Continuous pollen diagrams for the last 3.5 m.y. from Israel: Vegetation, climate and correlation with the oxygen isotope record

doi:10.1016/0031-0182(89)90132-6

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Volume 72, 1989, Pages 63-78

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-0182(89)90132-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

Several continuous pollen diagrams have been obtained from boreholes penetrating the entire Quaternary sequences of the Hula and Dead Sea lakes in the Jordan Rift Valley, Israel. The Dead Sea served as a terminal base level through this period, thus ensuring a complete, continuous deposition. Volcanic intercalations within the Hula lake sediments permit some control of the absolute datings.

A paleoclimatic model for the last 150 k.y., based on better dated sequences, serves as a basis for correlating the Israeli sections with the oxygen isotope records known from the oceans and the Mediterranean. The glacial phases are manifested in Israel by periods of somewhat lower temperatures and higher rainfall, some in summertime; the interglacials are hot and dry, with Saharan conditions prevailing; the interstadials are of the present-day character of a short, rainy winter and a dry, hot, long summer.

The first major cooling of the Quaternary in Israel took place some 2.4-2.6 m.y. ago, followed by a series of alternating wetter and drier phases corresponding quite well to changes in the global ice volume expressed by the oxygen isotope curves. It seems however that some successions of the glacial phases are grouped in Israel into longer wetter periods, with the interglacials manifested as interstadials. A similar case is seen for some of the interglacials successions, with glacial phases as interstadials.

A possible explanation for the difference between the continental and the ocean records may lie in the distribution of the global ice volume. Differences in the accumulations of ice at the Arctic and Antarctic regions during some of the glacial phases could explain the extent of a glacial period on land while not being apparent from the oxygen isotope records, and vice versa for the interglacials. Thus a well-developed ice cap on Antarctica may cause only a minor glaciation in the northern hemisphere, but be recorded as a full glacial in the oceans.

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On the ecological scenario of the first hominin dispersal out of Africa
2022, Anthropologie (France)
Citation Excerpt :
They explain this apparent climatic contradiction by arguing that “while the spread of the ice caps usually involved increased aridness in the inter-tropical areas and the spread of arid zones, in the Levant Corridor the effects may have been the opposite, resulting in increased rainfall and the development of temperate forests”. However, it is worth noting that in his analysis of the pollen spectra obtained by Horowitz (1989), Dennell (2009: p. 70) indicates that “pollen counts are biased towards woodland species, because they produce more pollen and because their pollen is more easily transported by wind than that of desert plants; arid conditions dominated by sparse nonarboreal pollen will thus be underrepresented”. Moreover, Dennell (2009: p. 72) raises serious concerns over the paleoclimatic inferences drawn by Horowitz (1989), particularly on “whether wet, or pluvial, periods (defined by high frequencies of tree pollen) corresponded to high-latitude glaciations”.
The archaeopaleontological site of Dmanisi in Georgia, dated to ∼1.8 Ma, provides evidence on the first hominin dispersal out of Africa, while the sites of Barranco León and Fuente Nueva-3 in Spain, dated to ∼1.4 Ma, record the earliest hominin settlements in Europe. However, a number of issues related to the dispersal route, the climatic conditions and the ecological scenario of this dispersal event are subject to debate. In a recent paper in L’anthropologie, Agustí and Lordkipanidze (2019) proposed an alternative scenario for the arrival of hominins in the Caucasus, which they conceived as a forest refugium area during the Early Pleistocene, and discarded that their dispersal coincided with that of other members of the Ethiopian and Asian faunas, like the sabertooth Megantereon whitei or the giant hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris. Our review of these issues suggests that: (i) the elongated sabers and reduced postcanine teeth of African M. whitei limited the ability of this predator to process the prey carcass, which resulted in scavengeable resources for the Dmanisi hominins; (ii) the mass estimate in excess of 100 kg obtained for the trochlear perimeter of the distal humerus of the hyena from Dmanisi shows that it can be confidently ascribed to the genus Pachycrocuta; (iii) the postcranial anatomy of the Dmanisi hominins was not advantageous for scavenging tree-stored prey; (iv) the laterally flattened upper canines of M. whitei could not withstand the loads that would result from climbing a prey carcass into a tree; (v) paleobotanical analyses suggest a temperate grassland ecosystem in Dmanisi, not dominant forest conditions, with enhanced aridity in the level of hominin occupation; (vi) similarly, the low frequency of arboreal pollen in the Levantine Corridor at ∼1.8 Ma points to more arid conditions than today in this area; (vii) many archaeopaleontological sites of the Rift Valley and its extension towards the Red Sea, the Levant and the Caucasus show evidence of tectonic, volcanic and/or hydrothermal events; and (viii) the delay of 400 ka in the arrival of hominins in Western Europe did not result from a lower availability of scavengeable resources.
Le site archéopaléontologique de Dmanisi en Géorgie, daté de ∼1,8 Ma, fournit des preuves de la première dispersion d’hominidés hors d’Afrique, tandis que les sites de Barranco León et de Fuente Nueva-3 en Espagne, datés de ∼1,4 Ma, témoignent des premières implantations en Europe. Cependant, un certain nombre de questions liées à l’itinéraire de dispersion, aux conditions climatiques et au scénario écologique de cet événement de dispersion sont sujettes à débat. Dans un article récent de L’anthropologie, Agustí et Lordkipanidze (2019) proposent un scénario alternatif pour l’arrivée des hominidés dans le Caucase, qu’ils conçoivent comme une zone forestière de refuge au Pléistocène inférieur, et écartent que leur dispersion soit liée à celle d’autres membres des faunes éthiopienne et asiatique, comme le Megantereon whitei à dents de sabre ou l’hyène géante Pachycrocuta brevirostris. Notre examen de ces questions le suggère : (i) les dents de sabres allongées et les dents postcanines réduites du M. whitei africain ont limité la capacité de ce prédateur à traiter la carcasse de sa proie, ce qui a permis aux hominidés de Dmanisi de disposer de ressources plus importantes ; (ii) l’estimation de la masse supérieure à 100 kg obtenue pour le périmètre trochléaire de l’humérus distal de la hyène de Dmanisi montre qu’elle peut être attribuée avec certitude au genre Pachycrocuta ; (iii) l’anatomie post-crânienne des hominines de Dmanisi n’était pas avantageuse pour la récupération des proies stockées dans les arbres ; (iv) les canines supérieures allongées et latéralement aplaties de M. whitei ne pouvaient pas supporter les charges qui résulteraient de la montée d’une carcasse dans un arbre ; (v) les analyses paléobotaniques suggèrent un écosystème de prairie tempérée à Dmanisi, et non des conditions forestières dominantes, avec une aridité accrue du niveau d’occupation des hominines ; (vi) de même, la faible fréquence du pollen arboricole dans le corridor levantin à ∼1,8 Ma indique des conditions plus arides qu’aujourd’hui dans cette région ; (vii) de nombreux sites archéopaléontologiques de la vallée du Rift et de son extension vers la mer Rouge, le Levant et le Caucase montrent des preuves d’événements tectoniques, volcaniques et/ou hydrothermaux ; et (viii) le retard de 400 ka dans l’arrivée des hominines en Europe occidentale ne résulte pas d’une moindre disponibilité des ressources exploitables.
Palaeoecological and biostratigraphical implications of the microvertebrates of Qesem Cave in Israel
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Microvertebrates are generally well suited for drawing inferences on past environmental conditions because they are closely bound to the areas in which they lived. In this paper, we discuss palaeoecological implications of two microvertebrate concentrations in the Middle Pleistocene site Qesem Cave in Israel. The ecological preferences of the nearest living relatives of the microvertebrate taxa recorded in Concentration 1 (squares L–N/13–15) and 2 (squares G-H/16–17) at Qesem Cave allow us to infer a mosaic of open palaeoenvironment with sparse vegetation, shrubland, Mediterranean Forest, rocky areas and riverbanks. Additionally, we infer palaeoclimate from the bioclimatic distribution of extant species using the Coexistence Approach. To our knowledge, this is the first time the approach has been applied to microfaunal assemblages. These data suggest cooler and slightly drier winters and somewhat lower seasonality than at present around Qesem Cave; the differences are more pronounced for the time covered by Concentration 2 than Concentration 1.
Among microvertebrates, micromammals are most suitable for biostratigraphic purposes. With the exception of Rattus cf. haasi and the Myomimus judaicus/setzeri group, the small mammal fauna of Qesem Cave comprises only taxa that live today in the Levant. R. haasi and M. judaicus have been found in Israel in the Early and Middle Pleistocene, and their latest known record was from the Acheulian site of Oumm Qatafa. Their presence in Qesem Cave extends the previously known stratigraphic range of these species. The absence of R. haasi in Mousterian sites is thus consistent with the pre-Mousterian age of Qesem Cave. Morphometric data on molars of Guenther's Vole show that the lineage segment preserved in Concentration 2 is more primitive than in Concentration 1, indicating that the former concentration is older. The evolutionary level of the sample from Qesem Concentration 1 is similar to Tabun D (boundary of Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex and Mousterian), and that from Qesem Concentration 2 similar to Tabun Eb (Acheulo-Yabrudian).
Hominin reactions to herbivore distribution in the lower palaeolithic of the southern levant
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We explore the relationship between the edaphic potential of soils and the mineral properties of the underlying geology as a means of mapping the differential productivity of different areas of the Pleistocene landscape for large herbivores. These factors strongly control the health of grazing animals irrespective of the particular types of vegetation growing on them, but they have generally been neglected in palaeoanthropological studies in favour of a more general emphasis on water and vegetation, which provide an incomplete picture. Taking the Carmel–Galilee–Golan region as an example, we show how an understanding of edaphic potential provides insight into how animals might have exploited the environment. In order to simplify the analysis, we concentrate on the Lower Palaeolithic period and the very large animals that dominate the archaeofaunal assemblages of this period. Topography and the ability of soils to retain water also contribute to the differential productivity and accessibility of different regions and to patterns of seasonal movements of the animals, which are essential to ensure a supply of healthy fodder throughout the year, especially for large animals such as elephants, which require substantial regions of good grazing and browsing. Other animals migrating in groups have similar needs. The complex topography of the Southern Levant with frequent sudden and severe changes in gradient, and a wide variety of landforms including rocky outcrops, cliffs, gorges, and ridges, places major limits on these patterns of seasonal movements. We develop methods of mapping these variables, based on the geology and our substantial field experience, in order to create a framework of landscape variation that can be compared with the locations and contents of archaeological sites to suggest ways in which early hominins used the variable features of the landscape to target animal prey, and extend the analysis to the consideration of smaller mammals that were exploited more intensively after the disappearance of the elephants. We consider some of the ways in which this regional-scale approach can be further tested and refined, and advocate the development of such studies as an essential contribution to understanding the wider pattern of hominin dispersal.
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Currently, carbon deep geological storage is one of the most accepted methods for CO₂ sequestration, being the long-term behaviour assessment of these artificial systems absolutely essential to guarantee the safety of the CO₂ storage. In this sense, hydrogeochemical modelling is being used for evaluating any artificial CO₂ deep geological storage as a potential CO₂ sinkhole and to assess the leakage processes that are usually associated with these engineered systems. Carbonate precipitation, as travertines or speleothems, is a common feature in the CO₂ leakage scenarios and, therefore, is of the utmost importance to quantify the total C content trapped as a stable mineral phase in these carbonate formations.
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The proposed methodology has allowed estimating the amount of C trapped as calcite, as more than 1.7 Mt. This last parameter, focussed on an artificial CO₂ deep geological storage, is essential for hydrogeochemical modellers when evaluating whether CO₂ storages constitute or not CO₂ sinkholes. This finding is extremely important when assessing the long-term behaviour and safety of any artificial CO₂ deep geological storage.
Palynological investigations at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Nahal Mahanayeem Outlet, Israel
2014, Quaternary International
A detailed palynological sequence of the late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) open-air site Nahal Mahanayeem Outlet (NMO), northern Jordan Rift Valley, Israel, dated to ca. 65–51 ka, constitutes a rare case of a south Levantine archaeo-palynological study for this period. The sequence is characterized by relatively high Arboreal Pollen (AP) ratios, comparable to humid fluctuations in the near-by Hula cores. The pollen spectra represent a Mediterranean maquis with Quercus calliprinos (Palestine oak), Quercus ithaburensis (Mt. Tabor oak), Pistacia sp. (pistachio), Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine), and Olea europaea (wild olive) as the main tree taxa. Among the Non Arboreal Pollen (NAP) the dominant families are Poaceae (true grasses family), Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family), Apiaceae (parsley family) and Liliaceae (lily family), and the genera Artemisia (sagebrush) and Centaurea (centaury). Two humid fluctuations with higher AP ratios, separated by a somewhat drier one, seem to emerge. The earlier humid fluctuation represents a cooler climate as indicated by the occurrence of Cedrus libani (Lebanon cedar), Abies (fir), and Alnus (alder) pollen. Altogether, the palynological data suggest wet habitats near the site in a rather humid period, when a Mediterranean maquis was widespread on the mountains surrounding the valley, with some minor fluctuations in humidity and temperature. Results of the current study fit those of a previous study of the Hula Basin for roughly the same time period. They further provide valuable details and a unique palaeoenvironmental reconstruction specifically related to the occupation period of NMO. Given the postulated short-term nature of its human occupation, the palynological sequence may represent a longer period of accumulation, extending before, during and after human presence at the site, with short human habitation spell/s incorporated within the sequence. The unique preservation of rich and diverse micro-botanical (pollen) and macro-botanical (wood, bark, seeds and fruits) assemblages at the site further contributes to the comprehensive reconstruction of a variety of biotopes exploited by the inhabitants of the site, both in the vicinity and further afield.
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The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was the coldest period during the previous 20,000 years. There have been different points of views on steppe distribution during the LGM period in southern China, partly due to the different interpretations of Artemisia occurrences. To make a reliable interpretation of the pollen fossil Artemisia, the modern distribution of Artemisia species and the relationship of pollen with climate and vegetation over a large spatial scale in China was thoroughly analyzed. Information about Artemisia species and pollen distributions used in this paper were collected from published works completed by other researchers as well as ourselves. The southern limit of steppe vegetation during the LGM period was interpreted from the published contour map of Artemisia pollen percentages during the LGM. Artemisia species in China are mostly distributed either in the horizontally distributed steppe regions or in the vertically distributed desert-steppe in the desert region, which indicates a cold and dry climate. The steppe is a distribution center of Artemisia pollen. Fractions of Artemisia in surface pollen assemblages are lower in both the desert and the temperate forest. Neither high Artemisia species cover nor high percentages of Artemisia pollen were found in the coast areas of China. Twenty-five percent of Artemisia pollen in sediments might indicate a local occurrence of steppe vegetation. Percentages of Artemisia pollen in the subtropical and tropical forest are less than 10%. A close relationship between Artemisia pollen and temperate steppe in China is demonstrated. The southern edge of the steppe vegetation during the LGM might be along the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Our results support the hypothesis that the isolated high fraction of Artemisia pollen along the northern edge of the South China Sea was transported from a large source area.

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Continuous pollen diagrams for the last 3.5 m.y. from Israel: Vegetation, climate and correlation with the oxygen isotope record

Abstract

Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol.

Quat. Res.

Quat. Res.

Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol.

Tule lake, California: a 3.0 m.y. core record from the northwestern basin and range province

Quaternary chronology, paleoclimate, depositional sequences, and eustatic cycles

Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull.

Le sondage Misedor — etude palynologique

Etud. Géogr. Trop.

Ecology and late Quaternary history of the Kurdo-Zagrosian oak forest near Lake Zeribar, western Iran

Vegetatio

Global correlation on the paleoclimatic changes between Lake Biwa sedimentary evidence and other marine and terrestrial records

Paleoclimate of the Brunhes: correlation of continuous pollen diagrams from Japan and Israel with the ocean oxygen isotope record

Climatic variations in the eastern Mediterranean sea area

Naturwissenschaft

Petrography of the loess in the Be'er Sheva Basin

Upper Pleistocene geology of the Avdat/Aqev area

Development of the Hula Basin, Israel

Israel J. Earth Sci.

Climatic changes — atmospheric reaction to astronomic and geotectonic processes

The Quaternary of Israel

Subsurface palynostratigraphy and paleoclimates of the Quaternary Jordan Rift Valley fill, Israel

Israel J. Earth Sci.