Caribbean palaeoclimates since 4000 BP: the Grand-Case Lake record at Saint Martin.

Caribbean palaeoclimates since 4000 BP: the Grand-Case Lake record at Saint Martin. A 2.5-m-thick sequence of take sediments at the tang de Grand-Case, Saint Martin (French West Indies) is studied here. Significant hydrological budget fluctuations allows distinction of three main climatic periods: (1) an overall dry period (4200 BP-2300 BP), characterised by carbonated mud, gypsum and storm sand layers; (2) a wet phase (2300 BP-1 150 BP) dominated by organic mud; and (3) a more complex phase (1150 BP to present), with detrital inputs due to human activities. Comparison with other regional high-resolution records shows that similar climate modifications typify the whole Mesoamerican and Caribbean area. The climatic phenomena that are implicated in the variations of both precipitation and hurricane frequency over the Lesser Antilles are due to the latitudinal displacement of the inter-tropical convergence zone. These data give new support to the hypothesis of the existence of a correlation between peopling phases and climate variations in the Caribbean as previously proposed by some archaeologists. To cite this article: P Bertran et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004). (C) 2004 Academie des sciences. Publie par Elsevier SAS. Tous droits reserves.