What defines the Holocene?

The Holocene is the name given to the last 11,700 years* of the Earth’s history — the time since the end of the last major glacial epoch, or “ice age.” Since then, there have been small-scale climate shifts — notably the “Little Ice Age” between about 1200 and 1700 A.D. — but in general, the Holocene has been a …

When was the Holocene warm period?

roughly 9,000 to 5,000 years ago BP
The Holocene Climate Optimum (HCO) was a warm period that occurred in the interval roughly 9,000 to 5,000 years ago BP, with a thermal maximum around 8000 years BP.

When did the African Humid Period begin?

about 15,000-14,500 years ago
The humid period began about 15,000-14,500 years ago. The onset of the humid period took place almost simultaneously over all of Northern and Tropical Africa, with impacts as far as Santo Antão on Cape Verde.

What is Holocene warming?

Paleoclimatologists have long suspected that the “middle Holocene,” a period roughly from 7,000 to 5,000 years ago, was warmer than the present day. Terms like the Altithermal or Hypsithermal or Climatic Optimum have all been used to refer to this warm period that marked the middle of the current intergla- cial period.

Why is the Holocene important?

The Holocene corresponds with the rapid proliferation, growth and impacts of the human species worldwide, including all of its written history, technological revolutions, development of major civilizations, and overall significant transition towards urban living in the present.

What created the Holocene?

The Holocene Epoch began 12,000 to 11,500 years ago at the close of the Paleolithic Ice Age and continues through today. As Earth entered a warming trend, the glaciers of the late Paleolithic retreated. Tundra gave way to forest.

What caused Sahara Desert?

The rise in solar radiation amplified the African monsoon, a seasonal wind shift over the region caused by temperature differences between the land and ocean. The increased heat over the Sahara created a low pressure system that ushered moisture from the Atlantic Ocean into the barren desert.

What caused the Sahara to change?

Paleoclimate and archaeological evidence tells us that, 11,000-5,000 years ago, the Earth’s slow orbital ‘wobble’ transformed today’s Sahara desert to a land covered with vegetation and lakes.

What happened Holocene Epoch?

What is Holocene epoch?

This article discusses Holocene Epoch, a term used to indicate the current period of geological time. By definition, “The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present day.” In simple words, Holocene Epoch is the current time we are living in.

What is the climate of the Holocene epoch?

The climate of the Holocene The last glacial maximum (Ice Age) ended about 15 thousand years ago. The most recent glacial retreat is still going on. We call the current period of glacial retreat the Holocene epochand it continues until present.

When did the Holocene start and end?

It began approximately 11,650 cal years before present, after the last glacial period. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene together form the Quaternary period. The Holocene has been identified with the current warm period, known as MIS 1, and is considered by some to be an interglacial period.

What is the age range of the middle Holocene?

It is Holocene ranges in age from 8 to 6 ka BP, while the end of a key reference point in the Greenland GICC05 timescale the Middle Holocene varies between 5 and 2.5 ka BP (Hoguin (Rasmussen et al., 2006; Thomas et al., 2007), and is & Restifo, 2012).