Holocene Climate Change and Environment

Description

Holocene Climate Change and Environment presents detailed, diverse case studies from a range of environmental and geological regions on the Indian subcontinent which occupies the central part of the monsoon domain. This book examines Holocene events at different time intervals based on a new, high-resolution, multi-proxy records (pollen, spores, NPP, diatoms, grain size characteristics, total organic carbon, carbon/nitrogen ratio, stable isotopes) and other physical tools from all regions of India. It also covers new facilities in chronological study and luminescence dating, which have added a new dimension toward understanding the Holocene glacial retreats evolution of coastal landforms, landscape dynamics and human evolution. Each chapter is presented with a unified structure for ease of access and application, including an introduction, geographic details, field work and sampling techniques, methods, results and discussion. This detailed examination of such an important region provides key insights in climate modeling and global prediction systems. Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Contributors Preface Acknowledgments 1 The prelude to the Holocene: tropical Asia during the Pleistocene 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Scope, methodology, and data sources 1.3 Pliocene demise of Indian wet tropical forests 1.4 Pleistocene vegetation and climate change across India and Southeast Asia 1.4.1 Falling sea levels and topographic change across tropical Asia 1.4.2 Sundanian vegetation during periods of low sea level 1.4.3 Early Pleistocene and the dispersal of Homo erectus to India and Sunda 1.4.4 Southeast Asia and India during the last glacial/interglacial cycle 1.4.5 Immigration of Homo sapiens 1.4.6 The Toba eruption 1.4.7 Homo sapiens after Toba 1.5 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 2 Contemporary dynamics and Holocene extent of glaciers in the Himalayas 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Scope 2.3 Methodology and processes 2.4 Fieldwork and sampling techniques 2.5 Observations and results 2.5.1 Contemporary dynamics in glaciers of the Western and Eastern Himalayas 2.5.2 The Holocene glacial extent and timing 2.6 Discussion 2.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 3 Holocene climatic record of Ladakh, Trans-Himalaya 3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 Study area 3.1.2 Geomorphology, climate, and vegetation 3.2 Scope 3.3 Methodology and processes 3.4 Field work and sampling techniques 3.5 Observations and results 3.5.1 Lithology and chronology 3.5.2 Paleoclimate reconstruction 3.6 Discussion 3.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 4 Late Holocene advancements of denudational and depositional fronts in the Higher Himalaya: A case study from Chandra valley, Himachal Pradesh, India 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Scope 4.3 Methods 4.4 Field observations and documentation 4.4.1 Segment I 4.4.2 Segment II 4.5 Inferences from profiling 4.6 Discussion 4.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 5 Holocene regional-scale behavior of the rivers of Indian Peninsula 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Scope of the study 5.3 The Peninsular rivers: fluvial geomorphology and hydrology 5.4 The Pleistocene fluvial records in the Peninsular river valleys 5.5 Variability in the monsoon regime during the Holocene 5.6 Observations and discussion 5.6.1 Holocene regional-scale river behavior of the Peninsular rivers 5.6.2 Regional-scale river behavior: Early Historic Period to Current Period \(last ^^e2^^88^^bc2.5 ka\) 5.7 Holocene regional-scale river behavior vis-^^c3^^a0-vis the monsoon variability 5.8 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 6 Holocene vegetation and climate change from central India: An updated and a detailed pollen-based review 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Scope 6.3 Study area, vegetation, and climate 6.4 Results and discussion: regional and global contextualization 6.4.1 Early-Holocene to Mid-Holocene \(^^e2^^88^^bc11,700^^e2^^80^^938200 cal yr BP\) 6.4.2 Mid-Holocene to Late-Holocene \(^^e2^^88^^bc8200^^e2^^80^^934200 cal yr BP\) 6.4.3 Late-Holocene onward \(^^e2^^88^^bc4200 cal yr BP^^e2^^80^^93Present\) 6.5 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 7 Holocene climate and sea-level changes and their impact on ecology, vegetation and landforms in South Kerala Sedimentary Basin, India 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Scope 7.3 Material and methods 7.3.1 Borehole data 7.3.2 Fossil wood/subfossil logs 7.4 Fieldwork and sampling techniques 7.5 Observations and results 7.5.1 Ernakulam area 7.5.2 The area along the east of Vembanad lagoon 7.5.3 The area along the southwest of Vembanad lagoon 7.5.4 Thiruvarpu^^e2^^80^^93Kavanar^^e2^^80^^93Kudavechur area 7.5.5 Kalarkod area 7.5.6 The area along the east of the Vembanad lagoon 7.5.7 Southern sand-dominated area 7.6 Discussion 7.6.1 The relevance of tectonics in the study of sedimentary facies 7.6.2 Climate variability and sea-level changes and their impacts 7.6.3 Holocene deposits and the society 7.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 8 Reading source, Holocene climate change and monsoon signatures in surface and core sediments from western Bay of Bengal 8.1 Introduction 8.1.1 Scope of the study 8.2 Methodology 8.2.1 Sampling area 8.2.2 Sampling methods 8.2.3 Laboratory analysis 8.2.4 Data processing 8.3 Results and discussion 8.3.1 Surface and spade/multicore sediments^^e2^^80^^94source and processes 8.3.2 Gravity core sediments^^e2^^80^^94sedimentary depositional environments and Holocene climate 8.4 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 9 Holocene environmental magnetic records of Indian monsoon fluctuations 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Scope of the study 9.3 Methodology and processes 9.3.1 Study locations 9.3.2 Environmental magnetic measurements 9.4 Results 9.4.1 Himalayan loess-paleosol deposits 9.4.2 Nal Sarovar Lake sediments 9.4.3 Godavari delta mangrove sediments 9.4.4 Iskapalii lagoon sediments 9.5 Composite S-ratio map and paleomonsoon rainfall fluctuations 9.5.1 A 20 ka climate record from Himalayan loess deposits 9.5.2 Holocene climate records in Western Lake and Eastern Coastal sediments 9.5.3 Late Holocene climate records from East Coast mangrove deposits 9.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 10 Application of tree rings in understanding long-term variability in river discharge of high Himalayas, India 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Scope 10.3 Methodology 10.3.1 Field work and sampling techniques 10.3.2 Crossdating of growth ring sequences 10.3.3 Chronology preparation 10.3.4 Climatic settings along the course of Sutlej River 10.3.5 Identification of climate signal in ring-width chronologies 10.3.6 River discharge reconstruction 10.4 Observations and results 10.5 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 11 Potential utility of Himalayan tree-ring 18O to reveal spatial patterns of past drought variability - Its assessments and implications 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The scope of the present study 11.3 Fieldwork and sampling technique 11.3.1 Tree-ring δ18O data sets 11.4 Methodology and processes 11.4.1 Cellulose extraction, isotope measurement, and chronology development 11.4.2 Paleoclimate reconstruction methodology 11.5 Results 11.6 Discussion 11.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 12 Bond events and monsoon variability during Holocene - Evidence from marine and continental archives 12.1 Introduction 12.1.1 Holocene epoch 12.1.2 Summer and winter monsoons 12.2 Scope 12.2.1 Instrumental data 12.2.2 Tree ring and corals: annual to decadal resolution climate reconstruction 12.3 Methodology 12.4 Observations 12.4.1 North Atlantic and Mediterranean regions 12.4.2 Marine archives from Northern Indian Ocean 12.4.3 Continental archives from Indian subcontinent 12.5 Discussion 12.5.1 Imprints of Bond events in marine and continental archives 12.5.2 Natural forcing and climate variables 12.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 13 Indian Summer Monsoon variability on different timescales and deciphering its oscillations from irregularly spaced paleoclimate data using different spectral techniques 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Scope 13.3 Methodology and processes 13.3.1 Spectral methods used for irregularly spaced time-varying natural signals 13.3.2 Spectral techniques, their stability, bias correction, and peak finding 13.3.3 Description of data used 13.4 Results 13.4.1 SPECTRUM results 13.4.2 REDFIT results 13.4.3 TS AAVSO results 13.4.4 NESToolbox results 13.4.5 WAVEPAL results 13.4.6 Periodicities in ISMR 13.5 Discussion 13.5.1 Forcing mechanisms on ISMR with different timescales 13.5.2 Decadal to multidecadal 13.5.3 Centennial to multicentennial forcings 13.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 14 Monsoon variability in the Indian subcontinent - A review based on proxy and observational datasets 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Scope 14.3 Methodology and processes 14.4 Observations and results 14.4.1 Proxy for surface runoff 14.4.2 Evaporative proxies 14.4.3 Observation and reanalysis data 14.5 Discussion 14.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 15 Holocene hydroclimatic shifts across the Indian subcontinent: A review based on interarchival coherences 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Scope 15.3 Present-day climatic regimes within the Indian subcontinent 15.4 Indian Summer Monsoon and its teleconnections 15.5 Methodology 15.5.1 Sources of uncertainty in climate records 15.6 Observations based on interproxy coherences 15.6.1 Lake sediments 15.6.2 Speleothems 15.6.3 Marine sediments 15.7 Discussion 15.8 Learning and knoledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 16 Application of precipitation isotopes in pursuit of paleomonsoon reconstruction: An Indian perspective 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Scope of the work 16.3 Methodology and processes 16.3.1 Precipitation sampling and precipitation data 16.3.2 Evaporation flux 16.3.3 Moisture flux divergence 16.3.4 Isotopic analysis of rainwater 16.3.5 Analysis of rainfall data 16.4 Results 16.5 Discussion 16.5.1 Examination of the amount effect on a monthly scale 16.5.2 Estimation of amount effect for the Andaman Islands region 16.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 17 Mangrove Ostracoda species fluctuations, habitual adaptation, and its environmental implications - A review 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Scope of the study 17.3 Results and Discussion 17.3.1 Holocene Ostracoda 17.3.2 Ostracoda species fluctuation in mangrove environment 17.3.3 Habitual adaptation of Ostracoda from mangrove environment 17.4 Learning and knowledge outcomes References 18 Late Quaternary landscape evolution of Peninsular India: A review based on fluvial archives 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Scope 18.3 Methodology and data sources 18.4 Observations and results 18.5 Discussion 18.5.1 West flowing Peninsular rivers 18.5.2 East flowing Peninsular rivers 18.5.3 Southern Peninsular Rivers 18.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 19 The imprints of Holocene climate and environmental changes in the South Mahanadi Delta and the Chilika lagoon, Odisha, India - An overview 19.1 Introduction 19.1.1 The geographical and geomorphological setting of the study area 19.1.2 Previous work 19.2 Scope of the study 19.3 Methodology 19.4 Observation and results 19.4.1 Geoenvironmental setting of the study area 19.4.2 Holocene temperature changes 19.4.3 The Chilika lagoon and the south Mahanadi delta 19.4.4 Hydrology and geomorphology of SMD 19.5 Discussion 19.5.1 The Holocene changes in Chilika lagoon 19.5.2 Holocene changes in SMD 19.6 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 20 Holocene changes in fluvial geomorphology, depositional environments, and evolution of coastal wetlands - A multiproxy study from Southwest India 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Scope 20.3 Study area 20.4 Materials and methods 20.5 Results 20.5.1 Borehole lithology and textural characteristics 20.5.2 Organic carbon \(C-org\) and CaCO3 20.5.3 Heavy mineralogy 20.5.4 Palynology 20.5.5 Lime shell occurrences 20.5.6 Geochronology 20.6 Discussion 20.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 21 Holocene evolution of coastal wetlands - A case study from Southern Kerala, India 21.1 Introduction 21.2 Scope 21.3 Study area 21.4 Materials and methods 21.5 Field work and sampling techniques 21.6 Results 21.6.1 Borehole lithology and sediment texture 21.6.2 Surface sediments^^e2^^80^^94granulometric characteristics 21.6.3 Heavy mineralogy 21.6.4 SEM analysis 21.6.5 Geochemistry 21.7 Discussion 21.7.1 Sedimentary processes and depositional environments 21.7.2 Sea-level changes and coastal evolution 21.8 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 22 Late Quaternary geoarcheology and palynological studies of some saline lakes of the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 22.1 Introduction 22.1.1 Vegetation 22.1.2 Landforms of the Thar Desert 22.2 Scope 22.3 Observations 22.3.1 Saline lakes 22.3.2 Archeology around saline lakes 22.4 Discussion 22.4.1 Lakes 22.4.2 Human^^e2^^80^^93environment relationship 22.5 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 23 Late Quaternary geoarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental aspects of Kurnool Basin in the Indian Peninsula 23.1 Introduction 23.2 Scope 23.3 Study area 23.3.1 Regional geography and geology 23.4 Billa Surgam investigations 23.4.1 Late Middle Pleistocene to Late Holocene faunal and archaeological record 23.4.2 Field investigations in the Billa Surgam Valley 23.4.3 Laboratory studies and dating 23.5 Investigations in the Jurreru Valley 23.5.1 Stratified YTT and depositional environment 23.6 Palaeolithic sites and dated lithic and symbolic artifact assemblages 23.6.1 Jwalapuram tank Acheulian occurrence 23.6.2 Stratified Middle Palaeolithic occupation floors 23.6.3 Microlithic sequence at Jwalapuram 9 \(JWP9\) 23.7 The Middle and Late Palaeolithic typology and technology 23.7.1 Middle Palaeolithic assemblages 23.7.2 Late Palaeolithic Microlithic technology 23.8 Neolithic Kunderu Tradition during the Late Holocene 23.9 Challenges and solutions 23.9.1 Dating the Middle and Late Palaeolithic in the Jurreru Valley 23.9.2 Are the Pre-YTT Middle Palaeolithic assemblages in secondary context? 23.9.3 When did the Middle Palaeolithic technology originate? 23.10 Post KAP developments in Indian prehistory 23.10.1 Out of Africa into the Indian Subcontinent: the organized search for hominin remains 23.11 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 24 Holocene vegetation, climate, and culture in Northeast India: a pollen data^^e2^^80^^93based review 24.1 Introduction 24.2 Scope 24.3 General climatic conditions 24.4 Monsoon 24.5 Methodology 24.6 Holocene vegetation and climatic records 24.6.1 Assam 24.6.2 Manipur 24.6.3 Tripura 24.6.4 Sikkim Himalaya 24.6.5 Darjeeling 24.6.6 Arunachal Pradesh 24.6.7 Mizoram 24.6.8 Meghalaya 24.6.9 Nagaland 24.7 Discussion 24.8 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References 25 Late Holocene vegetation, climate dynamics, and human-environment interaction along Konkan coast, India 25.1 Introduction 25.2 Scope 25.3 Methodology and processes 25.4 Fieldwork and sampling techniques 25.5 Observations and results 25.6 Discussion 25.6.1 Landscape dynamics 25.6.2 Vegetation response 25.6.3 Culture and human impact 25.7 Learning and knowledge outcomes Acknowledgments References List of reviewers Index