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Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution in the São Paulo State (Brazil), based on anthracology and soil 13C analysis

Laboratoire de Paléoenvironnements, Anthracologie et Action de l'Homme (UMR CNRS 5059), Institut de Botanique, Université de Montpellier II, 163 rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier cedex, France: Museu Nacional, UFRJ, Departamento de Antropologia, Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil rita{at}scheel.com

S. E. M. Gouveia

Laboratório de 14C, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 96, 13400–970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

L. C. R. Pessenda

Laboratório de 14C, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 96, 13400–970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

R. Aravena

Laboratory of Environmental Isotopes, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada

L. M. Coutinho

Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 11461, 05422–900 São Paulo, Brazil

R. Boulet

Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo, 01498–970 São Paulo, Brazil

This paper presents a reconstruction of the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution in the central São Paulo State (Brazil) based on anthracological analyses, in association with soil isotopic composition (₁₃C) and radiocarbon dating from four sites. Anatomical identification of charcoal particles allows the reconstitution of past plant associations, and consequently of the vegetation and climate history. Rather precise interpretations may be achieved when associating anthracology and soil ₁₃C analysis. In the early Holocene, climate was dry and an open cerrado vegetation (savanna) covered most of this area. A cerradão (forested savanna) or a semideciduous forest existed in the more humid localities. After 3500/3000 14C yr BP the climate was more humid, similar to the present, leading to the establishment of forested vegetation in all the studied sites. Com parison of these results with various palaeoenvironmental studies carried out in the Brazilian phytogeographical zone of cerrado and semideciduous forest suggests that at least its greater part presented a similar trend in the climatic evolution during the Holocene. This phytogeographical zone presented a dry climate during the early Holocene, then a more humid climate during the late Holocene. Climatic conditions similar to the present appeared from 5000 to 1000 yr BP, depending on the site.

Key Words: Palaeoenvironment • palaeoclimate • anthracology • charcoal • savanna • soil isotopic composition • oxygen isotopes • Brazil • Holocene

The Holocene, Vol. 13, No. 1, 73-81 (2003)
DOI: 10.1191/0959683603hl596rp


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