新疆阿勒泰地区小冰期特征的树轮δ13C记录

建立了新疆阿勒泰地区一个长约450a的落叶松树轮碳同位素年表.该年表一个最为明显的特点是1850年后年轮δ¹³C显著降低,这是化石燃料燃烧和土地利用方式改变的缘故.在1550—1850年期间,该年表经历了明显的距平“正负”(即暖冷)变化:17世纪年轮δ¹³C值相对偏负,气温较低,18世纪年轮δ¹³C值相对偏正,温度较高.根据已有的树轮δ¹³C温度系数,17世纪的温度相对偏低约0.67～2.46℃.广泛的区域性对比表明,该年表所揭示的小冰期温度变化具有较高的可信度。     

Palaeoenvironmental records in Holocene Spanish tufas: a stable isotope approach in search of reliable climatic archives

Tufa deposits are potential terrestrial archives of palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic information. This study assesses the potential of stable isotopic archives from two closely juxtaposed Holocene tufa sites in SE Spain. The Ruidera site contains deep‐water lacustrine micrites and tufas, whereas the nearby Alcaraz site represents a shallow barrage tufa. Understanding site characteristics is critical to interpreting the stable isotopic variations. These Holocene lacustrine micrites have isotopic compositions consistent with modern European lake shore microbial carbonates, where the isotopic chemistry is strongly influenced by hydrological and residence time effects. All the lacustrine micrite δ¹³C values were influenced by microenvironmental microbial effects to some degree. Because of these effects, stable isotope data from lacustrine microbial micrites and tufas will not normally yield precise information on the isotopic composition of palaeoprecipitation, temperature or vegetation composition of an area. In contrast, Holocene tufas that formed in shallow, fast‐flowing riverine settings may contain valuable palaeoclimatic archives. The tufa deposits must be largely autochthonous, as at Alcaraz, where in situ reed stem encrustations are present. Records of relative change in air temperature and changes in the source of airmasses are potentially resolvable in the δ¹⁸O data. These interpretations can be verified by other independent climatic data where chronology is constrained. Variations in riverine tufa δ¹³C values probably record changes in local vegetation and/or soil respiration. Covariation between δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values may be intrinsically linked to climatic factors such as aridity. Tentative palaeoclimatic interpretations for the middle Holocene at Alcaraz based on the isotope data suggest warming (or increasing influence of Mediterranean‐sourced precipitation) between approximately 5000–3000 radiocarbon years BP, accompanied by increased aridity. These interpretations are consistent with the sparse independent palaeoclimatic data and climate modelling results for the Holocene of SE Spain. This study supports the growing evidence that well‐chosen tufa sites could yield valuable palaeoclimatic information.     

Tree ring dating using oxygen isotopes: a master chronology for central England

Ring‐width dendrochronology, based on matching patterns of ring width variability, works best when trees are growing under significant environmental (climatic) stress. In the UK, and elsewhere in the temperate mid‐latitudes, trees generally experience low stress, so dating is more difficult and often fails. Oxygen isotopes in tree rings passively record changes in the isotopic ratios of summer precipitation, so they carry a strong common signal, which offers potential for cross‐dating. A master chronology covering the period 1200–2000 ce was constructed using the oxygen isotope ratios of the latewood cellulose of oak samples from central England. Two independent chronologies, developed to verify the isotopic signal, were combined (n = 10 trees) and the method was evaluated by dating timbers of known age and historical timbers that could not be dated by ring‐width dendrochronology, from both within and beyond the central England region. The agreement between samples and the master chronology is exceptionally strong, allowing the dating of timbers with far fewer rings than is normally the case for ring‐width dendrochronology. Tree‐ring oxygen isotope values are more suited to correlation analysis than tree‐ring widths, so it is possible to provide t‐values that conform to Student's t‐distribution and can be converted into probabilities of error. A protocol for assigning dates using ‘stable‐isotope dendrochronology’ is proposed, which has the potential to revolutionize the dating of wooden structures and artefacts, allowing the dating of short and invariant ring sequences from young, fast‐grown trees. Such samples are commonplace throughout the historical building and archaeological records and were, until now, considered impossible to date. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

A stable isotope-based approach to tropical dendroclimatology

We describe a strategy for development of chronological control in tropical trees lacking demonstrably annual ring formation, using high resolution δ¹⁸O measurements in tropical wood. The approach applies existing models of the oxygen isotopic composition of alpha-cellulose (Roden et al., 2000), a rapid method for cellulose extraction from raw wood (Brendel et al., 2000), and continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (Brenna et al., 1998) to develop proxy chronological, rainfall and growth rate estimates from tropical trees lacking visible annual ring structure. Consistent with model predictions, pilot datasets from the temperate US and Costa Rica having independent chronological control suggest that observed cyclic isotopic signatures of several permil (SMOW) represent the annual cycle of local rainfall and relative humidity. Additional data from a plantation tree of known age from ENSO-sensitive northwestern coastal Peru suggests that the 1997-8 ENSO warm phase event was recorded as an 8‰ anomaly in the δ¹⁸O of α-cellulose. The results demonstrate reproducibility of the stable isotopic chronometer over decades, two different climatic zones, and three tropical tree genera, and point to future applications in paleoclimatology.     

Climatic variations in MIS 11 recorded by stable isotopes and trace elements in a French tufa (La Celle,Seine Valley)

Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 palaeoclimate has so far been documented in marine and ice sheet isotopic records. However, excepting some lacustrine pollen records, very little is known about palaeoclimatic conditions in continental areas. This study uses geochemical records in calcareous tufa deposits from rivers as a basis for reconstructing temperate palaeoclimatic conditions. Tufa deposits are now proven to record high‐quality palaeoclimatic information in recent to Holocene deposits. Work on older interglacial tufas is just starting and in this paper we present the first comprehensive results from a MIS 11 tufa. The tufa comes from the Seine Valley (La Celle, northern France). Geochemical data in the tufa calcite are interpreted to record primarily air temperature (δ¹⁸O) and humidity (δ¹³C and Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca). The combined data identify a warm and wet climatic optimum followed by two temperature decreases associated with oscillations in humidity. These marked climatic variations recorded through the La Celle profile are strongly coherent with the palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from malacological data. The abrupt climatic and environmental events recorded could be related to short‐term degradation of vegetation cover in Europe, which is itself controlled by global palaeoclimatic events. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isotopic climate record in a Holocene stalagmite from Ursilor Cave (Romania)

The PU‐2 stalagmite from Ursilor Cave provides the first dated Romanian isotope record for the Holocene. The overall growth rate of the speleothem was 3.5 cm kyr^?1, corresponding to a temporal resolution of 142 y between each isotope analysis. The ‘Hendy’ tests indicate that isotopic equilibrium conditions occurred during the formation of PU‐2, and hence that it is suitable for palaeoclimatic studies. The relationship between δ¹⁸O and temperature was found to be positive. This can be interpreted either as rain‐out with distance from the west‐northwest ocean source of evaporation or shifts in air mass source with changing North Atlantic Oscillation indices. Applying five U–Th thermal ionisation mass spectrometric (TIMS) dates to a 17.5 cm isotope profile (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) along the stalagmite growth axis enabled a tentative interpretation of the palaeoclimate signal over the past 7.1 kyr. Spikes of depleted isotopic δ¹⁸O values are centred near ca. 7, ca. 5.2 and ca. 4 ka, reflecting cool conditions. The record shows two warm intervals between ca. 3.8 and ca. 3.2 ka (the maximum warmth) and from ca. 2 to ca. 1.4 ka, when the δ¹⁸O values were less negative than present. The ‘Holocene Climate Optimum’ spanning the time interval from ca. 6.8 to ca. 4.4 ka is not well expressed in the PU‐2 stalagmite. Individual spikes of lighter δ¹³C are interpreted as indicative of periods of heavy rainfall, at ca. 7, ca. 5.5, and ca. 3.5 ka. The overall trend to lighter δ¹³C in the PU‐2 stalagmite may reflect a gradual decrease in water–rock interaction. The results demonstrate that the effect of North Atlantic oceanic changes extended to the investigated area. Nevertheless, some differences in temporal correlation and intensity of stable isotopic response to these climatic events have been found, but the exact nature of these differences and the underlying mechanism is yet to be determined. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climatic significance of D/H and13C/12C ratios in Irish oak cellulose

δD and δ¹³C analyses of cellulose nitrate from two modern Irish oak trees that form part of the 7400 year long chronology were carried out, covering a period of 123 years (1861–1983 A.D.) with a 5 year resolution so as to assess the potential of this long chronology for retrieval of palaeoenvironmental data. One of the trees (Q5293) showed significant correlations of δD, δ¹³ C and ring width with mean annual temperatures as recorded at the Armagh weather station nearby and the mean fall temperatures of Central England. The other tree (Q5296) did not exhibit any significant climatic correlations either because it grew utilizing a nearby permanent source of ground water or because the intra-ring isotopic variations in Irish oak are significant enough to mask the climatic signal. Whilst our results have given a positive indication of the usefulness of these trees for palaeoenvironmental information, more trees need to be analysed to confirm our findings. Even though one of the trees did not exhibit climatic correlations, both trees show a significant positive correlation of δ¹³C and a negative correlation of δD with ring width variations. Furthermore, two tree samples that grew during the 1620s B.C., when a volcano is thought to have erupted on the Aegean island of Santorini, show increased δD and decreased δ¹³C for one to two decades following the eruption, though the magnitudes of change seem to vary with site and trees. We have proposed a possible mechanism based on tree phenology to explain both the above effects.     

Stable carbon isotope composition of terrestrial leaves: inter‐ and intraspecies variability,cellulose and whole‐leaf tissue difference,and potential for climate reconstruction

Stable carbon isotope analysis of terrestrial plant leaves preserved in Quaternary lake sediments has the potential to provide high‐resolution reconstructions of past climatic conditions. Preferably, δ¹³C measurements should be made on a single leaf component, e.g. cellulose, but this approach is often precluded by limited leaf availability. Previous work suggests that reliable palaeoclimatic information also may be derived from δ¹³C measurements on whole‐leaf tissue, given a similar degree of leaf decomposition between samples. Leaf δ¹³C data for 12 Scandinavian species of dwarf‐shrubs, shrubs and trees, and a comparison of δ¹³C data on recent and late Holocene Salix herbacea leaves, revealed that the δ¹³C signal registered by holocellulose is largely reflected by measurements on whole‐leaf tissue. Holocellulose was found to be consistently enriched in ¹³C, although this δ¹³C offset was smaller for subfossil leaves. This supports the use of δ¹³C measurements on whole‐leaf tissue for climate reconstruction, at least for leaves preserved in soft, late Holocene sediments with minimal diagenetic effects. Leaf carbon and nitrogen data on fresh leaves of the same 12 Scandinavian species, and corresponding data on late Holocene Salix herbacea leaves, suggest that the leaf C:N ratio is a suitable indicator of the degree of leaf decomposition. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Early‐middle Holocene land snail shell stable isotope record from Grotta di Latronico 3 (southern Italy)

This paper compares stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) records of early–middle Holocene land snail shells from the archaeological deposits of Grotta di Latronico 3 (LTR3; southern Italy) with modern shell isotopic data. No substantial interspecific variability was observed in shell δ¹⁸O (δ¹⁸Os) of modern specimens (Pomatias elegans, Cornu aspersum, Eobania vermiculata, Helix ligata and Marmorana fuscolabiata). In contrast, interspecific shell δ¹³C (δ¹³Cs) variability was significant, probably due to different feeding behaviour among species. The δ¹⁸Os values of living land snails suggest that species hibernate for a long period during colder months, so that the signal of ¹⁸O‐depleted winter rainfall in their δ¹⁸Os is lost. This suggests that δ¹⁸Os and δ¹³Cs values of Pomatias elegans from this archaeological succession provide valuable clues for seasonal (spring–autumn) climatic conditions during the early–middle Holocene. The δ¹⁸Os values of fossil specimens are significantly lower than in modern shells and in agreement with other palaeoclimatic records, suggesting a substantial increase of precipitation and/or persistent changes in air mass source trajectories over this region between ca. 8.8 cal ka BP and 6.2–6.7 ka ago. The δ¹³Cs trend suggests a transition from a slightly ¹³C‐enriched to a ¹³C‐depleted diet between early and middle Holocene compared to present conditions. We postulate that this δ¹³Cs trend might reflect changes in the C3 vegetation community, potentially combined with other environmental factors such as regional moisture increase and the progressive decrease of atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fractionation change of hydrogen isotopes in trees due to atmospheric pollutants

Atmospheric pollution effects on hydrogen fractionation in trees are demonstrated for the first time in this study. The δ²H ring-cellulose series obtained for black spruce trees at a site near a SO₂-emitting smelter display short-term fluctuations superimposed on a first order −11‰ shift coincident with the onset of smelter operations. The isotopic depletion in trees exposed to various levels of SO₂ diminish with increasing distance relative to the location of the smelter, and it is not detected at the most distant selected stand, 116 km downwind from the point source. Both the spatial and temporal isotopic trends likely result from the combined effects of leaf transpiration, biochemical processes and water uptake by the root system. The spatial and temporal trends of δ²H values are the reverse of the δ¹³C trends previously obtained for the same tree ring series. These coupled isotopic fractionations underline an important response of trees to pollution stresses likely generated by ambient atmospheric SO₂ concentrations. The degradation of global air quality during the last 150 yr likely generated large scale modifications in the way terrestrial vegetation grows. In this respect, hydrogen dendrogeochemistry combined with other tracers such as C isotope ratios constitutes a new tool to evaluate the past behavior of forest ecosystems in terms of C uptake and acclimation to various types of atmospheric pollution.     

Middle pleistocene variations in palaeoclimate,palaeoenvironment and vegetation of the las tablas de daimiel national park (Spain)

The Middle Pleistocene palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment evolution of the Las Tablas de Daimiel wetlands is described using a combination of sedimentology, pollen and δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O isotopic records of Unit B of core LT‐199906. This unit mostly contains fluvial and palustrine sediments. U/Th and amino acid racemization (AAR) dating and a comparison of the δ¹⁸O curve of Unit B with oceanic records suggests that Unit B spans the period from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (340 ka) to the first stages of MIS 7 (ca. 210 ka). MIS 9 was characterised by a regional vegetation dominated by Cupressaceae, with Pinus as a tree element. The water level was high and temperatures were very probably higher than during the Holocene. MIS 8 and the first substages of MIS 7 (7e, 7d and 7c) were dominated by xerophilous steppe vegetation in lowlands (elevations around 610 m above sea level) near to the wetland. At higher altitudes, far away from the wetland, there were fewer Pinus than in MIS 9, and a greater presence of warm, temperate and cool climate tree elements. The aquatic system in MIS 9 became shallower, with eutrophication and the accumulation of organic matter occurring; temperatures were similar to or lower than those of the Holocene. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First detection of glacial meltwater signature in tree‐ring δ18O: Reconstructing past major glacier runoff events at Lago Verde (Miage Glacier,Italy)

With the aim of evaluating the influence of glacial meltwater signature on tree‐ring stable isotopes, we analysed δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C in the tree rings of Larix decidua Mill. specimens growing in the area of an ice‐contact lake (Lago Verde, at Miage Glacier, European Alps). Additionally, we analysed δ¹⁸O in the glacial meltwater of the lake and of the glacier stream and compared it with the δ¹⁸O of precipitation predicted by a spatial model. We found that tree‐ring cellulose of trees fed by glacial meltwaters (LVW site) is significantly more depleted in δ¹⁸O than at a control site LVM (?0.91‰) fed only by precipitation, thus reflecting the measured higher depletion of glacial meltwaters with respect to local precipitation. δ¹³C values did not show significant differences in mean values between the two sites but an anomalous correlation with summer temperature was found at the LVW site, probably due to the different responses of trees stomatal conductance. Over the 30‐year period of analysis, four years at LVW (1992, 1995, 2003 and 2009) were markedly depleted in δ¹⁸O. These years are those when the highest summer temperatures were recorded in the area (the ones during which glacier ablation usually increases and more depleted meltwaters fill the lake), with the exception of 1995 during which high water levels occurred following the year with the second highest summer temperature (1994). Overall, our analysis demonstrates that tree‐ring δ¹⁸O, driven by the glacial meltwater signature in the lake, can be used for detecting past major glacier runoff events. The proposed approach could also be used for quantifying past glacier runoff and for defining past distribution areas of glacial meltwaters in glacier forefields, thus contributing to past environmental reconstructions and to hazard assessment.     

Amazon Fan biomarker evidence against the Pleistocene rainforest refuge hypothesis?

Ocean Drilling Program Leg 155 Site 942 on the Amazon Fan is an ideal location for monitoring palaeoclimatic changes within a significant proportion of the Amazon Basin. We present n‐alkane δ¹³C and taraxerol and laevoglucosan concentration records from this site covering the last 38 ka. The entire n‐alkane δ¹³C record is constrained between ?31‰ and ?34‰, which is well within the isotopic range occupied by C₃ vegetation. The concentration and relative abundance of taraxerol, a mangrove indicator, varies by over an order of magnitude, but seems to have had no effect on the n‐alkane δ¹³C record. The laevoglucosan concentrations are extremely low during the last glacial period, suggesting a relatively low occurrence of forest fires. Laevoglucosan concentrations are highest between 13.5 and 12.5 ka, suggesting an increased incidence of Amazon forest fires at the very end of the Younger Dryas. These records, combined with previously published pollen records from Site 932, reveal no evidence for massive incursions of grasslands into Amazonia during the last glacial period, despite evidence of reduced outflow of the Amazon River indicating more arid conditions. We therefore suggest that savannah encroachment, as proposed by the Pleistocene refuge hypothesis, can be refuted as an explanation for high species endemism within the Amazon Basin, and alternative explanations are required. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Carbon Isotopic Stratigraphic Pattern of the Late Palaeozoic Coals in the North China Platform and Its Palaeoclimatic Implications

This paper gives the stable carbon isotopic data in coals from the Late Namurian to Kazanian stages inthe Serteng Mt., Xishan and Huainan coalfields of the North China Platform. Its stratigraphic pattern shows that sev-eral isotopic shifts are apparent, and the large δ~(13)C negative shifts (approximately 2.5 to 3.0‰) occurred during theStephanian, Artinskian and Kazanian are observed in three Permo-Carboniferous coalfields. Those negative shifts areneither related to the coal rank and coal macerals, nor caused by the variety of peat-forming plants. The general de-crease in the δ~(13)C values of the Stephanian, Artinskian and Kazanian coals is consistent with an overall decrease inthe δ~(13)C values of ambient atmospheric CO_2 and/or a relative increase in atmospheric P_(CO2) during the coal-forming pe-riods. Therefore the authors postulate that the oxidation of peat, and the δ~(13)C-depleted CO_2 flux into the atmosphereduring the above stages may have contributed to coeval palaeoclimatic warming by way of the greenhouse effect.     

Large variations of δ13C values in stalagmites from southeastern China during historical times: implications for anthropogenic deforestation

Variations in speleothem δ¹³C values can reflect changes in overlying surface vegetation, which, over historical time scales, may represent the influence of human activities. Here, we examined δ¹³C variations in two stalagmites growing for the last 2200 years in Shennong Cave, Jiangxi Province, SE China. The two δ¹³C records corroborate well one another and show a prominent 6‰ enrichment of the δ¹³C values from AD 700 to 1100. The isotopic equilibrium for modern calcite and negative correlation between δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values along the growth axis suggest that the influences of kinetic fractionation are negligible. Varied correlations between Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios and divergent changes between δ¹³C values and Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios from AD 700 to 1100 reveal that the prior calcite precipitation (PCP) and water–rock interaction did not dominate the increase of δ¹³C values. It is plausible that the obvious δ¹³C variation was largely influenced by the changes in vegetation cover overlying the cave. Our δ¹³C results, together with the records of climate and human activity from historical documentary records, suggest that: (i) prior to AD 700, small fluctuations in relatively light δ¹³C values reflect the presence of lush forest coverage above the cave, which was minimally disturbed by human activities; (ii) during AD 700–1100, the drastic increase in δ¹³C values indicates persistent and massive deforestation associated with large‐scale immigration into northern Jiangxi after the Rebellion of An & Shi (AD 755–763) in the Tang Dynasty and the subsequent development of agriculture and economic activity; and (iii) since AD 1100, fluctuations in relatively high δ¹³C values suggest that local vegetation during the last millennium has been sparse. Since the Rebellion of An & Shi, southeastern China was progressively developed, coincident with deforestation and vegetation deterioration caused by human disturbance in the form of deforestation and cultivation.     

A critical evaluation of multi‐proxy dendroclimatology in northern Finland

Twentieth‐century summer (July–August) temperatures in northern Finland are reconstructed using ring widths, maximum density and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) of Scots pine tree rings, and using combinations of these proxies. Verification is based on the coefficient of determination (r²), reduction of error (RE) and coefficient of efficiency (CE) statistics. Of the individual proxies, δ¹³C performs best, followed by maximum density. Combining δ¹³C and maximum density strengthens the climate signal but adding ring widths leads to little improvement. Blue intensity, an inexpensive alternative to X‐ray densitometry, is shown to perform similarly. Multi‐proxy reconstruction of summer temperatures from a single site produces strong correlations with gridded climate data over most of northern Fennoscandia. Since relatively few trees are required (<15) the approach could be applied to long sub‐fossil chronologies where replication may be episodically low. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying seasonal precipitation using high-resolution carbon isotope analyses in evergreen wood

High-resolution natural abundance stable carbon isotope analyses across annual growth rings in evergreen trees reveal a cyclic increase and decrease in the measured carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C), but the causes of this pattern are poorly understood. We compiled new and published high-resolution δ¹³C data from across annual growth rings of 33 modern evergreen trees from 10 genera and 15 globally distributed sites to quantify the parameters that affect the observed δ¹³C pattern. Across a broad range of latitude, temperature, and precipitation regimes, we found that the average, measured seasonal change in δ¹³C (Δδ¹³C_meas, ‰) within tree rings of evergreen species reflects changes in the carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric carbon dioxide (Δδ¹³C_CO2) and changes in seasonal precipitation (ΔP) according to the following equation: Δδ¹³C_meas = Δδ¹³C_CO2 - 0.82(ΔP) + 0.73; R² = 0.96. Seasonal changes in temperature, pCO₂, and light levels were not found to significantly affect Δδ¹³C_meas. We propose that this relationship can be used to quantify seasonal patterns in paleoprecipitation from intra-ring profiles of δ¹³C measured from non-permineralized, fossil wood.     

Depositional system and palaeoclimatic interpretations of Middle to Late Pleistocene travertines: Kocabaş, Denizli,south‐west Turkey

Travertine deposits in western Turkey are very well‐exposed in the area of Kocaba?, in the eastern part of the Denizli Basin. The palaeoclimatic significance of these travertines is discussed using U/Th dates, stable isotope data and palynological evidence. The Kocaba? travertine occurrences are characterized by successions of depositional terraces associated with palaeosols and karstic features. The travertines have been classified into eight lithotypes and one erosional horizon, namely: laminated, coated bubble, reed, paper‐thin raft, intraclasts, micritic travertine with gastropods, extra‐formational pebbles and a palaeosol layer. The analysed travertines mostly formed between 181 ka and 80 ka (Middle to Late Pleistocene) during a series of climatic changes including glacial and interglacial intervals; their δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values indicate that the depositional waters were mainly of basinal thermal origin, occasionally mixed with surficial meteoric water. Palynological results obtained from the palaeosols showed an abundance of non‐arboreal percentage and xerophytic plants (Oleaceae and Quercus evergreen type) indicating that a drought occurred. Marine Isotope Stage 6 is represented by grassland species but Marine Isotope Stage 5 is represented by Pinaceae–Pinus and Abies, Quercus and Oleaceae. Uranium/thorium analyses of the Kocaba? travertines show that deposition began in Marine Isotope Stage 6 (glacial) and continued to Marine Isotope Stage 4 (glacial), but mostly occurred in Marine Isotope Stage 5 (interglacial). The travertine deposition continued to ca 80 ka in the south‐west of the study area, in one particular depression depositional system. Palaeoenvironmental indicators suggest that the travertine depositional evolution was probably controlled by fault‐related movements that influenced groundwater flow. Good correlation of the stable isotope values and dates of deposition of the travertines and palynological data of palaeosols in the Kocaba? travertines serve as a starting point for further palaeoclimate studies in south‐west Turkey. Additionally, the study can be compared with other regional palaeoclimate archives.     

A first look at oxygen isotope records from modern and Holocene-aged gastropod (Stenomelania) shells from Lake Kutubu,Papua New Guinea

The oxygen isotopic composition of Stenomelania gastropod shells was investigated to reconstruct Holocene palaeoclimate change at Lake Kutubu in the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea. Oxygen isotope (δ¹⁸O) values recorded in aquatic gastropod shells change according to ambient water δ¹⁸O values and temperature. The gastropod shells appear to form in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with the surrounding water and record a shift in average shell oxygen isotopic composition through time, probably as a result of warmer/wetter conditions at ca. 600–900 and 5900–6200 cal a bp. Shorter term fluctuations in oxygen isotope values were also identified and may relate to changes in the intensity or source of rainfall. Further δ¹⁸O analyses of gastropod shells or other carbonate proxies found in the Lake Kutubu sediments are warranted. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stable isotopes in a stalagmite from NW Sweden document environmental changes over the past 4000 years

Sundqvist, H. S., Holmgren, K., Moberg, A., Spötl, C. & Mangini, A. 2009: Stable isotopes in a stalagmite from NW Sweden document environmental changes over the past 4000 years. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00099.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. This study of a 4000‐year‐old stalagmite from Korallgrottan in northwestern Sweden highlights the potentials and challenges when using stable isotopes in stalagmites as climate proxies, as well as the fact that the relationship between climate and proxy may change through time. Both the oxygen and the carbon isotopes display an overall trend of enrichment together with decreasing growth rates over the time period covered by the stalagmite, which is considered a generally cooling period according to current palaeoclimate understanding. The stable isotope records show enriched isotopic values during the, for Scandinavia, comparatively cold period AD 1300–1700 and depleted values during the warmer period AD 800–1000. The indication of a negative relationship between measured δ¹⁸O and surface temperature concurs with earlier reported stalagmite records from regions with a seasonal snow cover and is further supported by the fact that the stalagmite δ¹⁸O record shows general similarities with both regional and hemispheric temperature reconstructions available for the past 500 and 2000 years, respectively. Compared with a stable isotope record of lacustrine carbonates from northern Sweden, however, shifting correlations over time between the two records indicate that a local hydrological change may have taken place at Korallgrottan, or at the lake, compared with around 1000 years ago. The earlier part of the stalagmite δ¹⁸O might thus be influenced, to some extent, by another process than the later part, which means that a negative relationship between δ¹⁸O and surface temperature might not hold for the entire 4000‐year‐old record.