Holocene Palynology and Pollen-Based Palaeoclimate Reconstruction of Lake Ercek (Eastern Anatolia); Short-Term Climatic Fluctuations and Their Relation With Global Palaeoclimatic Change; Results of Cores E1 and E10

Abstract

This study is a palynological and stratigraphical investigation of E1 and E10 core samples from the southern part of Lake Ercek (Eastern Anatolia, Turkey). Core samples were taken by a gravity corer from different water depths. Deposits in the core samples include mostly laminated rhythmic sediments, massive and graded layers and a tephra layer from E10 core, representing different time spans because of the faulted ground of the lake. Tentative time scales of the core samples are based on pollen and tephra correlation with Lake Van deposits. According to the palynological investigations, palaeovegetation of Greenlandian is represented by Amaranthaceae-dominant halophytic vegetation and semi-arid palaeoclimate conditions based on pollen analysis around Lake Ercek. The Meghalayan stage is mainly characterized by Poaceae-dominated steppe vegetation and increasing human impact according to anthropogenic pollen indicators. The Meghalayan palaeoclimate of Lake Ercek was more humid than Greenlandian and is represented by maximum deciduous Quercus expansion in recent times around the Lake Ercek area.