The palaeoenvironmental development of the northeastern Vietnamese Mekong River Delta since the mid Holocene

Ulrike Proske*, Till J.J. Hanebuth, Hermann Behling, Lap van Nguyen, Thi Kim Oanh Ta, Bui Phat Diem

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Three radiocarbon-dated sediment cores from the northeastern Vietnamese Mekong River Delta have been analysed with a multiproxy approach (grain size, pollen and spores, macro-charcoal, carbon content) to unravel the palaeoenvironmental history of the region since the mid Holocene. During the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand a diverse, zoned and widespread mangrove belt (dominated by Rhizophora) covered the extended tidal flats. The subsequent regression and coeval delta progradation led to the rapid development of a back-mangrove community dominated by Ceriops and Bruguiera but also represented locally by e.g. Kandelia, Excoecaria and Phoenix. Along rivers this community seems to have endured even when the adjoining floodplain had already shifted to freshwater vegetation. Generally this freshwater vegetation has a strong swamp signature but locally Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae/ Urticaceae and Myrsinaceae are important and mirror the geomorphological diversity of the delta plain. The macro-charcoal record implies that natural burning of vegetation occurred throughout the records, however, the occurrence of the highest amounts of macro-charcoal particles is linked with modern human activity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1257-1268
Number of pages12
JournalHolocene
Volume20
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2010
Externally publishedYes

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