Determining Patterns of Abrupt Climate Change during the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition (LGIT) in the Southern Hemisphere

This proposal will fund the development of a continuous, isotopically-dated paleochironomid and pollen record of deglacial climate fluctuations from lake sediments located in climatically sensitive sites along the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Detailed investigations will be carried out for the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition (LGIT) at Boundary Stream Tarn, Quagmire Tarn, and Kettlehole Bog to establish the sequence of deglacial climate events and to facilitate comparisons with other well-dated northern and southern records. The primary scientific objectives of the project are to determine: 1) the pattern and magnitude of past climate change; 2) whether changes recorded show an in-phase or out-of-phase relationship with the Northern Hemisphere; and 3) whether the Antarctic signature extends into the southwest Pacific region. These results will facilitate differentiation among viable hypotheses concerning abrupt global climate change. Detailed chironomid analysis, interpreted by a newly developed chironomid-temperature transfer function, will be carried out on Quagmire Tarn and Kettlehole Bog LGIT-age sediment and pollen analysis will be conducted on Quagmire Tarn. This project will provide the opportunity for three undergraduate students to conduct independent research. The project will also enhance greater understanding in global paleoclimatology and provide opportunities for collaboration among researchers through the publication of a photographic key to fossil chironomids