15 Terrestrial records of hydroclimate variability from the Pleistocene through the Common Era

Landscapes respond to climatic variability, extreme hydrologic events, and long-term environmental change, informing water resource management. We invite terrestrial proxies of hydroclimate from perspectives in paleoclimatology, geomorphology, or hydrology. Submissions from early-career scientists are encouraged.

Monday, 9 March 2026
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
RCC, 105

A Preliminary Overview of Palynology-based Hydroclimate Variability during the Holocene in Kentucky

Paper number: 15-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:35 PM – 1:50 PM

Authors

Abstract

Paleoclimate reconstructions for the Holocene of Kentucky are very sparse, consisting of three published and four unpublished studies to date. None of these studies used quantitative methods to reconstruct paleoclimate and none examined hydroclimate variability through time. Flood frequency and intensity in Kentucky has increased in recent decades and may driven by changes in hydroclimate. It is completely unknown if similar changes occurred in the past. Kentucky is currently focused on addressing flooding and flood-related landslide hazards using a multipronged approach, one of which is construction of enhanced flood frequency models that use not only historical rainfall and flood data but also incorporate new statewide hydroclimate and flood frequency paleorecords. As a first step in generating the needed paleorecords, past hydroclimates over the last 11,400 years were reconstructed for Kentucky using CRESTr for plant palynomorphs and separately for fungal palynomorphs known from six sites: Jackson Pond, Big Bone Lick, Avery Lake, Big Brushy Creek, Boudreaux Bend Beds (North Fork of Triplett Creek), and Flat Fork of Tygart Creek. The plant palynomorph signal from these sites reveals that late spring-early summer wet and late summer-early fall dry periods within an overall ever-wet hydroclimate regime were present in past warm periods, such as the medieval warm period. The fungal palynomorph signal is comparable where open-canopy forests and grasslands were present, and indicative of wetter and cooler conditions where closed-canopy forests are present.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411868

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