Resumen de Determining the relationships between fluvial activity and climatic variability during the Holocene in Spain
Varyl R. Thorndycraft, Gerardo Benito Ferrández
A database of radiocarbon dates from Holocene fluvial environments in Spain has been compiled.The dates have been classified according to the different types of depositional environments andensembles from which the samples were collected. The sampling locations have been categorisedaccording to geographical region, elevation and drainage basin area. The results of the analysisindicate a number of phases of increased fluvial activity: II ,280-10,230 cal. BP; 9565-8785 cal.BP; 7975-7090 cal.BP; 5740-4135 cal. BP; 3880-3085 cal. BP; 2895-1820 cal. BP; and 1300-0 cal.BP. A review of the radiocarbon dating evidence combined with palynological data of Holocenevegetation changes indicate that increased fluvial activity and geomorphic effectiveness coincidewith periods with a more open landscape indicating the importance of sediment supply in the formation of the depositional landforms. Detailed analysis of the record has enabled the relative forcing of climatic variability and anthropogenic impacts to be determined. The major climaticperturbations of the Holocene that are recorded in the fluvial record are the 8200 BP, 2650 BP andLittle Ice Age periods of climatic deterioration, with increased flood frequency also related to theMedieval Warm Period.
