Late Holocene Climate Changes in the Altai Region Based on a First High?Resolution Biomarker Isotope Record From Lake Khar Nuur

The Late Holocene marks a substantial cultural and economic transition in the eastern Eurasian Steppe Altai Region with dispersal of nomadic pastoralism. So far, paleoclimate conditions during this time remain unclear controversial. Here, we present high-resolution 4.2 ka record from Lake Khar Nuur Mongolian that is based on lake sediment proxies biomarker compound-specific ?2H analyses. Our results document increased aridity before ?3.7 cal. BP, followed by two pronounced phases warm wet ?3.5–2.8 to ?2.3–1.5 strong increase since ?1.5 BP. Phases warmer wetter coincide negative North Atlantic Oscillation, which has been responsible for advecting moisture into region more southerly-displaced Westerlies possibly favored expansion mobile pastoralism region.