A stable carbon isotopic record of climatic change from a tropical mountain ecosystem in Colombia

Abstract

The altitudinal position of the highplain of Bogota at 2550 m elevation renders its unique archive in the lake sediments sensitive to past climatic change. At present the upper forest line lies at 3200 meters, but during glacial time, it descended to around 2000 — 1800 m Above the forest line lies the paramo, a vegetation belt dominated by grasses and shrubs. Palynological studies of a 568-m long core, taken in the centre of this large drained lake, resulted in a pollen record showing changes in climate and vegetation during the last 3. 2 million years. Here we present organic geochemical data from this core Funza II that give new insights into the regional climatic history.