A multi-proxy paleolimnological reconstruction of Holocene climate conditions in the Great Basin, United States

TitleA multi-proxy paleolimnological reconstruction of Holocene climate conditions in the Great Basin, United States
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsReinemann, SA, Porinchu, DF, Bloom, AM, Mark, BG, Box, JE
JournalQuaternary Research
Volume72
Issue3
Pagination347-358
ISSN0033-5894
Abstract

A sediment core spanning ~†7000†cal yr BP recovered from Stella Lake, a small sub-alpine lake located in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, was analyzed for subfossil chironomids (non-biting midges), diatoms, and organic content (estimated by loss-on-ignition (LOI)). Subfossil chironomid analysis indicates that Stella Lake was characterized by a warm, middle Holocene, followed by a cool "Neoglacial" period, with the last two millennia characterized by a return to warmer conditions. Throughout the majority of the core the Stella Lake diatom-community composition is dominated by small, periphytic taxa which are suggestive of shallow, cool, alkaline, oligotrophic waters with extensive seasonal ice cover. A reconstruction of mean July air temperature (MJAT) was developed by applying a midge-based inference model for MJAT (two-component WA-PLS) consisting of 79 lakes and 54 midge taxa (rjack2†=†0.55, RMSEP†=†0.9∞C). Comparison of the chironomid-inferred temperature record to existing regional paleoclimate reconstructions suggests that the midge-inferred temperatures correspond well to regional patterns. This multi-proxy record provides valuable insight into regional Holocene climate and environmental conditions by providing a quantitative reconstruction of peak Holocene warmth and aquatic ecosystem response to these changes in the Great Basin, a region projected to experience increased aridity and higher temperatures.

DOI10.1016/j.yqres.2009.06.003