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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): H. Behling; V. D. Pillar; S. G. Bauermann
Publication Date: 2005

We present a detailed pollen and charcoal record of a 368-cm-long sediment core from the lowland Campos (grassland) region near the city of Sao Francisco de Assis in the western Rio Grande do Sul State in southern Brazil. Based on four AMS radiocarbon dates, the record represents the last about 22,000 cal yr BP. The region was naturally covered by Campos throughout the recorded glacial and Holocene period under cold and relatively dry and warm and dry condition, respectively. Initial expansion of gallery forest after 5170 cal yr BP indicates a change to wetter climatic conditions. Maximum extent of gallery forest after 1550 cal yr BP reflects the wettest recorded period. There is some evidence of plant migration from the eastern Atlantic coastal lowland reaching the western lowland, first after mid Holocene times by Cecropia and, possibly, species of Myrsine and Moraceae and later, after about 1000 cal yr BP, by species of Alchornea and Acalypha. Multivariate analysis revealed that the long-term pollen composition dynamics is a two-phase process, with random, chaotic changes characterizing some periods when climate conditions were likely more stable, and directional compositional changes (phase transitions) in periods coincide with major climate and/or anthropogenic changes. Natural fires were rare during full- and lateglacial periods, but became frequent at the beginning of the Holocene, suggesting the beginning of human occupation of the western lowland at that time. Highest fire frequency is found during the wet late Holocene period, suggesting an increase of indigenous populations in the Sao Francisco de Assis region. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Citation: Behling, H., V. D. Pillar, and S. G. Bauermann. 2005. Late Quaternary grassland (Campos), gallery forest, fire and climate dynamics, studied by pollen, charcoal and multivariate analysis of the Sao Francisco de Assis core in western Rio Grande do Sul (Southern Brazil). Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, v. 133, no. 3-4, p. 235-248. 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2004.10.004.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Keywords:
  • aborigines
  • Amerindians
  • Brazil
  • campos
  • charcoal
  • fire management
  • forest management
  • gallery forest
  • grasslands
  • Holocene
  • Last Glacial Maximum
  • multivariate analysis
  • palaeoclimate
  • palaeoecology
  • palaeofire
  • palaeovegetation
  • paleoecology
  • pollen
  • pollen analysis
  • prehistoric fires
  • South America
  • southern Brazil
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 29314Location Status: Not in fileCall Number: AvailableAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 52242

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.