Ecological stability in a changing world? Reassessment of the palaeoenvironmental history of Cuatrocienegas, Mexico

Previous work on the palaeoenvironmental history of Cuatrocienegas, Coahuila, Mexico, suggests that the local environments of the basin have been relatively stable since the last glacial period. Reassessment of the palaeoenvironmental record from Cuatrocienegas, combined with the analysis of a glacial-age packrat midden (similar to 16,900 cal yr BP), shows that this region has experienced substantial climatic and ecological changes during the Late Quaternary. Woodlands occurred near the valley floor until ca. 11,000 years ago, migrating upslope as climate warmed. The apparent lack of change in the flora of the basin floor may be attributable to high soil salinity. This edaphic control led to earlier interpretations that the region was environmentally stable.