Early–middle Holocene relative sea-level oscillation events recorded in a submerged speleothem from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

Geomorphological and biological archives of relative sea-level change in the western North Atlantic-Caribbean region following the Last Glacial Maximum have traditionally supported the hypothesis of a punctuated rise towards the present sea level. Such records, however, are often at insufficient resolution to discern centennial-scale changes. In caves where the water table is closely controlled by sea level, active periods of speleothem growth constraining maximum sea level, used in combination with marine overgrowths constraining minimum sea level, are a promising alternative archive recording sea-level variability at higher resolution. Here, we present a U-Th-dated early–middle Holocene speleothem record from a submerged cave on the tectonically stable Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Our record shows that polychaetes (Annelida, Polychaeta) colonised a sub-aerially deposited stalagmite during four individual submergence events. Submergence events occurred at approximately 8.9, 8.6, 8.4 and 6.0 ka, which we attribute to previously unrecognised minor sea-level oscillation events (OE1–OE4) above and below −6.12 ± 0.1 m relative to present sea level (r.s.l.). Combining these results with mangrove-derived relative sea-level constraints from another submerged cave on the Yucatán Peninsula, we are able to suggest that OE1 and OE2 did not reach as high as −5.26 m r.s.l., but that OE3 and OE4 exceeded −5.22 m r.s.l. We conclude that subsidence of the North American ice-load bulge was the main cause of relative sea-level rise. Superimposed on the glacio-isostatic adjustment were periods of widespread northern hemisphere cooling and ice margin re-advance, resulting in a relative sea-level fall on four occasions during the early–middle Holocene.

The Chan Hol cave near Tulum (Quintana Roo, Mexico): evidence for long‐lasting human presence during the early to middle Holocene

“…). These data agree with global and regional sea level curves (Coke et al ., ; Waelbroeck et al ., ; Muhs et al ., ; Grant et al ., ; Moseley et al ., ; Khan et al ., ).…”

The earliest settlers of Mesoamerica date back to the late Pleistocene

“…The Tulum submerged cave system developed in almost horizontally layered, thick-bedded, shallow-water carbonate bedrock of Neogene ages [ 28 , 29 ] and is the result of intensive karstification during the Pleistocene [ 30 ], caused by a series of sea-level oscillations and changes in the overall hydrology of the area. During Pleistocene stadials, sea-level was more than 100 m below the recent level [ 31 , 32 ], thus leaving large parts of the cave system dry and accessible. In contrast, during interstadials of the Pleistocene and the early Holocene, between 13 and 7.6 ky BP [ 33 ], the karst labyrinth was flooded preserving both archaeological and climate archives.…”

New evidence for an early settlement of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico: The Chan Hol 3 woman and her meaning for the Peopling of the Americas

“…The Tulum submerged cave system on the northeastern YP in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, is among the most extensive active underwater cave systems worldwide, with a presumed total length of 7,000 km, but only 1,500 km have currently been explored [10]. Karst developed in almost horizontally layered, thick-bedded, shallow-water carbonate bedrock of Neogene ages and is the result of intensive development during the Pleistocene, caused by a series of sea-level oscillations and changes in the overall hydrology of the area [11,12]. Sea-level rise on grant DFG-INST 35_1143-1 FUGG.…”

“…the YP was predominantly controlled by eustasy, as the peninsula has been tectonically stable in the recent past and glacial isostatic adjustments are negligible in this tropical area [12][13][14].…”

“…The discovery of a well-preserved Paleoindian skull of a young girl from the submerged Hoyo Negro (Black Hole) sinkhole ( Fig 1A) has received special interest. The individual was 14 C-dated to 10,976±20 y BP (12,750 cal y BP; 95.4% probability using CalPal) by Chatters et al [1] based on bioapatite from tooth enamel. Previously, a similar 14 C age was already published for a human skeleton from Naharon cave (Fig 1A), also located close to Tulum, with an age of 11,570±65 14 C y BP (13,571-13,337 cal y BP; 68% probability using CalPal) [3,6].…”