Lake sediment-based reconstructions of Late-Holocene lowland environments of Dominican Republic and Barbuda, northern Caribbean

Abstract

This dissertation explores the long-term environmental history of two northern Caribbean sites through sediment core analysis. At Laguna Alejandro (Dominican Republic), sediment and isotope data reveal ten storm events over the last 1,000 years, with increased hurricane activity during the Little Ice Age (1400–1800 CE) and prolonged ecosystem recovery times. At Freshwater Pond (Barbuda), disturbance pollen and macroscopic charcoal indicate vegetation disruption and burning (~150 BCE–1250 CE), aligning with archaeological evidence of Pre-Columbian human activity as the primary cause of fire.