Last Glacial Maximum environmental conditions at Andøya, northern Norway; evidence for a northern ice-edge ecological “hotspot”

Andøya on the NW coast of Norway is a key site for understanding the Last Glacial
Maximum (LGM) in northern Europe. Controversy has arisen concerning the local conditions,
especially about the timing and extent of local glacial cover, maximum July temperatures and
whether pine and/or spruce could have grown there. We reviewed all existing data and add
newly analysed ancient sedimentary DNA, pollen, macrofossils, geochemistry and stable
isotopes from three lake sediment cores from Øvre Æråsvatnet. A total of 23 new dates and
age-depth modelling suggests the lake has been ice-free since GI2 (<22.8 k cal. BP) and
possibly GS3 (<27.4 k cal. BP). Pinus and Picea sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) was
found in all three cores but at such low frequencies that it could not be distinguished from
background contamination. LGM samples have an exceptionally high organic matter content,
with isotopic values indicating that carbon and nitrogen derives from a marine source. Along
with ...