The Holocene climatic evolution of Mediterranean Italy

A review of the continental geological data

Dados Bibliográficos

ID14915268
AutoresCarlo Giraudi (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, autor correspondente), Michel Magny (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Giovanni Zanchetta (0000-0002-7080-9599, University of Pisa), Russell N Drysdale (0000-0001-7867-031X, University of Newcastle Australia)
Ano2011
Volume21
Fascículo1
Páginas105-115
Data de publicação2011-02-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Holocene (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0959-6836 • E-ISSN: 1477-0911
EditoraSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0959683610377529
OpenAlexW2011870713
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas57
Referências citadas57

We present a synthesis of geological, stratigraphic, geomorphological and stable isotope data collected from continental archives to highlight the environmental and climatic differences between the first and second half of the Holocene of central and southern Italy. The beginning of the Holocene is marked by rapid environmental change. In Mediterranean Italy, between c. 9500 cal. BP and c. 6000—5500 cal. BP, average temperatures were probably higher and environmental conditions were generally stable; between c. 9000 and 7000 cal. BP, meteoric precipitation was at its highest. The end of the wetter period seems to occur later, at c. 6000—5000 cal. BP. Since c. 6000—5000 cal. BP, rapid climatic excursions are apparent in different palaeoclimate proxies, with both variability in meteoric precipitation and temperature evident. Of particular relevance is the event occurring at c. 4200 cal. BP. This event heralds a period of significant environmental change in the Apennines and, more generally, in central Italy. Following this event, environmental variability appears most pronounced and frequent. Some environmental changes during the early Holocene and after 4200 cal. BP seem to be in phase with IRD events in the North Atlantic, which suggest: (1) teleconnections between North Atlantic and Mediterranean areas; and (2) a possible influence of North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation in controlling the advection of moisture over the central Mediterranean basin via westerly air masses. The archives used in this review allow us to consider climate evolution as a driver of most of the observed environmental changes

Archaeology · Climate change · Climatology · El Niño Southern Oscillation · Environmental change · Geography · Holocene · Holocene climatic optimum · Mediterranean Basin · Mediterranean climate · North Atlantic oscillation · Physical geography · Precipitation · Teleconnection · earthquake and tectonic studies · Geological and Geophysical Studies Worldwide · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Geology · Oceanography