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Post-glacial climate change and its effect on a shallow dimictic lake in Nova Scotia, Canada

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Abstract

A high-resolution, multi-proxy lake sediment record was used to establish the timing of Holocene environmental change in Canoran Lake, southwest Nova Scotia, Canada. Proxies include %C, δ15N, δ13C, HI, magnetic susceptibility, and pollen. Canoran Lake is a small, shallow (11 m) lake with two ephemeral inlets and an outlet. The site was deglaciated at ca. 15,300 cal (calibrated) year BP and elevated %C values indicate the establishment of a productive aquatic environment that is consistent with Allerød warming. The Allerød was interrupted by rapid air temperature cooling during the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,900–11,600 cal year BP). The Early Hypsithermal (ca. 11,600–8,500 cal year BP) was relatively warm and wet. A slight increase in clastic input occurred between 9,100 and 8,500 cal year BP but δ15N, δ13C, and HI values imply that the lithostratigraphic response may not be indicative of climate-induced change. The strong proxy response between 8,500 and 8,000 cal year BP was likely due to cooling and drying coincident with the 8.2 k year event. The climate was relatively warm and dry during the Late Hypsithermal (ca. 8,000–3,500 cal year BP). None of the proxies’ exhibit notable change during the 5,500 cal year BP hemlock decline, indicating that ecological change was likely due to a pathogen attack. Post-Hypsithermal (modern) climate was characterized by an increase in precipitation and a decrease in air temperatures from ca. 3,500 to 700 cal year BP (top of core).

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Acknowledgments

Funding by the Atlantic Centre for Global Change and Ecosystems Research (ACGCER), Iso-Analytical Ltd., the Geological society of America (GSA), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; Ian Spooner) is gratefully acknowledged. This study benefited from insightful comments by John Shaw and Mike Brylinsky. Bryan Martin and Mary Samolczyk were of great assistance with field work. The manuscript was improved substantially by the reviews of E. Levac and an anonymous reviewer.

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  1. Waterline Resources, 531 24 Ave NW, Calgary, AB T2M 1X4, Canada

    Brent Lennox

  2. Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada

    Ian Spooner

  3. NSF-Arizona AMS Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0081, USA

    Timothy Jull

  4. Department of Geological Sciences, Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada

    William P. Patterson

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  1. Brent Lennox
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Correspondence to Ian Spooner.

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Lennox, B., Spooner, I., Jull, T. et al. Post-glacial climate change and its effect on a shallow dimictic lake in Nova Scotia, Canada. J Paleolimnol 43, 15–27 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9310-2

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