Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Antarctica, the global extent of the mid-Holocene
climatic optimum is shown by fossil penguin
nesting sites. On this basis, it is clear that sig-
nii cant changes in climate did occur during
the past several millennia. These climatic shifts
were comparable worldwide, but with distinct
regional variations, which had major impacts on
local wetland habitats and life.
Humans have played increasingly disruptive
roles in terms of habitat alteration during the
Holocene. Some have argued that signii cant
human impact on climate began with the
advent of agriculture some eight millennia ago.
On the other hand, most paleoclimatologists
have come to the conclusion that the major
shifts in climate during the Holocene were
driven primarily by solar forcing and by epi-
sodic volcanism. Certainly early man impacted
local and regional wetland conditions, but it is
not yet clear that this human activity had sig-
nii cant inl uence on global climate prior to the
Industrial Revolution. This subject is exceed-
ingly controversial, and considerable scientii c
uncertainty remains.
