Environmental stability in the High Andes of Argentina across the 4.2 ka event

Abstract The Holocene clastic and organic sediments from the La Falda section (northern Puna, Argentina), covering the late Northgrippian to early Meghalayan periods, were analyzed. These sediments contain abundant plant macrofossils and microfossils, including leaves and stems attributed to Cyperaceae and Poaceae, as well as pollen. Charcoal is also present in significant amounts. The analysis of these remains provides insights into past environmental and climatic conditions. Our results suggest that palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic changes during this period were relatively minor, with a clear trend of geomorphological stability. Geochronological data, based on 15 radiocarbon dates, confirm through a depth-age model that no major erosion or accumulation events occurred between 4750 and 3450 cal BP.