Late glacial and Holocene vegetation, climate and fire history inferred from Lagoa Nova in

the southeastern Brazilian lowland

Author(s): Hermann Behling
Source: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, Vol. 12, No. 4 (December, 2003), pp. 263-270
Published by: Springer
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23418000
Accessed: 04-11-2022 17:05 UTC

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Veget Hist Archaeobot (2003) 12:263-270
DOI 10.1007/s00334-003-0020-9

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Hermann Behling

Late glacial and Holocene végétation, climate

from Lagoa Nova in the southeastern Brazili

Received: 5 March 2003 / Accepted: 24 September 2003 / Published online: 18 Nove

© Springer-Verlag 2003

Abstract The pollen and charcoal wetter

record conditions
of a 1,500-cm
with a shorter dry s
long lake sediment core from previous
Lagoa Nova allows
period. It wasaonly after about 6
semi-deciduous
reconstruction of vegetation, climate forests
and fire history in expanded thro
region,
the Atlantic lowland of southeastern indicating
Brazil. Today the the start of mod
potential vegetation of the study conditions
region would withbean annual dry season o
dense
Fire to
and tall semi-deciduous forest, related was nearly
a dry absent
season of during this p
4 months and 1,250 mm precipitationstructedper year. The
palaeoenvironment from the
lowermost core section of Lagoa Nova is probably
is similar to that of
of late
Lago do Pires, indica
in past
Glacial age and contains only few, vegetation,
poorly preservedclimate and fir
pollen grains, indicating dry environmental conditions.
regionally consistent in southeastern B
Pollen preservation was good above 1,005-cm core depth.
Extrapolating from four radiocarbon Keywords
dates, this Southeastern
interval Brazil • Late G
Holocene • During
represents about the last 10,000 years. Cerrado • Semi-deciduous
the early forest •
Holocene (until about 8,500 b.p.), the landscape
Palaeoecology was• Fire history
■ Palaeoclimatology
dominated by savanna of the campo cerrado type (open
shrub woodland), with frequent trees of Curatella amer
Introduction
icana and small areas of gallery forests along the drainage
system. Savanna fires, probably natural, were frequent at
Palaeoecological
that time. The palaeovegetation pattern data are
is consistent scarce for the southeastern
with
a long dry season of about 6 months andand
Brazilian lowland, annual
only a few records are available to
precipitation lower than today. Then,
provide upinto
insight tolate-Quaternary
about vegetation and
7,560 b.p., gallery forests expanded in theThe
climate dynamics. valleys,
previously studied lakes, Lago
do Pires
reflecting a shorter dry season of about (Fig.
5 1;months
Behling 1995a),
and and Lagoa Silvana
somewhat higher annual rainfall. (Rodriges-Filho
Fire was less et al.frequent
2002), are located about 250 km
during this wetter period. Between about
inland from 7,560
the Atlantic Ocean and
in the semi-deciduous
forest region
6,060 b.p., savanna expanded and gallery forests of the Atlantic lowland. The record from
retreated,
indicating a return to drier climatic conditions
Lago ofisprobably
do Pires, which near to Lagoa Nova studied in this
between 5 and 6 months dry seasonpaper,and lower
indicates precipi
that from about 9,700 to 5,500 b.p. (all
tation. Fire was again frequent, but not
data are asasfrequent
given as
uncal b.p.), savanna (cerrado) with some
during the early Holocene. During the covered
gallery forest mid to latereflecting low precipita
the area,
Holocene period between about tion6,060
and aand 2,180
dry season b.p.,
of about 6 months. Within this
period, an forest,
the valleys were covered by semi-deciduous interval from about 8,810 to 7,500 b.p.,
but on
the hills cerrado vegetation continued togallery
expanding grow. The
forest dry greater precipitation
suggests
season was probably around 5 months anddry
and a shorter rainfall
period (6-5 was
months). From around 5,530
to During
higher than in the preceding period. 2,780 b.p.,
thethefollowing
vegetation was characterized by
period between about 2,810 and 600 b.p.,
extensive the
forest in the open
valleys, and cerrado on hills,
cerrado on the hills changed to closed cerrado,
indicating reflecting
higher precipitation and a dry season of about
5 months. From around 2,780 to 970 b.p., denser cerrado
H. Behling (Kl) vegetation on the hills and slopes suggests a dry season of
Department of Geosciences, University 4—5
of Bremen,
months. During the recent Holocene, the presence of
P.O. Box 330440, 28334 Bremen. Germany
closed semi-deciduous forest is indicative of modern
e-mail : Hermann.Behling @ uni-bremen.de

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264

Study area

Lagoa Nova (17°58'S, 42°12'W; 390 m a.s.l) is located

between the villages Agua Boa and Malacacheta in Minas
Gérais State, southeastern Brazil (Fig. 1). The lake is
located in the foothill region of the Serra da Noruega,
which forms part of the inland mountain range of the
Serra do Espinhaço, in a transition zone between lowland
and highland, 250 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean.
Lagoa Nova has an area of 2 ha and drains to Rio
Urupuca. During the coring operation in August 1993, the
lake had a water depth of 6 m. The lake lies in a closed
basin probably formed in the underlying crystalline rocks.
Lagoa Nova is partly surrounded by low mountains
between 500- and 700-m elevation, with relatively steep
slopes. The western side is open to a small floodplain
area, which is filled with Quaternary sediments. The lake
is located 2-3 km to the south of the previously studied
Fig. 1 Map of study region showing the location of the studied
Lago do Pires, which is found in the same floodplain area
Lagoa Nova and the previously studied Lago do Pires
of Rio Urupaca.
The main vegetation types from the coast to the inland
climatic conditions. Inferred environmental conditions for areas of southeastern Brazil are the Atlantic rainforest,
Lagoa Silvana (located 180 km south of Lago do Pires) semi-deciduous forest and cerrado (IBGE 1993). Cerrado
are similar. has its main distribution in central Brazil and is subdi
vided into five physiognomic vegetation forms (Eiten
Charcoal analysis of six shell mounds, located along
1972, 1982). These savanna formations range from more
the southeastern Brazilian coast (22°53/-22°57'S, 42°03'
42°33'W), suggest that no major changes of the mainland less pure grassland (campo limpo), grassland with
or
vegetation ecosystem have occurred from 5,500 to small shrubs and occasionally small trees (campo sujo),
1,400 b.p. (Scheel-Ybert 2000). open or closed low tree and or scrub woodlands (campo
A few palynological data are also available for thecerrado), tree and scrub woodland with 2-5 m tall trees
southeastern and central Brazilian highlands in Minas and an open tree canopy (cerrado, in the strict sense), to
true woodlands with 5-15 m tall trees and a semi-closed
Gérais State. Lagoa dos Olhos (19,520 b.p. to present) is
about 40 km north of Belo Horizonte (19°38'S, 43°54'W; or closed tree canopy (cerradäo). The xeromorphic
730 m a.s.l.), and Lagoa da Serra Negra (>46,000 b.p cerrado vegetation is well adapted to fire, evident in the
present) is about 300 km west of Belo Horizonte (between thick, corky bark of some woody plants (Eiten 1975;
18°55' and 19°00'S, 46°45' and 46°57'W). Both records Coutinho 1982). Tall gallery forests, which contain
show that, during most of the Holocene, the study areaspecies of the Amazon and Atlantic rainforest, occur
was occupied by a mosaic of cerrado and semi-deciduous along the streams and rivers. A few isolated islands of
cerrado occur in the area of semi-deciduous forest in
forest, with pronounced dry and wet seasons (De Oliveira
1992). The third record (32,000-3,000 b.p.) at Salitre southeastern Brazil (Hueck 1956). The original vegetation
(19°S, 46°46'W; 1,050 m a.s.l.) is only a few kilometers of the study region is a closed and dense, 20-30 m tall,
from Lagoa da Serra Negra (Ledru 1993). The beginning tropical semi-deciduous forest (Hueck 1966), which ha
of the Holocene is marked by re-expansion of Araucariabeen almost destroyed by livestock grazing. Intensive
forest (10,000-8,500 b.p.), indicating a cool and moist deforestation and burning has taken place in the last
decades. Remains of the semi-deciduous forest are found
climate. After about 8,500 b.p. the Araucaria forest was
replaced by semi-deciduous forest, with a warmer andonly on a few hilltops.
The occurrence of different forest and savanna forma
drier climate. At around 5,000 b.p., there is an arid
interval with a high percentage of Poaceae. After tions in southeastern Brazil is related to different lengths
4,000 years the climate became moister, comparable to of dry season, ranging from tropical climates in the east in
present-day conditions. Higher percentages of Poaceae which there is no dry season to a climate in western Brazil
and Cyperaceae indicate a short, dry period at about in which there is a strong dry season of 5 to 6 months.
1,000 b.p. (Ledru et al. 1994). These seasonality patterns are related to the atmospheric
To extend our research into the southeastern Brazilian circulation of southeastern Brazil, dominated by the south
Atlantic anticyclone, a semi-permanent high pressure
lowland and to explore the spatial patterns of palaeoen
system
vironmental changes, the Lagoa Nova sediment core was that transports moist, tropical air masses inland in
studied by pollen and charcoal analyses. an easterly and northeasterly direction during the whole
year. These warm and humid air masses cause a
permanent, humid tropical climate in the coastal ranges
and further inland, but behind the mountain ranges there

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 265

is a more seasonal climate with lower precipitation. The Table 1 Stratigraphie description of the Lagoa Nova core
climate record from Teofilo Otoni, 80 km west of Lagoa Description
Nova, shows a mean annual rainfall of 1,250 mm and a
dry period of 4 months from June to September. The 0-19 Light gray brown, very soft, fine detritus mud
19-65 Light gray brown, soft, fine detritus mud,
mean annual temperature is 22.5 °C and the lowest some leaf fragments
measured temperature is +7 °C (Walter and Lieth 1967; 65-955 Gray brown, fine detritus mud, relatively soft,
Nimer 1989). but below 145 cm compact
Light gray brown, fine detritus mud
Light reddish, fine sandy clay
Light gray, fine sandy clay, somewhat reddish
Material and methods Light reddish, fine sandy clay
Light yellow reddish, very fine sandy clay,
The 15-m-long core was obtained form the central and several small layers of mica
deepest part of Lagoa Nova, in 1 -m sections and 5 cm in
diameter, using a modified Livingstone piston sampler.
About 20 cm of the surface sediments was very softTable
and2 List of the radiocarbon dates for the Lagoa Nova core
not possible to core. The core tubes were stored in a dark,
Lab. Depth B.P.a Calibrated ageb
cold room at +4 °C. X-radiographs were taken before corenumber (cm)
opening to allow identification of any disturbance ofBeta-72067
the 65-76 620±50 Cal a.d. 1,300 to 1,430
sediments during coring operation and transport. Beta-75108 337-344 2.800±70 Cal B.c. 1.130 to 810
Four small bulk samples were taken from the core for
Beta-72068 631-639 6,060±120 Cal B.c. 5,230 to 4.670
radiocarbon dating. For pollen analysis the core was 4,640 to 4,620
sampled in general at intervals of 20 cm. To calculate
Beta-67174 942-948 9,500±120
concentration and accumulation rates for pollen aand
C-13-adjusted
charcoal, one tablet of 13,900±300 Lycopodium clavatum
b Two sigma, 95% probability; results prepared by Beta Analytic,
spores was added to each sample. Pollen analysis Miami
was
carried out by using standard pre-treatment methods
(Faegri and Iversen 1989). Samples of 0.5 cm3 were Uncal B.P.

treated with 47-52% HF for a minimum of one day to 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

eliminate inorganic matter. Treatment with KOH and HCl

was not necessary. Pollen residues were mounted in
glycerine and in glycerine gelatine medium.
Pollen grains and spores were in general well pre
served, except for the basal part of the core (1,010
1,500 cm) that contained poorly preserved and insufficient
numbers of pollen grains for the analysis. A minimum of
500 pollen grains from terrestrial taxa was counted for
each sample. Carbonized particles and Pediastrum were
counted on pollen slides. For pollen identification, the
author used his own reference collection (containing about
1,400 Brazilian species) and the pollen morphological Fig. 2 Sedimentation rate cu
literature of Salgado-Labouriau (1973), Hooghiemstra
(1984), Roubik and Moreno (1991) and Behling (1993).
between 955 cm and th
Percentages are based on the total pollen sum of terrestrial
mineral-rich
taxa, excluding aquatic pollen and fern spores. Counts of lacustrine sediments between 1,500 and
spores and Pediastrum were calculated as percentages of 955 cm. Sediments contain mica, with somewhat higher
concentrations
the total pollen sum. For percent, concentration and influx below 330 cm and relatively high con
centrations below 1,028-cm core depth. A detailed
calculations, plotting of pollen diagrams and cluster
analysis, the programs TILIA, TILIAGRAPH and CON description of the recovered sediments is given in
Table 1.
ISS were used (Grimm 1987, 1990). The number of
different pollen and spore types present in each sample is
also shown in the pollen diagram.
Radiocarbon data and chronology

Results Four conventional radiocarbon dates provide a chronol

ogy for the Lagoa Nova core (Table 2). The pollen record
Stratigraphy starts at 1,005-cm core depth, with an extrapolated age of
about 10,170 b.p. The sedimentation rate curve shows
continuous sedimentation (Fig. 2). The top of the
The Lagoa Nova core consists of fine sandy clay between
1,500- and 955-cm core depth, and fine detritus mudrecovered core starts at 25-cm core depth. The sediments

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266

Herbs -7 / Shrubs and Trees

9000

9500 +/-120 -

10000

Fig. 3 Pollen percentage diagram of the most frequent taxa from the Lagoa

representing the last 250 years are probably missing from IV

the core. The radiocarbon ages for each pollen zone have Pediastr
been calculated accepting a linear sediment accumulation Holocen
rate. VI.
Zone N-I (1,005-860 cm, about 10,170-8,560 b.p., six
samples) is marked by abundant herb pollen (25-50%),
Description of the pollen diagram especially by Poaceae, Cyperaceae and some Asteraceae.
Herb pollen decreases to the end of this zone, while pollen
Pollen assemblages of the 65 samples (Figs. 3, 4) counted of shrubs and trees increases (from 42 to 68%). P
have high taxa diversity. About 270 different pollen and Curatella type (6-15%) is frequent in this zone. O
spore types were recognized, including about 90 unknown savanna trees, such as Byrsonima, are rare and St
types. The pollen diagram shows percentages for the most dendron type and Copaifera type are absent. C
important and abundant taxa. The composition of differ- Urticales and Acalypha pollen are represented b
ent pollen assemblages allows subdivision of the diagram tively high values, while many other semi-decid
into six zones and two subzones. Zone boundaries have forest taxa, such as the Lithraea-Schinus type, Alch
been defined on the basis of quantitative changes Myrsine and Arecaceae, are represented by a few
observed in important taxa, such as Poaceae, Curatella grains. Cecropia increases markedly to the end
type, Myrtaceae, and Arecaceae. The CONISS cluster zone. Pollen of aquatic taxa, such as Echinodorus,
analysis of the pollen and spore data shows roughly the Sagittaria and Typha (only the sums of all aquatic plants
same zonation. are shown in the diagram), is rare in this and in the
From the base, pollen concentration and accumulation following zones. Fern spo
rates increase in zone N-I and remain relatively constant relatively low amounts
in the following zones. The number of different pollen reach 10%.
and spore taxa increases continuously during zones N-I Zone N-II (860-770 c
and N-II, decreases initially and increases again in zone samples) is character
N-III, and remains at a relatively high level during the pollen (12-16%), espe
following zones. Charcoal concentration and accumula- tion of shrub and tree p
tion rates increase markedly in zone N-I, decrease in zone Curatella type (1-4%)
N-II, increase again in zone N-III, and decrease from N- the previous zone. Stryp

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 267

500 1000 1500 2000 20 40 60 80 200 400 600 100 200 300 400 500

Fig. 4 Summary pollen diagram from the

pollen Lagoa
and Nova
spore core,
taxa, concentration and
showing radiocarbon dates, age scale, carbonized particles,
sums of different and pollen zones
groups,
pollen concentration and accumulation rates, number of different

type appear for the first time as a few single grains, subzone N-I'V
Percentages of shrubs and trees are high, especially for type, Alch
Cecropia, Urticales and Acalypha. Several other taxa, N-IVa tha
including Alchornea, Myrsine, Anacardium type, Melas- Zone N
tomataceae/Combretaceae, Myrtaceae and Celtis, increase pies) is mar
markedly. and higher percentages of shrubs and trees (67-75%) than
Zone N-III (770-635 cm, about 7,560-6,060 b.p., six in the previous zone N-IV
samples) shows, especially during the first part of the ly, while there are more M
zone, higher values of herbs again (18-33%) and zone. Curatella type is rare an
somewhat lower values of shrubs and trees (50-71%). grains. Psychotria alba t
Percentages of Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Curatella type pollen grains.
(1-6%) increase markedly, while percentages of Myrsine, Zone N-VI (68-20 c
Anacardium type, Melastomataceae/Combretaceae, and samples) is characterized
Myrtaceae decrease. pollen (3-7%), and high values of shrub and tree pollen
Zone N-IV (635-340 cm, about 6,060-2,180 b.p., (71-75%). The lowest percentages of Poaceae and
13 samples) is characterized by low percentages of herb Asteraceae occur in this zone, while Arecaceae are
pollen (7-15%), and high percentages of shrub and tree highest. The percentages of Stryphonodendron type
pollen (65-79%) compared to the previous zone. Values decrease,
of Curatella type (0-2%) decrease, while Stryphnoden
dron type and Copaifera type increase. Percentages of
Cecropia pollen are in general lower, and those of Interpretation and discussion
Urticales, Lithraea-Schinus type and Myrtaceae are
higher than in the previous zone. Zone N-IV can be Analyzed samples from the basal part of the core between
separated into subzones N-IVa (635-555 cm, about 1,005- and 1,500-cm core depth, which is formed by light
6,060-5,174 b.p., four samples) and N-IVb (555-340 cm, yellow, reddish, very fine sandy clay sediments, con
about 5,174-2,180 b.p., nine samples), by slightly lower tained poorly preserved and insufficient pollen grains for
values of herbs and higher values of arboreal taxa in the analysis. These sediments were apparently deposited

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268

in the lake basin under dry conditions during pre- At the beginning of the period from around 7,560
Holocene times. Records from the southeastern Brazilian 6,060 b.p., cerrado expanded and the area of gallery forest
highland such as Catas Altas (Behling and Lichte 1997), became reduced. At the end of this period gallery forests
and marine records from the upper continental slope off expanded again. The cerrado trees Stryphnodendron and
southeastern Brazil (Behling et al. 2002) document large Copaifera were now more strongly represented. The
areas of grassland vegetation in the hinterland, reflecting composition of the cerrado and of the gallery forests was
cool and dry climatic conditions in southeastern Brazil different and probably also richer in species than during
during the last glacial period. the early Holocene. The low abundance of Myrtaceae
Pollen data from the Lagoa Nova core, starting at could reflect less-frequent fires or lower wate
1,005 cm, document savanna vegetation at the end of the caused by reduced precipitation. The
late Glacial and during the early Holocene periods cerrado can be interpreted primarily as
between around 10,170 and 8,560 b.p. Poaceae and of lower annual precipitation and a longe
Cyperaceae pollen grains primarily represent regionally (presumably between 5 and 6 months) and
growing savanna taxa rather than local lake shore frequency of fires.
vegetation, due to the géomorphologie situation of the The increased representation of forest
lake, which is mostly surrounded by steep slopes, extensive forests in the valleys between aro
Curatella americana, a small insect-pollinated cerrado 2,180 b.p. The hills and slopes were still
tree (Lorenzi 1992), was abundant, indicating that campo cerrado, as shown by the presence of Poa
cerrado dominated the hilly landscape of the study region cerrado trees Curatella and Stryphnoden
at that time. The continuous increase of pollen concen- rado vegetation was continuously influence
tration and accumulation may indicate an increase in not as strongly as during the previous period
vegetation cover. Forests were not very extensive and of woody vegetation in the savanna, cerrado
occurred probably primarily as small areas of gallery sense, with an open canopy may also be supp
forests along water courses. The pollen and spore high species richness. The dry season ma
diversity was at its lowest, suggesting that floristic about 5 months, and annual precipitation was
diversity was low during the early Holocene. Cecropia, in the previous period.
which is a fast-growing pioneer tree occurring frequently Between around 2,810 and 600 b.p. the
in more or less open and disturbed vegetation types (Berg the slopes and hilltops probably changed to
1977), increases continuously during the second part of forest, probably cerradäo. Perhaps only th
this period. This reflects the formation of more extensive hills were covered by an open cerrado. The
gallery forests as well as considerable disturbance by fire, fires decreased more or less continuously.
Fire was most frequent during the early Holocene. It is may reflect higher annual rainfall and a sh
suggested that fire was natural in the savanna ecosystem, season, between 4 and 5 months. The higher
due to the highly seasonal climates at that time. Myrtaceae may be a good indication of hi
Amerindians (native Americans) may have occupied rates and shorter annual dry seasons,
southeastern Brazil as early as the end of the late Glacial The very low level of herb pollen suggest
period (Schmitz 1994), but populations were probably semi-deciduous forest in the study region, in
still small during the early Holocene. The reconstructed hills and slopes from around 600 b.p.
palaeovegetation suggests a long dry season of 6 months percentages of pollen grains such as Alchorn
and low annual precipitation, which may have favored the Myrtaceae, Celtis and fem spores show th
high fire frequency in the study region. The low rainforest was not developed in the stud
representation of the alga Pediastrum in zone N-I, and pollen diagram of the Atlantic rainfor
its increasing representation during the following periods southern Brazil (Behling 1995b). Fire was a
suggest that the lake level must have been low during this from the study region. The vegetation is related
early Holocene period. climate, which has a dry season of 4 months and an
Between about 8,560 and 7,560 b.p., the increasing annual precipitation of 1,250 mm. This
importance of the pioneer Cecropia at the beginning of wettest period during the Holocene. Repre
this period, followed by increases of Urticales, Alchornea, very strong human impact by deforesta
Melastomataceae/Combretaceae, Myrtaceae and Celtis, fire, which occurred in the last decades as
suggests that gallery forests expanded into the campo the Lago do Pires core (Behling 19
cerrado. A change in soil moisture and higher water because of missing sediment,
availability is probably the reason for the gallery forest
expansion along the rivers in the Lagoa Nova area. Fires
were markedly less frequent during this wetter period, Conclusion
with a shorter dry season of about 5 months. The
increasing diversity of pollen and spore taxa is probably The pollen and charcoal records fr
related to the increased area of the species-rich gallery indicate the existence of large savanna (c
forests and lower fire frequency. areas in the Atlantic lowlands from around 10,170 to
8,560 b.p., and from around 7,560 to 6,060 b.p. where

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 269

semi-deciduous forests occur today. Fires were frequent References

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still remnants of cerrado on drier hilltops or slopes in the conditions at glacial times in tropical SE Brazil. Quat Res
48:348-358
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Behling H, Bauermann SG, Neves PC (2001) Holocene enviro
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about 2,810 b.p. Changes to wetter climatic conditions are Behling H, Arz HW, Pätzold J, Wefer G (2002) Late Quaternary
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Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 179:227-243
after around 600 b.p., when the entire Lagoa Nova region Behling H, Pillar V, Orlöci L, Bauermann SG (2003) Late
was covered by semi-deciduous forest. Quaternary Araucaria forest, grassland (Campos), fire and
Very wet conditions have also been found in the climate dynamics, studied by high resolution pollen, charcoal
subtropical region of southern Brazil from about and multivariate analysis of the Cambarâ do Sul core in
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