Holocene treeline in the northern Andes (Ecuador): new evidence from soil charcoals

Soil charcoals represent a record for palaeoecological studies. For the first time pedoanthracology is applied to northern Andes of Ecuador to study the Holocene treeline. The first results show that the upper treeline was lower than today in the late Pleistocene and in the Middle Holocene. A wide amount of charcoals dated ca. 13000 cal. yr. BP could be caused by fires linked to the first presence of man at these altitudes.

Soil charcoals as proxies of past vegetation on high northern Andes (Ecuador).