Abstract
Kumphawapi, which is Thailand’s largest natural freshwater lake, contains a >10,000-year-long climatic and environmental archive. New data sets (stratigraphy, chronology, hydrogen isotopes, plant macrofossil and charcoal records) for two sedimentary sequences are here combined with earlier multi-proxy studies to provide a comprehensive reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes for Northeast Thailand. Gradually higher moisture availability due to a strengthening of the summer monsoon led to the formation of a large shallow lake in the Kumphawapi basin between >10,700 and c. 7000 cal. BP. The marked increase in moisture availability and lower evaporation between c. 7000 and 6400 cal. BP favoured the growth and expansion of vegetation in and around the shallow lake. The increase in biomass led to gradual overgrowing and infilling, to an apparent lake level lowering and to the development of a wetland. Multiple hiatuses are apparent in all investigated sequences between c. 6500 and 1400 cal. BP and are explained by periodic desiccation events of the wetland and erosion due to the subsequent lake level rise. The rise in lake level, which started c. 2000 cal. BP and reached shallower parts c. 1400 cal. BP, is attributed to an increase in effective moisture availability. The timing of hydroclimatic conditions during the past 2000 years cannot be resolved because of chronological limitations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 614-626 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | The Holocene |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 26 Oct 2015 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2016 |
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Keywords
- archaeology
- Holocene
- hydroclimate
- multi-proxy lake sediment study
- plant wax δD
- Thailand
Cite this
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Lake Kumphawapi revisited – The complex climatic and environmental record of a tropical wetland in NE Thailand. / Chawchai, Sakonvan; Yamoah, Kweku Afrifa; Smittenberg, Rienk H.; Kurkela, Janita; Väliranta, Minna; Chabangborn, Akkaneewut; Blaauw, Maarten; Fritz, Sherilyn C.; Reimer, Paula J.; Wohlfarth, Barbara.
In: The Holocene, Vol. 26, No. 4, 04.2016, p. 614-626.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Lake Kumphawapi revisited – The complex climatic and environmental record of a tropical wetland in NE Thailand
AU - Chawchai, Sakonvan
AU - Yamoah, Kweku Afrifa
AU - Smittenberg, Rienk H.
AU - Kurkela, Janita
AU - Väliranta, Minna
AU - Chabangborn, Akkaneewut
AU - Blaauw, Maarten
AU - Fritz, Sherilyn C.
AU - Reimer, Paula J.
AU - Wohlfarth, Barbara
PY - 2016/4
Y1 - 2016/4
N2 - Kumphawapi, which is Thailand’s largest natural freshwater lake, contains a >10,000-year-long climatic and environmental archive. New data sets (stratigraphy, chronology, hydrogen isotopes, plant macrofossil and charcoal records) for two sedimentary sequences are here combined with earlier multi-proxy studies to provide a comprehensive reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes for Northeast Thailand. Gradually higher moisture availability due to a strengthening of the summer monsoon led to the formation of a large shallow lake in the Kumphawapi basin between >10,700 and c. 7000 cal. BP. The marked increase in moisture availability and lower evaporation between c. 7000 and 6400 cal. BP favoured the growth and expansion of vegetation in and around the shallow lake. The increase in biomass led to gradual overgrowing and infilling, to an apparent lake level lowering and to the development of a wetland. Multiple hiatuses are apparent in all investigated sequences between c. 6500 and 1400 cal. BP and are explained by periodic desiccation events of the wetland and erosion due to the subsequent lake level rise. The rise in lake level, which started c. 2000 cal. BP and reached shallower parts c. 1400 cal. BP, is attributed to an increase in effective moisture availability. The timing of hydroclimatic conditions during the past 2000 years cannot be resolved because of chronological limitations.
AB - Kumphawapi, which is Thailand’s largest natural freshwater lake, contains a >10,000-year-long climatic and environmental archive. New data sets (stratigraphy, chronology, hydrogen isotopes, plant macrofossil and charcoal records) for two sedimentary sequences are here combined with earlier multi-proxy studies to provide a comprehensive reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes for Northeast Thailand. Gradually higher moisture availability due to a strengthening of the summer monsoon led to the formation of a large shallow lake in the Kumphawapi basin between >10,700 and c. 7000 cal. BP. The marked increase in moisture availability and lower evaporation between c. 7000 and 6400 cal. BP favoured the growth and expansion of vegetation in and around the shallow lake. The increase in biomass led to gradual overgrowing and infilling, to an apparent lake level lowering and to the development of a wetland. Multiple hiatuses are apparent in all investigated sequences between c. 6500 and 1400 cal. BP and are explained by periodic desiccation events of the wetland and erosion due to the subsequent lake level rise. The rise in lake level, which started c. 2000 cal. BP and reached shallower parts c. 1400 cal. BP, is attributed to an increase in effective moisture availability. The timing of hydroclimatic conditions during the past 2000 years cannot be resolved because of chronological limitations.
KW - archaeology
KW - Holocene
KW - hydroclimate
KW - multi-proxy lake sediment study
KW - plant wax δD
KW - Thailand
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961664663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0959683615612565
DO - 10.1177/0959683615612565
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84961664663
VL - 26
SP - 614
EP - 626
JO - The Holocene
JF - The Holocene
SN - 0959-6836
IS - 4
ER -