A model of Holocene mangrove development and relative sea-level changes on the Bragança Peninsula (North Brazil

COHEN, MARCELO; SOUZA FILHO, PEDRO WALFIR; LARA, RUBÉN JOSÉ; BEHLING, HERMANN; ANGULLO, RODOLFO JOSÉ

WETLANDS ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

Springer

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2005 p. 433 - 443

0923-4861

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:AdvTimes; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:auto; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0pt; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Based on the integration of geological information, the pollen record, radiocarbon data, and modern mangrove distribution, this paper proposes a model of evolutionary development for mangroves on the Brazilian Braganc¸ a Peninsula driven by relative sea-level changes from the middle to late Holocene. After a postglacial relative sea-level rise (RSL), the mangrove habitats on the Braganca Peninsula began to develop at about 5100 years BP close to the current RSL, originating in the middle of the peninsula. Between 1800 and 1400 years BP, this littoral area underwent a maximum RSL fall of 1 m below the current one, followed by a gradual RSL rise until 1000 years BP, when the modern RSL was reached. Between 5100 and1000 years BP, the RSL of the Braganca coastline was probably never higher than 0.6 m above the presentlevel. The first Holocene mangrove forest (5100 years BP) in this region disappeared from the plains due toRSL fall and was replaced by herbaceous vegetation (Cyperaceae and Poaceae).