Linked fire activity and climate whiplash in California during the early Holocene

This study investigates the relationship between fire activity, vegetation changes, and climate variability in California during the early Holocene using a high-resolution stalagmite record. Elevated levoglucosan concentrations in the stalagmite indicate increased fire activity during the 8.2 kyr event, coinciding with shifts in lignin oxidation products (LOPs) suggesting a transition to more woody vegetation. These changes are linked to increased hydroclimate volatility shown by carbon and calcium isotope proxies. The findings suggest a strong coupling between climate whiplash and fire activity in California during the early Holocene, a relationship projected to intensify with anthropogenic climate change.

Julia Homann, Jessica L Oster, Cameron B de Wet, Sebastian F M Breitenbach, Thorsten Hoffmann