Mid-Holocene erosive episodes in tufa deposits from Trabaque Canyon, central Spain, as a result of abrupt arid climate transitions

► We describe a Holocene tufa sequence from Cuenca, Central Spain. ► Five morphostratigraphic units of tufa are divided by four erosive episodes. ► The erosion episodes are related to climate changes during the mid-Holocence. ► Sharp climate transitions towards arid conditions enhanced flood erosion of tufas. ► A clear decrease in precipitation took place from the Early to the Late Holocene.