Revised age models and foraminiferal records obtained for the Last Interglacial period in six marine sediment cores

The dataset contains the revised age models and foraminiferal records obtained for the Last Interglacial period in six marine sediment cores: - the Southern Ocean core MD02-2488 (age model, sea surface temperatures, benthic d18O and d13C for the period 136-108 ka), - the North Atlantic core MD95-2042 (age model, planktic d18O, benthic d18O and d13C for the period 135-110 ka), - the North Atlantic core ODP 980 (age model, planktic d18O, sea surface temperatures, seawater d18O, benthic d18O and d13C, ice-rafted detritus for the period 135-110 ka), - the North Atlantic core CH69-K09 (age model, planktic d18O, sea surface temperatures, seawater d18O, benthic d18O and d13C, ice-rafted detritus for the period 135-110 ka), - the Norwegian Sea core MD95-2010 (age model, percentage of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sinistral, sea surface temperatures, benthic d18O, ice-rafted detritus for the period 134-110 ka), - the Labrador Sea core EW9302-JPC2 (age model, percentage of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sinistral, sea surface temperatures, benthic d18O for the period 134-110 ka).

Pollen records of the Bykovsky Peninsula

New pollen and radiocarbon data from the Bykovsky Peninsula document the Late Pleistocene and Holocene environmental history of the Laptev Sea coast. More than 60 AMS-14C and conventional 14C dates indicate that the deposits accumulated during the last 60,000 radiocarbon yr BP. High concentration of green alga colonies (Pediustrum and Botryococcus) in the investigated sediment show that sedimentation was mostly in shallow water environments. Scarce grass and sedge communities dominated the vegetation 53-60 kyr BP. Climate was cold and dry. Open Poaceae and Cypcraccae associations with Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, and Cichoriaceac, dominated in the area about 48-42.5 kyr BP. Steppic communities with Artemisia and shrubby tundra communities with Salix and Betula sect. Nanae were also present. Climate was dry, but relatively warm. Vegetation cover became denser about 42.5-33.5 kyr BP, reflecting more favorable climate conditions. Scarce Poaceae communities with some Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Cichoriaceae, and Selaginella rupestris covered the Bykovsky Peninsula area during the Sartan (Late Weichselian) stage about 26-16 kyr BP. Disturbed, uncovered soils were very common in the area. Climate was extremely cold and dry. Poaceae and Cyperaceae associations with Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Cichoriaceae dominated the vegetation in the late Sartan, ca 16-12.2 kyr BP. Climate was significantly warmer than in the early Sartan time. The lee Complex sedimentation was interrupted about 12 kyr BP; most likely it was connected with the beginning of the Allerod warnring. Shrubby (Betula sect. Nanae, Alnusfnuicosa, Salix, Ericales) tundra was widely distributed on the Bykovsky Peninsula during the early-middle Holacene. Climate was most favorable between 8200 and 4500 yr BP. Vegetation became similar to modern after 4500 yr BP, suggesting a deterioration of climate.

Alkenone-derived sea surface temperature records of three sediment cores from the southern Benguela upwelling system

We present alkenone-derived Sea Surface Temperature (SST) records from three marine cores collected within the southern Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) spanning the last 3 ka. The SST evolution over the last 3 millennia is marked by aperiodic millennial-scale oscillations that broadly correspond to climatic anomalies identified over the North Atlantic region. The BUS SST data further suggest cooling and warming trends opposite to the temperature evolution in the Moroccan upwelling region and in Antarctica. In contrast, the last decades are marked by a cooling of unprecedented magnitude in both the Benguela and Moroccan upwelling systems, which is not observed in the Antarctic record. These contrasted responses in Atlantic upwelling systems triggered by natural and anthropogenic forcings shed light on how different climatic mechanisms are mediated by ocean-atmosphere interactions and transmitted to the geological records of past and present climate changes.

Pollen records from two outcrop profiles in the Kakitu Mountain of Tibet

There is a great similarity between pollen types which occur in the early Holocene NE Tibetan pollen spectra and those which are commonly considered to be typical for the Würm Late Glacial period in Central Europe and for the Würm Pleniglacial period in Southern Europe. Evidently, this similarity is due to a remarkable general conformity of plant taxa growing in cold-arid regions of the northern hemisphere. The improvement of the climate and the retreat of the glaciers that commenced at the end of the Würm period had already terminated definitely before 9500 BP. In addition, the climatic situation as well as the vegetation belts must have remained rather constant during the following 3000 yr, i.e. through most parts of the climatic optimum of the Holocene.

Activity, work and employment: some reflections on a topic under debate

Since ten years ago, it is intensely thought of human work and employment in developed countries as a consequence of the deep changes on the productive system. In this chapter we analyze at first place the concept of work and its evolution, based on recent researches. In second place we review the notions of activity, work and employment and also the definition and measurement of unemployment, which is not a very old notion. The third part is about the work rol in human life and finally we study the different alternatives on activity and specific work contracts, proposals that nowadays replace the notion of "full employment" in France.