Latest Holocene paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate reconstruction from an alpine bog in the Western Mediterranean region: The Borreguil de los Lavaderos de la Reina record (Sierra Nevada)

Several organic and inorganic geochemical analyses have been carried out in the sedimentary record of Borreguil de los Lavaderos la Reina (BdlR-03), an alpine peat bog located on north face Sierra Nevada (southern Iberian Peninsula). This study permitted a high-resolution reconstruction paleoenvironmental evolution for last ~2700 cal yr BP highest mountain range southern Peninsula. An overall trend towards climatic aridification reduction aquatic environments is observed this record. Insolation long-term positive North Atlantic Oscillation trends were most important factors controlling aridification, forcing regional local environmental changes. Four phases are differentiated within BdlR-03: (1) pre-bog environment from 2700 to 2600 with siliciclastic sedimentation low content; (2) presence terrestrial vascular plant, water availability maximum humid conditions between ~2600 ~1870 BP, coinciding Iberian-Roman Humid Period; (3) subsequent drier environment, ~300 during Dark Ages, Medieval Climate Anomaly first stages Little Ice Age, characterized by lower productivity that affected development plants environments; (4) wetland increase algae, ephemeral pools unstable climate present, final Age Modern Global Warming. recent pattern, which opposite general western Mediterranean, likely explained gradual melting perennial ice and/or snow packs at higher elevations centuries. Aeolian inputs would continuously contributed nutrients these nutrient-impoverished environments. High dust especially noticed ~200 years, can be human-induced enhanced commercial agriculture some African regions. In addition, signal century seems significantly human activities.