Abstract:
Holocene marine invertebrates and subfossil avian assemblages were
found within marine deposits elevated 1.17-16.7 m a.s.l. on the coasts
of Potter Peninsula, King George Island. Early Holocene Laternula sp
shells in live position were found within mudy sediments deposited in
an open fjord during a sea level high stand, which may reflect the
early Holocene eustatic marine transgression that
... drowned the south
coast of KGI down to 25-30 m depths. Mid-Holocene penguin and flying
bird remains accompanied by seal bones were discovered within raised
marine beach sediments (2.4-16.7 m), which reflect high relative sea
levels during two mid-Holocene episodes (c. 6400 years BP, and c. 4500
years BP) of seasonally open marine conditions. These episodes may
coincide with a cooling period around Antarctica estimated from
ice-core records between 8000-4000 years BP that preceded the "climate
optimum" in the Antarctic Peninsula (4000-3000 yr BP). Additionally
late Holocene penguin bones were found in abandoned penguin rookeries
located on a raised marine terrace 30-50 m. Paleontological evidence
suggests that these rookeries may have been intermitently active since
2000 years BP, and up to 700 years BP when the site was definitively
abandoned by penguins during a recent climate cooling. 
