We describe a new pollen and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) record with subcentennial to centennial resolution from a well-dated sediment core (D13882) obtained from the Atlantic margin of the southwest Iberian Peninsula. The core provides new insights into the dynamics of five ecological pollen-based groups (temperate forests, Mediterranean forests, pinewoods, heathlands and steppe) since the Late Pleistocene (last 13260 cal yr BP). The record shows that the Early Holocene was marked by an increase of temperate and Mediterranean taxa, accompanied by a reduction of steppic plants, reflecting warm and relatively moist conditions when compared with the previous Younger Dryas episode. The timing of this Temperate and Mediterranean Forest (TMF) maximum which reflects optimum conditions of temperature and precipitation is regionally specific, as detected through a comparison of three marine cores across the Iberian Peninsula. Maximum TMF development occurs between 9760 and 7360 cal yr BP in D13882 whereas at a site to the northwest (MD03-2697), the maximum occurs some centuries earlier, and at a southeast site (MD95-2043), the maximum is evident later. The duration of the forest maximum is also progressively longer from northwest to southwest to southeast. A transition from forested ecosystems to heathland over western Iberia characterises the Middle Holocene, starting from around 7360 cal yr BP in D13882, suggesting reduced seasonality and a more Atlantic climate character with moisture evenly available through the year. This contrasts with the aridity recorded in southeast Iberian sites and reflects a stable precipitation gradient between the wetter west and drier east of the Iberian Peninsula. Against this backdrop, pinewoods had a continuous presence, albeit with a trend of steady decline through the Holocene. The time-transgressive pattern in the TMF maximum is best explained by a less favourable moisture balance in the drier southeast sector, which was particularly important during the Early Holocene. Despite the relatively short duration of the Holocene interglacial (one half precession cycle), our observations support a key role for orbital forcing in the temporal expression of major vegetation groups, specifically the decline in summer insolation and the precession-related passage of perihelion season from summer to winter.

Abstract. The Mediterranean region is a climate hot spot, sensitive not only to global warming but also to water availability. In this work we document major temperature and precipitation changes in the Iberian Peninsula and margin during the last 2000 years and propose an interplay of the North Atlantic internal variability with the three atmospheric circulation modes (ACMs), (North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), east atlantic (EA) and Scandinavia (SCAND)) to explain the detected climate variability.We present reconstructions of sea surface temperature (SST derived from alkenones) and on-land precipitation (estimated from higher plant n-alkanes and pollen data) in sedimentary sequences recovered along the Iberian Margin between the south of Portugal (Algarve) and the northwest of Spain (Galiza) (36 to 42 • N).A clear long-term cooling trend, from 0 CE to the

Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a useful indicator in managing agricultural systems, but tools for convenient and inexpensive measurements in the field are generally lacking. Handheld conductivity probes were designed to evaluate in-field naturally occurring and human-induced total soluble electrolyte levels in soil and water. The probes were used to survey and monitor EC in the field and to assess soil and water quality as related to environmental stability and sustainable food production. A pencil-sized 16-cm probe (PP) was connected to a handheld Hanna (DiST WP 4) conductivity meter, resulting in an economical, compact, and easy to use device. The tool provided accurate and precise results compared with laboratory instrumentation under standardized conditions of soil water content and temperature. Soil samples, varying widely in texture and organic matter content, and having ECs ranging from 0.13 to 2.32 dS m 21 were used for comparison. Mean values and coefficients of variation were similar for the PP and the commercial laboratory EC meter with values determined with the two instruments being strongly correlated (r 2 ¼ 0.96-0.99). The handheld and PP probes effectively replaced expensive and cumbersome laboratory and field instruments used to measure EC in water and soil samples. The 2271 probe measurements were useful alternatives to conventional methods as they enabled accurate and precise measurement of EC, were a manageable size for field use, and were reliable and economic. The utility of EC as an indicator of soil health, plantavailable N, and environmental quality is also presented.

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