the presence of modules with phototrophic bacteria (Cyanobium strains) in lakes Frías and Mascardi would reflect the increase of this functional photosynthetic association. Overall, our results showed that the reduction in ice masses in Patagonia will affect downstream large deep Piedmont lakes losing the glacial influence in their bacterial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, combining geological, ecological, and historical methods. It delves into the environmental evolution of Lake Kolon over a span of 17,700 years, shedding light on the intricate interplay between geological processes and ecological changes. The historical, statistical (PCA, DCA), and palaeoecological analyses centers on a core sequence situated in the heart of the lake, building upon previous research endeavors (pollen, malacological, macrobotanical and sedimentological analyses with radiocarbon dating). Forest fires occurred at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM); the boreal forest–steppe environment changed into temperate deciduous forest at the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary; human-induced environmental change into open parkland occurred; and from medieval times, communities used the land as pasture. This type of reconstruction is crucial for understanding how ecosystems respond to climate change over time, which has broader implications for modern-day conservation efforts and managing ecosystems in the face of ongoing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid global warming is severely impacting Arctic ecosystems and is predicted to transform the abundance, distribution and genetic diversity of Arctic species, though these linkages are poorly understood. We address this gap in knowledge using palaeogenomics to examine how earlier periods of global warming influenced the genetic diversity of Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus), a species closely associated with sea ice and shallow-water habitats. We analysed 82 ancient and historical Atlantic walrus mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), including now-extinct populations in Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes, to reconstruct the Atlantic walrus' response to Arctic deglaciation. Our results demonstrate that the phylogeography and genetic diversity of Atlantic walrus populations was initially shaped by the last glacial maximum (LGM), surviving in distinct glacial refugia, and subsequently expanding rapidly in multiple migration waves during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The timing of diversification and establishment of distinct populations corresponds closely with the chronology of the glacial retreat, pointing to a strong link between walrus phylogeography and sea ice. Our results indicate that accelerated ice loss in the modern Arctic may trigger further dispersal events, likely increasing the connectivity of northern stocks while isolating more southerly stocks putatively caught in small pockets of suitable habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sloths represent one of the most successful South American clades that reached North America during the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). At least four families are known from the Pleistocene of North America: Mylodontidae, Megalonychidae, Megatheriidae, and Nothrotheriidae. Members of the Nothrotheriidae are known from the Middle Miocene to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition in the Americas, but Nothrotheriops is the only genus in the family recorded in North America. Recently, femora with characteristic nothrothere morphology were recovered from Santa Fe, Argentina, and assigned to Nothrotheriops, thus greatly expanding the geographic distribution of this taxon. In Uruguay, records of Quaternary Nothrotheriidae are scarce, and previous reports are limited to the genus Nothrotherium. In this work, we describe a humerus from Arroyo del Vizcaíno (AdV), a ~30 ka site located in southern Uruguay, and assign it to the nothrotheriid Nothrotheriops sp. We also discuss several specimens from Uruguay originally assigned to Nothrotherium, which upon re-examination can be tentatively reassigned to Nothrotheriops sp. Furthermore, we employ stable isotope analysis to explore the climatic and dietary preferences of this taxon in South America. The new records are consistent with the materials reported from Argentina, thus providing new knowledge of the geographic distribution of the taxon, as well as its climatic and dietary preferences. Stable isotope results showed δ13C values consistent with diets based mainly on C3 plants, similar to those published for N. shastensis in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanic eruptions are key drivers of climate variability, with complex environmental consequences at regional and local scales that are rarely documented in high-resolution sedimentary records. In this work we present the results of a 15 m long paleolake core (Pla de les Preses core, Vall d'en Bas, Girona, NE Spain) covering the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Multiproxy analyses including chronostratigraphy, sedimentology, micropalaeontology and geochemistry are used to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental framework of the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition and to detect the youngest Holocene volcanic eruptions in the Garrotxa Volcanic Field (GVF) and the Iberian Peninsula. The studied sedimentary record covers the last ca. 13.5 ka cal BP and was punctuated by several rapid climatic changes including the 9.3, 8.2 and 7.1 ka events, affecting the hydrological evolution of a barrier-lake formed due to the volcanic damming of the Fluvià river. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses unveil the environmental history of Vall d'en Bas valley; the formation of a lacustrine area within a fluvial environment around 13.5 ka cal BP and later a wetland phase between 9.3 and 8.2 ka cal BP. Abrupt sedimentary changes marking the onset and demise of the wetland phase were linked to hemispheric cooling and drying events (e.g. 9.3 and 8.2 ka cal BP), provoking a decline in the water table during these phases. In addition, 30 tephra layers are detected thorough the core, showing previously unknown intense volcanic activity from 13.5 to 8.3 ka cal BP in the GVF. In that sense, the Pla de les Preses sequence provides, for the first time, evidence for early Holocene volcanic activity in NE Iberia that should be taken into account in future tephra studies in the western Mediterranean realm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The period around the mid-late Holocene transition (c. 2200 bc) saw major societal developments across the eastern Mediterranean. At the same time, the region experienced a shift to more arid climatic conditions. This included punctuated episodes of rapid climate change such as the '4.2 ka event', which has been implicated in widespread societal 'collapse' at the end of the Early Bronze Age. The ways in which societies adapted agricultural production to cope with a drying climate are poorly understood. We begin to rectify this through stable isotope analysis of archaeobotanical remains from the Aegean region of western Türkiye, conducted to reveal changes in agricultural decision making across the mid-late Holocene transition. We find that Bronze Age farmers adapted agricultural production strategies by investing in drought-tolerant cereals cultivated on drier fields with water management strategies redirected towards pulses. Despite this, we find no evidence for pronounced drought stress in cereals grown during the period of the 4.2 ka event. This raises the potential for alternative explanations for societal disruptions visible across the Anatolian Plateau during this time, such as the breakdown of long-distance trade networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of study of lacustrine sediments of Northeastern Russia are presented. The reasons for the extremely high values of magnetic susceptibility are considered for the transitional Late Pleistocene to Holocene beds. The magnetic fraction of sediments of Grand Lake includes detrital titanomagnetite and magnetite. The high values of magnetic susceptibility of sediments of Gryazevoe, Sosednee, Vodorazdel'noe, and Sapog lakes are caused by the presence of authigenic Fe sulfides, mostly, greigite. Our data contradict the well-known suggestion on the presence of an impact event at the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D.K. Bailey) presence in the Stansbury Mountains of northcentral Utah has been reported prior to the year 2020, but these reports lack adequate population characterization and the delineation of distinct stands of trees. In summer 2020, we identified and documented the presence of 5 separate stands of bristlecone pine in the Stansbury Mountains. These stands are removed from the nearest bristlecone populations in other mountain ranges by a distance of approximately 120 km; as such, they represent a unique outlier population of the species. We used GPS data to create a geographic information system (GIS) database delineating the 5 stands we identified, and we sampled tree age and size in one of the stands for comparison with other bristlecone pine populations in the Great Basin. We present here 2 hypotheses to explain the occurrence of bristlecone pine in the Stansbury Mountains: first, that this population is a relict from a time when bristlecone pine was widely distributed across the Great Basin; and second, that the species arrived in the range via long-distance dispersal mechanisms at some point during or after the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (ca. 12,000 14C YBP). Neotoma (woodrat) midden data suggest that bristlecone pine was absent or at least not widespread in the northern Bonneville Basin during the late Pleistocene, but midden data are sparse for the Stansbury Mountains and surrounding ranges. Additionally, we present possible migration pathways that the species could have taken to reach the Stansbury Mountains from the southern Bonneville Basin, where it was widespread during the late Pleistocene, using the largest extent of Lake Bonneville as a limiting boundary. Hypothesized migration vectors include windborne long-distance dispersal events or transport by granivorous birds. We also postulate that a small population of bristlecone pine may be present in the Oquirrh Mountains to the east of the Stansbury Mountains based upon the existence of similar habitat characteristics there, as well as our identification of a likely misdetermined 1964 voucher specimen from the Oquirrh Mountains that appears to be of bristlecone pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing the evolution of fluvial landscapes is vital to our understanding of how and why early settlements used or abandoned locations in dynamic alluvial settings, especially places such as China's Central Plains where alluvial landforms have dominated since at least the late Pleistocene era. The Wangchenggang (WCG) site on the upper reaches of the Ying River is considered to be the legendary capital of the Great Yu who, according to historical documents, heroically tamed the big floods and founded the first dynasty of Xia. However, evolution of the alluvial landscape of the Holocene Ying River and its influence on the long‐term settlement change at the WCG site remains unclear. We present a detailed reconstruction of long‐term landscape evolution and settlement change at the site, based on the results of our geoarchaeological investigation, and published paleoclimate and archaeobotanical data. The results show that the region experienced an episode of extensive alluvial accretion in the late Pleistocene. From the end of the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene, the Ying River began to incise the alluvial plain, leading to the formation of the oldest terrace (T3). The middle and late Holocene in the Ying River valleys saw two episodes of alluvial aggradation between 7.7–5.4 ka B.P. (before present) and 4.5–3.8 ka B.P., respectively. Each of these events was followed by an alluvial incision, resulting in the formation of new alluvial terraces. During the historical periods, the youngest terrace T1 was formed. These cyclic changes in the regional fluvial landscape profoundly impacted the location and expansion of prehistoric settlements. During the Peiligang period (9.0–7.0 ka B.P.), the early stages of alluvial aggregation resulted in wide and shallow channels along the rivers. Early humans who relied on gathering and hunting for food chose to establish small settlements along such riverine environments. As alluvial aggradation continued in the Yangshao period (7.0–5.0 ka B.P.), they moved to a higher place, away from the rivers in the southwest, and flourished on high alluvial grounds. When a secondary terrace formed after the Longshan period (5.0–4.0 ka B.P.), people moved eastward again to build an early city on the T2 terraces and T3 terraces of the Ying River. When the water levels rose toward the terrace surfaces, they began to build moats and practiced mixed millet–rice farming. During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770–4256 B.C.), when the river started to down cut on a large scale, humans responded by building settlements on the lower and flat plains in the east. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment transfer from the interiors of the Himalaya is complex because the archives are influenced by both glacial and monsoonal cycles. To deconvolve the coupling of glacial and monsoonal effects on sediment transfer processes, we investigate the Late Pleistocene–Holocene sediment archive in the Upper Chenab valley. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from the archive indicate major aggradation during ca. 20–10 ka. Isotopic fingerprinting using Sr-Nd isotopes in silt fractions together with clast counts in boulder-pebble fractions indicate a decreasing Higher Himalayan sediment flux in the archive with time. Decreasing clast size, increasing clast roundness, increasing matrix to clast ratio, and dominance of the Higher Himalayan sourcing unequivocally suggest strong glacial influence during the initial stages of the archive formation. This evidence also agrees with the existing retreat ages of glaciers in the Upper Chenab valley. Results of our study also show that the upper parts of the archive contain significant fluvial sediment contribution from the Lesser Himalaya, which suggests an active role of the stronger Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) in the region during the Early Holocene. The apparent decrease in sediment supply from the Higher Himalayan sources could have been due to longer source-to-sink transport in the Early Holocene and/or increased hillslope flux from Lesser Himalayan sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Spain, Holocene deposits are widespread, and although they have been extensively investigated by quaternarists for several decades, their malacological content has remained scarcely studied. In the framework of a German–French–Spanish collaboration, alluvial and tufa sequences in the Baza Basin, Andalusia, Spain are analysed with a multidisciplinary approach, including the analysis of the molluscan successions. Holocene fossil molluscs of the studied sequences reveal a rich assemblage of 53 species, among which 33 are terrestrial. Between 10,000 and 9,000 cal. yr BP, the Galera succession indicates strong river dynamics that prevented the establishment of adjacent terrestrial habitats. The Early to Middle Holocene transition reflects the continuity of humid environments. The Middle Holocene fauna reveals a decrease in humidity accompanied by slight evidence of drier habitats in the near periphery of the floodplain/tufa deposits from 5,900 cal. yr BP onwards. Late Holocene deposits (around 3,000 to 300 cal. yr BP) point to dry and open biotopes indicated by the appearance of xero-resistant and mesophilous gastropods. The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction inferred from the malacocenoses allows discussing local to regional responses of the malacofauna to environmental changes and is consistent with past regional environmental and climatic trends identified in southeastern Spain. The fossil record at Galera offers new evidence to question and clarify the modern range of endemic taxa whose distributions are fragmented. By following a 'conservation paleobiology' approach, the analysis of the mollusc fossil record at Galera provides (1) baselines to determine the natural variability of ecosystems and their response to environmental changes, (2) data to discuss and clarify species distribution evolution and (3) arguments to support conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews findings of several research on the antiquity of humans in the New World that are pre-Colis age. A multidisciplinary study described the genetic history of the Americas. Another research investigated the indigenous paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere. Another examined remains of butchered and burned mammoths from the Chiquihuiti Cave in central-northern Mexico's Zacatecas state. A research team also synthesized archaeological dates from North American and Beringian sites.

Paleoclimatic changes during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition is suggested as a main factor that led to species extinction, including the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) and the Don-hare (Lepus tanaiticus). These species inhabited the territory of Eurasia during the Holocene, but eventually went extinct. The Don-hare is an extinct species of the genus Lepus (Leporidae, Lagomorpha), which lived in the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. For a long time, the Don-hare was considered a separate species, but at the same time, its species status was disputed, taking into account both morphological data and mitochondrial DNA. In this study, mitochondrial genomes of five Don-hares, whose remains were found on the territory of Northeastern Eurasia were reconstructed. Firstly, we confirm the phylogenetic proximity of the "young" specimens of Don-hare and mountain or white hare, and secondly, that samples older than 39 Kya form a completely distinct mitochondrial clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excavations at Natural Trap Cave (NTC) began in the mid-1970's and quickly yielded evidence of a diverse steppe fauna that existed during the Last Glacial Maximum (MIS 2) along the western slope of the Bighorn Mountains in north central Wyoming. NTC is a karst pit cave with a 24.5 m vertical drop into a roughly 43 m wide bell-shaped 'Main Chamber' and during the course of early excavations a plugged entrance to a fossil-bearing 'Lower Chamber' was discovered. Stratigraphic relationships below the entrance to the Main Chamber of the cave were originally studied in the mid-1970's, but were never formally published. Although stratigraphy, taphonomy, and depositional circumstances were briefly discussed over the following years, little has been done to correlate the numerous stratigraphic schemes used by various authors. In this study, four stratigraphic sections were measured and analyzed to establish an easily modifiable lithostratigraphic system of nomenclature. We provide the first correlations of all stratigraphic nomenclature used throughout excavations at NTC to facilitate comparisons with current and previous collections and publications. By leveraging more than 100 radioisotopic dates we developed an age-depth model and chronostratigraphic framework to further interrogate spatiotemporal relationships between strata, paleoenvironmental proxies, and fossil assemblages. Deposition is shown to be discontinuous; sediment accumulation in the study area is restricted to the buildup through peak penultimate and Last Glacial maxima. More recent (<10 ka) Holocene deposits unconformably cover the eroded surface of underlying Pleistocene strata. There is active reworking of sediments with transport and deposition of reactivated material within the Lower Chamber. We note that the two hiatuses coincide with interglacial periods and may reflect changing depositional circumstances within the cave such as extended periods of non-deposition, erosion, or bypass (possibly leading to deposition in the Lower Chamber). Contrary to previous reports, we demonstrate that it is unlikely a prominent snow cone existed or contributed to the pattern of sediment and fossil distribution within the study area, furthermore, we do not observe a continuous Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the study area. Further stratigraphic work will be needed to better understand the interrelationship between Main and Lower chamber deposits and the evolution of sediment accumulation in NTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural Trap Cave (NTC) is a well-known fossil locality located in Wyoming that contains a discontinuous record of sediments from the early Sangamonian (∼150 ka) to the present and produces a diverse vertebrate assemblage from 2-9 and 23–47 cal ka BP. This study examines changes in the rank abundance distribution (RAD) of NTC's large-bodied (>8 kg) vertebrates, to assess the stability of the local ecosystem surrounding the cave across the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition. RADs were generated based on 2208 skeletal elements from four stratigraphic units, collected by Gilbert and Martin from 1974 to 1979. All bones included in this study had: a north-west grid coordinate, a known depth below the sediment surface, were over 20% complete and taxonomically diagnostic. Isotaphonomy was assessed using multinomial regressions of %MAU against multiple taphonomic variables: size, shape, degree of abrasion and weathering, fracture type, percent complete, original bulk density, and surface area to volume ratio. Changes in RADs were analyzed using rank abundance curves (RACs), Wilcoxon Rank Sums test, and kurtosis. RADs were also fit to a suite of standard ecological models (i.e., geometric, log-series, zero-sum multinomial, & log-normal) using maximum likelihood and the Akaike Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc). The four faunal assemblages show little variation in taphonomic biasing, so any changes in the RADs reflects changes in the ecosystem. The four RACs showed little change in their shape or faunal composition and are dominated by a few abundant taxa, representing an ecosystem that experienced perturbations (i.e., a concave RAC and a kurtosis value > 3). The Wilcoxon Rank Sums test found no statistical difference among the RADs from the lower three stratigraphic units. This means that the abundance structure of the large-bodied vertebrates did not change prior to (35.8–25.3 cal ka BP) or during the Last Glacial Maximum (25.3–17.2 cal ka BP) and the local ecosystem surrounding NTC never approached equilibrium. The uppermost stratigraphic unit represented a mixed Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene assemblage, so changes in ecosystem structure from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene (10.5 cal ka BP – present) cannot be evaluated. Unfortunately, the ecological models used in this study provide little insight into the maturity or processes influencing the formation of the local ecosystem surrounding NTC because only three models produced a ΔAICc value between 4.4 and 6.7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen isotope ratio analysis (δ15N) of animal tissue is widely used in archaeology and palaeoecology to investigate diet and ecological niche. Data interpretations require an understanding of nitrogen isotope compositions at the base of the food web (baseline δ15N). Significant variation in animal δ15N has been recognised at various spatiotemporal scales and related to changes both in baseline δ15N, linked to environmental and climatic influence on the terrestrial nitrogen cycle, and animal ecology. Isoscapes (models of isotope spatial variation) have proved a useful tool for investigating spatial variability in biogeochemical cycles in present-day marine and terrestrial ecosystems, but so far, their application to palaeo-data has been more limited. Here, we present time-sliced nitrogen isoscapes for late Pleistocene and early Holocene Europe (c. 50,000 to 10,000 years BP) using herbivore collagen δ15N data. This period covers the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition, during which significant variation in the terrestrial nitrogen cycle occurred. We use generalized linear mixed modelling approaches for interpolation and test models which both include and exclude climate covariate data. Our results show clear changes in spatial gradients of δ15N through time. Prediction of the lowest faunal δ15N values in northern latitudes after, rather than during, the Last Glacial Maximum is consistent with the Late Glacial Nitrogen Excursion (LGNE). We find that including climatic covariate data does not significantly improve model performance. These findings have implications for investigating the drivers of the LGNE, which has been linked to increased landscape moisture and permafrost thaw, and for understanding changing isotopic baselines, which are fundamental for studies investigating diets, niche partitioning, and migration of higher trophic level animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asia is a region that, owing to its geographical position, has always been at the intersection of cultures. In the Fergana Valley, located in the very heart of Central Asia, the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene is characterized by the expansion and intensification of human settlements. This cultural event has previously been linked to global climate changes that took place during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. In order to reconstruct local climatic conditions in the area during this period, it is worth studying the fossil vertebrate faunas from late Quaternary sites in the Fergana Valley. The Obishir-5 rock shelter, dating to the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene period, discovered in the middle of the 20th century, is a key archeological site in the valley. To date no thorough zooarcheological research has been done on the excavated faunal remains. Here we present the results of the first faunal analysis of the small vertebrates found at this site. We studied the taxonomic composition of remains, which was then used to make paleoenvironmental reconstructions. In total, we identified 13 small mammal species and three bird species. In addition, the assemblage contained one amphibian and two reptile taxa. The faunal composition suggests that during the final Pleistocene and Early Holocene the study area enjoyed a stable climate with vegetation dominated by open biotopes (alpine meadows, steppes, semi-deserts). Its location makes the Fergana Valley an example of a geographically isolated area for a terrestrial fauna which can exist for a long time without being influenced by biotic factors from neighbouring territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the French north‐western Alps, several lakes of glacial origin, such as Aiguebelette and La Thuile, present some mass‐transport deposits within their sedimentary sequences. These event layers can result from lake sediment destabilization eventually triggered by earthquakes. On Lake Aiguebelette, based on sedimentological, geochemical and magnetic analyses, and high‐resolution seismic and bathymetric surveys a ca 1 m thick event layer was identified in the deepest lake basin and a synchronous ca 2 cm thick deposit in the shallow basin. Age‐depth models based on radiocarbon ages reveal that both mass‐transport deposits in Lake Aiguebelette occurred around the Younger Dryas – Early Holocene climatic transition (i.e. 11 700 cal bp) time range. In Lake La Thuile, located 30 km away, unique mass‐transport deposits (translational slide type) were recorded at the same time range in sedimentary records. Additionally, high‐resolution seismic profiles previously acquired in Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget support the hypothesis of significant mass‐transport deposits occurring at the Younger Dryas – Early Holocene time range. These outcomes on four north‐western peri‐Alpine and Alpine lakes highlight the regional occurrence of mass‐transport deposits in the Younger Dryas – Early Holocene time range. Seismic and rockfall events are discussed as potential sources of these significant and similarly aged mass‐transport deposits. Based on this study and a literature review, the authors suggest that mechanisms induced by rapid climate change and glacial retreat, such as crustal rebound and erosional unloading, could favour the triggering of earthquakes and rockfall events. In the case of mass‐transport deposits archived in north‐western Alpine lakes during this time period, this study favours the hypothesis of increased seismicity as the primary source driving process involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the proposal for a "Global Heritage Stone Resource" was first made at the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway in August 2008. Topics include examines GHSR has gained support from the International Union of Geological Sciences and considered the International Commission on Geoheritage of IUGS has a Heritage Stone Sub-commission which evaluates the proposals of heritage stones from different parts of the world for designation as GHSR.

The high-resolution biochemical records (SRXRF, ICP-MS and FTIR analyses) of bottom sediments were used for the reconstruction of clastic flux into Lake Baikal via the Barguzin River as moisture and glacier indexes from 1631 ka BP. According to the obtained data, proxies of a high supply of clastic flux by the river are high: the content of feldspar and LREE/HREE, Rb/Sr and Th/Mo ratios. We sampled a sediment core extremely close to the estuary of the Barguzin River. It seems that the water budget of the Baikal tributaries dramatically reduced ca. 34–30 ka BP, and the lake water level was minimum (less than 35–40 m compared to the present) for the last 34 ka. The lake water level has gradually increased from ca. 30 to 25–23 ka BP, and it was likely linked with the activity of the East Asia Monsoon. The very contrasting changes in chemical and mineralogical records were ca. 29.5 ka BP, and these changes were very likely associated with the Heinrich-3; however, there were no significant changes in the records around the Heinrich-2. Our records revealed some intensification of the clastic flux of the Barguzin River into the Barguzin Bay ca. 25–23 ka BP. The Baikal event ca. 21.5–22.5 ka BP was characterized by a sharp reduction of the influx of clastic material into the Barguzin Bay. The time span of 19.5–18 ka BP was the last time that the Barguzin River inflow increased during the Late Pleistocene. This increase in the water budget was at arid regional conditions, and we assumed it could occur due to the contribution of meltwater from glaciers of the Barguzin Ridge. It is most likely that at the regional Late Pleistocene/Holocene transition (around 12–13 ka BP), a rapid rise of the water budget of the Barguzin River occurred, while the lake level was not high, and the sediments deposited from 12(13)–16.5 ka BP could be directly eroded by a kill of the Barguzin River. In general, the obtained records show that an increase in the water budget of the Barguzin River was gradual. The duration of high inflow into the Barguzin Bay was ca. 1.5 ka, while the reductions of this inflow were dramatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palynological and sedimentological analyses were performed on the sediment core HH16‐1205‐GC retrieved from the central Isfjorden, West Spitsbergen. The sequence, which spans the last 7000 years, revealed an overall cooling trend with an important climate shift between 4.4 and 3.8 cal. ka BP, in addition to millennial‐scale oscillations. Sea‐surface reconstruction from dinocyst assemblages indicates a decrease in summer sea‐surface temperature, from 2.5 to 1.5 °C, and primary productivity, from 750 to 650 gC m−2 a−1 over the last 7000 years. From around 6.8 to 5.8 cal. ka BP, the sedimentological and palynological data suggest a predominant sediment supply from the inner part of the fjord, ice rafting, dense sea ice cover, strongly stratified water masses and high primary productivity. The interval from 4.4 to 3.8 cal. ka BP is marked by a layer of coarser material and a significant decrease in the grain‐size mode. Our geochemical data show large‐amplitude fluctuations after 2.0 cal. ka BP, while an increase in the dinocysts Impagidinium pallidum and Spiniferites elongatus from 2.0 to 1.2 cal. ka BP suggests enhanced Atlantic Water inflow. The dinocyst‐based reconstructions also reveal large‐amplitude millennial fluctuations in sea ice cover, summer sea‐surface temperature and salinity. Wavelet analysis and cross‐wavelet analysis on K/Ti ratio coupled with sea‐ice estimates confirm a strong signal with a periodicity of 1200–1500 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital elevation models, based on laser scanning imageries (LiDAR-DEM) and aided by ground penetrating radar (GPR) data, were used to study glaciofluvial Gilbert-type ice-contact deltas in the Younger Dryas Salpausselkä end-moraine zone in southern Finland. The geomorphological data analysed were used to reconstruct the water-level drop of the late glacial Baltic Ice Lake to the early Holocene Yoldia Sea and tie these changes to a wider stratigraphic context. The results indicate that the sudden drainage event at around 11 650 cal. yrs BP left its imprint not only on the varved sediments but also on ice-contact glaciofluvial deltas in the Second Salpausselkä zone throughout southern Finland. This morphostratigraphic boundary can be placed at locations where the ice-contact deltas occur at two different levels; the higher-level deltas formed during the Baltic Ice Lake B III water-level stage and the lower-level deltas during the Yoldia Sea Y I water-level stage. This morphostratigraphically defined boundary in southern Finland marks the Pleistocene/Holocene chronostratigraphic boundary in southern Finland and shows the corresponding positions of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet's Finnish Lake District Ice Lobe and the Baltic Sea Ice Lobe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is becoming increasingly clear that China experienced significant hydrological changes during the mid‐to‐late Holocene transition—a period characterized by societal changes. However, the nature of the hydroclimate anomaly as well as the direct consequences on societies in Southeast China remains unclear. Here, we present a leaf wax record from the Shuizhuyang peat deposit in Southeast China spanning the Holocene. The δD values of C29n‐alkane (δDC29) showed a large positive shift up to 24‰ from 4.7 to 3.8 ka, which changed independent of vegetation proxies and could not be solely explained by precipitation δD variations. It is thus most likely to reflect abrupt drying, which is probably shaped by a more El Niño‐like mean state in the tropical Pacific Ocean. We hypothesize that such a significant change in hydroclimate might have promoted the development of mixed rice and millet farming on the southeast coast of China. Plain Language Summary: The mid‐to‐late Holocene transition with significant changes in climate and agriculture‐based civilization affords a valuable insight into abrupt climate changes and human adaption. Increasing studies have shown large shifts in hydrological regime in China during this critical transition. However, the hydrological expression and its potential impact on the agriculture practice in Southeast China remains unclear. In this study, we utilize the hydrogen isotope compositions (δD) of leaf waxes from the Shuizhuyang peat deposit on the southeast coast of China to reconstruct hydrological changes during the mid‐to‐late Holocene transition. We find that the mid‐to‐late Holocene transition on the southeast coast of China is characterized by an abrupt drying, which is primarily modulated by a more El Niño‐like mean state over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Such a significant change in hydroclimate might have promoted the development of mixed rice and millet farming on the southeast coast of China coeval to the mid‐to‐late Holocene hydrological shift. Key Points: Increasing aridity on the southeast coast of China from 4.7 to 3.8 ka captured by the hydrogen isotope compositions (δD) of leaf waxesThe abrupt drying is mainly shaped by a more El Niño‐like state over the tropical Pacific Ocean during the mid‐to‐late Holocene transitionSuch a shift in hydroclimate might have promoted the development of mixed rice and millet farming on the southeast coast of China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the ecological processes and drivers of range collapse, population decline and eventual extinction of the steppe bison in Eurasia. Location: Siberia. Time period: Pleistocene and Holocene. Major taxa studied: Steppe bison (Bison priscus). Methods: We configured 110,000 spatially explicit population models (SEPMs) of climate–human–steppe bison interactions in Siberia, which we ran at generational time steps from 50,000 years before present. We used pattern‐oriented modelling (POM) and fossil‐based inferences of distribution and demographic change of steppe bison to identify which SEPMs adequately simulated important interactions between ecological processes and biological threats. These "best models" were then used to disentangle the mechanisms that were integral in the population decline and later extinction of the steppe bison in its last stronghold in Eurasia. Results: Our continuous reconstructions of the range and extinction dynamics of steppe bison were able to reconcile inferences of spatio‐temporal occurrence and the timing and location of extinction in Siberia based on hundreds of radiocarbon‐dated steppe bison fossils. We showed that simulating the ecological pathway to extinction for steppe bison in Siberia in the early Holocene required very specific ecological niche constraints, demographic processes and a constrained synergy of climate and human hunting dynamics during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Main conclusions: Ecological processes and drivers that caused ancient population declines of species can be reconstructed at high spatio‐temporal resolutions using SEPMs and POM. Using this approach, we found that climatic change and hunting by humans are likely to have interacted with key ecological processes to cause the extinction of the steppe bison in its last refuge in Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this work are to characterize the paleoenvironmental evolution and the sedimentary fluvial responses to climate and river flow changes of the upstream reaches of the Sado estuary since the Mid-Late Holocene. By combining the previous information, we also intent to define the limit of the fluvial-estuarine boundary and maximum limit of tidal influence of the estuarine area during the last 4500 years. To accomplish these objectives a 10.5 m-long sediment core was collected at ca. 65 km upstream the Sado estuary inlet and studied using multiproxy analyses and radiocarbon dating. In addition, multi-proxy data from sediment cores and superficial samples collected downstream, in the alluvial plain and intertidal areas near the present-day fluvial-estuarine boundary, were combined and contributed to the interpretations. We concluded that: i) the organic matter is mostly sourced in terrestrial/freshwater environments even during periods with marine influence, as suggested by the occurrence of marine benthic diatoms between 4300 and 4200 cal BP; ii) the fluvial-estuarine boundary retreat during the Middle to Late Holocene transition (4350-4000 cal BP) reaching areas of the Sado river (Laxique), located ca. 15 km upstream of the present-day boundary; iii) modifications on the location of the fluvial-estuarine boundary are mostly derived from drier climatic conditions and consequent flow river discharges; iv) the aggradation and progradation of the alluvial plain started at ca. 4000 cal BP at Laxique (and at ca. 3240 cal BP at Arapouco); and v) the abrupt change in the sedimentation rates and sedimentation pattern before and after the beginning of the alluvial plain aggradation process (4000 cal BP at Laxique and 3240 cal BP at Arapouco) reflects essentially changes in the fluvial activity and the loss of accomodation space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processes leading to range contractions and population declines of Arctic megafauna during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene are uncertain, with intense debate on the roles of human hunting, climatic change, and their synergy. Obstacles to a resolution have included an overreliance on correlative rather than process‐explicit approaches for inferring drivers of distributional and demographic change. Here, we disentangle the ecological mechanisms and threats that were integral in the decline and extinction of the muskox (Ovibos moschatus) in Eurasia and in its expansion in North America using process‐explicit macroecological models. The approach integrates modern and fossil occurrence records, ancient DNA, spatiotemporal reconstructions of past climatic change, species‐specific population ecology, and the growth and spread of anatomically modern humans. We show that accurately reconstructing inferences of past demographic changes for muskox over the last 21,000 years require high dispersal abilities, large maximum densities, and a small Allee effect. Analyses of validated process‐explicit projections indicate that climatic change was the primary driver of muskox distribution shifts and demographic changes across its previously extensive (circumpolar) range, with populations responding negatively to rapid warming events. Regional analyses show that the range collapse and extinction of the muskox in Europe (~13,000 years ago) was likely caused by humans operating in synergy with climatic warming. In Canada and Greenland, climatic change and human activities probably combined to drive recent population sizes. The impact of past climatic change on the range and extinction dynamics of muskox during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition signals a vulnerability of this species to future increased warming. By better establishing the ecological processes that shaped the distribution of the muskox through space and time, we show that process‐explicit macroecological models have important applications for the future conservation and management of this iconic species in a warming Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between ocean circulation and monsoon systems over orbital to sub‐millennial timescales is a crucial but poorly constrained component of the climate system. Here, using foraminiferal and detrital neodymium (Nd) isotope records from the intermediate‐depth northern Indian Ocean, we provide new evidence revealing that both monsoon‐driven weathering inputs and water mass advection from the Southern Ocean influenced past seawater Nd isotope changes in this region. Our results suggest that Indian Summer Monsoon weakening coincided with enhanced northward Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) advection during the last deglaciation, reflecting a strong interhemispheric coupling. In contrast, the Early Holocene was characterized by enhanced monsoon strength but persistently strong AAIW inflow, indicating a relationship in the opposite sense. These differing interhemispheric relationships indicate asynchronous changes in the global atmosphere—ocean—climate system, and may represent a previously unrecognized component of the ocean‐atmosphere reorganization during the deglacial to Holocene transition. Plain Language Summary: Deciphering the interactions between processes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of paleoclimate change, and therefore for predicting future climate evolution. Resolving the nature of such interactions requires high‐resolution datasets from key components of the system. To this end, we present a new intermediate‐depth foraminiferal neodymium (Nd) isotope record from the Indian Ocean covering the last 17,000 years at an unprecedented resolution of ∼200 years. Variability in this Nd isotope record reflects both changes in regional Nd inputs related to continental weathering driven by the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM), and changes in the Nd signal carried northwards from the Southern Ocean by Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW). By disentangling these continental weathering and ocean circulation signals, we can compare Northern and Southern Hemisphere climate processes on sub‐millennial timescales. We found that ISM weakening coincided with enhanced northward AAIW advection during the last deglaciation, whereas enhanced monsoonal activity was accompanied by persistently strong intermediate water inflow during the Early Holocene. This variable interhemispheric connection between the summer monsoon and intermediate water advection may have played a crucial role in the last deglacial climate transition. Key Points: We present a 17 kyr record of foraminiferal Nd isotopes from the intermediate‐depth northern Indian Ocean with a resolution of ∼200 yearsBoth regional Himalayan weathering inputs and intermediate water advection from the Southern Ocean influenced the recordDifferent interhemispheric relationships are revealed between Antarctic Intermediate Water and the Indian Summer Monsoon during the last deglaciation compared to the Early Holocene [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alpine-subalpine Loch Vale watershed (LVW) of Colorado, USA, has relatively high natural lithogenic P5+ fluxes to surface waters. For 1992-2018, the largest number of stream samples with P5+ concentrations ([P5+]) above detection limits occurred in 2008, corresponding with the highest frost-cracking intensity (FCI). Therefore, relatively cold winters and warm summers with a comparatively low mean annual temperature partly influence stream [P5+]. Sediment cores were collected from The Loch, an outlet lake of the LVW. Iron-, Al-, and Mnoxide-bound phosphorus (adsorbed and authigenic phosphates; NP) serves as a proxy measurement for paleolake [P5+]. The highest NP in the core occurred during the cold and dry Allerød interstade. The lowest NP concentrations in the core occurred during climatically very wet periods in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. Therefore, [P5+] are highest with relatively cold winters followed by relatively warm summers, relatively low mean annual temperatures, and relatively little rainfall and/or cryospheric melting. Currently the LVW is experiencing warming and melting of the permanent cryosphere with a rapidly declining FCI since 2008. This has the potential to dramatically decrease [P5+] in surface water ecosystems of the LVW, reducing biological productivity, enhancing P-limitation, and increasing ecosystem reliance on aeolian P5+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]