Reconstruction of climate change during the Holocene in western and central Europe based on pollen records of indicator species

Abstract

On the basis of distribution maps showing the first pollen occurrences in the Holocene of the well-known climate indicators Hedera, Ilex and Viscum as well as data for Corylus, a series of maps have been prepared that show summer and winter isotherms at various time intervals during the Holocene. From these maps climate curves for Amsterdam, the Netherlands have been set out. These were compared with curves for the Eemian at the same site. In both of these warm periods there is evidence for increased seasonality in the early phases which were relatively continental. Changes in insolation could account for such differences. Summer optima occurred earlier than winter optima. Changes in land-sea distribution are important, especially with regard to the patterns in winter climate. During the latter half of the Eemian, the climate was distinctly more oceanic than in the Holocene. Early in the Holocene, an influx of warm ocean water resulted in higher winter temperatures in the Gulf of Biscay, the Irish Sea, and areas east of Skagerrak-Kattegat. Temperature decline after the climatic optimum was greatest in the north, i.e. at 60°N, where a depression in the order of 2°C in summer and 2–3°C in winter occurred. Temperature decline was less farther south, i.e. at ca. 50°N, where a distinct west-east gradient in temperature change can be observed.