Pollen preservation evidence from southern Patagonia (52°–54°S): Old methods, new insights into past changes in the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds

The analysis of pollen preservation data to support the interpretation of palynological records has been recognised since the 1960s, but the method, which incurs no additional resources, has rarely been adopted in Patagonia. This paper presents a synthesis of records of palaeovegetation and pollen preservation from six peat bogs, along a latitudinal transect in southern Patagonia (51°–54°S). The peat bogs are closed basins and thus sensitive to changes in precipitation and we detail how pollen preservation data demonstrate a high degree of sensitivity to and provide a robust indicator of persistent changes in mire surface wetness (MSW). We discuss how reconstructing the changing vegetation patterns coupled with MSW, in association with other regional proxies support inferences concerning latitudinal shifts in the southern westerly winds (SWWs), an important component of the Southern Hemisphere ocean-atmosphere circulation system. We also illustrate how analysing pollen preservation data can provide more nuanced site specific and regional information on lags and threshold responses in vegetation communities, to climate changes.