Holocene fire and vegetation changes in southeastern Brazil as deduced from fossil charcoal and soil carbon isotopes

Carbon isotopes of soil organic matter (SOM) and radiocarbon dating on charcoal from nine soil profiles collected under native forest vegetation in Londrina, state of Parana, Anhembi, Botucatu and Jaguariuna, Sao Paulo and Salitre, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, were used to evaluate the vegetation changes and to establish the chronology. C-13 and C-14 data in SOM and charcoal, respectively, indicate that C-4 plants were the dominant vegetation in Londrina and Jaguariuna during the Late Pleistocene until Middle Holocene, probably associated with the presence of a drier climate. In Anhembi and Botucatu, C-3 plants dominate the landscape during the period. A probable mixture Of C-3 and C-4 plants occurred in Salitre during the Holocene. This study is part of a main research program related to palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of vegetation and climate in distinct regions of Brazil during the last 20,000 years. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.