Warmth-Demanding Species Present In The Early Holocene Arctic Verify It Was 7°C Warmer Then

Scientists find three Arctic (Svalbard) lakes were all ~7°C warmer than they are now about 10,000 years ago – when CO2 concentrations were only 260 ppm.

According to a just-published Geophysical Research Letters paper (van der Bilt et al., 2019), not only were surface temperatures 7°C warmer than today in High Arctic Svalbard due to the accompanying “high radiative forcing” during the Early Holocene, but sea ice limits were well north of the study area back then too.

The authors point out that model “simulations neither reproduce this reconstructed pattern nor its magnitude.” This is presumably because the model simulations are predicated on the assumption CO2 concentrations are a primary climate driver.

Image Source: van der Bilt et al., 2019

This paper is yet another in a “growing body of recent work” that uses the prevalence of warmth-demanding (thermophilious) species present in Arctic locations to reconstruct regional temperatures based on a requisite warmth limit for the species’ survival.

Earlier this year Leopold et al., 2019 assessed temperatures were 5-8°C warmer than today in Arctic Svalbard 8 to 10 thousand years ago due to the presence of Mytilus spp, a warmth-loving mussel.

Image Source: Leopold et al., 2019

6 responses to “Warmth-Demanding Species Present In The Early Holocene Arctic Verify It Was 7°C Warmer Then”

  1. tom0mason

    “The authors point out that model “simulations neither reproduce this reconstructed pattern nor its magnitude.” This is presumably because the model simulations are predicated on the assumption CO2 concentrations are a primary climate driver. “

    That is so, and thus yet again we see that climate models are all but useless at reconstructing past events, as much as their total failure in projecting near future, or even far future probabilities.

  2. Yonason
    1. tom0mason

      That particular warmist is just so stuffed full of …
      er, hubris.
      I’ve seen him in action on a video and my first thought were,
      “Humm, dumb savant — calculates everything and so believes he understands all.” He does not have the humility to realize that human knowledge is not complete or totally accurate.
      P.S.
      It’s always interesting to get him ranting about how clouds work. 🙂

    2. Mick J

      This interview with Australian MP Craig Kelly is an uplifting moment or two. Calls out the opening speech by the UM chief at COP24. Somewhat unlikely to be repeated on the BBC or elsewhere in Europe.
      Available for the moment at:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWPPSTAsgo&feature=youtu.be

      1. Yonason

        Excellent. Thank you, Mick J.

  3. Yonason

    “It’s always interesting to get him ranting about how clouds work.”

    I’ve never had that “pleasure.” 😉

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