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Holocene History of the Chocó Rain Forest from Laguna Piusbi, Southern Pacific Lowlands of Colombia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Hermann Behling ,
Henry Hooghiemstra  and
Alvaro José Negret
Hermann Behling
Affiliation:
Hugo de Vries Laboratory, Department of Palynology and Paleo/Actuo-ecology, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Henry Hooghiemstra
Affiliation:
Hugo de Vries Laboratory, Department of Palynology and Paleo/Actuo-ecology, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Alvaro José Negret
Affiliation:
Museo De Historia Natural, Universidad del Cauca, Carrera 2a No. 1A-25, Popayán, Colombia
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Abstract

A high-resolution pollen record from a 5-m-long sediment core from the closed-lake basin Laguna Piusbi in the southern Colombian Pacific lowlands of Chocó, dated by 11 AMS14C dates that range from ca. 7670 to 22014C yr B.P., represents the first Holocene record from the Chocó rain forest area. The interval between 7600 and 610014C yr B.P. (500–265 cm), composed of sandy clays that accumulated during the initial phase of lake formation, is almost barren of pollen. Fungal spores and the presence of herbs and disturbance taxa suggest the basin was at least temporarily inundated and the vegetation was open. The closed lake basin might have formed during an earthquake, probably about 440014C yr B.P. From the interval of about 600014C yr B.P. onwards, 200 different pollen and spore types were identified in the core, illustrating a diverse floristic composition of the local rain forest. Main taxa are Moraceae/Urticaceae, Cecropia,Melastomataceae/Combretaceae, Acalypha, Alchornea,Fabaceae, Mimosa, Piper, Protium, Sloanea, Euterpe/Geonoma, Socratea,and Wettinia.Little change took place during that time interval. Compared to the pollen records from the rain forests of the Colombian Amazon basin and adjacent savannas, the Chocó rain forest ecosystem has been very stable during the late Holocene. Paleoindians probably lived there at least since 346014C yr B.P. Evidence of agricultural activity, shown by cultivation of Zea maissurrounding the lake, spans the last 1710 yr. Past and present very moist climate and little human influence are important factors in maintaining the stable ecosystem and high biodiversity of the Chocó rain forest.

Keywords

pollen analysisHolocenetropical rain forestpaleovegetationpaleoclimatepaleoindianChocóPacific lowlandsColombia
Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 50 , Issue 3 , November 1998 , pp. 300 - 308
Copyright
University of Washington

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