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The Late Pleistocene in Amazonia: A Paleoclimatic Approach

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Southern Hemisphere Paleo- and Neoclimates

Abstract

The Amazon rainforest at the time of the last glaciation, during the late Pleistocene, suffered strong changes in its biogeography and landscape. The review of multidisciplinary data (geology, palynology, vertebrate paleontology) permits one to obtain some palaeoenvironmental pictures. The best information that we have about Pleistocene chronology, paleoecology and geology is related to the time before 24 000 yr BP, possibly corresponding to the middle Pleniglacial (isotopes stage 3 and early stage 2). During that period the climate was apparently influenced by high precipitation at the Andes and a continuing change towards dry conditions in the lowlands. The Amazonian rivers were characterized by alluvial sedimentation, associated with the changing climate. The aridity reached its climax during the upper Pleniglacial. The resulting eolian sedimentation extended over parts of the central and north Amazonia. At the same time, the savanna vegetation reached its maximum extension. The trade winds were more intense and dry than today. Beginning at about 14 000 yr BP, the sedimentation in the alluvial belts was influenced by the deglaciation. Probably this sedimentation phase culminated with the marine transgression of the Middle Holocene.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IESA, Laboratory of Geology, Campus Samambaia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil

    Edgardo M. Latrubesse

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  1. Edgardo M. Latrubesse
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Institue, University of Münster, Corrensstr. 24, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Peter Smolka

  2. Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Argentino de Nivolgía, Casilla de Correo 330, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina

    Wolfgang Volkheimer

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Latrubesse, E.M. (2000). The Late Pleistocene in Amazonia: A Paleoclimatic Approach. In: Smolka, P., Volkheimer, W. (eds) Southern Hemisphere Paleo- and Neoclimates. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59694-0_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59694-0_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64089-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59694-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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