A new study presents the first integrated synthesis of paleoenvironmental reconstructions from Northeastern Brazil (NEB), a key region for understanding the early environmental history of South America. By combining evidence from palynology, geochemistry, sedimentology, and archaeology, the research provides new insights into how landscapes and climate evolved over the past 40,000 years.
Today dominated by the dry forests of the Caatinga and the semi-deciduous formations of the Cerrado, NEB has undergone major ecological transformations. The study compiles 18 published records spanning the end of the last glacial period to the Holocene, based on six marine and eight continental archives. These records reveal an alternation between open vegetation phases and more humid intervals, during which mesophilous forests expanded.
By integrating paleoecological and archaeological data, the study shows that millennial-scale climatic fluctuations strongly influenced the availability of plant and animal resources. Pollen and charcoal evidence document key taxa such as Byrsonima, Hymenaea, and Mauritia, reflecting large-scale variations in precipitation and temperature. Faunal assemblages indicate the persistence of diverse environments until the end of the Pleistocene.
This comprehensive synthesis provides a regional framework for interpreting past climate and environmental dynamics in Northeastern Brazil. It highlights how global climatic changes shaped tropical South American landscapes and offers a valuable reference for future interdisciplinary studies on the interplay between climate, vegetation, and human presence in semi-arid environments.
Reference: Haut-Labourdette M., Ledru M.-P., Govin A., Hatté C., Boëda E., 2025. Understanding the presence of early humans in northeastern Brazil: Synthesis of paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2025, 680, 113367 – doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2025.113367
Funding: ANR SESAME (ANR-20-CE03-0005)