We identified four climatic stages between 6.2 and 1.3 cal kyr before present (BP) based on pollen and charcoal concentrations by high-resolution Accelerated mass spectrometer (AMS) 14 C-dated sediment profile from Taiwan's Toushe Basin. From 6.2 to 4.6 cal kyr BP, the region was warm-wet with infrequent wildfires and dominant subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests. The climate was cooler-drier from 4.6 to 3.0 cal kyr BP, with a decline in forest and increased fire frequency. From 3.0 to 2.1 cal kyr BP, climate further cooled and dried, with the development of alpine meadows and higher fire frequency. The region became warmer and wetter from 2.1 to 1.3 cal kyr BP, accompanied by forest recovery. Climatic changes were linked to changes in East Asia Summer Monsoon intensity, which is mainly controlled by solar radiation. Wildfires were likely controlled by precipitation variability that is influenced by East Asia Summer Monsoon and El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Toushe Basin experienced drought conditions and frequent wildfires during the El Niño years. Plain Language Summary The purpose of our study is to reveal the relationship between paleoclimate, vegetation, and wildfire. The study area is located in the Toushe Basin, central Taiwan. Through palynological and charcoal analysis, the vegetation, climate, and wildfire history of the past 6,000 to 1,000 years in the study area were reconstructed. The study found that after 4,600 years, the East Asian summer monsoon continued to weaken until approximately 2,000 years ago, during which time the climate was dry and cool, and wildfires were frequent. In addition, it is found that the climate in this region is mainly controlled by the changes in solar radiation. The cycle of climate change coincides with that of solar activity. In El Niño years, the Toushe Basin was dry and frequent wildfires occurred.

The eastern China coastal plain is an ideal area for studying the human–environment interaction during the Neolithic period as there are multiple Neolithic sites in this area. Located in the Ningshao Coastal Plain of the south bank of Hangzhou Bay in eastern China, the Hejia Site is part of the late Hemudu Culture sites and includes the late Hemudu Culture, the Liangzhu Culture, and the Qianshanyang Culture. Based on palynology, charcoal, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and magnetic susceptibility (χ), combined with accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dating and analysis of the archaeological cultural layers, we explored the paleoenvironmental evolution and human activities at the Hejia Site. 1) Pollen records suggest that the vegetation type was evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest during the Middle Holocene. Cr/Cu and low-frequency magnetic susceptibility (χlf) reveal that the climate underwent through warm and wet (Hemudu Culture Period IV)–cool and dry (Liangzhu Culture Period)–warm and wet (Qianshanyang Culture Period) periods. 2) During the Middle Holocene, the intensity of human activities, related to the transformation of the natural environment, increased obviously. The increasing Poaceae pollen (>37 μm) indicates that the ability of prehistoric humans in managing crop fields gradually increased from the late Hemudu Culture Period to the Liangzhu Culture Period. The charcoal concentration results suggest that the occurrence of high-intensity fire events during the late Hemudu Culture Period might be caused by the slash-and-burn operation, while those that occurred during the middle Liangzhu Culture Period might be caused by the increasing fire demand owing to the greater ancestors’ lives and production activities in the Liangzhu Culture Period.

<p>We identified four climatic stages between 6.2 and 1.3 cal kyr before present (BP) based on pollen and charcoal concentrations by high‐resolution Accelerated mass spectrometer (AMS) <sup>14</sup> C‐dated sediment profile from Taiwan's Toushe Basin. From 6.2 to 4.6 cal kyr BP, the region was warm‐wet with infrequent wildfires and dominant subtropical evergreen broad‐leaved forests. The climate was cooler‐drier from 4.6 to 3.0 cal kyr BP, with a decline in forest and increased fire frequency. From 3.0 to 2.1 cal kyr BP,climate further cooled and dried, with the development of alpine meadows and higher fire frequency. The region became warmer and wetter from 2.1 to 1.3 cal kyr BP, accompanied by forest recovery. Climatic changes were linked to changes in East Asia Summer Monsoon intensity,which is mainly controlled by solar radiation. Wildfires were likely controlled by precipitation variability that is influenced by East Asia Summer Monsoon and El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Toushe Basin experienced drought conditions and frequent wildfires during the El Niño years.</p>

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