Evidence of shift in C4 species range in central Argentina during the late Holocene.

Abstract

Aim: Millennial-scale biogeographic changes are well understood in many parts of the world, but little is known about long-term vegetation dynamics in subtropical regions. Here we investigate shifts in C3/C4 plant abundance occurred in central Argentina during the past few millenniaMethods: We determined present day soil organic matter ??13C signatures of grasslands, shrublands and woodlands, containing different mixtures of C3 and C4 plants. We measured past changes in the relative cover of C3/C4 plants by comparing ??13C values in soil profiles with present day ??13C signatures. We analyzed 14C activity in soil depths that showed major changes in vegetation. Results: Present day relative cover of C3/C4 plants determines whole ecosystem ??13C signatures integrated as litter and superficial soil organic matter (R2 = 0. 78; p < 0. 01). Deeper soils show a consistent shift in ??13C, indicating a continuous replacement of C4 by C3 plants since 3,870 (??210) YBP. During this period, the relative abundance of C3 plants increased 32% (average across sites) with significant changes being observed in all studied ecosystems. Conclusions: Our results show that C4 species were more abundant in the past, but C3 species became dominant during the late Holocene. We identified increases in the relative C3/C4 cover in grasslands, shrublands and woodlands, suggesting a physiological basis for changes in vegetation. The replacement of C4 by C3 plants coincided with changes in climate towards colder and wetter conditions and could represent a climatically driven shift in the C4 species optimum range.