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Cited by 216Fire effects on ecosystemsAmazonian Archaeology and EthnohistoryGeology and Paleoclimatology Research

Impact of a drier Early–Mid-Holocene climate upon Amazonian forests

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Mayle, Francis E, Power, Mitchell J·2008·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
DOI 10.1098/rstb.2007.0019PMC PMC2374889
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Abstract

This paper uses a palaeoecological approach to examine the impact of drier climatic conditions of the Early–Mid-Holocene ( ca 8000–4000 years ago) upon Amazonia's forests and their fire regimes. Palaeovegetation (pollen data) and palaeofire (charcoal) records are synthesized from 20 sites within the present tropical forest biome, and the underlying causes of any emergent patterns or changes are explored by reference to independent palaeoclimate data and present-day patterns of precipitation, forest cover and fire activity across Amazonia. During the Early–Mid-Holocene, Andean cloud forest taxa were replaced by lowland tree taxa as the cloud base rose while lowland ecotonal areas, which are presently covered by evergreen rainforest, were instead dominated by savannahs and/or semi-deciduous dry forests. Elsewhere in the Amazon Basin there is considerable spatial and temporal variation in patterns of vegetation disturbance and fire, which probably reflects the complex heterogeneous patterns in precipitation and seasonality across the basin, and the interactions between climate change, drought- and fire susceptibility of the forests, and Palaeo-Indian land use. Our analysis shows that the forest biome in most parts of Amazonia appears to have been remarkably resilient to climatic conditions significantly drier than those of today, despite widespread evidence of forest burning. Only in ecotonal areas is there evidence of biome replacement in the Holocene. From this palaeoecological perspective, we argue against the Amazon forest ‘dieback’ scenario simulated for the future.

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  • Although palaeorecords suggest that a large-scale Amazon forest collapse did not occur within the past 65 million years, they indicate that savannas expanded locally, particularly in the more seasonal peripheral regions when fires ignited by humans were frequent.

    “Although palaeorecords suggest that a large-scale Amazon forest collapse did not occur within the past 65 million years19, they indicate that savannas expanded locally, particularly in the more seasonal peripheral regions when fires ignited by humans were frequent23,24.”

    From Critical transitions in the Amazon forest system (2024) · cites this paper as [23]

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  • Savannas expanded in peripheral parts of the southern Amazon basin during the LGM and mid-Holocene, as well as in the northeastern Amazon during the early Holocene, probably influenced by drier climatic conditions and fires ignited by humans.

    “Nonetheless, savannas expanded in peripheral parts of the southern Amazon basin during the LGM and mid-Holocene23, as well as in the northeastern Amazon during the early Holocene (around 11,000 years ago), probably influenced by drier climatic conditions and fires ignited by humans24,25.”

    From Critical transitions in the Amazon forest system (2024) · cites this paper as [23]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Mayle, F. E., & Power, M. J.
Affiliations
University of Edinburgh (GB)
Corresponding author
Mayle, Francis E
ORCID
Venue
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Publisher
The Royal Society
Published
2008-02-11
Volume
363
Issue
1498
Pages
1829-1838
ISSN
  • 0962-8436 (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-2970
DOI
10.1098/rstb.2007.0019
PMC
PMC2374889
OpenAlex
W2119228452
Cited by
216
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 19
FWCI
9.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Keywords
Amazon rainforest, drought, fire regimes, paleovegetation, paleofire, pollen record, charcoal records, Andean cloud forest, savannah expansion, forest decline, rainfall variability, forest resilience
MeSH terms
Fires, Paleontology, Rain, Trees, Tropical Climate, Water

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