Beyond the intertropical convergence zone: A regional synthesis of Late Pleistocene hydroclimate in the northern Tropical Americas

Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, pp. 114250

Abstract

The northern Tropical Americas (NTA) is influenced by multiple large-scale hydroclimate drivers, including the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), whose position and strength varied significantly during the Late Pleistocene (130–11.7 kyr BP). Since the 1960s, paleoclimate studies have provided valuable but often scattered insights into environmental changes and precipitation variability. Recent advances in dating techniques, access to older sediment records, and the development of novel proxies have improved our understanding of regional climate dynamics during recent glacial-interglacial cycles. This review compiles paleoclimate records from 166 sites across the NTA, derived from 241 studies spanning terrestrial and marine archives, to assess the current state of paleoclimatological knowledge and identify gaps and limitations. We examine a subset of 83 sites covering Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS5; 130–70 kyr BP) to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 22–17.5 kyr BP) in detail, focusing on precipitation patterns. We explore the interactions among major atmospheric and oceanic processes, including the ITCZ, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the North Atlantic High System, the Caribbean Low-Level Jet, and the North American Monsoon. Our synthesis reveals pronounced spatial differences in precipitation regimes across tropical and subtropical ecosystems from MIS5 to the LGM. These findings challenge the prevailing view of the warm-wet interglacial versus cold-dry glacial framework in the NTA. Instead, orbital and millennial-scale variability, combined with altitude, meridional gradients and local orography, modulate the timing and amplitude of hydroclimate responses. This review places the NTA within the broader framework of global Late Pleistocene climatology and identifies key directions for future paleoclimate research in the region.

Authors 7

1. Rodrigo Martínez-Abarca corresponding

   Technische Universität Braunschweig · LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig 38106, Germany

   LIAG-Institute for Applied Geophysics, Hanover 30655, Germany

2. Liseth Pérez

   Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Geosciences, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany

3. Alexander Correa‐Metrio

   Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México · Instituto de Geociencias

   Affiliation as printed

   Instituto de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla 76230, Mexico

4. Frederik Schenk

   University of Helsinki · Bolin Centre for Climate Research

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Geological Sciences and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm 11418, Sweden

   Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland

5. Antje Schwalb

   Technische Universität Braunschweig

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig 38106, Germany

6. Arne Ulfers

   LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   LIAG-Institute for Applied Geophysics, Hanover 30655, Germany

7. Thorsten Bauersachs Aachen Chair of Organic Biogeochemistry in Geo-Systems

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Organic Biogeochemistry in Geo-Systems, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52064, Germany