Possible linkages of palaeofires in southeast Amazonia to a changing climate since the Last Glacial Maximum

Abstract

A 200 cm-long high resolution macro-charcoal and pollen record from the Lagoa da Cachoeira in Serra Sul dos Carajás (Serra Sul) in southeast Amazonia reveals insights into local palaeofire over the last 26,200 years. Local fires in Serra Sul were most frequent in transition periods from dry to wet environmental conditions between 11,000 and 10,200 years ago, and under seasonal climatic conditions after 5,000 years ago. During pronounced dry periods fires were not a substantial component of the environment in Serra Sul. An anthropogenic influence on fire in Serra Sul may have played a role since the beginning of the Holocene, but is not a likely driver of palaeofire variability. Charcoal records for southern Amazonia coupled with proxy data for precipitation and changing Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature (SST) suggest that Holocene palaeofires in southern Amazonia are driven by changes in climate.