Deglacial and postglacial vegetation changes on the eastern slopes of the central Patagonian Andes (47°S)

We report pollen, spore, and charcoal records from Lago Augusta (47°05′S, 72°23′W, 440 m a.s.l.), a small closed-basin lake located near the modern forest-steppe ecotone east of the Andes in Central Patagonia, Chile. The record shows local ice-free conditions through the last glacial termination in the Río Chacabuco Valley and flooding by an ice-dammed lake. Once this proglacial lake ceased to inundate areas above 450 m a.s.l., the valley was colonized by herbs, shrubs and evergreen rainforest taxa between 15,600 and 16,000 cal yr BP, indicating an open landscape under cold/wet conditions. Millennial-scale fluctuations in the hygrophilous conifer Fitzroya/Pilgerodendron suggest precipitation variations within a cool/wet climate between 11,800 and 13,400 cal yr BP, followed by the establishment of dense Nothofagus forests between 9800 and 11,800 cal yr BP and declines in hygrophilous and cold-resistant trees, herbs and shrubs. This interval coincided with peak fire activity and laminated carbonate deposition. Nothofagus forests have persisted with little variation since 9800 cal yr BP, except for a sudden decline associated with a rapid increase in Rumex cf. acetosella, an exotic weed introduced by Europeans. Our results and interpretations are best explained by changes in the strength/position of the southern westerly winds at millennial and multi-millennial timescales since the last glaciation. Contrary to previous interpretations, we propose increased precipitation of westerly origin in the Andean sector of central-east Patagonia between 11,800 and 16,000 cal yr BP followed by a decline between 9800 and 11,800 cal yr BP and an increase thereafter. These trends are coherent with variations of the southern westerly winds identified in other terrestrial mid-latitude records, suggesting zonally symmetric changes in atmospheric circulation since the last glaciation.

► We present a 16,000-yr long vegetation and climate record from central Patagonia.
► The record suggests variations in Westerly wind strength at multi-millennial scale.
► Peak precipitation of westerly origin occurred during deglaciation (16–11.8 kyr BP).
► A precipitation minimum and peak fire activity took place between 11.8 and 9.8 kyr BP.
► Our results suggest zonally symmetric changes in westerly activity since last termination.