Recent 4000 years of climatic trends based on pollen records from lakes and a bog in Taiwan

In this study, pollen records from lakes and bog in Taiwan were used to reconstruct regional climatic trends for the last 4000 years. The study sites included Chitsai and Li-yu Lakes (central Taiwan), Dongyuan Bog and Lake (southern Taiwan), and Sonlou Lake (northeastern Taiwan). The results provide an integrated approach to identify subtle changes during this period, despite local differences and some minor chronological differences. Based on radiocarbon dating, the climatic trends can be summarized as: a relatively prominent cold period, 3870–1920 BP (1920 BC–30 AD) and a period of successive warm/cold fluctuations; a warm period, 1920–1590 BP (30AD–360 AD, corresponding to the Roman Warm Period, RWP); followed by a cooling period 1590–1190 BP (360 AD–760 AD, corresponding to the Migration Period Cooling, MPC); a warm period 1190–650 BP (760 AD–1300 AD, corresponding to Medieval Climate Anomaly, MCA); and a cold period: 650–100? BP (1300 AD–1850? AD, corresponding to the Little Ice Age, LIA). Two cold peaks during the period corresponding to the LIA and relatively less humid conditions during the period corresponding to the MCA were also identified.