Similarity of vegetation dynamics during interglacial periods.
The Velay sequence (France) provides a unique, continuous, palynological record spanning the last four climatic cycles. A pollen-based reconstruction of temperature and precipitation displays marked climatic cycles. An analysis of the climate and vegetation changes during the interglacial periods reveals comparable features and identical major vegetation successions. Although Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11.3 and the Holocene had similar earth precessional variations, their correspondence in terms of vegetation dynamics is low. MIS 9.5, 7.5, and especially 5.5 display closer correlation to the Holocene than MIS 11.3. Ecological factors, such as the distribution and composition of glacial refugia or postglacial migration patterns, may explain these discrepancies. Comparison of ecosystem dynamics during the past five interglacials suggests that vegetation development in the current interglacial has no analogue from the past 500,000 years.
Cheddadi
Rachid
R
Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unite Mixte de Recherche 5554, 34090 Montpellier, France. cheddadi@isem.univ-montp2.fr
de Beaulieu
Jacques-Louis
JL
Jouzel
Jean
J
Andrieu-Ponel
Valérie
V
Laurent
Jeanne-Marine
JM
Reille
Maurice
M
Raynaud
Dominique
D
Bar-Hen
Avner
A
D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D046448:Ice Cover; D063245:Plant Development; D011058:Pollen