The carbon isotopic compositions of six stalagmites from five caves in the
Ozark Highlands of central and southern Missouri and northern Arkansas prov
ide a detailed record of early and late Holocene vegetation dynamics. A rap
id decrease in speleothem partial derivative(13)C values between similar to
9500 and similar to 8200 yr BP indicates a period of increased C3 vegetati
on, suggesting cool and/or moist conditions relative to the earliest Holoce
ne and the prairie-dominated middle Holocene. A second negative partial der
ivative(13)C excursion from similar to 4500 to similar to 3000 yr BP interr
upts a predominantly C4-rich middle Holocene prairie environment that becam
e established at similar to 7500 yr BP. Speleothem mineralogical indicators
of cave aridity do not support previous inferences of increased regional d
ryness between 3800 and 3100 yr BP. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd and INQUA
. All rights reserved.