Holocene vegetation and climate of Baja California Sur, Mexico

Abstract

Research has emphasized pollen and radiocarbon analyses of core samples from coastal mangroves and lagoons and two upland wetlands and dating of raised marine terraces. Mangroves north of La Paz are underlain by up to 4.25 m of peat and lagoonal sediments, deposited over a mid-Wisconsinan coral platform (ca. 25,000 yr BP). Pollen spectra show red mangrove and NAP dominance and suggest relative sea-level rise 9,000 years ago. Significant increases in thorn forest, red and white mangrove, grass and cheno-ams take place after 8,000 yr BP. A progradational event around 4,000 yr BP may be the result of crustal uplift. Subsequently, increases in white and black mangroves and NAP, and decreases in red mangrove suggest development of paludal conditions... In order to continue, download full text in PDF.