Editorial preface to special issue: From Land to Ocean: South American climate variability from the Miocene to Holocene

South America features some of the most dynamic and climatically diverse environments on Earth; however, its palaeoenvironmental records remain sparse and unevenly distributed. Such data scarcity limits our understanding of South America's critical role in driving global climate dynamics, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and regional biodiversity patterns. This Virtual Special Issue (VSI) entitled From Land to Oceans: South American climate variability from the Miocene to Holocene brings together 14 papers that investigate atmospheric, hydrological, and oceanographic variability across a broad range of temporal scales. The contributions are organized into three categories. The first focuses on Neogene to Early Quaternary evolution, addressing long-term changes in ocean circulation and major climate systems. The second examines Late Quaternary and deglacial variability, emphasizing glacial-interglacial transitions and hydroclimatic shifts. The third explores Late Holocene climate variability through high-resolution reconstructions spanning the last few millennia. These studies provide new insights into the mechanisms driving climate variability across South America and highlight the value of integrating marine and continental archives to better understand past environmental change. We emphasise that this VSI reflects a diverse and inclusive scientific effort, bringing together contributions from early-career researchers, female scientists, and a broad range of South American institutions.