Holocene palaeoenvironmental records from the high-altitude Wular Lake, Western Himalayas

Abstract

We present a comprehensive record of Holocene (11,590–628 cal. yr BP) climate and hydrographic changes around the Wular Lake located in Kashmir Valley, India. Based on the multi-proxy investigations, we have identified three phases of wet climate conditions that prevailed from the commencement of the Holocene Epoch – 9000 cal. yr BP, 8100–6650 cal. yr BP and 6350–5000 cal. yr BP, whereas periods of dry climate were observed during 9000–8100 cal. yr BP, 6650–6350 cal. yr BP and ~5000 to 4000 cal. yr BP. The results also suggested that the lake widened and deepened significantly around 6350–5000 cal. yr BP. The results indicated desiccation and the exposure of the lake margin around 5000–4500 cal. yr BP. The sedimentation rate since 4500–628 cal. yr BP was quite low for detailed paleoclimate interpretations. Oscillations in lake extension and deepening appear to be due to changing intensity of westerly moisture in the region, and we correlate several of the low lake-level phases to the Bond events caused by North Atlantic ice rafting events.